When I reviewed the first-generation Razer Huntsman Elite, I appreciated its overt gamer look and was even a fan of the wraparound RGB lighting on the wrist-rest. But it had its drawbacks, too. It took up a ton of area on my desk, and whereas its purple optomechanical switches had been comfy to sort on, they emitted a loud noise with each keypress.

Razer took the teachings from that first-generation mannequin to refine the Razer Huntsman V2. Razer reduce down on the overt lighting, thinning the keyboard’s body within the course of and including sound dampening foam to cushion every key. The result’s a buttery clean typing expertise that I by no means thought potential with a gaming keyboard.

Goodbye, Underglow

Razer didn’t do a lot to vary the design of the Hunstman V2. It’s ostensibly the identical big, gamer-centric keyboard because the Huntsman Elite. The full-sized model of the V2 comes with Razer’s Clicky Purple optical switches for $190, or the second-generation Linear Red for $200, the latter of which contributed to my pleasurable typing expertise. The Huntsman V2 TKL model comes with the identical choices for $150 and $160, respectively.

If you’ve seen or used the Razer Huntsman Elite, the primary distinction you’ll discover with the V2 is that there’s no extra underglow. Razer restricted the Chroma RGB to the keycaps and as background aptitude on the 4 media buttons on the suitable aspect. I want this, and I believe most grownup players with cash to spend would, too. The wrist relaxation has additionally had its lights eliminated in favor of softer leather-based. Magnets maintain it in place on the underside of the keyboard.

Razer improved the keycaps it consists of with the keyboard proper out of the field. The Huntsman V2 has textured Doubleshot PBT Keycaps, in comparison with the Huntsman Elite’s spraypainted ABS keycaps, which felt chintzy and low cost. Razer additionally standardized the underside row of the keyboard this time round so as to swap out keycaps as you please extra simply, maybe with the assistance of Razer’s personal colourful PBT keycap improve units.

My favourite tweak to the Huntsman V2 is that there’s now not a thick cable taking over two ports on my already scarce laptop computer dock. The cable now requires solely a singular port to energy up.

Buttery-Soft Switches

Razer has clearly been prioritizing the mechanical keyboard-using crowd, and it’s no extra evident than in how the corporate has been refining its switches. I’m sometimes a Cherry MX/Gateron Brown person as a result of I want a quieter typing expertise, however the second-generation Linear Red switches are fairly good. The switches aren’t bouncy, however they don’t really feel mushy both. I can inform there’s sound-dampening foam between the keycap and once I backside out on the keypress as a result of there’s nonetheless a powerful “click” after urgent every key. That comfortable touchdown makes it in order that my fingers aren’t fatigued by the top of the day from bouncing round, which I’ve felt earlier than typing with the Razer BlackWidow V3 Mini Wireless, the final mechanical keyboard I reviewed from the corporate.

Unfortunately, the comfy typing expertise didn’t translate into a quick one. In my line of labor, I should be fast. My typing take a look at ranked me at 105 phrases per minute (WPM), which is usually greater than the typical particular person, however not when in comparison with the 111 WPM I managed with the HyperX Alloy Origins I reviewed final summer time, which is about the identical dimension by way of size because the Huntsman V2. There is a little bit of drag with each keypress—like stepping in thick mud that takes a second to let go of your shoe if you choose your foot up. That results in a sinking impact as my fingers journey throughout the board.

I want my typing to be slower than jumpy, nevertheless. Ultimately, keyboards are subjective as a result of everybody has their preferences and desires in the case of typing. At the very least, the Razer Huntsman V2 stays one of many quietest mechanical keyboards in my arsenal.

Beware the Synapse Software

The cause you’d purchase a mechanical gaming keyboard is just not just for the {hardware} tailormade in your esports expertise, but additionally for the bundled software program that allows lighting results and macro recording. The lighting results are a neat option to customise the keyboard to your liking. You can flick through completely different gaming profiles to allow macros particular to that title—one thing I’m most positively going to do as soon as that tenth anniversary version of Skyrim hits.

I take advantage of the Razer Synapse software program practically daily in my use of the BlackWidow V3 Mini wi-fi keyboard, and it’s not probably the most pleasant app when you’re working on an older PC. Synapse was a part of the mechanical keyboard software program exploit awhile again, which isn’t nice! On the plus aspect, to assist fight the bloat that usually comes with this software program, Razer has restricted what number of of its “modules” it mechanically downloads if you set up the software program. If you don’t care in regards to the Chroma Studio and customizing the sunshine of every key, you’ll be able to go away it up in Razer’s cloud.

Mechanical gaming keyboards have turn out to be vastly standard in the previous couple of years, helped by the keyboard customization neighborhood, which discovered new methods to attain typing nirvana by means of independently-made switches and group buys. Seeing what it’s up in opposition to, Razer appears to be engaged on making its product lineup just a little extra subtle for these keen to drop this sort of money on their each day typing behavior. But when you’re content material with the keyboard you might have available, and there’s no must spend the $190-$200 for the brand new Razer Huntsman V2. Unless, in fact, you’re driving everybody up the wall together with your loud typing—then Razer’s Linear Red switches stands out as the solely factor that retains your family members and coworkers from hating you.