Patriot Viper V570 RGB Laser Gaming Mouse Review

Introduction, Specifications, and Pricing

Even though Patriot is better known for memory and flash memory products in the past, just like many other manufacturers do, they opted to move into the peripherals market. We have seen a couple of mice in the past from them thus far, and while one of the mice stood out as its own design, the other had a hint of Sentey design present in the device. This is not a bad thing either. Sentey may not be on your radar, but from what we have gathered in past reviews, there is nothing about their peripheral designs that would make us shy away from the product lineup. We feel it is a smart idea to borrow from companies who have had an excellent showing to reviewers and customers and incorporated those features into another product.

That being said, there is much about this latest mouse from Patriot to make it a stand out product. Things like a massive amount of buttons for those who feel two extra buttons just don't cover needs of today's gamers. RGB is all the rage right now, but while most mice have a single, or maybe a pair of zones, this mouse delivers four LED zones, all of which can be programmed and customized over various profiles. There is a highly textured thumb grip added into the design to ensure the mouse will not slip from your hands in the heat of battle, and outside of Sentey mice, this Patriot mouse has one of the lowest coefficients of friction when it comes to movement.

There has been a build-up to this product from Patriot, with the release of two mice before this one, but we do feel that the new Patriot Viper V570 RGB Laser Gaming Mouse is the best of the bunch. If past offerings had you leaning toward Patriot for a new mouse, what you are about to see in the V570 is above and beyond what Patriot has offered, and is also a step above most other mice currently on the market. While the V570 is designed to fit only the right-hand crowd of gamers, we feel this design brings forth everything that a hardcore gamer wants in their mouse, and is well worth your time to have a look at what we are about to show you.

The Patriot Viper V570 gaming mouse is a hybrid design, where Patriot is offering the best of both worlds to FPS and MMO gamers. The mouse is covered with a two-year warranty against any defects in workmanship, and at the bottom of the chart, we see the dimensions and weight. The Viper V570 is 159.2 grams without the adjustable weights added into the mix. Dimensionally, it is 133mm from front to back, it is 80mm wide, and stands 44mm tall at the highest point. The Viper V570 is made mostly of plastic covered with a soft touch coating on some parts, mixed with others with a glossy finish. The left side has a rubberized section for better grip, while the right is contoured to fit finger for those who need to lift the mouse a lot. While the majority of the V570 is black, Patriot chose to make all of the secondary buttons red to match the Viper logo on the heel, and of course, the entire V570 is wrapped with four RGB LED zones.

On the right of the chart, we find a list of features which the V570 boasts of. There is an extreme precision laser sensor, which is a software tweaked Avago ADNS 9800 laser sensor, capable of up to 12,000 DPI. The RGB zones are customizable via software, but by default cycle through all the 16.8 million color options it offers. The design is ergonomic for right-hand users, for both MMO and FPS games. The RGB lighting can be set to various profiles so that each profile displays a different combination of RGB lighting, and all told there are thirteen programmable Macro keys. One of the best features is the ceramic foot pads under the V570, which makes movement effortless. There are four DPI LED indicator lights to signify which level is in use, there are seven additional weights, weighing 4.9 grams each, and there is zero delay, which we assume refers to the polling rate.

Beyond all of the styling and features, there is still one more fantastic thing going for the V570, and that is the price. While the MSRP is set to $59.99, which can be seen on the V570 product page at Patriot's product page, from what we see now, that is only a starting point. Newegg has the Viper V570 listed currently for $56.20, which isn't all that great of a deal, but saving money is always a good thing. However, if you want to find the best deal out there, we suggest you look to Amazon.com. It is there, where we have found that the Patriot Viper V570 is selling for just $48.53, and if you are a Prime member, shipping is free too. Rarely do we find a mouse that is this well-equipped priced under the $50 mark, but this is an instance where bang for the buck is quite high.

Chad's Peripherals Test System Specifications

• Motherboard: ASUS X99-E WS - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• CPU: Intel Core i7 5930K - Buy from Amazon
• Cooler: Corsair H100i GTX - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Memory: KLevv Cras DDR4 3000 - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Video Card: ASUS GeForce GTX 980 Matrix Platinum - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Storage: Intel 730 480GB - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Case: SilverStone TJ11 - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Power Supply: Corsair AX1200 - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• OS: Microsoft Windows 10 Professional 64-bit - Buy from Amazon

Packaging, Accessories, and Documentation

What appears to be snake scales are presented on the backdrop in red, as it blends into black near the bottom. Over it, we see the large image of the V570 with the LEDs lit, and the name of it off to the right of it. Near the bottom, we find four features, covering the RGB profiles, the 12,000 DPI, an adjustable weight system, and that the design is made for FPS and MMO gamers.

The front panel of the box is magnetically closed to the packaging, but once opened, there is the V570 in full view to the right. Inside of the cover, Patriot shows off the location of the laser sensor eye, the ceramic foot pads, the adjustable weight system, the thirteen Marco keys, and again explains what this design is intended to be used for.

The right sid of the packaging shows off the right side of the V570. This allows Patriot to show off the red secondary buttons which run along this side of the mouse. Also, to make sure you remember which mouse you are looking at, Patriot add the name of it at the bottom.

The back of the box has the same background effects as the front, but this time we see who smaller images of the V570. The top image is used to point out the ceramic foot pads and the 12,000 DPI, while the second image is used to show off the adjustable weight system, the programmable buttons, and the Sniper button.

The last panel, which is the left side of the box, covers things we have already discussed. The four key features of the V570 are shown, but this time is accompanied with brief descriptions to help customers understand what they are for.

Inside of the box is a highly stylized, red, cardboard inner packaging. It is used to surround and encapsulate the mouse and the metal puck of weights that sit under the clear plastic which protects them in transit.

Under the inner packaging, there is a darker red envelope to locate. Inside of that envelope, you will find not only a quick start guide for the V570, but you will also find that Patriot ships a pair of Viper logo stickers too.

We took the lid off of the metal puck to show what is inside, and we find seven steel weights set into a form fitting rubber insert. There is no indication on the weights as to what the gram total is per weight, but we did put them on the scale to verify the 4.9-gram weight of each. While Patriot sends seven weights to go with the V570, there is only room for six of them inside of the mouse.

Patriot Viper V570 RGB Laser Gaming Mouse

The left side of the V570 is where much of the action happens. Near the front, jutting out from the side of the mouse is the first two secondary buttons, set by default as th4e page forward and page back buttons. Following the top edge to the back, we then run onto a set of five programmable buttons above the rubberized thumb grip area. The largest of the buttons is the Sniper button, and along the bottom edge, we find the first of the RGB LED zones.

The view from the back of the mouse shows the shift in the ergonomic design found handing off the left side. We can also see that the top has a skinny section, which is removable to add weights to it. The larger section of black plastic seen here is where Patriot decided to place a red Viper logo.

Where many mouse makers will tend to leave the right side of the mouse simple, Patriot wanted to be sure grip is on the top of the priorities list. This means that the V570 is contoured with the body line being the highest point, which allows for a dual finger grip to the right side of the V570.

The front of the mouse is blunt, but it allows Patriot to add a pair of RGB LED panels for zone two. We also see that the main buttons are separated, leaving room for the centrally mounted cable to leave the V570, as well as offering ample room for the scroll wheel.

On top0 of the V570, we find a scroll wheel with what appears to be a street tire design to the rubber coating, and this is RGB LED zone three. The pair of red buttons is used to adjust the profiles with the front button, and the DPI levels with the rear button, which are shown in four stages just to the left of the buttons.

Using the notch cut out of the heel to lift off the cover, we added weights into the mouse in the six holes spread across the mouse, so that it can be fine-tuned. We also can see, just in front of the weights, there is a shiny section of plastic where the Viper name is located. The Viper name is the fourth of the RGB LED zones.

The cable that ships attached to the Viper V570 has all of the bells and whistles. It is nearly six foot in length, and while braided in the covering, it is a mix of red and black to go with the mouse. There is a Velcro strap for bundling the cable, which has a Ferrite choke in-line, and terminates with a gold plated USB 2.0 connection.

Under the V570, we find that the eye of the laser sensor is off center, slightly left and forward. The second thing we find is the lack of flat PTFE feet. Rather than using the average components, Patriot has opted to use ceramic pads, which are highest in the center of them, and drastically lowers the drag associated with many other mice.

Inside the Viper V570

Five screws hold the V570 together, found under each of the feet. Once out, we could remove the top half, mindful of the ribbon cable. We can see the smaller PCB for the array of buttons on the side and top, and the lower section houses everything else needed to make the V570 operate correctly.

We found that there are two sections of PCB found in the top half. The longer one of them has six thin pad switches, which back the red secondary buttons numbered three through eight. It is connected to the second PCB via fine wires for communication through the ribbon cable, and on the PCB are pad switches for the DPI and profile buttons, and a LED for the Viper logo.

The page forward and page back buttons marked one and two use the pair of pad switches on the outer edge. The Omron switch is of the typical variety and is what backs the left click button. We can also see the TTC switch used to read the lightly segmented spin of the scroll wheel.

To illuminate the left side of the mouse with the ability to appear to move the color around the V570, it uses the four LEDs seen here. There is also a layer of tape placed over these LEDs, so they will not bleed into other areas, or be visible through any gaps in the design.

Taking center stage is the Avago ADNS 9800 laser sensor. Typically this sensor maxes out with 8200 DPI, but with a bit of tinkering, Viper can deliver 12,000 DPI from this sensor, so it can compete with the 12,000 DPI optical sensors which have become so popular, as of late.

In control of all of the data traffic and communication with the PC is the Sonix MCU. This is the SN8F22E88BFG, which appears to be an 8-bit microcontroller, and if it truly is, Patriot can get a lot done with this basic setup. Many other would have a 16-bit MCU in place to deliver what the V570 is capable of.

On the right side of the mouse, at the front of it again, we can see the matching Omron switch which is found under the right click button. Reading the presses of the scroll wheel, Patriot fitted a TTC switch, which is heavier in feel to the Omron switches.

With the Viper V570 all back to one piece again, we powered it to see what happens. What we find is that the color starts with the Viper logo, it then jumps down to the side, and runs along it progressively. At this time, we are using the red profile, and we have the second level of DPI selected, seen at the top of the V570.

The lighting we saw on the log and along the side, continues around to the front. Both panels on the front edge will carry on with the progressive loop of color, and then the lighting swings back into the scroll wheel to end the loop.

Gaming and General Impressions

DOOM & Battlefield 1

When it comes to FPS and MMO gaming, we gave it all a spin. While DOOM and Battlefield 1 test a mouse in virtually the same manner, we found that movements are effortless. There is a whole other level of slickness to the ceramic pads used on the V570, and we found that after long hours of gaming, discomfort in our shoulder, forearm, and wrist was nearly nonexistent. With a full range of DPI to use, we could swing around any map with ease, and the additional snipe button allows for super accurate headshot ability. This is also where we feel the Viper is intended for those with larger hands, as some of the buttons were just out of range for us to access quickly, without a bit of hunting around needed to find buttons one, two, and eight.

We also took some time in the software to program the extra buttons, and in MMOS titles, this comes in very handy. We were able to not only set specific commands to the buttons, but we could set full on Macros so that one press of a button would run through various attacks and skills in one click. We tend not to play many MMO titles very much, but we can easily see where the Viper V570 would be the weapon of choice under your right hand for such titles.

Windows and Productivity

At first, we thought we had some lag issues, or that some other culprit was causing some of our actions to not be shown on screen, but it was while testing the Viper V570 in production that we realized what our only issue was. While not ever sample will have this issue, we found that the Omron switch under our left click button was sticky. Not only would it extend the use of a single press, we noticed that it also missed a few clicks here and there. Otherwise, the V570 functioned flawlessly, and even though our V570 did show a slight issue, we will not hold it against Patriot, as these things can happen, and with a two-year warranty covering it, the average user can easily RMA the mouse to rectify this situation.

While we thought the V570 was accurate in gaming when it came to editing photos, we loved the glide of the pads, and never seemed to overshoot our target. We also found that while we assumed the softer segmentation of the scroll wheel could be a bad thing, in daily use, we found it far easier to use to scroll pages. We also love the fact that all of the buttons can be used to simplify things like photo or video editors so that you can get more done with your thumb and first finger. There are only a few mice that offer this level of functionality, and even a tighter group of mice that do so with this level of access and still leaves room for your thumb to grip the mouse.

The Software

Software

After installing the software and taking a firmware update, we opened it to find what you see here. The buttons tab is the first to address, and it is here that you can remap thirteen of the fifteen buttons on the V570. The left click and profile buttons are not reprogrammable, but all others can be set to do anything you can imagine related to PC commands.

What happens if you are to click on one of the buttons to reprogram them; a secondary page pops up. The first menu shown is for mouse functions, and there are fourteen options to choose from here.

If you are looking for keyboard functions to program to the V570, this is the tab you want. Here you can pick through the full 104 key layout, and it even offers multimedia controls along the bottom.

The software offers advanced function options too. This is where you can select things like DPI switching, axis locks, angle snapping, and virtual touch.

There is also a page where, had we programmed or imported any of our Macros, they would show in this window, and be selectable to program to any of the thirteen buttons.

There is also an ability to use multiple keystrokes in a cycle, reverse cycle, or in their current position. You click on the Add button, and press each keystroke, adding the next in line and so on. Consider us naive, but the best thing we can think to use this for would be chat for quick replies.

Back to the main menu now, we have selected the sensor tab. Here you can set the four levels of DPI, and also have the option for separated axis controls, from 50 DPI at the low-end, to 12,000 DPI at the top of the range.

The Macro editor can be reached from the tab in the main window, or from the Macro list page we saw previously. In it, you can do anything you wish to accomplish, with a full suite of options. We also see that the onboard storage of the V570 has 6990 bytes of room left.

The settings tab will allow users to address the polling rate via the slider, as well as enabling angle snapping, enabling the OSD, and disable mouse acceleration. Near the bottom, we find software and firmware versions, and there are driver specific buttons to back up the settings, restore to an earlier version, or reset the entire suite to its default settings.

By clicking on the multi-color dot at the top of the main menu, you can select which mode of RGB LEDs you wish to be displayed. There is a section to customize, which will allow users to set the color of each of the seven LEDs found inside. You can also select from the pre-defined options of a wave, wave inverted, and two random patterns. Random 1 mixes the colors across all of the LEDs, while Random 2 is a breathing mode, where all LEDS change colors at the same time.

Final Thoughts

To be as blunt as possible, we did not see this coming from Patriot. While we have all the faith in the World that there are brilliant minds at work at Patriot, we just did not expect this level of control, functionality, or the ease of movement in which the Viper V570 brings to the table. The form of the V570 is comfortable, but as we mentioned earlier, it does require a large hand to access everything easily. That said, the layout of all of the buttons is terrific, and at no time were we found ourselves pressing things we did not intend to be using. The mix of textures, coatings, and material choices gives the Viper V570 an attractive and unique appearance, the easy to access hidden weight system is a treat, and for any right-hand user, you will find the ergonomic design pleasing.

By default, the V570 is much like any other mouse, since most of the secondary buttons are not programmed to do anything. However, once we had a look at what the software is capable of providing, it takes the V570 far up the functionality scale. Anything you could dream of changing can be found within the software, including many things you may not have pondered. All of the gaming related priorities like polling rates, angle snapping, acceleration, and things of that nature are easily adjusted. There is an ability to use an OSD for DPI and profile changes, and with th4e rest of the menu systems, Patriot leaves the limits of programmability of the Viper V570 to the individual users. One other huge selling point to this mouse that isn't part of the form and appearance, or the software, comes in the form of five, round, ceramic feet. No matter what other companies are trying to use for mouse feet, nothing compares to the effortless movement of what these ceramic pads offer.

With everything we just looked at, discussed, and found in the software, what smacks us right in the face is the price. Many other options that are currently flooding the market, either do not have the level of functionality that the V570 offers, or are not as pleasurable to use day to day, will set you back quite a bit more money than what we find the Viper V570 listed for currently. At just $48.53, not only do you get pleasing aesthetics, customizable RGB LEDs, and a near flawless mouse, you do not have to break the bank to do so.

From what we have seen, Patriot has raised the bar for all other manufacturers, and with the Viper V570 RGB Laser Gaming Mouse, they offer one of the best solutions to be had under your right hand.

Chad's Peripherals Test System Specifications

• Motherboard: ASUS X99-E WS - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• CPU: Intel Core i7 5930K - Buy from Amazon
• Cooler: Corsair H100i GTX - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Memory: KLevv Cras DDR4 3000 - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Video Card: ASUS GeForce GTX 980 Matrix Platinum - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Storage: Intel 730 480GB - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Case: SilverStone TJ11 - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Power Supply: Corsair AX1200 - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• OS: Microsoft Windows 10 Professional 64-bit - Buy from Amazon