Mamba vs Performance MX, need your opinions.

Ok, so it really is time for me to get a new mouse. My trusty Copperhead finally started to really show signs of wear and tear, as well as the left mouse button becoming less and less reliable. My warranty is well out and it really is time for a new mouse.

This time, I'm looking strictly for a wireless one. Wires annoy me greatly; I have so many different cables and wires lying around my laptop and a long mouse cable doesn't help the mess at all. So I've narrowed it down to two mice, two very different ones. The Razer Mamba and the Performance MX from Logitech. I know, I know, they are made for two very different purposes and have contrasting feature sets and there are better options blah blah blah....you have to remember, I live in Australia. So a very limited range to choose from and no G700 either (which would have been perfectly in the middle of my two choices) for me.

Both are the flagship wireless mice of their manufacturers. The Mamba is roughly $140 AUD here, while the MX $120 AUD, so price isn't really a big factor (I know, aussie pricing is screwed.).

I'm in interested in the Performance MX for a couple of reasons.
-It looks, and apparently is, extremely comfortable.
-Hyperscroll or whatever, looks very useful.
-I don't mind losing a USB port and the receiver is the best out there.
-Thumb button looks nice (would have preferred the thumb wheel of the Revolution MX though).
-Darkfield, eliminates any need for a mousepad
-Stylish.

Ok, so it started looking like the perfect mouse for me but then I realized one very important feature I needed that it didn't have.

One of them was due to the fact that I am a pretty keen gamer and that my laptop's screen is 1080p. So I need a high-ish DPI (I don't care for like a million DPI, I just need to move around the screen very quickly). Starcraft 2 and FPSs I play require alot of twitch mouse movements and I can't afford to have a low DPI slowing down my gaming.

So I had a look at some other contenders. The Sidewinder X8 looks good but I don't know, I can't get used to the styling. It's something I can't explain. The Orochi's sleep-wake lag issue looks crippling but otherwise would have been good. The G700 probably ticked all the boxes but unfortunately for me will probably make it to Australia much later this year. And I need a mouse now.

So I narrowed the list down to the Razer Mamba.
What it has over the Performance MX:
-Styling. I still love the Copperhead's looks and I can honestly say the Mamba's design appeals a lot to me.
-DPI. 5600, need I say more?
-Charging Dock (?)
-Maybe more future proof than the MX?

But it has quite its fair share of downsides.
-No Dark/Bluefield.
-No Hyperscrolling thingo.
-No minute receiver, instead has this clunky and awkward looking mechanism of remaining cord free, rendering it pretty much impossible to take on the road.
-Probably not as comfortable.
-Razer doesn't have the best record for mouse longevity.

Now this quite a large list of downsides, but they are all pretty much tiny details. The DPI issue is a pretty large one to me.

So I need NBR's help. Can you guys provide any personal experiences with either or both mice and give an honest opinion? Also, is DPI really that essential on a 1920 by 1080 screen while web-browsing and playing COD/SC2?

Thanks, plasma.

 

As you have said, you are a keen gamer. Thus, Razer Mamba suits you the most for your 1080P monitor. High DPI and wireless (your preferance).

As for the Logitech Performance MX, it looks cool but the 1500 DPI will not satisfy your hunger in gaming exp. Thus, is a big NO IMHO.

 

for my sort of gaming, Definately ill pick Mamba, but maybe for SC2 and COD you dont really need more than 1500 dpi, even though you are using a 1080p screen (so am i). Even so you are comparing a gaming mouse with a non gaming mouse. You should take a look at the g700 by logitech, best mouse for your needs imho, 13 buttons will suit SC2 =)

EDIT: oh australian, cant wait for g700, then ill go for the mamba, the performance mouse mx might have lag issues with FPS games too. Cant go wrong with Mamba's 1ms responce time. I might reconsider the x8 too, the size is really good for gaming, easy to get used to, from what i heard, it takes only 20min to fully charge the x8 and it will last you for 24 hours.

 

I am pretty much in love with my Mamba, and would not trade it for anything. The dock really isn't that big; it's smaller than the mouse itself in all dimensions except height, and it's extremely light. I can easily fit it in my pocket, and since you can detach the cord from it, you can slip it into a backpack with no trouble.

As for lack of Darkfield/Bluetrack, you're really not going to miss it unless you're trying to track on transparent glass or a mirror. That said, the Mamba does appreciate a good mouse pad, to take advantage of the 5,600 DPI laser as well as the Teflon feet. I find it's just about perfect with my eXactMat.
In terms of comfort, that's down to personal preference of course, but I find it extremely comfortable and natural. It has rubberized indentations exactly where my thumb and pinkie naturally rest on the mouse.

And I wouldn't worry about the longevity. I still have my 2007 DeathAdder with no issues, and my newer 3,500 DPI DeathAdder, Orochi and Mamba, as well as my Carcharias headset, have not had any trouble either. Besides, it comes with 2 years of warranty coverage.

 

Glad to see that someone else recognizes Razer's shoddily built products. Unlike some people I know, Razer recommendations shouldn't be a knee-jerk reaction.

However, and as much as it pains me to do so, I must echo 'Shrooms sentiment that the Mamba is your best option between the two. The Mamba is made purely for gaming, and since this is primarily what you're using your mouse for, the Mamba is a good choice versus the Performance MX.

I still maintain that if your mice choices were more plentiful, I'd see you rock a Logitech G9x which offers everything and more than the Mamba, wireless connectivity notwithstanding (but really, what serious gamer uses a wireless mouse anyway?)

 

I'd vouch for the g9x, pretty amazing mouse, wired mouses are still top dog imho, theres no need for troubling docks or worrying about lags like you might with the Performance MX.
Im using the Alienware Tactx (g9x rebrand) and i love it.

 

yeah from your requirements you don't have much to think about.
Get a Mamba and later on get the G700

 

True, my diamondback's left click button spoilt in just over a year, though I do use 8-12hrs a day, but my other logitech mice don't spoil so fast though. Razer products are not really built for longevity.

 

Don't you have to keep the Mambas dock plugged in USB to use the mouse?

 

the mamba dock is a combo charging dock and wireless receiver (explains its size even though its not that big)

no you dont have to have the dock plugged in if you want to use the mouse wired. you do need to have it plugged in for wireless mode obviously lol. the wireless mode with this mouse feels almost exactly like wired mode. its so close that it wouldnt really matter outside pro competition. although you do get best use in wired mode (at least with mine)

i use mine in wired and wireless constantly and its worked great so far. i cant really say razer has crap quality as this is my first razer mouse but i have owned several mice from logitech and they have all broken on me at some point in time. (excluding the g7 that mouse was like a tank unfortunately the receiver wasnt)

im not sure if there still is but last time i checked the mamba has different versions of the firmware for you to use both of which make the mouse slightly different. if i remember correctly im using firmware 1.06?

 

Mamba dock kinda reminds me of the infrared wireless mouse age
where you need a bulky receiver thing in front of the mouse lol

I know that's not the case with Mamba, but clearly Logitech & Roccat managed to use nano receiver for their high-end wireless gaming mice
which the concept I really liked: "plug and forget"

 

Well, I'm not really that much of a gamer, just the usual Starcraft 2 and BC/COD. I play on PS3 more to be honest. The thing is, I also do quite a bit of web browsing and reading (which I really should have mentioned), which I reckon the Hyperscrolling wheel would have done wonders. And the tiny receiver looks really nice, so the Performance MX isn't completely worthless in comparison to the Mamba.

I'm looking at the Sidewinder X8 as well. Let's just say it doesn't make my decision any easier. :/

 

I ordered the G700 on new egg today.

 

cool.
.

 

im getting my mamba through newegg i save like almost 30 bucks from the retail price tag.

i heard only one cons about the mamba but they said its not a big deal. the firmware update and stuff. i think.

 

The firmware update on the Mamba is straightforward if you just follow the instructions. I had no trouble with it.

 

same here no problems at all with firmware updates. although i think i know what the issues you may have heard about are. I think the first batch of firmware updates razer had ever released didnt work on vista (win 7 i dont think was out at the time) so you had to do it though win xp (the mouse updated but the dock didnt or something like that) there was also someone who hacked into the raazer site and uploaded infected drivers or firmware but that was fixed and lots of people were compensated from what i heard.

i checked and the latest firmware they have for the mouse now is 1.13 but i really like my 1.06 firmware so i aint updating since i dont have any issues with it. i guess i could always just downgrade back if i wanted but i dont wanna lol

as for those nano receivers even though like only half an inch or so stick outta the usb port i still had that thing break on me thus making my vx nano a paperweight. im sure razer could have make the receiver a nano receiver but id rather just lift my mouse off the dock then have to be changing batteries every once and a while. that and my huge fingers have trouble pulling the receiver outta the port when i need to use it for other things.

@mastershroom
what firmware version are you using on your mamba?

 

Driver 1.07, firmware 1.13, both of which are the latest.

 

Well, I eventually settled for the Mamba
Wow, the presentation was spectacular, was almost hesitant to open the thing lol. Everything is top-notch, mouse feels good and the dock is a lot better than I thought it would be. I just wish the Razer logo on the Mamba would light up, like the old Razer mice.

Currently waiting for the 1.07 driver to download, stupid capped internet :/

 

If youd like to try other firmware versions i have the 1.06 firmware on my computer from long ago i could upload it to where ever youd like.

i think i might try firmware 1.13 but im kinda wary of it since firmware 1.07 introduced some sort of dynamic dpi scaling which reduced the polling rate of the mouse and made it kinda..... hmm i guess sketchy is the word im looking for but i dunno if this problem is present on the 1.13. ill try looking for a change log or something

 

I never used any other version than 1.13 (installed it the minute I installed the mouse), but the DPI is definitely user-defined up to 5,600, and you can set the polling rate between 125Hz and 1,000Hz.

 

well thats this thing i dont know if this is true of the firmware you have but 1.07 firmware made the mouse less precise when you move it slowly but it also even if the polling rate was set to 1,000hz it wouldnt be at that when tested. i havent had time to try the newer firmware yet but 1.06 has always been great to me although many people say its supposed to have a jitter issue but ive never had it so i dunno what thats about lol

 

Where did you read that?