Razer - Joro Portable 75% Wireless Low-Profile Gaming Keyboard for PC and Mac with Chroma RGB Backlighting - Black

The Razer Joro feels to me less like a Gaming keyboard and more like a detached and super portable ultra lightweight laptop keyboard. It is literally the same size (see pictures) as my ROG Zephyrus G16 keyboard and while I don't have a Razer Blade, I wouldn't be surprised if it feels identical and is the same size as their high-end laptops. With that in mind, there are some pros/cons to the Joro: + It is TINY. Thin and Light, to the point it is as thin as an Ultralight laptop and weighs as much as my iPhone 15 Pro Max with its case on. I can just throw it in a bag with my work or my gaming laptop and take it with me. I still prefer not to type on my laptop bc of palm trackpad interference and also I wear a watch on my left hand which tends to scuff the aluminum body over time which irks me. + The Bluetooth 5.0 integration is the slickest I have ever seen. It supports 3 devices wirelessly and BT 5.0 is SUPER fast to the point you turn on the keyboard and every BT device detects it and pops up a notification that Joro is detected and to pair it. + Swapping Inputs with BT 5.0 is also super slick, you just hit the F1-F2-F3 keys that have little leds that indicate status/active input to toggle through all your paired devices. So I can pair this Joro to my laptop, my iPhone and my desktop all at the same time and just toggle through to change the input and the detection/input speed is INSTANT. Super awesome for those on the go. + USB-C for wired connectivity and charging adds a 4th method to connect and also to charge the Joro. + Great battery life, even with RGB backlighting. I've been using the Joro for work and gaming and general PC usage for a few days now and the battery life is still 80%. + Retains 75% Keyboard layout, but most importantly, has the arrow keys. I love TenKeyLess (TKL) keyboards since the minute they were invented, but the smaller ones like 60-65% did some weird stuff like remove the arrow keys, or home cluster, which was a non-starter for me because those arrow keys were super important for navigating forms and menus. Most 75% TKL designs have them smushed in now and the home cluster got smushed vertically so I have to hunt and find them, but they exist still which is better than not having them anymore. Not everything is great about the Joro or might not be for everyone. - As I mentioned, it feels like a laptop keyboard and with that means it is a scissor style keycap and actuation and not a mechanical switch. It doesn't feel cheap, in fact its the opposite, button press uniformity is excellent even for larger keys and spacebar, but the key travel and feel of the keys is lacking compared to mechanical which was obviously a trade-off to get to the low weight and low profile of the Joro. - The build quality is good, not great. It is an aluminum top plate veneer, just enough to feel cold to the touch, but the side and back are plastic. I would not want to see what happens if you dropped this keyboard on one of its sharp edges on anything hard, even hardwood floors. - The RGB is all one color, not a huge deal but something to be aware of. The backlight is also not super bright and is shine-through with noticeable gaps in the backlight when you peer down below the keys. Likely helps a lot with battery life. - There is no feet to raise the back end of the laptop, which is pretty uniform for any keyboard, or so I thought. There is a natural wedge incline built into the keyboard but I always liked having the keys raised up in the back. - Because these are scissor switches, you lose the capability and sensitivity of recent mechanical keyboards that use Hall Effect switches, which allow pressure to be registered on a key press. - Razer's software Synapse is required for full functionality, but not for basic functionality which is handled through HID protocols and BT. - No RF dongle. That means you have to have a BT capable device for wireless or use a cable if your PC doesn't have BT. While most PCs nowadays, even desktops, do have BT/WiFi combo wireless, older ones won't which means those folks will need to be plugged in to use it. Personally, I love this keyboard, just not for gaming. Its truly my road warrior companion for when I travel abroad, to work, or trade shows for work. It is so light and tiny and takes up almost no space at all. I just wish it had some kind of cover to protect it. Like some silicone mold that slides on top of the keys to protect them would be perfect!

I purchased this keyboard and my intentions are using it for my handheld gaming system I was a little skeptical at first but I absolutely love it it's an amazing keyboard and it works extremely well

This keyboard has exceeded my expectations in several ways. First off, its heavier than I pictured it to be. I figured a light flimsy plastic-feeling keyboard, but when I picked up the box I was like oh wow. I’m a fan of heavier products because it has a better quality feel to it, this goes for most electronics I use. Its definitely a premium aluminum feel to it, and the weight plus the rubber grips gives it stability when typing on different surfaces, preventing it from easily sliding around. Its also has a clean aesthetic to it, minimalist feel with quality mechanical typing. The main reason I wanted this was for typing on my iPad, but I’ve also been using it on my Windows PC. I can also see using this on my gaming laptop when I have it hooked to an external monitor and want to close the laptop lid and push it back to create a nice desktop space. The connections are super easy, for both wired and bluetooth. The wired connection works instantly on iPad and PC, straight plug and play. Bluetooth does not have any buttons you need to hold for X amount of time to put it in pairing mode which can be annoying, just simply move the switch the Bluetooth, find the Joro device, and pair. The keyboard stores 3 paired bluetooth devices you can switch to on the keyboard. The keyboard size is roughly about the same size as a laptop keyboard as you can see in my attached picture. At first it does feel a little cramped since I’m usually on my desktop keyboard, but I’ve adjusted to it quickly. My experience using it on my iPad has been good so far, I can even control the volume and brightness of my iPad from the keyboard. I will say there is a known issue with iPads not translating symbols from the keyboard properly, such as (*& showing up as different symbol, but that is a general ipad issue. That problem doesn’t exist on the PC. I do wish that it had fold out legs that would prop the keyboard up some, I’m actually surprised it didn’t, but I imagine its to give the keyboard a more simplistic style. The lights are a real nice touch on the keyboard, you don’t need to make any setting changes or software to run them, they turn on by themselves. You can cycle through lighting effects by using the FN & CTRL keys as described on their website. Also on the website, it gives you an idea of what to expect for battery life depending on your settings. I’m surprised the lights use that much battery, but on standard mode (with lights) you’ll still get 11 hours of usage out of it. With Power Saving Mode (FN + ESC) on, you get over 1800 hours! I’m surprised the standard mode uses that much power, but I like that you have the option to choose extended usage and visually enhanced modes, including brightness levels on the keyboard. Overall, it seems like a great companion accessory for mobile devices and laptops. It may take some time to get used to typing on the size of this, but I think its worth having. This will definitely bump my ipad to a more useful device moving forward, and is slim enough to pack it together easily. I typed this review using the keyboard and I really enjoy the quality-feel. Make sure to hook it up to a computer and get Synapse 4 setup, I had to update my firmware for it which I would recommend to get the best experience.

TLDR: Razer packaged a laptop keyboard in a beefy aluminum chassis that can withstand the rigors of travel PROS Surprising heft & sturdiness Up to 5 Profiles Up to 1800hrs of Battery Life Can Pair to 3 Different Products CONS No Angle Adjustment No Travel Case Included Still needs a firmware update to get some bugs out USE I wasn't sure how I would like the Joro when I requested it. I've been needing a good travel keyboard for a while, so I was glad when it came out. But for me and Razer products, it is a love/hate relationship. I either love them or completely hate them. There is little middle ground. Razer took one of their best laptop keyboards and put it in a very robust aluminum & plastic chassis. The keyboard is heavier and far sturdier than I was expecting. It was a pleasant surprise. The aluminum top plate is what accounts for the heft. I would typically ding a manufacturer for adding extra weight and heft to their products, but with the Joro, it was totally needed. The aluminum makes a world of difference in the keyboard. Its chassis is stiff and extremely rigid, providing a solid typing experience. Razer also nailed the keys. Not so much with their actuation. At heart, they are just membrane keys, but the laser etching, font, and backlighting are nearly perfect in my opinion. Lettering is precise and clean. Some of the best lighting and font on any of the keyboards I have. BATTERY LIFE Razer claims up to 1800hrs of battery life on power saving mode!! That is amazing for a product that is so slim. I really appreciate the website they created for the Joro too. Most important is the battery life estimator, as using even a fair bit of backlight drastically reduces the overall battery life. How much? It goes from up to 1800hrs to an estimated 26 hours with only 20% backlight. So that Chroma RGB lighting pays a heavy price. CONS I would like to see some form of adjustment on the bottom of the Joro. I like a little more tilt to my keyboards. The angle of the Joro is non-adjustable. I would also like to see a travel case included with purchase. If you travel with a keyboard, it is going to take punishment, no matter how careful you are. It is inevitable. A semi-rigid travel case should be included with a travel keyboard. Lastly, the Joro is still a firmware update or two away from prime time. I'm still having trouble getting it to pair initially with devices. It takes a minimum of two attempts, sometimes more, before a successful pairing. However, once connected, Bluetooth remains rock solid and I have experienced no random glitches or extra key presses like I have when paired to other manufacturers' keyboards. FINAL THOUGHTS I like the Joro more than I thought I would. It is a great combination of size and portability. It is within millimeters of the keyboard on my 15" laptop without the extra heft and bulkiness of a laptop. The Joro is just big enough without feeling cramped. Razer still needs another firmware update to make pairing the Joro a more seamless experience and all will be good. My final overall rating reflects my frustrations with pairing, but while those frustrations are enough to keep it from a 5-star rating, they aren't enough to keep it from getting a recommended rating. RECOMMENDED

This is a specialized product for a specialized user. If you have a desktop with a mechanical keyboard, this is probably not going to be the best fit for you. If you're looking for an ultra portable keyboard you can move to different spots in your home and stow away easily, this might be it. Setup is pretty simple. If you're going wired, just plug it in and you're good to go. You might need your own USB-C cable unless your computer is right by your keyboard because the one included cable is really short. If you're looking for Bluetooth functionality, flipping the switch on the back switches into this mode and you can pair up to 3 devices and swap to them on demand. The instruction book is pretty simple but detailed enough to let you know how to do all of the basics (like pairing). If you have a hyperspeed dongle, you can easily pair this keyboard to that instead of using Bluetooth. After connecting, Windows got ready to ask me if I wanted to install the Razer Synapse software automatically. Synapse isn't my favorite peripheral software but in order to update the firmware and access a few of the functions (Snap Tap and Hypershift). It's totally possible to just update the firmware and remove synapse if you don't care about the extra features, though. The build of this keyboard is ultra sleek. It's crazy thin and light and you can really just take it anywhere. I see one of the best use cases for this keyboard is a PC connected to your living room TV. Stowing the keyboard in a couch pocket or off to the side is crazy easy and out of the way. The build quality also feels really solid. They key layout really is about as compact as it can be while still having a full size typing keyboard layout available. No wasted space. One thing I'd love to have seen was some sort of adjustable kickstand to raise/tilt the keyboard up. As is, there's no adjustment and the keyboard lays really flat. Typing and just using the keyboard is going to depend on your preferences. If you're used to a mechanical keyboard, this might be an adjustment. I wouldn't say extended sessions of typing or coding would be pleasant with this keyboard (for me). Accessing the page up/down, home/end and arrow keys takes a little getting used to since they're so close to the standard keyboard layout. Writing this review, I've accidentally tapped page up a few times when I meant to backspace. Just takes some getting used to. While I would definitely prefer to use a mechanical keyboard, that's not to say these keys feel particularly bad. They are definitely serviceable for typing and gaming and I don't feel a ton of pain in my fingers unless I'm writing/coding/typing for long periods of time. Gaming is usually fine even for prolonged sessions. If you're looking for an ultra portable keyboard or you're going for a super minimalist desktop build, you might want to look at this one. If you can test out how typing feels before you buy, definitely do that. I would have loved to see a kickstand to tilt the keyboard up a little bit but if you don't mind a flat keyboard, you won't care much about that. This scratches a lot of itches for me but leaves a couple things to be desired.