For one, the media controls have a large dial for controlling the volume in addition to dedicated buttons.
CLEAR O RINGS FOR RAZER BLACKWIDOW CHROMA UPGRADE
If you upgrade to the pricier Huntsman Elite, there are two striking physical differences from the both the regular Huntsman and Logitech's G413.
CLEAR O RINGS FOR RAZER BLACKWIDOW CHROMA DRIVER
It looks a lot like Logitech's G413 keyboard, which I've been using as my daily driver for the past year or so. The Huntsman embraces round corners and thin edges, which makes it seem a little more office-friendly even if it's noisy. Other Razer decks have wedge-shaped corners and edges that slope downward. When I'm not hammering away on it, the Huntsman is actually rather unassuming and doesn't outwardly scream "gaming keyboard." Yes, it's equipped with Razer's Chroma system, with each key lit by a color-changing LED that can be customized through software. While I don't believe it's actually louder, it is more annoying and has left me apologizing to my coworkers constantly. Each click is higher pitched with a sort of metallic echo that follows it and a faint scratching sound. With the Huntsman you don't have to listen that closely. The green keys give a quick snap when depressed, with a slight jiggle if you listen closely. But there's a distinct difference from Razer's green "tactile and clicky" keys that's somewhat grating. Some noise is to be expected, of course, because it still employs some mechanical bits. One difference you'll definitely notice is the clicks and clacks of the Huntsman. Razer promises a 1.5mm actuation in comparison to the Rapidfire's 1.2mm actuation, but in the middle of a tense match you probably aren't being so delicate you'd notice the 0.3mm difference. I still had to push the key down until I felt a click and saw the keypress register, unlike Corsair's K70 Rapidfire and its Cherry MX Speed keys, which I sometimes found myself accidentally activating if my fingers or palm brushed over a key a little too heavily. In theory, not having to wait for some kind of physical activation should make it faster than standard mechanical switches, but honestly, I didn't notice the difference. Pressing the key down blocks that beam, indicating to your computer that a button has been pressed. What that means is that they're still largely mechanical on top with purple plastic bits and a metal hinge, but the point of actuation down below - the part where the signal gets sent to your computer - is a beam of light. These two new decks still have some mechanical parts, but now they're combined with an optical sensor that Razer feels will make this new deck even more responsive. Now Razer's decided to go in a different direction with its newest keyboards, the Huntsman and Huntsman Elite. The latter not only reduces its dependency on outside companies like Cherry for parts, but it also lets the company customize its products for different users' needs: Some of its keys give you a bit of kick when you press them while others are smooth, and you can also choose between clicky and silent.īut the keys were always mechanical, because that's the gold standard for a responsive keyboard. To distinguish themselves new arrivals have had pack more features into their decks and Razer's no exception, adding things like waterproofing and even building its own key switches. Matte black chassis, LED lighting and advanced customization suites are pretty much standard. Gaming keyboards are starting to look and feel very similar.