At first we would like to thank Razer for offering us their BlackWidow V4 Pro Mechanical Gaming Keyboard for testing and reviewing.

 

About Razer:

"Razer is more than just the world's leading brand in gaming.

We were founded in 1998 in San Diego, California by our CEO Min-Liang Tan and our President Robert “Razerguy” Krakoff in a tiny shared office with a couple other gamers. We have grown today to hundreds of employees worldwide with offices in seven cities, including San Francisco, Hamburg, Seoul, Shanghai and Singapore.

Our vision from the very beginning was to be the world's greatest gaming brand and we've set out to achieve that by designing the best gaming products that any gamer has ever seen.

We believe that truly great products are based on technology, designed with extensive human factors and user ergonomic studies and then tested by the top professional gamers. In simpler terms, our own world class scientists and engineers develop cutting edge technology in-house or with partners, design phenomenal products around core technologies – and test the hell out of them in the field with our pro-gamers before we launch them.

We are the only gaming hardware company in the world with dedicated gaming user interface research and development labs, and our technology and designs are incubated in three dedicated design centers located in facilities in California, Singapore and Shenzhen. No other company boasts of technology like we do – because we're the only guys who have what it takes under the hood.

We tell it like it is: some can pretend to co-develop products with professional gamers, but gamers don't develop technology: scientists and engineers do (and ours just happen to be gamers as well).

We develop and design our products in our own labs and then put them to the test with top professional gamers who use them in pro-level tournaments and then provide us with feedback. Then we iterate on the product, refining it with the feedback – over and over and over again. That's how it's done, that's how a Razer product is built from ground up. No marketing BS and no hype.

We pioneered the eSports movement with the world's first $100K tournament back in 2000 and we have continued to give back to the community by sponsoring top eSports athletes who give back to Razer by beta-testing our products. We remain one of the largest sponsors of eSports community sponsoring top global eSports teams worldwide.

The people that work here at Razer are gamers just like you – some amateur, some ex-professional gamers, some just play for fun, just ask our CEO who will lay the smack down on you in Quake Live or our President, who has over ten level 80's on his local server. Hell, he will even take you on a raid in the middle of the work day.

We are the same gamers who are told by the suits that we need adult supervision and we need a professional CEO or management team – and we're the same gamers who tell the suits exactly where to shove it because we like doing what we do – and we do it on our own terms.

We hope our passion for gaming speaks to you like it does to us, through our products and we hope you enjoy the competitive edge we bring to your game."

Product Features:

 

FULL-BLOWN BATTLESTATION IMMERSION

Empower your play with a centerpiece that elevates your entire setup. Enter the next phase of battle station evolution with the ultimate mechanical gaming keyboard. Take full command with a set of features designed for advanced control and enhance your immersion with full-blown Razer Chroma™ RGB.

 

IMMERSIVE UNDERGLOW AND PER-KEY LIGHTING - POWERED BY RAZER CHROMA RGB

Featuring per-key lighting and a striking underglow that highlights the keyboard from more angles, sync it with your battle station and enjoy greater immersion for hundreds of integrated games.

 

RAZER™ COMMAND DIAL AND 8 DEDICATED MACRO KEYS - MAXIMUM COMMANDS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

Assume greater control over your battle station by assigning a custom function to the keyboard’s programmable dial. Game with greater command using a set of macro keys for essential keybinds.

 

RAZER COMMAND DIAL

Press the dial to toggle between each mode or hold SHIFT while pressing to return to the previous one. Easily identify which mode the dial is currently on with mode-specific backlight.

 

RAZER™ MECHANICAL SWITCHES - QUICK, PRECISE EXECUTION

Choose between two switches that offer their own distinct feel—the Green Switch for precise actuation with clicky, tactile feedback, or the Yellow Switch for quick actuation that’s smooth and silent.

 

MAGNETIC PLUSH LEATHERETTE WRIST REST WITH UNDERGLOW - EXTRA GAMING COMFORT AND FLAIR

Designed to provide secure support for long hours of play, the soft, cushioned wrist rest also features Razer Chroma RGB—which perfectly lines up with the keyboard’s underglow.

 

DOUBLESHOT ABS KEYCAPS - WITHSTANDS INTENSE USE

Using a doubleshot molding process to ensure the labelling never wears off, the keycaps also have extra-thick walls which make them extremely tough to withstand intense gaming.

 

MULTI-FUNCTION ROLLER AND 4 MEDIA KEYS - CONVENIENT CONTROL

Pause, play, skip and tweak everything from brightness to volume—the ultimate convenience as you enjoy your entertainment.

 

OTHER TOP-TIER FEATURES

USB PASSTHROUGH

Connect a mouse or headset conveniently to your PC via a USB port on the keyboard.

DETACHABLE TYPE C CABLES

Comes with 2 braided Type A to Type C cables for standard keyboard connection and USB passthrough.

5052 ALUMINUM ALLOY CONSTRUCTION

Greater build durability with a refined finish.

ENHANCED KEYBOARD ACOUSTICS

Satisfying sound profile with pre-lubed stabilizers and 2 layers of internal sound dampening foam.

UP TO 8000 HZ POLLING RATE

The fastest response for an edge in competitive gaming.

5 ONBOARD MEMORY PROFILES

Save any number of custom profiles to the cloud and store up to 5 of your favorite ones on the keyboard.

 

SWITCH TYPE: Razer Yellow Mechanical Switches (Linear)

KEY FEEL: Linear and Silent

APPROXIMATE SIZE: Full Size

LIGHTING: Razer Chroma™ RGB

WRIST REST: Yes

ONBOARD MEMORY: Hybrid onboard storage – up to 5 profiles

MEDIA KEYS: Dedicated media roller with 4 dedicated media buttons

PASSTHROUGH: Yes

CONNECTIVITY: Detachable Type C Cable

KEYCAPS: Doubleshot ABS Keycaps

OTHERS: Razer™ Synapse enabled

5052 Aluminum Alloy Top Case

Razer™ Command Dial

5 dedicated macros keys

3 dedicated macro side buttons

Case foam & PCB foam included

Lubricated stabilizers

2-side underglow on main chassis with 3-side underglow on wrist-rest

Up to 8,000 Hz polling rate

 

Razer has recently sent us their flagship BlackWidow V4 Pro keyboard for review, which is a full-sized “monster” packing a lot of features and can be had with either Razer’s Yellow switches which are linear and silent in nature or the Green model, which comes with a tactile and clicky behavior. Unlike mainstream keyboards, this one includes doubleshot ABS keycaps for additional durability, on-board storage for up to 5 profiles, dedicated Macro keys, a Razer Command programmable dial, a magnetic plush leatherette wrist rest with RGB lighting, a multi-function roller, dedicated media keys and more!

 

The keyboard comes shipped inside a quite large cardboard enclosure, which shows a photo of the Chroma RGB lighting in operation, but also a small list of highlights:

 

 

 

The type of switches for the current SKU is shown here as well:

 

 

 

On the side of the packaging, we will note a list of product features, on a Razer green background:

 

 

 

The opposite area does come with details on the size and weight, the box contents, but also system requirements:

 

 

 

On a separate sticker, we will note the layout of the keyboard, the product internal code name, its serial number, but also a large list of supported standards:

 

 

 

The opposite sides do show a photo of the keyboard, but also a drawing:

 

 

 

 

The product highlights are noted in more detail on the back:

 

 

 

Razer has listed here the default modes of the Command Dial as well:

 

 

 

After unsealing the box and lifting the top cover, we will note that the BlackWidow V4 Pro does sit secure in an additional cardboard frame, while being wrapped inside a transparent plastic bag, in order to avoid damages during transit:

 

 

 

After its removal, we will observe a small black envelope:

 

 

 

The lowest layer includes the hardware bundle:

 

 

 

The previously mentioned envelope does include the Quick Start Guide, but also a nice set of Razer case stickers!

 

 

 

The guide will introduce us to the multitude of interfaces and buttons of the flagship keyboard:

 

 

 

The BlackWidow V4 comes with not one, but two fully-braided USB cables; this is for providing the USB 3.0 passthrough functionality and to supply full-power to the included USB port, unlike other keyboard models out there which share power from the single keyboard port:

 

 

 

The connectors do carry Razer’s customization:

 

 

 

 

The included magnetic plush leatherette is soft and provides extra comfort while gaming for hours:

 

 

 

In the middle, we will note a subtle Razer logo:

 

 

 

The bottom area is made of plastic, with the “For Gamers. By Gamers” saying, but we will also note multiple rubber feet in the corners:

 

 

 

The area which provides the electrical interface for the RGB lighting is also made from leatherette!

 

 

 

A closer look at this area will reveal no less than six gold-plated pins!

 

 

 

The sides, but also the front do come with a RGB frame, in order to complement the rest of the keyboard design:

 

 

 

Now, the main piece of resistance! The top layer comes with a 5052 Aluminum Alloy, very durable but also adds a bit of weight to the keyboard, it weighting about 1027g without any included accessories:

 

 

 

The keyboard is wider than the usual full-sized layout also because of the included Macro keys, positioned on the left side:

 

 

Near the Escape key, we have an important component, the Command Dial; this one can perform different actions such as adjusting the RGB LED brightness, Zoom, switch between various applications, switch between browser tabs, perform multimedia actions such as going forward or backwards on audio tracks in 5-second intervals, allows for playlist navigation, we can perform horizontal or vertical scrolls and many more thanks to the custom modes! The current mode we are in is signaled by the RGB ring around it:

 

 

The F9 key can enable on-the-fly Macro recording, F10 assists us by enabling Gaming Mode, while F11 and F12 do help with adjusting the RGB brightness:

 

 

 

The multi-function roller can be set to perform various tasks such as brightness or volume adjustment, but we also have some multimedia dedicated buttons as well!

 

 

 

The currently-enabled functions are signaled by small white LEDs on top of the directional keys:

 

 

 

This is not all! The BlackWidow V4 Pro also incorporates three more Macro side buttons, which are initially pre-programmed to open the Screenshot menu, open the Xbox Game Bar or open the Task View:

 

 

 

In the frontal area of the keyboard, we will note some extra interfaces, so let’s dig in!

 

 

 

A small cut-out in the frame was done for hiding/protecting the USB ports where we will connect to the two supplied USB-C to USB-A cables, and next to it we will find a full-sized USB-A port:

 

 

 

Here is a close-up of the two USB-C ports; only if we do connect the corresponding port to the computer, we will have functionality to the passthrough port, otherwise this one will remain disabled:

 

 

 

The bottom area of the keyboard does maintain the same aspect as we noted on the wrist rest:

 

 

 

On the middle sticker, Razer has noted the name of the switches the current SKU does come with, the internal code name, its power rating, but also logos of the supported standards:

 

 

 

Nearby, we will note the six metallic contacts which do make RGB lighting on the wrist rest possible:

 

 

 

The kickstands are advanced as well, providing feet of two different sizes, in order to be able to sit the keyboard in two other different positions and each foot does have rubber padding on the top in order to avoid surface slipping!

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a photo with the wrist rest attached to the keyboard; the installation of the wrist rest can be done in a matter of seconds due to the included magnets:

 

 

 

Razer are well-known with providing excellent RGB features with their products and this flagship model is no exception! Here are some shots of the keyboard in operation:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Right after connecting the keyboard to a spare USB port on our test computer, we noted a pop-up window, prompting us to install Synapse:

 

 

 

Synapse comes with plenty of plugins, which we can go ahead and install with it:

 

 

The installation will take a bit, depending on the speed of the Internet connection and the storage on the computer:

 

 

After installation, we will be prompted to log in, in order to have access to the cloud save slots:

 

 

The BlackWidow V4 Pro has been immediately detected and was made available for configuration:

 

 

The Customize area allows customizing the keys with other functions:

 

 

By scrolling further down, we can configure how the Gaming Mode should be have, but we will also have the possibility to choose the Polling Rate, which can go as high as 8000 Hz!

 

 

Here we will be able to adjust the Command Dial functions as well, add custom stuff, but also modify the order of the used functions:

 

 

If we do enable Hypershift, we will able to practically double the key functions:

 

 

In case we would like to remap a specific key, we will have to press on it on the GUI and at that moment a side menu will pop out:

 

 

We will be able to choose from:

 

Keyboard Function

Mouse Function

Inter-device

Switch Profile

Switch Lighting

Device Brightness

Razer Hypershift

Launch Program

Multimedia

Windows Shortcuts

 

Text Functions

Button Disable

 

The Lighting area will allow the user to configure the current Brightness level, but also some Power Management features such as when to turn the RGB lighting off. Here we do have the Effects area, where we can go straight with Quick Effects or create our own in the Advanced Menu:

 

 

Here is the list of Quick Effects we can go with:

 

 

Depending on the chosen effects, some options will be able to be configured:

 

Ambient Awareness

Audio Meter

Breathing

Fire

Reactive

Ripple

 

Spectrum Cycling

Starlight

Static

Wave

Wheel

 

The Advanced area will navigate us to Chroma Studio, where we will be able to configure per-key lighting, but also configure the lighting on the frame; layering is possible here as well, while each effect can be configured in much detail on the right side of the interface!

 

 

Here is the list of presets we can work with:

 

 

From Synapse, we can link different games to specific profiles:

 

 

Visualizer is great in terms of available effects; it picks up the audio from the sound source and renders an EQ right on your keyboard! The effects here are customizable as well and we can also choose a background effect:

 

 

Here are the customizable effects for the Visualizer:

 

 

And here are the effects for the background as well!

 

 

 

After customizing the keyboard with our own settings, we did play some missions in Mass Effect Andromeda, Dying Light 2, Star Wars: The Old Republic but also World of Warcraft; we did really enjoy the response and silent behavior of the Razer Yellow linear switches, which do feature built-in sound dampeners, but the bottoming-out sound is further minimized thanks to the included foam in the bottom case, but also between the circuit board and the top case. We found the Command Dial really useful for performing different functions on-the-fly in productivity applications at the office such as Word/Excel, including the moments when working with lots of multimedia content.

 

Since this is a large keyboard, some time will be needed for adjustment, but after this stage, you will feel right at home with the BlackWidow V4 Pro. One thing to mention is that by attaching the included wrist rest, you will need even more desk space available, so keep that in mind! The ABS doubleshot keycaps on this keyboard are durable and also come with a slight texture on it, which offer a good finger grip. Could we also mention that the switches come with a 100 million actuation rating so you should not need to worry about durability for years to come?

 

The BlackWidow V4 Pro is an excellent all-arounder, at home or at work, but we do recommend this only for the SKU which includes the Yellow switches, which are silent and won’t annoy any nearby colleagues in your workplace.

 

The keyboard, as tested can be found online for about 270 Euros…yes, it is a pricy product but comes with tons of features to justify it.

Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro Mechanical Gaming Keyboard is Recommended for:

 

 

We would like to thank again to Razer for making this review possible!