Razer is the stereotypical “player” brand name, and at present it offers lots of different keyboards. They’re all well, gamer keyboards, with a relatively narrow focus on that market.
Passing its name alone, the BlackWidow V4 75% is just a slightly shrunken version of the excellent V4 Pro. It’s much more than that. As Razer’s very first keyboard with hot-swap switches, and filled to breaking with top quality parts and functions, it bridges the gap between gamer and custom-made keyboards.
At a naturally middle-ground design, the V4 75% isn’t perfect. Those desiring a “pure” video gaming experience will most likely have the ability to discover a better offer, and those who desire a more premium custom keyboard can get a more targeted option for around the exact same price. But if you find yourself torn in between video gaming keyboards and those that accept a custom-made feel, it’s a perfect compromise.
What functions does the BlackWidow V4 75% have?
Physically, the V4 looks comparable to a great deal of 75% keyboards, like the Asus ROG Azoth or the Keychron Q1. It swaps out the more normal dial for a horizontal one, a shortened variation of the one on the ideal side of the full-sized V4 Pro, slicing down the pronounced media manages to just Mute and Play/Pause. Besides that, it’s a familiar layout (only the best Shift key is reduced) in Razer’s normal jet black.
If you discover yourself torn in between gaming keyboards and those that welcome a customized feel, the BlackWidow V4 75% an ideal compromise.
The keyboard acquired a couple of other traits from the V4 Pro, including a cushy, comfortable wrist rest that weakly connects to the primary board by means of magnets, and RGB lighting that extends to the left and right side in strips (but not the rest). It’s likewise wired, without any cordless alternative, something Razer dropped from the V3 series, and still includes ABS plastic keycaps instead of the more superior PBT.
Razer took a good, long list at the most popular semi-custom keyboards, plus the existing patterns on keyboard neighborhoods. The outcome is a laundry list of premium and custom features.
Hot-swap switch sockets
Aluminum body (top and two sides).
Gasket mount.
PCB and body foam.
PCB “tape mod” layer.
FR4 (plastic-style) plate.
Lubed stabilizers.
User-accessible case … sort of.
Yeah, this is a sizeable departure from Razer’s traditional style, while keeping most of the gamer elements it’s been developing up over the last couple of years. The hot-swap choice is something that’s a pure plus for basically anyone, unless you desire unusual and exclusive optical switches, as seen on the Huntsman line. The gasket mount, internal foam, and “tape mod”– a popular aftermarket addition that Razer has essentially industrialized– are all focused on making the typing “feel” more premium.
The other half is the newly developed “Razer Orange V3” changes that come standard. Razer’s made a big to-do about how much enhancement has actually been made over previous styles, and surprisingly, it’s chosen tactile switches (small bump, no click) over the totally smooth linear switches present in most video gaming keyboards.
How does it feel to type on the BlackWidow V4 75%?
What has all this work accomplished in terms of typing and gaming? Speaking as a mechanical keyboard nut, I ‘d say it’s made a board that has a remarkably great typing experience– and a shockingly excellent one for a board still very much targeted at gamers. The instant improvement over other Razer boards, even the most pricey ones in the line, is right away obvious.
The aluminum deck combined with the foam and tape mod make the switches somewhat “thocky,” to use the lingo of the mech pastime. The minor bump is obvious, however really smooth thanks to thick, stiff stems. It’s not as deep, resonant, or significant as some of the multi-hundred-dollar builds from boutique sellers, but it’s a certainly an upper hand on practically any gaming-branded board out there. If it weren’t for the Razer name and marketing, I ‘d state this board is better for typing than for video gaming.
More reading: See our roundup of the very best mechanical keyboards to find out about competing products.
All that being stated, it’s got a couple of points against it versus a more focused “custom” board like the GMMK Pro or the Keychron Q1. First, it’s a plastic body– the metal is just on the top deck, plus the front and rear sides. You can see the plastic (total with “FOR GAMERS, BY GAMERS” duplicating text, in case you’ve forgotten) on the bottom, along with the double-stage feet. That makes it considerably lighter than other 75% boards with all metal bodies.
Second, Razer has selected to stick with its Synapse software application instead of the standardized, multiplatform QMK or VIA for programs. It’s understandable– Razer has actually sunk a lot of resources into Synapse, including cross-platform syncing of the Chroma lighting with such diverse systems as Amazon Alexa and Phillips Hue.
Razer PR emphasized to me that the BlackWidow V4 75% was made to engage with the custom-made pastime crowd, with a body that can be taken apart by eliminating simply 6 basic Philips-head screws. And indeed, this holds true. The screw right below the USB cable has an obvious warranty sticker label covering it. A dive into the user handbook verifies that, certainly, your warranty is void if you open up the keyboard, even if no additional modifications are made. That’s far from the mod-friendly image cultivated by some of Razer’s competitors in this space, and such an obvious disinclination to further modification needs to count against it.
How is the BlackWidow V4 Pro for gaming?
As I said formerly, the outstanding tactile Orange V3 changes nearly make the BlackWidow V4 75% more fit to typing than to video gaming. However if you want it for the latter– and I need to presume that a lot of Razer lovers do– you won’t find it lacking.
Razer BlackWidow V4 75% orange switches.
Michael Crider/Foundry.
Similar to the majority of Razer’s current keyboards, it’s entirely personalized in Synapse, can be filled with offline profiles in regional memory, and can program macros on the fly. It has 8,000 Hz ballot, much more than any person can actually make use of, and quick “video game modes” disable the Windows button, Alt-Tab, and Alt-F4. When again there are a couple of buttons that are off-limits for shows, consisting of Win, Fn, and the play/pause button.
The V4’s super-comfy wrist rest makes prolonged video gaming sessions a breeze, and I believe some gamers may choose the smaller sized, backpack-friendly size (not to point out the lighter plastic body) versus the full-sized V4 Pro. And yes, the lighting does look extremely quite, specifically with the side strips– I’m partial to the “fire” preset that makes it glow like a Christmas fireplace.
How does the BlackWidow V4 Pro compare for worth?
Here’s where things get interesting for the BlackWidow V4 75%. At $190, it’s $40 less than the much larger, heavier V4 Pro. And considering all the engineering and additional parts that entered into the design, I ‘d state that’s more than fair. How does it compare to comparable keyboards from the competition?
As a wired, gaming-focused 75% board that swings for the “customized” crowd, I ‘d say the Glorious GMMK Pro is the closest design to compare it to. It likewise has side lighting and a great wrist rest, and includes a nearly similar layout and set of functions, minus the “tape mod,” but with a custom break-away cable and a complete aluminum body. For these high-ends, Glorious asks $350. Razer’s a clear and remarkable winner in terms of value, and depending on your tastes, its more gaming-focused software and much quicker polling may make it a straight-out winner anyhow.
The V4 75% likewise takes on the Asus ROG Azoth, which includes cordless abilities, a complete metal frame, an OLED screen, and a switch lubing kit, even if it is rather barebones. However I discovered the screen a poor replacement for a basic dial with very little useful use, and Asus’ video gaming software is abysmal. Razer’s a clear winner unless you can’t live without high-speed wireless.
I reviewed the wireless Pro variation of this board, and it stays our top overall choice for pure mechanical keyboards, however the wired-only board is a more direct match for Razer here. All it’s missing out on in the hardware feature list is Razer’s 8,000 Hz polling, the integrated “tape mod,” and that very cushy wrist rest … but Keychron has actually picked to make its keyboards programmable with VIA and QMK.
I’m ready to call this a wash. Those who desire a keyboard for pure video gaming expertise and some light custom-made alternatives will be better with the BlackWidow V4 75%, even with its somewhat low-rent ABS keycaps and lighter plastic body. Those who wish to go all-out on the custom-made side of things will get more bang for their buck with the Keychron, which is still perfectly serviceable for video gaming if not so razor- laser-focused on it.
The BlackWidow V4 75% is a terrific keyboard, and a substantial advance for Razer.
All rambling contrasts aside, the BlackWidow V4 75% is a fantastic keyboard, and a substantial step forward for Razer. It’s an exceptional choice if you want great video gaming and typing with the option to dip your toes in the custom-made keyboard trend, or simply desire a more premium alternative that maintains Razer’s video gaming heritage.
