At first we would like to thank Patriot Memory for offering a sample of their Viper V551 RGB Optical Gaming Mouse for testing and reviewing.

 

 

About Patriot Memory:

 

“Mission Statement

 

To be the vendor of choice for the computer and consumer electronic industries with a commitment to service and quality

 

Vision

 

Commitment, focus on innovation in technology, product quality, and customer satisfaction are the key enablers of our future success

 

Company Profile

 

Established in 1985, Patriot Memory builds a full range of memory module and flash memory products, offering a perfect blend of quality and value. Patriot products include Extreme Performance (EP), Signature Lines (SL) and Flash Memory solutions (FM)”

 

Product Highlights:

 

Experience the power of absolute control in your hand no matter how intense the game is! The Viper V551 RGB gaming mouse lets you customize its full RGB spectrum lighting throughout its strikingly colorful LED multi-zones to match your personal setup. In addition, it features 7 handy, programmable macro buttons to cover all your gaming needs.

 

The V551 is equipped with PixArt’s advanced 3327 optical sensor and adjustable up to 6,200 DPI. Paired with our Viper Software users have changeable options of up to 12,000 DPI that can easily be managed between your personalized profiles at a click of a button, giving you the edge needed to excel during gameplay. It’s true tracking at 220 IPS and polling rate of 1,000Hz, grants you the absolute advantage in real and sensitive response time during your long- fierce matches.

 

In addition to the ergonomic design, large PTFE glide pads, and sturdy 1.8-meter braided cord, the V551 Mouse allows for engaging performance and speed over any surface. The V551 is backed by a two-year warranty and compatible with all up-to-date operating systems.

 

Product Specifications:

 

Pixart 6200 dpi optical sensor

Up to 12,000 DPI through software

Ergonomic Pro-style design

Fully customizable

Multi-zone full spectrum RGB

8 buttons, 7 programmable

Omron switches, 10 million clicks

USB interface, 1.8 m braided cable

Large PTFE glide pads

IPS: 220

Polling rate: 1000Hz

Viper software

 

In this article we will concentrate our attention upon a mainstream gaming mouse from Patriot Memory and its Viper lineup: the V551. The mouse incorporates a PixArt 3327 sensor with a maximum of 6200 DPI (interpolated to 12000 via software), which features good tracking capabilities.

 

The shipping box is quite compact, with an interesting design; the box art represents the middle mouse class from Viper gaming (intermediate) and on the frontal area we will note how the mouse does look while in operation:

 

 

 

On one of the box sides, the manufacturer has listed the main product highlights:

 

 

 

A small product description is available as well, on the opposite side:

 

 

 

 

The mouse main highlights are translated in multiple languages on the back as well:

 

 

 

After unsealing the box, we can easily spot the mouse inside, sitting secure thanks to an additional cardboard layer and foam:

 

 

 

Besides the mouse, we will also receive a Quick Start Guide:

 

 

 

The guide explains how to perform the hardware installation, the main mouse interfaces but also where to navigate in order to download the necessary software; here we will also learn that the product comes with a 2-year limited warranty:

 

 

 

The V551 mouse is not the lightest around at about 166g and comes with dimensions of 42 x 70 x 125mm, being ideal for palm grip use. It features an ergonomic shape and was mainly designed for right hand use:

 

 

 

 

Near the rubberized RGB-enabled scroll wheel we will find two additional buttons: one marked with M for switching between profiles and the other will take care of switching between different DPI steps. The left/right click button switches were manufactured by OMRON and have a durability of 10 million actuations:

 

 

 

There is an additional button available in the top left corner:

 

 

 

On the left side of the mouse, we will find a piano-black area in the front (with the 2-led DPI indicator), a rubberized surface for resting the thumb and also two programmable buttons in the upper area, easily accessible:

 

 

 

The curved back does also feature a red LED Viper logo:

 

 

 

The right side was only designed for resting the pinkie finger and the ring finger, without any additional rubberized layer:

 

 

 

On the bottom area we will note a honeycomb texture but also multiple PTFE feet in the corners; in the middle we will locate the sensor lens, while in the upper area we do have a sticker with the product power rating and serial number:

 

 

 

The supplied 1.8m USB cable is braided and not as flexible as we have seen with other mice:

 

 

 

The USB connector is gold plated for optimal contact:

 

 

 

After connecting the V551 to a spare USB port, all the RGB-enabled areas started illuminating:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The two-LED DPI indicator will light up depending on the step we are currently in:

 

 

 

The dedicated software for the V551 mouse is easy to work with and contains settings we can alter on the upper tabs. The Buttons area comes with the ability to switch between the five profiles, but we can also modify the programmable button functions; the only key which cannot be programmed is the left click button:

 

 

 

The preset key functions will open up in a separate window:

 

Mouse Functions

Keyboard Functions

Advanced Functions

Macro Editor

Key Cycle

 

If we need to eliminate a set key function, we can drag and drop the function to the small trash can in the lower left corner:

 

 

 

The Sensor area does allow the user to configure the four DPI steps with the desired DPI values:

 

 

 

Finally, we do have the Settings area where we can adjust the Polling rate, general options such as Angle Snapping, DPI/Profile OSD display, Mouse acceleration but also check out some information regarding the mouse. Options to Backup/Restore/Reset can be also found here:

 

 

By clicking on the multi-colored circle, we will open up the RGB setting screen, which allows choosing one of the available presets but also set a different light color for each segment:

 

 

 

By choosing the Custom option, we will be presented with a different window for color selection:

 

 

 

After choosing our preferred DPI settings and button mappings, we fired up NieR Automata, Zombie Army 4, GTA V and Resident Evil 7 Biohazard; the mouse has tracked without any issues on our cloth pad and we enjoyed the positioning of the extra buttons. The supplied braided cable is a bit more rigid than the one we have seen with other models, but this aspect can be fixed by using a mouse cable bungee.

 

While we have quite a bit of customization available for the button mappings, the RGB settings are not as complex as we have seen with mice from other brands; this can be surely fixed if the manufacturer issues some more firmware updates and a software which permits more flexibility in this regard.

 

Regarding the product pricing, it can be found in online stores for just about 33.8 Euros, quite affordable for any mainstream gamer!

 

Patriot Memory Viper V551 RGB Optical Gaming Mouse is Recommended for:

 

 

We would like to thank again to Patriot Memory for making this review possible!