Mechanical keyboards are the current fad. Everyone wants one, but not every person needs one. They are nice things to have, and the choices are currently endless, especially when you take custom keyboards into account these days.
Custom keyboards are complex though. You need to make endless choices between the huge selection of mechanical switches, to keycaps, to the case, plates, and even the circuit board itself. What if you just want a fuss free experience and get yourself a nice mechanical keyboard that games well and works for your daily use? Why not just get a Razer keyboard? Why not the latest Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro.
The BlackWidow V4 Pro, as its name suggests, is not necessarily a new series of keyboards from Razer. It is an evolution of one of their highest rated gaming peripherals, the quintessential gaming keyboard. The evolution added a new control dial on the top left corner of the keyboard too, which adds an extra layer of control from your keyboard.
The Command Dial
They call it the Command Dial and they allow you to program it to whatever your heart pleases. They say you can program the dial with up to 100 different functions. Both clockwise and counter-clockwise movements could have different functions too, even if it is a regular volume-up or -down commands. For the creatives, you might find it useful for your creative applications. We can imagine programming the dial to scrub through video footages in Adobe’s Premiere Pro app. There is also backlighting for the dial so you can easily identify it even if you are working under less-than-optimal lighting conditions.
If you are not into customizing your own functions and prefer the simple plug-and-play solution, there are up to eight different default functions for the dial. You get to choose between window zooming to tab switching, giving you more convenience especially for research purposes. You can even toggle between its modes and functions by clicking the Command Dial. Each program has their own backlight colour too for easy identification. Alongside the Command Dial, lined up below, are five programmable macro keys you can program for easy access to differing functions in different applications or games. There are three more macro keys on the edge of the keyboard for even more quick-launch, or quick-access programmed into the keyboard.
Razer Chroma RGB
Of course, the keyboard is not a Razer product without RGB. Specifically, you get Razer’s very famous Chroma RGB function built into the keyboard. It is a high-end keyboard after all, and that is why each keys get their own addressable RGB diode. There is even a 38-zone underglow RGB that can also be programmed separately. The included magnetic wrist rest extends the underglow RGB too. All the RGB is controlled by Razer’s proprietary Synapse program. If you have other Razer Chroma RGB peripherals, you can easily synchronize the lighting program via Synapse. Razer’s Synapse also works with other select addressable RGB products that are Chroma Connect compatible. You can even synchronize your RGB program to over 200 supported games for that matter.
The Mechanics
Of course, the BlackWidow V4 Pro comes with mechanical switches. They are not ordinary mechanical switches though. They are Razer’s very own mechanical switches. You can choose between a Razer Green Clicky for a better tactile feel, or Razer’s Yellow Linear for smooth, silent functions. The switches are tested to up to 100-million keystrokes as well, so you know it will last you a while. We think the linear option will be the more popular one with gamers.
The keyboard is operable with USB Type-C connection to your PC. There is also a USB 2.0 passthrough on the keyboard. That also means that you might only need one cable running from your keyboard and mouse set-up to your PC. The keyboard is also made with up to 8000Hz polling rate, meaning it is one of the fastest responding keyboards you can find in the world today, perfect for gaming. All of these is packed into a 5052 aluminium alloy case that is proven to be durable. Within the case are two layers of sound dampening foam for better acoustics. The switches are also factory lubed for optimal acoustics. Of course, the keycaps are durable doubleshot ABS keycaps.
Price and Availability
The Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro is now available in select markets on Razer.com, RazerStores, and authorized resellers. It is not yet available in Malaysia though; we are expecting it to be available within February or early March 2023. It retails for US$ 229.99 (MYR 1,019*) in markets where it is available. There are no colour options on it, as with most Razer ‘Pro’ products out there. You can find out more about Razer’s BlackWidow V4 Pro from their website.
