Razer Huntsman V3 keyboard review: Maximum analog customization

Price When Reviewed

$219.99

Best Prices Today: Razer Huntsman V3 Pro TKL keyboard

$219.99

$300.89

Do you want a keyboard whereby every particular person key has analog sensitivity? For me the reply is “no.” But then, I’m not a G-Fuel-chugging professional gamer with response instances sooner than a placing cobra. And the actual fact is that somebody retains shopping for these very area of interest, very costly boards, as each main producer appears to be making not less than one. Now that Razer is on its third era of the analog, optical-powered Huntsman, is it value a spot in your RGB-laden battlestation?

If you’re actually, actually certain you want a keyboard with adjustable actuation, I’d say that it’s. Instead of resting on its laurels with the optical switches and merely adjusting a few of the aesthetics, Razer has put severe thought into how customers can really make the most of the Huntsman’s defining function, the flexibility to regulate the actuation level (how far down you must press earlier than a keystroke is registered) of its keys. The keyboard’s capacity to shortly swap via a number of profiles on the fly and extra simply adapt presses interpreted as controller buttons is spectacular.

That mentioned, this stays very area of interest performance. If you may’t consider a direct and compelling cause to make use of the options above, you’d be higher served by one thing just like the versatile BlackWidow V4 75%, particularly at this worth vary. But in the event you merely should have essentially the most customization potential, otherwise you wish to utterly replicate console controls utilizing a keyboard, the Huntsman delivers.

Further studying: See our roundup of the best gaming keyboards to study competing merchandise.

Huntsman V3 design

The Huntsman V3 may be the ur-Razer keyboard at this level: jet black, RGB lights, and an intense concentrate on gaming. It’s neither as brilliant and flashy because the BlackWidow V4 Pro nor as stylish because the V4 75%, with the latter’s performance inherited from customized designs. But the TKL (tenkeyless, missing the quantity pad) design is targeted and purposeful, sparing solely the hardly ever used Print Screen, Scroll Lock, and Pause buttons for some much more quick media controls. This is a fairly sizeable shift from the V2 TKL format.

Michael Crider/Foundry

Those controls are value slightly consideration. Razer has gone with a rotary dial as a substitute of the extra horizontal barrel it’s been favoring in a couple of newer releases. I just like the change. Not solely is it appealingly radial and quick with its RGB circle, it’s simpler and extra pure to press down shortly to mute the quantity. Even the design itself is premium, with a knurled edge like a high-end wrench and a round sample on the highest button. Two metallic, illuminated buttons sit beside it: Play/Pause and a hyperlink to the Xbox Game Bar, by default.

The remainder of the design is straightforward, however no poorer for that. You get “floating” keys above a brushed metallic keyboard deck, and a magnetic wrist relaxation included within the field. That’s a welcome addition to any keyboard, however significantly notable for a high-priced one, as its absence is a knock towards worth for me. That mentioned, this hardened plastic relaxation is significantly much less comfortable than the cushioned one included with latest BlackWidow designs. After a couple of days I went again to my $10 Amazon foam relaxation for consolation.

The Huntsman V3 affords the standard removable USB-C cable, very lengthy, dual-stage toes, and a surprisingly light-weight plastic physique. At simply 25.3 ounces (.717 kilograms) on my kitchen scale sans wrist relaxation, it’s a particular choice in the event you typically journey along with your keyboard, offered your bag has room for its 14-inch (35.6 cm) width. Lighting is minimal, not less than by Razer requirements, eschewing the illuminated sides and wrist remainder of some fashions.

Michael Crider/Foundry

One final word on the supplies: Razer has deigned to bless the Hunstman line with PBT shine-through keycaps, a luxurious not granted to the BlackWidow line even once they’re in the identical worth vary. (Yes, I’ll die on this hill — not less than so long as Razer is promoting separate PBT plastic upgrades.) They’re a bit skinny and lightweight, however the extra premium, “scratchy” texture is welcome to my fingertips. If you like to produce your personal, the usual ISO format and Cherry-style cross stems make this keyboard suitable with virtually all ISO-standard keycap units.

What’s an optical swap?

What makes the Huntsman totally different from the BlackWidow? Beyond the cosmetics, the Huntsman collection is the one one Razer affords with optical switches, which detect a key press by interrupting a beam of sunshine as a substitute of closing {an electrical} circuit like a normal MX-style key. This closes off a few choices, however affords a level of “analog” customization that’s inconceivable in much less complicated designs.

Michael Crider/Foundry

What which means is you could select the purpose of actuation for a lot of the keys, adjusting how onerous you must press down earlier than it should register. The keys can detect as little as .1mm of motion, all the way in which all the way down to a full vary of movement at 4mm. And if that doesn’t sound like a lot, belief me: When every little thing is about to the lightest choice this factor feels prefer it’s on a hair set off, particularly with my sausage fingers.

Analog switches additionally supply an additional bonus: the choice to bind a second motion to every key, with the primary activating at a lightweight press and the second with a more durable press. Again, each of those actuation factors are adjustable. Just for example, it’s potential to bind the usual W key to make your character stroll ahead with a lightweight contact, whereas a full-weight press will make them dash. You also can set a key to totally analog performance, mimicking the lengthy set off pull of a controller’s shoulder button or the relative directional depth of an analog thumbstick.

Michael Crider/Foundry

Actually making use of this superior performance requires some severe time funding, customizing management schemes in ways in which aren’t potential on normal keyboards. The draw back is that you just lose the choice for hot-swap key switches (as seen on the BlackWidow V4 75%), or any sort of tactility within the keys themselves.

How’s the Huntsman V3 for typing and gaming?

How is the Huntsman as a normal keyboard? Frankly, I don’t adore it. Razer’s second-gen optical switches have a giant central spring and an uncovered exterior stabilizer on every swap, making them visually distinct. But the precise act of typing on them is loud and a bit wobbly, removed from the graceful and considerably muted really feel of premium MX switches that you just’ll discover in different keyboards on this worth vary. You’re going to listen to and really feel every time the stem presses down.

There’s no satisfying tactile bump in the important thing journey (it wouldn’t actually be possible with the optical design), making this keyboard’s typing all bark and no chunk. The normal typing isn’t as good as Corsair’s MGX magnetic switches with related adjustable actuation powers, however they’re higher than SteelSeries’ “Omnipoint” design. That places Razer squarely in the midst of the pack. As a author I’d go along with Corsair.

Michael Crider/Foundry

But Razer isn’t advertising this at individuals who write 10,000 phrases a day. No, the Huntsman is the corporate’s final gamer-focused board, and in that regard, it’s slightly extra profitable. Light, centrally-weighted springs permit for sooner and extra assured presses in the midst of intense multiplayer, let down by a little bit of scratchiness within the stabilizers for the area bar and different lengthy keys. If you’re aware of Razer’s different gaming-focused boards and like them, the Huntsman received’t take a lot adjustment when it comes to really feel.

At this level I ought to spotlight the Rapid Trigger mode, which may be essentially the most accessible superior gaming function on the Huntsman. Thanks to the analog sensitivity of every key (minus the cluster above the arrow keys, the place that’s not likely wanted), you may set every key to reset everytime you let off the strain by even .1mm. It can then activate once more with .1mm of downward strain. The sensible profit is you could go between press and launch virtually actually sooner than your fingers can handle. Imagine pro fighting gamers dancing in place to maintain their momentum, and also you’ll know what I imply. Razer isn’t the one firm to supply this performance for analog switches, however its designs appear significantly well-suited to it.

Michael Crider/Foundry

There’s yet one more function of the Huntsman that takes benefit of its analog switches in a extra quick method than the competitors. The cluster above the arrow keys (Insert, Delete, et cetera) all have default secondary capabilities accessible with the Fn layer. These swap between 4 totally different pre-set layouts, the default typing layer, and whichever was the final that you just used. Some of the presets, like Analog WASD and Racing, embody extremely finicky setups to extra utterly emulate the analog capabilities of a controller.

Huntsman V3 customization and software program

Which brings me to Razer’s software program for the Huntsman, and why I believe it has the gaming edge over related analog designs. I’ll begrudgingly admit that Razer’s Synapse might be one of the best and best gaming “driver” software program on the market — a low bar to clear, however one which deserves recognition as gaming inputs develop into an increasing number of complicated. And the Huntsman might be essentially the most sophisticated enter gadget the corporate makes for the time being.

Michael Crider/Foundry

Adjustments might be made to any of the preset profiles, or you may prepare dinner up your personal from scratch. Each key (besides the six above the arrow keys and Fn) might be adjusted for the analog actuation level, or sure with double capabilities based mostly on a twin actuation. Pretty normal stuff, insofar as something this particular might be thought-about normal. But Synapse additionally features a little controller pad up on the high, simply permitting you to drag-and-drop controller capabilities onto keyboard keys.

This makes replicating a full controller format — together with analog thumbsticks and triggers, with adjustable sensitivity by way of the optical actuation — tremendous simple, barely an inconvenience. If what you need from a elaborate analog keyboard is the flexibility to copy console-style controls with extremely exact presses of your keys, Razer makes it easy to realize that. And with six perform buttons devoted to swapping profiles, it’s additionally simple to quickly swap between typing and gaming modes. It’s a synergy of perform and software program that I haven’t seen elsewhere.

Michael Crider/Foundry

The remainder of the software program is fairly normal stuff, permitting you to customise the lighting to your coronary heart’s content material and set off particular layouts with the launch of various video games or packages. You also can retailer profiles on the keyboard itself and file macros on the fly, in the event you’d favor to uninstall Synapse or maintain it from operating within the background. Unfortunately a few of the most superior capabilities — together with the mapping of analog controller inputs — require Synapse to be put in.

Michael Crider/IDG

One factor that doesn’t want Synapse is a moderately ingenious method of customizing the actuation level, in 10 separate ranges, utilizing solely the keyboard’s built-in {hardware}. You can activate this mode by urgent Fn+Caps Lock, at which level the quantity dial will flip into your selector. You can see which degree of actuation is at the moment chosen by way of the LED notification are above the arrows: all the way in which left for degree 1, the bottom, all the way in which proper for degree 10.

Is the Huntsman V3 Pro TKL value it?

Razer asks for $220 for the Huntsman V3 Pro TKL. It’s $250 for the full-sized version, $180 for the teeny-tiny Mini with its 60% format. That’s fairly dang dear in anyone’s cash. And it’s the most costly choice amongst opponents that provide adjustable swap actuation.

Corsair asks $230 for its K70 Max with magnetic adjustable keys, making it technically a greater cope with its full-sized format. SteelSeries additionally fees $180 for adjustable magnetic switches in its Apex Pro Mini, and solely $190 for the most recent model of the Apex Pro TKL, with the questionably essential addition of a tiny OLED display screen. The wi-fi model of that board is $250.

Michael Crider/Foundry

For on a regular basis typing, I’d go along with the Corsair hands-down. It has a superior really feel and sound because of a extra sturdy, foam-filled physique. But then, I wouldn’t purchase a keyboard with adjustable actuation switches only for typing. These keyboards are for gaming, arguably way more so than less complicated mechanical designs. And in that context, I’ve to provide the nod to Razer regardless of its increased price ticket at virtually each type issue.

Razer’s mixture of easy-to-use software program and fast profile administration, even with none person changes, reveals a dedication to analog perform. It’s not inconceivable to copy with the competitors, however for a keyboard designed for the superior person who’ll be spending a variety of time on format customization, it’s a giant consideration. I’m particularly keen on Razer’s easy accessibility to controller layouts for the person.

Michael Crider/Foundry

If adjustable key actuation isn’t vital to you…then I don’t know why you learn this prolonged assessment. But whether it is, the Huntsman V3 is your best option for avid gamers who need simple and full management of their complicated recreation controls.