Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro - Mechanical Gaming Keyboard (Green Switch)

This is the keyboard that I am currently using to type this review out. It's a mechanical keyboard, so the keys are quite loud but I love them. With Razer's program, you can program the keys to light up how you want to, what patterns, what colors, what they do when you press a key, etc. There are programmable keys on the right side, 5 keys in total that you program through Razer's downloadable program. You can change profiles easily to cycle through all of your programmed key combos, which I find handy for my line of business. I hate pressing ctrl+z ctrl+y/ctrl+shift+z a lot so I just programmed it to those keys and I only have to press one key now to undo or redo. There are tons of different programs that other people have made for this keyboard, one in particular ... MoreThis is the keyboard that I am currently using to type this review out. It's a mechanical keyboard, so the keys are quite loud but I love them. With Razer's program, you can program the keys to light up how you want to, what patterns, what colors, what they do when you press a key, etc. There are programmable keys on the right side, 5 keys in total that you program through Razer's downloadable program. You can change profiles easily to cycle through all of your programmed key combos, which I find handy for my line of business. I hate pressing ctrl+z ctrl+y/ctrl+shift+z a lot so I just programmed it to those keys and I only have to press one key now to undo or redo. There are tons of different programs that other people have made for this keyboard, one in particular is an equalizer. You can have the colors and lights change on the keyboard to music that you are listening to.I have spilt multiple things on this keyboard on accident - water, soda, energy drinks, you name it. You just unplug it as soon as you notice, clean if you think you need to, wait for it to dry and plug it back in, still works like a charm. I love this keyboard and I have had it since April 2017. No dead keys yet, and none of the black paint has worn off of the QWERASD keys and I play a lot of MOBA's and a lot of Overwatch. It's a great investment.

Expensive and loud

It's heavy so it feels very expensive (that's a good thing). However, I switched from a membrane keyboard to this and I do not like the transition. RGB lights look good, but I prefer simple colors and feel that if there were a cheaper variant with maybe a one-color feature (red or white) it would better fit with what I like. The keyboard comes with Razer Green switches which feel like Cherry MX Blue switches. They offer a tactile bump and a clicking sound. I do not like this sound or the bump! Also, when my keys hit the bottom of this aluminum frame, the sound is even louder than the clicking sound. Overall, I feel like the keyboard is very well made, but I would have wished for a wrist pad (their Razer Ornata Chroma RGB membrane keyboard comes with a magnetic one ... MoreIt's heavy so it feels very expensive (that's a good thing). However, I switched from a membrane keyboard to this and I do not like the transition. RGB lights look good, but I prefer simple colors and feel that if there were a cheaper variant with maybe a one-color feature (red or white) it would better fit with what I like. The keyboard comes with Razer Green switches which feel like Cherry MX Blue switches. They offer a tactile bump and a clicking sound. I do not like this sound or the bump! Also, when my keys hit the bottom of this aluminum frame, the sound is even louder than the clicking sound. Overall, I feel like the keyboard is very well made, but I would have wished for a wrist pad (their Razer Ornata Chroma RGB membrane keyboard comes with a magnetic one afterall, and is cheaper). I also wish that I had different options. I wanted a well-built keyboard that has the endurance of a mechnical keyboard but at the same time is silent. I have the Razer Ornata Chroma keyboard too and I prefer that one over this one.

George's review of Razer Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed Gaming Keyboard

Pros: Perfect. Just what I wanted so I could browse the net and Game on my TV while not at desk. Does everything I wanted including changing colours of keys and brightness. Some games set the colours to the keys you need. Battery life brilliant, cant get it to run out. No keyboard lag and feels same as using wired keyboard also range from receiver to keyboard is great. I use at least 15ft from receiver and no issue. Cons: Not the fault of the keyboard and most likely because I have a wired Razer keyboard as well but to load my colour scheme on this new wireless I have to turn on PC , open Razer software then restart PC. Support not got back to me with solution but I will try removing wired keyboard. Must be software configuration or conflict with wired keyboard but ... MorePros: Perfect. Just what I wanted so I could browse the net and Game on my TV while not at desk. Does everything I wanted including changing colours of keys and brightness. Some games set the colours to the keys you need. Battery life brilliant, cant get it to run out. No keyboard lag and feels same as using wired keyboard also range from receiver to keyboard is great. I use at least 15ft from receiver and no issue. Cons: Not the fault of the keyboard and most likely because I have a wired Razer keyboard as well but to load my colour scheme on this new wireless I have to turn on PC , open Razer software then restart PC. Support not got back to me with solution but I will try removing wired keyboard. Must be software configuration or conflict with wired keyboard but no problem for now.My wired chroma lights on a few keys dont match colours selected so developed a fault. Took a chance this wireless version has improved but this time unlike with the last one , I have registered the warranty so peace of mind for 2 years at least. My wired chroma I just selected darker colours to hide the problem keys and will do the same with this one if problem occurs after the warranty.

Great Mechanical keyboard

I'm still fairly new to mechanical keyboards but to date I've used the Huntsman and now this Black-widow Elite keyboard. While both are good I would like to say that as far as typing and media consumption goes that the Black-widow wins over the Huntsman keyboard. For me the Huntsman board was much too fast for me to personally get used to typing on I would always make mistakes on it because I would accidently brush the wrong key and type the wrong word this does not happen on my Black-widow board because the actuation force is 50G VS. the 45G on the huntsman board and trust me you can tell the difference. Also the dedicated media controls on the Elite board are actually quite nice and a feature I didn't know I was missing until I had it. Overall I would say that ... MoreI'm still fairly new to mechanical keyboards but to date I've used the Huntsman and now this Black-widow Elite keyboard. While both are good I would like to say that as far as typing and media consumption goes that the Black-widow wins over the Huntsman keyboard. For me the Huntsman board was much too fast for me to personally get used to typing on I would always make mistakes on it because I would accidently brush the wrong key and type the wrong word this does not happen on my Black-widow board because the actuation force is 50G VS. the 45G on the huntsman board and trust me you can tell the difference. Also the dedicated media controls on the Elite board are actually quite nice and a feature I didn't know I was missing until I had it. Overall I would say that both the Huntsman and Black-Widow Elite boards are great buys if you have the budget for them, the only thing I would take points off for is the cable. It splits into three parts one to power the board, the next to power the USB passthrough, and the last to power the audio passthrough. If you use this feature then it's great and you can ignore this one issue that I have, but if you are like me and don't use it then its honestly just in the way and more cord that you have to cable manage. I really wish there was a way to unplug the extra pieces that you don't need but oh well I will manage and it's honestly just a small issue nothing manager at the end of the day.

Great Upgrade to a Cheapo Blue Switch Keyboard

Holy moly. I wasn't expecting to like this keyboard as much as I do. First off, this is a huge upgrade to the cheap MX Blue Switch keyboard that I have. I got it with the Razer Green switches and it feels great. Just enough force is required for me to leave my fingers laying on the keys without them pressing in (unlike linear keys where I cannot leave my fingers on the keyboard). I chose this over the Huntsman Elite because reviewers said it had a more comfortable wrist rest, and it really does. I just wish it held on stronger than the weak magnets. The software is extremely extensive. You can program just about any kind of macro or lighting setup that you would want. Overall, this is a solid keyboard that I would recommend to anyone looking for a clicky mechanical.

Great keyboard, but has flaws

For the most part, the keyboard is great. I enjoy the keys, the RGB lighting is vibrant(even though I don't really care much about it) and the wrist rest is REALLY nice. The only gripes I have with the keyboard are following: Build quality. I have a keyboard tray that my keyboard rests and my cat knocked the keyboard off and it fell just under two feet onto a heavily carpeted floor, and the plastic corner of the keyboard snapped off. It wasn't a large piece, but it's alarming that a fall from such a small height onto a really soft carpeted floor caused the plastic to break off.

One of the best keyboards.

Had the original razer blackwidow rgb when it was still fresh, used it for years and loved it. After 6 years it still kicks, but a few keys get stuck from time to time and the A key lost half the rgb spectrum. So decided to splurge on this new model and still love it. Major differences, build quality went from bulky tough plastic to lean aluminum, you get a memory foam wrist wrest thats magnetic, usb port is on the left side and isnt upside down anymore, audio passthrough might be diff i forgot it was there, and the loss of 5 macro keys for media keys/volume dial. Frankly build quality feels alot nicer, just having new switches feels like a dream again, razer green is clicky and tactile which is what i love but be warned they are loud. Aluminum frame has the entire ... MoreHad the original razer blackwidow rgb when it was still fresh, used it for years and loved it. After 6 years it still kicks, but a few keys get stuck from time to time and the A key lost half the rgb spectrum. So decided to splurge on this new model and still love it. Major differences, build quality went from bulky tough plastic to lean aluminum, you get a memory foam wrist wrest thats magnetic, usb port is on the left side and isnt upside down anymore, audio passthrough might be diff i forgot it was there, and the loss of 5 macro keys for media keys/volume dial. Frankly build quality feels alot nicer, just having new switches feels like a dream again, razer green is clicky and tactile which is what i love but be warned they are loud. Aluminum frame has the entire board feel stronger and sturdier when typing hard, the smaller size of this full size keyboard is also really nice, as I love extra space but still need a numpad. could ramble on but 10/10 keyboard but synapse still sucks.

Perfect for noobs with small arms ;D

Having your arms closer together provides a noticeable gain in mouse accuracy and IMO is a lot more comfortable. I personally think numpads should not be on the right side of a keyboard, as it tends to be in the way (and has caused me to smash my fingers against it many times, partly due to my low sensitivity). As a gamer who dabbles in 3D rendering and such the benefits of removing the numpad far outweigh the loss of numpad functionality in various software. HOWEVER, if you were to make a perfect keyboard, you would place the numpad on the left side of the keyboard. The numpad could also serve as a macro pad which would be.. Pretty lit. (Still waiting for someone to make a keyboard like that with the build quality and aesthetic of a Razer keyboard) The keys (Razer ... MoreHaving your arms closer together provides a noticeable gain in mouse accuracy and IMO is a lot more comfortable. I personally think numpads should not be on the right side of a keyboard, as it tends to be in the way (and has caused me to smash my fingers against it many times, partly due to my low sensitivity). As a gamer who dabbles in 3D rendering and such the benefits of removing the numpad far outweigh the loss of numpad functionality in various software. HOWEVER, if you were to make a perfect keyboard, you would place the numpad on the left side of the keyboard. The numpad could also serve as a macro pad which would be.. Pretty lit. (Still waiting for someone to make a keyboard like that with the build quality and aesthetic of a Razer keyboard) The keys (Razer Green) are tactile with a slightly warmer click than that of a Cherry MX blue. They feel very responsive compared to my 7 year old finger oil laden membrane Microsoft comfort curve keyboard. To me they feel similar to Cherry MX blues but slightly different. I would have to try blues for a longer period of time before I could fairly judge. The green switches have a shorter actuation and reset distance, which I personally couldn't feel, but I'm sure in the heat of battle they'll save a millisecond or two. Honestly, there isn't much to say about the lights other than that they are bright, but not so bright that they dominate my setup. Oh and writing rude words with the lights is hilarious... Don't judge me. The body is honestly perfect. I can't imagine it ever being damaged unless I toss it out my win... Actually no that still wouldn't be enough to break this thing. (please don't try this) I actually noticed someone gave the keyboard a poor rating due to some rust in the corner. I cannot imagine what kind of incompetence it takes to let this happen but let me assure you, if you can avoid spilling your cola on your keyboard, taking it on long walks in the rain, gnawing on it in your sleep or forgetting to clean off the blood, sweat and tears of a brutal gaming session.. This keyboard will last you years. This keyboard is wonderful. I was worried about getting it since in the past the only Razer product I have had experience with was the Kraken.. Which was awful, but Razer seems to have really stepped up their game since then. Razer cult initiate over and out.. Lol

What can I say other than it

What can I say... Well, first of all, the build quality is sub-par. This keyboard feels cheap and bends like no other. The switches are loud and rather inconsistent. By loud I don't mean loud and epic sounding (like an IBM Model M), but loud and annoying. They are tinny and ear wrenching. As said before, the switches are inconsistent. Every switch feels different, and the switches die randomly. Yes, I have had 2 of these keyboards, and both of them suffer from terrible key chatter and sometimes just stop working randomly. This is not the kind of keyboard that has easily swap-able switches. It is also a pain in the rear to customize. Razer Synapse only detects the keyboard half the time, and that 'on the fly macro creator' is absolutely not 'on the fly.' Speaking of ... MoreWhat can I say... Well, first of all, the build quality is sub-par. This keyboard feels cheap and bends like no other. The switches are loud and rather inconsistent. By loud I don't mean loud and epic sounding (like an IBM Model M), but loud and annoying. They are tinny and ear wrenching. As said before, the switches are inconsistent. Every switch feels different, and the switches die randomly. Yes, I have had 2 of these keyboards, and both of them suffer from terrible key chatter and sometimes just stop working randomly. This is not the kind of keyboard that has easily swap-able switches. It is also a pain in the rear to customize. Razer Synapse only detects the keyboard half the time, and that 'on the fly macro creator' is absolutely not 'on the fly.' Speaking of misleading terms, this keyboard advertises "10 KRO." Guess what this keyboard doesn't have - 10 KRO. For those who don't know what KRO (Key Roll Over) means, it basically means that you can press up to 10 keys before it stops recognizing inputs. Although I have achieved 10 KRO, I often only achieve 6 KRO. Not much of a big deal, though as my Model M doesn't even have 6 KRO as it is membrane based, but still misleading. The only real good things I can give this keyboard is 1: It's mechanical so it's probably better thanmost rubber domes, and 2: getting one used is often extremely cheap (I got mine for 20 bucks) Don't buy it for the new price of over 160 dollars.

enjoyed it more than i thought i would

Quite a few years back I bought a Blackwidow keyboard and wasn't impressed. That was the laptop keyboard like membrane keyboard days. I was a bit afraid of Razer products since, but decided to give it a try a good 8 years or so later, and I'm impressed this time. I actually enjoy typing and have not needed to adjust to this new keyboard much. It just felt right and I have not missed type as much as I used to with some of the other keyboards I've worked with There were some reviews that the keyboard is too loud. I feel like thats over stated, it is a clicky keyboard, but the sound is actually a bit softer than the old mechanical keyboard I had in the 90s. It should be an issue for most users as far as I can tell. It does say it's a keyboard with noise so I wouldn't ... MoreQuite a few years back I bought a Blackwidow keyboard and wasn't impressed. That was the laptop keyboard like membrane keyboard days. I was a bit afraid of Razer products since, but decided to give it a try a good 8 years or so later, and I'm impressed this time. I actually enjoy typing and have not needed to adjust to this new keyboard much. It just felt right and I have not missed type as much as I used to with some of the other keyboards I've worked with There were some reviews that the keyboard is too loud. I feel like thats over stated, it is a clicky keyboard, but the sound is actually a bit softer than the old mechanical keyboard I had in the 90s. It should be an issue for most users as far as I can tell. It does say it's a keyboard with noise so I wouldn't have this in the bedroom if someone else is sleeping in there. (I mean, you bought this keyboard knowing it's going to make sound going in, so...) The RGB lighting is actually alot more configurable than I expected, which was great.