Razer Naga Pro review

If you enjoy a diverse range of games and are in the market for a premium wireless gaming mouse, look no further than the Razer Naga Pro. It's unique in its ability to swap out thumb rests to accommodate different genres of games, and on top of offering great performance and wireless activity, it’s paired with a solid piece of software. But for a whopping $149, it might give consumers pause, especially since the design could be more comfortable. This isn’t a mouse for everybody, but for people who play MMO, MOBA and FPS games, the Razer Naga Pro is the best gaming mouse for you.

Razer Naga Pro design

Like its siblings, the Razer Naga Pro looks slick, featuring a black shell accented by Razer's Chroma RGB lighting. It comes in at 4.7 x 2.9 x 1.7 inches and weighs 4.13 ounces, so it's slightly thicker and heavier than something like the Razer Basilisk Ultimate due to the added ring finger rest.

The top panel curves like an hourglass, with the palm rest featuring an RGB-lit Razer logo and the top half sporting a standard design, including left and right clickers with an RGB-lit scroll wheel and two DPI buttons between them.

The highlight of the Razer Naga Pro is the left side of the mouse, which can be outfitted with three different swappable panels. There’s a standard two-button side panel, featuring the largest thumb rest, a six-button side panel that shrinks down the thumb rest, and a 12-button panel, which completely removes the thumb rest. When removing these panels, you’ll find the 2.4GHz USB receiver housed underneath. The 12-button panel is outfitted with RGB lighting, but unfortunately, the six-button panel isn’t.

As mentioned earlier, the right side of the mouse features a carved out section for the ring finger rest, and just below there’s a grippable panel designed for the pinkie finger. Meanwhile, the front end of the mouse features an input for microUSB charging.

Turning the Razer Naga Pro over reveals the button to change the profiles of the Razer Naga Pro, of which there are five. There is also a switch to change the connectivity of the mouse (2.4GHz, Bluetooth or wired) and two holes intended for the prongs of the Razer Chroma mouse-charging dock, which costs an additional $49.

If you don’t already have access to the Razer Chroma mouse-charging dock, or would rather not spend the extra money, the Razer Naga Pro comes with a small USB Type-A to microUSB hub, allowing you to easily connect your 2.4GHz wireless USB or simply charge and play with the Razer Naga Pro.

Razer Naga Pro comfort

The Razer Naga Pro takes some getting used to due to the inclusion of the ring finger rest as well as the weightier design. I’m coming off of a light and agile mouse, the Razer Basilisk Ultimate, so the difference is jarring.

The clickers are satisfying to depress, and resting my palm on the mouse felt comfortable, although it didn’t fully contour to my hand. The palm rest bulges out a little too much, so my wrist doesn’t comfortably meet the mousepad when I’m using the Razer Naga Pro. I wish it was longer and not as tall. 

The addition of the ring finger rest makes the mouse thicker and thus makes it more difficult to get lift, which is particularly important for first-person shooters. Additionally, the thumb rest curves outward instead of inward, which also adds to the difficulty and decreases comfort. However, the panels are swappable, which makes curving the thumb rest inward more difficult.

Overall, the Razer Naga Pro isn’t uncomfortable, but it could take a lesson or two from the Razer Basilisk Ultimate in ergonomics.

Razer Naga Pro performance

The Razer Naga Pro performed incredibly well while gaming, and thanks to its swappable panels, it’s suited for multiple game genres, so it felt natural when I played an FPS, MOBA and MMO.

I equipped the two-button side panel, specifically designed for first-person shooters, and booted up my first Call of Duty: Warzone match. I managed to score three kills, one of which involved a clutch game of cat and mouse with an opponent in the corridors of an office building. Thanks to the quick precision of the mouse, I was able to blast this fool into next week. As for the others, I took advantage of using the melee button I programmed into the side panel to crush some skulls.

I’ve never played a Half-Life game before, so I thought it would be a good idea to finally dive into Black Mesa. I equipped the 6-button panel, and while it is intended for Battle Royales and MOBAs, it worked well for equipping the wide variety of weaponry the game had to offer. I quickly switched to my crowbar, busted a few crates, then equipped my shotgun by slamming the 3 button, then snapped and blasted an ugly headcrab as it lept in mid-air.

In anticipation for World of Warcraft: Shadowlands, I hopped on WoW to go dungeon diving, so I equipped the 12-button panel, designed specifically for MMOs, and wow, was that tough. Full disclosure: I’ve never used a 12-button mouse before, so it was difficult to get used to. However, after a few tries, I managed to get into the flow of my rotation, nailing enemies with Fireballs, Fire Blasts and Pyroblasts. (In case you haven’t noticed, I’m a Fire Mage). It’s still going to take some time getting used to the button placements, but I wish there was some semblance of a thumb rest. I couldn’t lift the mouse without accidentally clicking one of the buttons; if only there was a simple piece that curves out at the bottom of the mouse.

Razer Naga Pro features

Like the rest of its siblings, the Razer Naga Pro is powered by the Razer Synapse app and is outfitted with fancy mouse-related tech.

Thanks to the addition of the 12-button side panel, there are up to 20 programmable buttons that you can configure via the Customize tab in the Razer Synapse app. The Performance tab includes the sensitivity settings, letting you customize the DPI between 100 to 20,000 within 5 stages. In the Lighting tab, you customize the three major lighting areas, including the Razer logo, the scroll wheel and the number pad. You can customize it with basic lighting, like Breathing or Spectrum Cycling, or go into the Razer's Chroma Studio for more detailed customization options. The two other tabs in the app let you customize the calibration and power modes of the mouse.

Like the rest of Razer’s new mice, the Razer Naga Pro boasts optical switches, which are supposedly more durable than the ones in a traditional mouse. According to Razer, they're rated for 70 million clicks as opposed to 50 million clicks.

Razer Naga Pro battery life

The Razer Naga Pro is designed to last up to 150 hours on Bluetooth and up to 100 hours on Razer HyperSpeed Wireless, the 2.4GHz USB input.

Keep in mind that “up to” means with the lighting disabled, as that kills the battery much faster. Even for 100 hours, you could play for 5 hours a day for 20 days straight, or even 10 hours a day for 10 days if you want.

I played with it for a few days with the lighting at 20% and the battery went from 80% to 55%, so it’s clear that the lighting, even when minimized, has a big effect on battery life.

Bottom line

The Razer Naga Pro offers plenty of features, like its swappable panels, great performance and solid software, but for $149, are the panels worth it? I don't think so. Also, the mouse should really be more comfortable for the price.

If you want to prioritize comfort over functionality, the Razer Basilisk Ultimate is the mouse for you. It’s still pricey, at $149, but it’s much lighter and more comfortable than the Razer Naga Pro. It even has a couple of features that the Naga Pro doesn’t, like customizable scroll wheel resistance and a tweakable paddle.

Overall, the Razer Naga Pro is a great choice for gamers who jump between multiple competitive games and always want an edge without carrying around three different mice.