Razer BlackWidow V3 Keyboard Review

Razerthink –  The Razer BlackWidow V3 is the wired version of the Razer BlackWidow V3 Pro. In addition to a cable, there’s a considerable reduction in weight and price that makes it a better solution for some users. For $139, the BlackWidow V3 gives you an excellent entry point to a full-size keyboard that still delivers superb build quality, full RGB lighting, and robust software that has earned previous Razer keyboards a place among our best gaming keyboards.

The BlackWidow V3 is a solid choice and an excellent value for those looking to get into the world of mechanical gaming keyboards. There are three versions of the Razer BlackWidow V3, and they all cost $139. The Black model has two different sets of switches under the buttons, either Razer Green or Razer Yellow. The Quartz model is limited to Razer Green switches only.

BlackWidow V3 Pro. Feels very sturdy and has good ergonomics, with two tilt settings and an armrest. It has full RGB backlighting with individually illuminated buttons that you can customize with the Razer Synapse 3 software, which allows you to set macros to any key. Our unit’s linear Razer Yellow switches have a low operating force and short pre-trip range, providing a light and responsive gaming experience but can lead to more accidental typos. It also comes in a click-through Razer Green switch if you’re more into touch. This keyboard also comes in a TenKeyLess size, called the Razer BlackWidow V3 TKL, which we reviewed earlier.

The Razer BlackWidow V3 is great for gaming. It has very low latency, and the linear Razer Yellow switches on our unit have low actuation force and low pre-travel distance, resulting in a lightweight and responsive gaming experience. This keyboard feels very sturdy, and you can adjust the RGB backlight or set a macro to any key using the customization software.

For those who haven’t seen a keyboard switch before, this means the Razer Green is much louder and better suited for general use with a mix of typing and gaming. The Razer Yellows are relatively quiet and more expressive for gaming, requiring less pressure to activate and an instant reset. More serious gamers will appreciate the Razer Yellow, but either one is perfect for mixed-use, in my experience. My review unit featured the Razer Green switch. Still, if you’re interested in the specifics of the Razer Yellow switch, I covered that in my latest review of the wireless version of this keyboard, the Razer BlackWidow V3 Pro.

Design

The Razer BlackWidow V3 is a full-sized keyboard that takes up some of the space on your desk, especially if you use it with an armrest. If you prefer a slightly smaller size, it comes in a TenKeyLess version. This keyboard has an excellent build quality, similar to the Razer BlackWidow V3 Pro. It’s made mostly of plastic and has a matte black aluminum top plate that shows some flex. Good quality double shot ABS keycaps and slightly textured. Some of the larger keys, such as the Spacebar, Shift, and Enter, are a little shaky, and the stabilizer on the Spacebar vibrates more vigorously than the other stabilizers. The incline feet are very gripping, and they do a great job of keeping the board in place.

Razer products often feature a black, green, and gray color palette that looks flashy to some and dull to others. The BlackWidow V3 could match this theme with a black hue, but the BlackWidow V3 Quartz Edition we reviewed sets itself apart from the rest of the lineup with its powder pink pigment. This color will prove to be more divisive—(perhaps that’s why most keyboard manufacturers opt for a reliable one), but there’s no denying that it makes Razer’s Quartz collection a signature.

Without a palm rest, the keyboard measures 17.8 inches long, 6.1 inches deep, and 1.7 inches high, compared to the keyless model, which measures 1.62 x 14.26 x 6.1 inches and weighs 2.2 inches. Pounds for its smaller 1.85-pound counterpart. The TKL feels very solid thanks to its aluminum top plate; this model is quite large and demands attention.

The bottom of the BlackWidow V3 has four rubber pads that do a great job of holding the keyboard in place on your desk. For a more pleasant typing angle, there’s a pair of two-level folding legs at the top of the keyboard that let you set it at six or nine degrees. This keyboard has an excellent RGB backlight that you can adjust via the Razer Synapse 3 software. The white backlight looks great, with no visible mix of red, green, and blue. You can control the brightness directly on the keyboard with the function keys.

Razer BlackWidow V3 Tombol Button

The BlackWidow V3 Pro has a standard 104-key layout, excluding the media keys and roller wheel. The key is Razer’s new double shot ABS keycaps, which show no wear after about three weeks of testing and tens of thousands of words. I can’t talk about long-term durability, but the Doubleshot process is meant to prevent wear by adding thickness and layers over the letters. The switches are rated for 80 million keystrokes, so even the most productive and aggressive users will be well for several years.

If you’re coming from a laptop keyboard or a membrane keyboard, the Razer Greens will surprise the system both in terms of key travel and hearing attack. I say this keyboard can do double duty in the office, as I type reports with Razer Greens; it felt like I was typing something really important at a fantastic speed, but it took some getting used to.

For those of you coming from a laptop or membrane keyboard, the deep 4mm key distance on the Razer Green switch will feel like sinking into a large, comfortable couch. The 1.9mm actuation point is further than the best laptop keyboards, and the 0.4mm reset point will handle even the fastest typists.

Consider Razer Yellows as it provides a very comfortable typing experience with far less noise, thanks to the new silicon silencer. Gamers will also appreciate some of the advantages of the linear Razer Yellow switches, including the 0mm reset point. The Razer Yellow is more linear and quiet. Thanks to their low operating power, they don’t require a lot of driving ability, and the short pre-trip distance should feel responsive for gaming. You can get this keyboard with Razer Green switches if you prefer a tactile feel.

Razer Yellow linear switches don’t provide tactile feedback, leading to accidental key presses if you’re not used to them. The double shot ABS keycaps feel good to type on, but the Spacebar, Shift and Enter keys aren’t very stable. Apart from that, the Spacebar is quite noisy compared to the other buttons. You can buy it with a clickable Razer Green button if you prefer a tactile touch, although this will change the typing quality.

Razer BlackWidow V3 Performance

This BlackWidow V3 proved to be as responsive as one would want in a game. Something as simple as peeking after a flash in a game like Valorant requires a lot of keystrokes: Q for setting up moment, A for corner look, D for timely counter-strafe to make an accurate shot, Ctrl for crouching when you need to spray, etc. It never felt like the order was messed up because of the keyboard. Let’s say our typing speed doesn’t necessarily mean in-game keystrokes. Our fingertips don’t slip away from the double shot ABS keycaps, it’s comfortable to hover like claws over that all-important WASD cluster, and it didn’t take us time to adapt to the layout when we needed to reach for additional keys.

But this is where the inclusion of a scoreboard becomes even more divisive. TKL keyboards are becoming increasingly popular, partly because people who play first-person shooters, action games, and other genres who don’t rely on those key sets want as much space as possible for their best gaming mouse and mousepad.

How important this is will depend on the games you like to play. Tactical shooters like Valorant and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive value low in-game sensitivity, which means having a spacious and ergonomic setup is essential. Games that don’t require precise aiming can be done with a smaller table area. That doesn’t mean ergonomics should be neglected; everyone should try to make their setup as comfortable as possible, but it does mean space is relative.

Our fingertips didn’t leave the keycaps, it was comfortable to hover like claws over that all-important WASD cluster, and it didn’t take us long to adapt to the layout when we needed to reach for additional keys. We missed having an identifier on the “W” key, as what you find in space k would probably be better served by a TKL version of the keyboard, and those looking for maximum responsiveness should probably opt for the linear Razer Yellow switch. While I won’t be taking home an esports trophy anytime soon, I slightly prefer the Razer Yellow, even for mixed-use. While I enjoyed the sound of the Razer Green switches for a day, the excessive noise can become a little overwhelming.

Razer BlackWidow V3 software

Like all Razer devices, the Synapse app is the key to this keyboard’s more advanced features. With the app installed, you can remap buttons, create macros, control RGB lighting, create profiles, and set up Hypershift shortcuts. If a lot of that sounds unnecessary to you, don’t worry. You can go deep into configuring your keyboard via Synapse; all the basics are accessible. When you launch the app, you’ll see the attached Razer products listed under Devices and click on one to start configuring them.

The two main tabs are Customization and Lighting, with the latter taking care of your RGB and the former doing pretty much everything else. The main screen for the customization tab is an image of your keyboard; You can click any button to remap it. Only the Windows key and the right function key cannot be remapped. The right function key is the Hypershift key; if you click Standard at the bottom of the keyboard view, you can remap any key to have different behavior when holding down Hypershift. Macros are defined in the same way as the overflow menu that appears when you click any button in Customize view.

There are 11 quick effects options for lighting if you want something basic, but if you want complete control over your keyboard lighting, there are nearly limitless options. For this, you will open Chroma Studio, and you can apply any combination of those 11 effects with per-key RGB lighting set to any color you can imagine.

Still not enough? With Connect, your keyboard can react to in-game events for multiple games, or you can use it to connect with Alexa, Philips Hue, Nanoleaf, and others to harness the power of RGB lighting throughout your space. And if it’s a shared space or you have a mood that can be changed with your keyboard, you can set up to four built-in profiles with each keyboard and lighting customization.

Price 

The Razer BlackWidow V3 – Green Switch and Razer Yellow Switch is now available on the Razer website for US$139.99 

Overall

The $139 Razer BlackWidow V3 certainly isn’t cheap, but if you don’t mind dealing with cable management, this keyboard gives you all the great features and excellent build quality of the BlackWidow V3 Pro for $90 less. Given the projected longevity of this keyboard and Razer’s strong ecosystem, it feels like a solid value.

Coming back to the BlackWidow V3, I’m satisfied with its performance as a gaming and productivity keyboard. And while I admit to only scratching the surface of RGB functionality and being a bit skeptical at first, it does make the keyboard more enjoyable to use. There’s something so relaxing about the color-changing, even when I’m typing for hours on end. In the same vein, Razer Synapse’s depth of functionality and accessibility had me playing around with this keyboard and finding new ways to optimize my setup. Finding a way to make my keyboard more attractive is certainly a useful trick, and BlackWidow V3 does it.