The Razer Diamondback Mouse flew in under the radar to take our vote for Best Gaming Accessory of the year. Not many gamers pay attention to mouse technology improvements, but we've had two major advancements this year with the introduction of laser technology in the Logitech MX1000 and the ultrahigh resolution optical sensor featured in the Razer Diamondback. Logitech and Razer have shown the industry that gamers want more out of a mouse than additional buttons or a better scrollwheel design.

Best Accessory

We enjoyed using all of this year's Best Gaming Accessory finalists, but the Razer Diamondback was the only peripheral that offered performance significantly better than the next best available option in its product category. The Logitech Z-5500 Digital, for example, could be considered a sequel product that's slightly better than the original Z-680s. The other finalists, all very good in their own rights, weren't able to blow away its nearest competitors the way the Razer Diamondback manhandled other mice on the market.

The Logitech MX1000 may be the best wireless mouse we've ever tested, but the Razer and its 1600dpi optical sensor offers a revolutionary mousing experience that makes other mice feel like mud. The Diamondback will perform well for fast-twitch and slow-twitch players alike. Razer's unique software drivers and on-the-fly sensitivity-adjustment ability also demonstrate that the Diamondback status as a "gaming" mouse extends beyond the product packaging.

We weren't fans of the original Razer Boomslang mouse, with its odd shape and unconventional sensor placement, but the Diamondback shows us that Razer has definitely learned from its past mistakes. From the moment we first placed our hands on the mouse, the Diamondback amazed us with its fantastic feedback and excellent feel. The shape and optical sensor placement is also conventional enough to make it easy for longtime Microsoft or Logitech users to make the switch.

Overall, the Razer Diamondback is the most responsive mouse we've ever tested, and it's our choice for Best Gaming Accessory of the year. You only have to use the Diamondback for a few hours before discovering that there's no going back to other mice.