Published , by Ozzie Mejia
Published , by Ozzie Mejia
Razer has been excelling with full-sized keyboards in recent years, but the company has something special lined up for those looking for a package that's a little bit smaller. The BlackWidow is considered Razer's flagship keyboard and the new BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% offers many of its bigger brother's upsides in a smaller package. It proves to be a strong, if pricey, contender in a crowded field of 3/4-sized keyboards, one that sets itself apart with its customization potential.
Out of the box, the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% looks like something that can get the job done without any extra bells or whistles. It functions as a wired keyboard for your desktop with a USB-C cord provided. It can also connect wirelessly via Bluetooth 5.1 or through Razer's 4K Hz HyperPolling dongle. The mechanical keyboard switches feel comfortable to use and come across with a clear clacky sound.
However, this isn't a keyboard that one picks up for standard use. That's clear for a big reason I'll get into shortly. The main appeal of the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is its wide customization potential. In fact, it's practically designed for it. The keyboard comes with hot-swappable keys, allowing users to fully replace as many of their switches as they want in different ways and offering support for 3-pin and 5-pin MX switches. Disassembly is refreshingly simple with only eight screws to undo along the underside. Users will then need to keep track of the keyboard's many layers, which include a white FR4 laminate plate, two foam layers for sound dampening, and screwed-in stabilizers. Razer even saved modders the trouble of taping down their keyboard, offering a full layer of tape on the back of the PCB for deeper keystrokes.
The other fascinating item of note is the OLED mini-display placed along the keyboard's top-right corner. It's accompanied by a dial that allows for multiple configurations, all set up through the Razer Synapse program. Like the keyboard itself, a lot of this is also open to personal customization. Creative folks can upload their own animations and images while the more practical-minded user can display vital info, like current battery life or device temperature. Those who can't decide can always use the dial to switch between multiple settings, which is a nice change from dedicated media keys. This OLED display and dial are cool extras that enhance this package and make it stand out above its competitors.
All of this sounds premium and by "premium," I mean "expensive." That is indeed the biggest downside of the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%. While Razer is willing to offer modders their dream keyboard, it isn't coming for cheap. It costs a staggering $299.99 USD and as much fun as customization is, there are more than a few keyboard options out there that can offer comparable quality for less.
The Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is certainly a fancy keyboard option for those looking for something smaller to connect to their laptops or tablets. Even the magnetic plush leatherette wrist rest feels like a top-of-the-line feature. Its performance is top-notch, offering no lag issues when connected wirelessly via Bluetooth. There were no issues with the battery in the few weeks that I've been using this device, which Razer claims can last up to 2100 hours when using the Power Saving function. It's not going to be for everyone, because while it's a great keyboard out of the box, it almost feels like a shame not to toy around with it given how easy Razer made it to customize. There's also the little matter of that price tag. Still, the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is a fantastic compact package, so long as you can afford it.
This review is based on a product provided by the manufacturer. The Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is available now for $299.99 USD.