I have owned and used this mouse for about a year now. Before that I was using a standard IBM optical mouse that was sufficiently effective for me. After switching to the Razer, I can't use any other mouse.

FEATURES:

This mouse is an optical/laser mouse that uses a very high end optical laser to process all the movements. This translates into very sensitive responsiveness that is good by all measures. Let me put it this way: You can actually draw decent pictures using this mouse. Unlike other mice which you can barely draw a decent circle with.

To add to the smooth movements are three teflon coated feet that glide ever so smoothly over almost any surfaces. I have even used this mouse on the carpet with no diluting of speed and quality.

Unlike your uber-designed Logitech rats (I call them rats cause they're huge and fat), the Razer is a more low-profile, minimalistic mouse in most respects. This keeps your hand closer to the surface and helps with the smooth gliding motion as your hand and arm aren't tweaked in weird angles such as that which the Logitechs would warrant. I really love the low profile - it sits a lot lower than most standard mouses but distributes your hand evenly over a wider area.

The two main mouse buttons are made out of some durable rubber which prevent slipping and feel really nice. They are ergonomically shaped to fit your fingers and click really really smoothly. I can't emphasize enough how smooth this thing is.

There is a middle scrollwheel that, unlike most mice, spins and clicks at more intervals giving you more control with scrolling. The scrolling is uber-smooth and you can feel the quality in every micrometer. It's made out of rubber and man does it feel really nice. The scrollwheel is also clickable and you can designate a function for it as well. I absolutely love the scrollwheel. It glows red and clicks and moves with grace.

There are also two sets of buttons on both sides of the mouse for thumb and pinky clicking alike. The pinky button is hard to get used to as most pinkies aren't accustomed to use but the thumb use gets used extensively. With these buttons there are two click options - front and rear clicking. It's hard to describe but it does come in handy. These buttons are located midway in a strip of transparent rubber that runs lengthwise along both sides of the mouse.

When the mouse is functional, meaning when you have the mouse plugged in and you turn the computer on, there is an interior LED that creates a red glow inside the mouse. This glow shows through the scrolling wheel and side rubber parts which are both transparent. This makes for a really cool glowing effect. To add to that, the side rubber panels have vertical pillars in them that give it a striped, snake-like appearance. These pillars are small but probably also have a function in the mouse construction. Another very cool aspect of this mouse.

The palm rest portion is a glossy chameleon colored panel. It's a very cool looking color that changes depending on the lighting and the angle at which you're looking. The rest of the mouse is gloss black which is as equally sleek.

The cord on the mouse is as long as anyone would want. It may be too long for some, but in that case you can just coil it up and use a twist-tie.

DESIGN:

This mouse was made specifically for gamers and it serves this purpose well. It is super responsive and you definitely will not be able to blame the mouse for anything. It's like plugging in your hand into the computer - that's how sensitive and responsive it is.

Case in point: I use it to play Counter-strike and I have never had better scores as when I started using this mouse. I will never ever use another mouse again unless Razer improves upon this one which will probably be in the distant future.

The shape of the mouse takes after its name "Diamondback" and you can't help but get a snake-like vibe from its design. It's very short and flat, but substantial in the palm rest where it matters. It's not too wide or too narrow and fits in your hand perfectly. The key word here is ergonomic and I have yet to try a more form-fitting mouse. Razer might as well have called it "The Glove."

Another nice feature is that it is symmetrical with respects to the right and left sides. This means that both left and right handed folks can equally share in the features this mouse offers.

The mouse comes with a neoprene (the stuff they make wetsuits out of) pouch for carrying this mouse around, and also comes with a software CD.

SOFTWARE:

Now I haven't used the software as I like to keep it simple and this mouse is pretty much plug-and-play, but I did study the software before purchasing and can tell you about it.

There are a total of 9 functioning buttons/scrolls on the mouse. This is a lot to deal with and the software that the Razer comes with covers all of them and then some. You can set the sensitivity and scroll rates and so on. It gives you all the options it should but one nice thing is the on-the-fly programming. This means that while you're playing a game or engulfed in a program, you don't have to open up the mouse software to adjust certain mouse features such as sensitivity. You can designate certain combination of buttons to activate an in-game change of these features. So while you're running around with your pistol, and you suddenly need to use your sniper-rifle and, thus, require more sensitivity, all of that is just a few clicks away.

I haven't used this features since I hate reading manuals and tinkering with programs, but if you're the type that wants full control of your peripherals, this program will give you that option.

CONCLUSION:

The mouse is simply amazing. I purchased it new after shopping around extensively. I looked at most Logitech mouses out at the time, and also some other brands of mouse including Microsoft. Razer is serious about gaming and serious about mice. They aren't bringing in so much business because they're pretty. The proof is in the pudding and the guys at Razer make a really good pudding.

Although the mouse isn't wireless like most of its competitors, I feel that the hassle of changing batteries and the problems that could occur in wireless transmission and etc, there is no compromise in quality and responsiveness with this mouse. I forgot to mention that the plug is gold plated so there is absolutely no distortion or problems in connecting the USB plug into the computer. I repeat: a gold plated USB plug.