Razer Blackwidow v4 Low-Profile Hyperspeed Keyboard | Review

We were lucky enough to have been sent the Razer Blackwidow v4 Low-Profile Hyperspeed keyboard by the team at Razer, and I have been using it solidly for the past two weeks (mostly for work). I found that it had great performance and I loved the RGB lighting, but there were a couple of things that I think they could have improved upon, especially for the price. Let’s get into it in some more detail.

The keyboard came packaged well in a solid, well-sealed box, and the keyboard itself was nestled in a protective sleeve. There was also a USB-C cable and an easy-to-follow instruction manual in a variety of languages. The keyboard itself felt really weighty and high quality; it tips the scales at around 1kg (2.2lbs) which was great – once I had positioned it on my desk it definitely wasn’t going anywhere. This would be particularly handy for heavy-duty gaming sessions – no-one likes a runaway keyboard! The base is brushed aluminium which feels really smooth to touch and doesn’t attract too much dust. But the main selling point of it is the slimness. Coming in at just 18.5mm which is 1.37 inches at the tallest point, the keyboard sits really nicely at a great height for typing. However – and this is a big one for me, there is no wrist rest. After using the keyboard for a while I really started to notice my wrists getting sore where they were rubbing on the edge of my desk. It did remind me of my childhood piano lessons where my teacher was constantly on at me to lift my wrists. Clearly that message didn’t sink in, and I am now using the keyboard with my own wrist rest.

Despite the overall slim profile, this keyboard feels really dense. I obviously didn’t throw it around (my cat did step on it a couple of times) but I really think it holds up well, and would last for a long time. I also really liked the textured feel of the keys. They are grippy but not sticky, and would hold up well in an intense gaming session even with the sweatiest of fingertips. The keys themselves are also shallower than most mechanical keyboards but this did not detract from the satisfying clicking that I really love.

Disco Time

Those who know me, know how much of a sucker I am for anything with pretty lights. The RGB lighting in this keyboard is hands-down AMAZING. I installed the Razer Synapse software and it was really easy to get the keyboard to light up like a scene from Saturday Night Fever. I was honestly delighted. The lights shine through the gaps between the keys perfectly, and my favourite part was the fact that it automatically synced with my Razer mouse so the colour changes were perfectly aligned. The synapse software also allows you to fully customise your keyboard just the way you like it by changing the function of keys and disabling ones you either don’t want to use or don’t want to accidentally press whilst playing.

Keys and Noise

The Razer Blackwidow v4 Low-Profile Hyperspeed I was testing is the full size model, but there is also a smaller TKL version, which does not have the number pad or media controls at the top. The volume roller feels great to use and isn’t oversensitive, and the other media buttons were really handy when I was listening to music whilst working. I would struggle without a number pad, so I am really glad that it is included, and just above it were four other buttons which I will talk about now. Bringing us straight up to date, this keyboard has a dedicated AI button, which when pressed connects you straight to your system of choice, be it Chat GPT or Microsoft Co-Pilot. I’m not a massive fan, but maybe I will change my mind as AI takes over the world. There is also a handy battery indicator button which is a great feature; but I will discuss battery life in the next section. Along with these two, there is also a Bluetooth key and a button to activate Hyperspeed Mode. I haven’t actually tested this feature, so am unable to comment on it.

The keys themselves are very tactile to use, but obviously fairly noisy – it is a mechanical keyboard after all; I however find the click-clacking oddly comforting. The low-profile of the keys meant that I could type at my usual speed and accuracy and the noise levels weren’t offensive at all, even to my moody teenagers in the same room.

Battery Life and Connectivity

The box of Razer Blackwidow v4 Low-Profile Hyperspeed keyboard boasts an ultra-long battery life, stating that you can get up to 980 hours out of one charge. I believe that this is when it in low-power mode and without the RGB lights on. I used the keyboard for two days work in wireless mode and the battery was about halfway drained by the end of the second day.
The keyboard comes with a 2.4GHz USB dongle and also Bluetooth connectivity. I was able to pair both my mouse and keyboard with the same dongle which was really handy for keeping USB slots free and made no difference to the performance.

Price and Specs

Put bluntly, this keyboard is not cheap. It retails on Amazon for $229.99/£166.54, so is at the top-end of the price bracket for what it is. That said, it looks, feels and performs like a high-end product. Here are all the specs:

Overall, I really like this keyboard and it has become the one I use for work everyday. The major downside for me is the lack of a wrist-rest, but the quality feel and high-end performance really make up for it. It’s an expensive choice, but if you are looking for something performant that will last, holds up to heavy use and also looks super smart, then I would highly recommend the Razer Blackwidow v4 Low-Profile Hyperspeed keyboard.

Razer Blackwidow v4 Low-Profile Hyperspeed Keyboard

PROS

• Super Comfortable to use
• Great RGB lighting with easy to use software
• Stylish, slim profile
• Good media controls built in

CONS

• Lack of a wrist-rest is a bummer
• Pricey!
• Noisy, but to be expected from a mechanical keyboard

8.5 out of 10

GREAT

XboxEra Scoring Policy

Developer

Razer

Price

$229.99

See on the Xbox Store