When it comes to budget gaming accessories and hardware, you have quite a large selection of brands to choose from, ranging from the lower-end products that don't have a very long shelf life to the pricier entries labelled as "budget-friendly" but might cost half an arm and leg. Razer has always managed to deliver truly impressive budget-friendly hardware without compromising specs, design, price and longevity. The Razer Basilisk V3 X HyperSpeed is no different - and it's once again an exceptional choice.



Before we begin, here's a quick look at the specs for the Razer Basilisk V3 X HyperSpeed:

Connectivity: 2.4 GHz HyperSpeed Wireless (USB-A dongle), Bluetooth
Dimensions: 5.1 x 2.95 x 1.7 inches
Weight: 110g (3.88 ounces) (with battery)
Sensor: Razer 5G Optical 18K DPI sensor
Colours: Black
Material: Plastic
Battery life: Up to 285 hours via 2.4GHz wireless, up to 535 hours via Bluetooth
Buttons: 7
LED Lighting: Addressable on scroll wheel
Special features: 1,000Hz polling rate, 450 IPS max speed, 40G max acceleration, Razer gen-2 mechanical switches (rated for 60 million clicks), detachable magnetic palm cover



Touted as the little brother of the Basilisk line-up (with options for the wired V3 and premium V3 Pro), the Basilisk V3 X HyperSpeed sits comfortably in the middle. Out the box, you get your mouse, two AA batteries and a Bluetooth USB dongle. During my initial testing, I struggled to get the dongle to work on my laptop so I had to switch out laptops in the process. It didn't impact my overall experience with the device but thought that was worth mentioning as I still can't figure out why it refused to work, though it could be a connectivity issue on my end.

Weighing at an extraordinary light 110g, the Basilisk V3 X HyperSpeed is a lightweight joy to use. Its stylish, eye-catching plastic design isn't exactly low-profile but if you want your mouse to really stand out among your gaming set-up, it will have no problems doing so. Like the other Basilisk mice, the V3 X HyperSpeed is almost identicle in every way with a notched scroll wheel and curved edges with a front-end that lashes out like a snake's fangs (sticking to the theme). Needless to say, in the design department, Razer absolutely delivers.



Where it let me down a bit was its comfort. I don't exactly have large hands but even then, I felt like the Basilisk V3 X HyperSpeed began to feel a bit uncomfortable after long periods of use. My pinky finger hung off the side with a tighter grip and scraped across the mouse pad plenty of times, so a small indent on its right side would've given me a bit more room to rest it and grip properly.

Set-up is relatively quick and easy. Inserting the USB dongle will automatically detect the device and a few simple clicks ensures you're connected in less than a minute or two. The gorgeous transluscent scroll wheel LED lighting suddenly sparks on boot-up. After some tinkering with the three mappable buttons on the thumb grip, I was basically ready to go.

The Basilisk V3 X HyperSpeed is a lightweight joy to use. Its stylish, eye-catching plastic design isn't exactly low-profile but if you want your mouse to really stand out among your gaming set-up, it will have no problems doing so.

Getting into the meat of its performance, I tested the Basilisk V3 X HyperSpeed with a variety of games and on a few surfaces. Firstly, thanks to its lightweight feel, it's going to glide smoothly across a mouse pad. I was surprised to see that it worked just as well on a regular wooden table top surface on my desk, despite the occasional bumps and jumps (though it's probably recommended you use a mouse pad).



I played a good majority of Starfield with the Basilisk V3 X HyperSpeed alongside odd matches of Valorant and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 to positive results. Snappy, responsive and light on its feet, the mouse glides with precision and accuracy, making it an ideal fit for those into either casual or competitive gaming. Esports players might seek mice that have a bit more weight to them for the feedback, but the V3 X HyperSpeed shouldn't have any problem keeping up with the most intense gameplay and matches.

Snappy, responsive and light on its feet, the mouse glides with precision and accuracy, making it an ideal fit for those into either casual or competitive gaming.

Boasting Razer's gen-2 mechanical switches (rated for around 60 million clicks), there's no doubt that the Basilisk V3 X HyperSpeed is going last you a few good years depending on the mileage. However, what stuck out to me the most is the excellent battery life. Razer says it can run up to 285 hours with 2.4GHz wireless or over 500 hours with Bluetooth, and while I didn't have that much hands-on time with the mouse, I spent a good 60-70 hours with it going strong.

Overall, the Basilisk V3 X HyperSpeed is an exceptional budget-friendly, lightweight gaming mouse to add to Razer's superb growing list of reliable hardware offerings. Depending on how flexible your budget is, it will set you back R1,400 or slightly more but the incredibly long battery life, excellent performance and striking design is enough to warrant every cent. There are always cheaper alternatives (and some I'd recommend over this if your wallet is tight), but for Razer enthusiasts, it's another good option.