Razer Expands Peripherals Line With Naga Trinity Mouse, Tartarus V2 Keypad

Razer added a pair of peripherals to its lineup with the Naga Trinity, which is the latest iteration in Razer’s Naga line of gaming mice, and the Tartarus V2, which replaces the Tartarus Chroma gaming keypad.

The Naga Trinity

The Naga Trinity is actually meant to replace both existing versions of the Naga--the Naga Hex V2 and the Naga Chroma--by combining all of the features of those mice into one using an innovative interchangeable side-plate concept.

Interchangeable parts aren’t new to these gaming mice--one iteration of the Naga had swappable pinky-side grips--but the Naga Trinity’s system is more unique. The side plate that houses the thumb-side buttons can be switched for one of three others: a two-button, seven-button, or 12-button one.

The 12-button plate has the classic Naga’s keypad layout, which was originally designed for MMO gaming. The seven-button plate has the Naga Hex’s layout, which was built specifically for MOBA games.

New to the Naga is the two-button configuration. It echoes the layout of a typical mouse and will help in situations where all those buttons get in the way, such as in FPS games. All of the plates are contoured to maintain the Naga’s classic shape and attach to the mouse body via a 4x4 grid of pins.

Also new on the Naga Trinity is the sensor, which has been updated to Razer’s latest 5G optical system. It has a maximum resolution of 16,000 DPI and tracking speed of 450 IPS. This spec is shared with some of Razer’s other recently released mice, including the Lancehead Tournament Edition and Basilisk.

The Naga Trinity inherited from its previous generation the RGB lighting system and right-side contoured grip. Razer mentioned the use of mechanical switches but didn’t specify which buttons have them.

The Roccat Nyth is another gaming mouse with configurable thumb buttons, but its implementation is different. The Naga Trinity’s design does not allow for as much variability in the button layout, but the few fixed layouts it offers are more differentiated. The Razer Naga Trinity will be available from Q1 2018 for $100.

A New Tartarus

The new Tartarus V2 replaces the original Tartarus, and much has changed. For starters, the overall shape and design have been thoroughly reshaped. Further, the keypad now has a fourth row with four keys added to it. Instead of a fifth key, the rightmost spot has a scroll wheel for the index finger.

The taller keypad seems more curved than before, too. The palm rest still has two positions of adjustment, but it’s now entirely detachable, and Razer added a cushioned wrist rest, too. The thumb controls, albeit reshaped, seem identical to the previous generation. There’s a top button, an eight-way directional switch, and a bottom rocker switch.

On the inside, Razer replaced the membrane keypad switches with its newer Mech-Membrane switches. These hybrid-mechanical switches are still rubber dome switches, and they still register the key press only when the key bottoms out, but they have a mechanism added that creates a tactile feeling and some noise. Razer also uses them in the Ornata keyboard. The Tartarus V2 maintains the full-key anti-ghosting and RGB lighting of its predecessor.

Razer’s Mecha-Membrane keys and RGB lighting might make the Tartarus V2 more attractive than its membrane-based rival, the Logitech G13, but the more expensive Razer Orbweaver actually has real mechanical switches. The Razer Tartarus V2 will be available from Q4 2017 for $80.