You don't need a mouse boasting eight programmable buttons and an ultra-sensitive 5G sensor with a 16,000 DPI for knocking around Excel or highlighting text in your word editing program of choice. Nevertheless, that's exactly what Razer is offering as part of its new "Productivity Suite" line of peripherals.
The primary focus is on workplace ergonomics. To that end, Razer said it collaborated with Humanscale, a designer and maker of ergonomic products for the office, on its productivity peripherals.
"The Razer Productivity Suite has been created to enhance workflow and reduce fatigue by drawing on Razer’s years of experience in creating high-performance gaming peripherals, then transferring that expertise to the workplace," Razer says.
There are three new products that comprise Razer's productivity lineup, including a Pro Click mouse, a Pro Type keyboard, and a Pro Glide mousepad.
Starting with the mouse, Razer says it designed the rodent to "minimize the health risks of long-term mousing," and specifically tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome. The contoured design shifts the user's wrist into a neutral 30-degree angle, which apparently is a good thing (I won't pretend to be an expert in ergonomic science). It also features extended palm, thumb, and pinky supports to "minimize contact stress with the desk" and reduce fatigue over longer term use.
This is a wireless mouse that is rated to last up to 400 hours over Bluetooth or 200 hours over the included 2.4GHz dongle, the latter of which is better suited for gaming. The dongle can also pair up to four devices.
The Pro Type keyboard is also wireless, with the same connection options. It's a mechanical plank, with Razer's Orange switches, which are tactile and quiet, similar to Cherry MX Brown mechanical keyboard switches.
Razer opted for a "sleek, minimalist" design, which translates into no dedicated media or gaming keys. A wrist rest is curiously missing as well, for a keyboard that takes aim at ergonomics.
Best gaming mouse: the top rodents for gaming
Best gaming keyboard: your PC's best friend...
Best gaming headset: don't ignore in-game audio
The fully programmable keys have a soft-touch coating for comfort. Razer also says the coating resists fingerprints, which I assume means it is resilient against the oils on the tips of fingers, which can make keys become unnaturally shiny over time. A while LED backlight rounds out the set of features.
Lastly, the Pro Glide mousepad is, well, a mat for your mouse. More specifically, it sports a textured, micro-weave surface with thick, high-density foam on the back. It's also cushioned, and measures 360mm x 275mm x 3mm.
All three peripherals are available now, priced at $99.99 (€109.99) for the Pro Click, $139.99 (€149.99) for the Pro Type, and $9.99 (€11.99) for the Pro Glide.
