Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% Typing Influencer/Expert Review Video [1:00]

Customer Images

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• See
  More

The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products, promotional considerations or entries into drawings for honest, helpful reviews.

• Rated 5 out of 5 stars

  first 75% TKL keyboard, very fun!

  • Incentivized
  • Verified Purchaser

  good keyboard, easy to setup, pairs will with other razer products!

  • 

  Posted 4 months ago by JustinG

• Rated 5 out of 5 stars

  A solid, premium keyboard.

  • Tech Insider Network Member
  • Top 1000 Contributor

  If you are looking for a premium compact gaming keyboard, then this should definitely be on your list of candidates. When first opening the box, this keyboard comes across as heavy for its size, and it has a very solid feeling. The key caps are actually the best that I have ever used. They have an extremely nice textured feel that is unlike anything that I have ever used before. While the keycaps are replaceable, I can’t imagine that there are any keycaps on the market that would feel better. One thing to know about this keyboard is that it is only available with one set of switches, which are Razer’s own “orange” switches, which seem closest to Cherry brown switches. Whether this is good or bad is entirely subjective. I am not an FPS gamer, and my tasks tend more towards the RPG genre and coding/office type tasks. For me, these keys are great. I tend to slightly prefer the “blue” clicky switches, but these switches still feature a nice feel, but without so much noise. Note that these are mechanical switches, not optical or hall-effect. I happen to not be a fan of the feel of hall-effect switches, so I am happy with this decision. Optical switches might have been a nice touch in that they should be immune from dust, but since these switches are hot-swappable (and even come with three spare switches), I am completely satisfied. On the other hand, if you really want this keyboard, you can easily replace every switch in a matter of minutes, but this would obviously introduce extra cost. The connection options abound, with the choices being a USB-C cable (also necessary to charge the battery), the included wireless dongle, and up to three separate BlueTooth devices. The dongle is actually rather large, and is just a small block with a USB-C female port in the back that you can plug a cable into. It is NOT the small USB-A type that can be stored in the keyboard. Using the wireless adapter, you can get up to a 4 KHz polling rate, but the funny thing is that you only get 1 KHz when using a direct cable connection. However, anything past 1 KHz is lost in the land of diminishing returns, so I don’t consider this to be a disadvantage. But the star of this show is the OLED display in the upper-right corner of the board, and the associated rotary wheel. It does come with some defaults, but in order to fully customize it, you will need the Razer Synapse software. Thankfully, Synapse seems relatively lightweight and snappy to use. I have only tried a few brands (Asus, CoolerMaster, and Logitch), and so far this is one of the nicest keyboard software packages that I have used. Given how some of the competition makes software that can bring a high-end PC to its knees just adjusting keyboard settings, this is a very low bar to set, but it is still nice that Razer gives you something usable. You also have the option of installing the Chroma software to control the lighting, but I am not much of an RGB type of guy, so I just set a static color and call it a day. But once you do have the software installed, there are a few preset uses for the display (see attached screenshot). While they are sensible, the act of changing what the scroll wheel does is kind of fiddly, as you have to tap the side button to switch between usages of the display/wheel combo. This switching takes your eyes off of your monitor, and can take several presses to cycle through to the setting that you want. I found this to be somewhat cumbersome, so I generally just leave it set to control my volume and mute settings. The screen defaults to a video of a spaceship moving around and shooting things, but I am more practical, so I have it set to just showing keyboard status. Another useful option is showing three pages of customizable info showing various CPU/GPU usages and temperatures. Of note is that the Synapse software can also enable the “snap tap” mode where the “A” and “D” keys can only register one of the two, and the most recent button wins. This is a great feature for FPS games, but be aware that some games (I’m looking at you, Counter Strike 2) consider this CHEATING and you can get BANNED for using this feature, so be careful before you enable it. As great as this keyboard is, there are a few things that are less than ideal. The first, obviously, is the price. This thing is VERY well built, and that costs money. But you are also getting an OLED display that I have found to be nice, but hardly essential. I do not know how much the OLED added to the cost, and only you can determine if this excellent keyboard is worth the price. Another issue that I found is that the USB-C jack is set deep into the back of the case. I like to use a right-angle cable with my keyboard, but I don’t think that a right-angle cable exists that can fit. For most people, this is not a big deal. The final flaw is the size. This is a very well-built machine, but it is also a bit chunky (see attached photos for comparisons to other keyboards). I have never used a wrist rest with my keyboards before, but this keyboard is thick enough where I have to use the wrist rest (as nice as it is) to get the keyboard at a comfortable level in relation to my hand. If you are used to using a wrist rest, then you won’t even notice a difference. So, overall, this is an excellent but expensive keyboard. I am very happy with the quality, but the value proposition will be VERY subjective based on what you are looking for in terms of features

  ...See More
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 

  Posted 1 year ago by Harrkev

• Rated 5 out of 5 stars

  The V4 75% Got Even Better with this Pro Version

  • Tech Insider Network Member

  I was excited to get my hands on the new Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% Wireless Gaming Keyboard, coming from last year's model, the BlackWidow V4 75% Wired version and seeing all the upgrades Razer has put into this Pro version, I had to try it out. Razer has set a new benchmark for its V4 model, with adding wireless connectivity, an OLED screen while also keeping the design in mind for gamers and productivity. This keyboard blends functionality, customizability, and Razer's signature gaming flair into a sleek, versatile keyboard. The 75% layout is perfect for those who want a balance between space-saving and functionality. The keyboard has an aluminum top plate that feels very sturdy and premium. It comes with a magnetic wrist rest, that just adds that much needed comfortability when typing and long game sessions, and I wish more gaming companies would add this to their keyboards. The keyboard is hot-swappable, which allows users to easily change switches without soldering, adding to its customizability. Razer’s Orange mechanical switches provide a nice tactile feedback with a solid click actuation, making them suitable for both gaming and typing. That being said, I know these switches are not for everyone with a slight click when actuating the key press. I personally love this for everyday typing, but can see where some of those sweaty mouse and keyboard gamers might not love that. The keys are double-shot PBT keycaps that are durable and resistant to fading, ensuring longevity, along with being shine through, so you can see the RGB through all the keys. The V4 Pro comes with Razer’s “Snap Tap” which can be turned on in the Synapse app and this setting prevents the selected keys from registering simultaneously, overriding the former’s held-down key with the latter. This is a cool feature for quick movements in first person shooter games, but just know this might get you flagged in certain games like CS:GO, as companies are deciding if this feature is considered “cheating”. The V4 Pro keyboard adds wireless connection this year, offering both Bluetooth and a low-latency 2.4 GHz Razer HyperSpeed dongle wireless connection. I love this feature in that I only need one keyboard on my desk. So, when I’m using my work laptop, I can have that connected to Bluetooth and have my gaming PC connected to the HyperSleep dongle. This allows me to easily switch back and forth between the two with just sliding the connection switch in the top left corner of the keyboard. Battery life is impressive, with claims of lasting up to 2100 hours in Low power mode and lasting up to 40 hours with RGB lighting and the OLED turned on. My only real nitpick is that the HyperSpeed dongle is a female USB-C dongle and not a Male USB-C. So, you can not plug the dongle directly into your computer and have to plug it into the provided USB-C cable and then plug that cable into your computer, which adds some clutter to your desk space The standout addition to the V4 Pro is the customizable OLED screen in the top-right corner of the keyboard and offers some cool customizations, such as Real-time Stats where it displays system performance data like CPU and GPU temps. Custom Animations with Razer themed animations for a personalized touch. Media Controls where you can control volume, skip tracks or pause videos. Scroll wheel, which allows you to scroll vertically or horizontally, which I found very useful for when navigating Excel spreadsheets horizontally. Then switching between apps and lighting brightness adjustments, just to name a few. Though at the moment the OLED screen is limited to what Razer offers in the Synapse app and no 3rd party integration at the moment. The OLED screen is a nice little quality of life addition, so you’re not always having to use Synapse for controlling certain things. Pros and Cons Pros Compact yet functional: The 75% layout saves desk space without sacrificing essential keys. Hot-swappable design: Makes customization effortless. OLED display: Adds both functionality and a wow factor. Wireless versatility: Dual wireless modes and excellent battery life. Premium build quality: Aluminum frame and durable shine through PBT keycaps. Razer Synapse integration: Extensive customization options. Tactile switches: Ideal for gaming and work. Cons Price: At a premium price point, it may not be accessible for all. Limited OLED integrations: While innovative, the OLED screen's compatibility with 3rd party apps and games could expand further. No dedicated macro keys: May be a drawback for those who like or productivity users. Wireless Dongle: Dongle needs to be plugged into a cable and can’t be plugged into the PC Razer Synapse integration: Having to download another software constantly running in the background in order to get all the features out of the keyboard. Overall, The Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% Wireless is a great refresh from the V4 Wired keyboard for gamers and professionals seeking a compact, customizable, and feature-rich device. The addition of the OLED screen, and wireless connection flexibility make it a standout option in a crowded market. While the premium price may deter some, the quality and functionality justify the investment especially for those who have a two computer setup with work and gaming, I highly recommend this keyboard.

  ...See More
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 

  Posted 1 year ago by Ian L