Not saying that Razer has a specific scent which draws hordes of gamers out of their caves going “Gamessssss, Gamessss” but you never know what happens at their headquarters. That’s why the Microsoft Habu laser gaming mouse manages to grab my eye as the device is a joint effort of both Microsoft and Razer.
The Microsoft Habu laser gaming mouse was made by the two companies in order to really breach into the gaming peripherals sector. Despite the name, the Habu seems like it’s a DeathAdder with a Microsoft logo on it and if you start looking at it from an angle or two and just cover the Microsoft logo, you might get what I’m talking about.
However, we know by now that both companies are pretty good at what they do and when it comes to gaming peripherals, the Razer/ Microsoft duo should be able to offer us something worth writing about right?
Overview
The Microsoft Habu laser gaming mouse comes in with a very simple and clean design. Nothing resembling the SideWinder series really, something which makes be believe that Razer had a touch more to do with this than Microsoft. Microsoft’s Habu has clean and smooth lines and is just a pleasure to look at, the device itself saying “What, you’re here to game not to stare!”.
The Microsoft Habu looks a lot like a Razer mouse!
By the way, I trademarked that line, so keep on reading! The Microsoft Habu is powered by a 2000dpi laser sensor made by the folks at Razer and we know that they are usually pretty knowledgeable about their sensors. The Habu is no exception as the device will deliver blazing fast performance irrespective of game or settings.
The response time on this baby is again Razer territory and you really start wondering what Microsoft actually did in regards to it. The Microsoft (Razer) Habu manages to give you a blazing fast response time of 1ms (that’s 1000 Hz Ultrapolling).
When it comes to speed and motions the Microsoft Habu manages to go up to 45 inches per second and reach 20g of acceleration. Unlike the SideWinder X5 or the SideWinder X8 the buttons can again be independently programmable thanks to the Razer software. That way you can record whatever you wish on the 7 buttons the device comes with and again I’m asking myself – what did Microsoft do here?
If we stick around to look at the design of the device, the Microsoft Habu comes with GlowPipe non-slip side rails, something we’ve seen in other Razer mice over the years as well. These allow for seamless control over the mouse while at the same time keep the grip levels on par with any game. It doesn’t matter if you’ll be lifting the mouse frequently since accidental button presses are easily avoidable.
The side buttons can also be configured. Microsoft is supplying two interchangeable side panels so that you can adjust the distance to the buttons to fit your hand. The mouse feet send us back in time again, as the Microsoft Habu comes with huge ultra-slick mouse feet, something which reminded me of the good old Razer Diamondback.
When it comes to measurements the Microsoft Habu is well sized, yet again, the size reminds me of the DeathAdder. As such, the Habu reaches 129 x 68 x 43.5 mm (LxWxH) to the 128 x 70 x 42.5 mm (LxWxH) of the DeathAdder. If the previously mentioned mouse fits nicely in your hand, you won’t find any issues adjusting to the Microsoft Habu.
Just like most gaming mice out on the market, the device also comes with on-the-fly sensitivity adjustment, the two buttons being placed right below the scroll wheel, something which might seem unusual at times, but you’ll quickly find that this setup is rather nicely done by the folks at Razer (or Microsoft).
The Microsoft Habu resembles most Razer mice and that's not bad at all!
One thing which again showed that Razer is pretty good at doing gaming mice is the customizability of the lights. These can be set to glow only around the scroll wheel, around the non-slip grip or turned off completely. This is something which Microsoft failed to include in their SideWinder lineup, something which would’ve made me a whole lot happier.
Pricing
Pricing wise the Microsoft Habu will set you back around $39 from Amazon and there are still some retailers who have the Microsoft Habu on stock with pricing being in the area of $45. That’s not a lot for a gaming mouse which is basically made by Razer and my only regret is that Microsoft didn’t take a clue or two and bring it to their SideWinder lineup.
Final thoughts
Although not as fit and hip as his younger offspring, the Microsoft Habu still manages to impress users. Thanks to the 2000dpi laser sensor, the smooth and clean design lines as well as the huge amount of customizability offered up by the software of the device, the Habu is still hanging in there. Stay tuned for more!
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