Razer decides your game movement is too slow, makes its pro player keyboards even more responsive

Image of the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro gaming keyboard.

A tiny LED screen gives you important information and helps with on-keyboard adjustments.

(Image credit: Windows Central | Zachary Boddy)

What you need to know

  • Razer is beginning the rollout of a brand-new software feature exclusively to the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro line of premium gaming keyboards.
  • "Snap Tap" takes advantage of these keyboards' adjustable actuation to eliminate any delays when switching movement directions and strafing in competitive games.
  • Enabled or disabled on the fly like the Huntsman V3 Pro's other features, Snap Tap specifically targets the "A" and "D" keys and only recognizes the latest input between the two.

I'll be honest, this isn't the most exciting news in the world (for most people), seeing as it's one new software feature for exactly three premium gaming keyboards. Still, it's another example of Razer striving to go above and beyond with its software and hardware features, and makes the expensive and technically advanced Razer Huntsman V3 Pro line of gaming keyboards even more enticing for hardcore and esports players.

"Snap Tap" is an innovative use of the adjustable actuation only possible on keyboards like the Huntsman V3 Pro, which use analog optical switches. What does "adjustable actuation" mean? Well, traditional keyboards switches need to be depressed to a certain point to be registered, and released back to a certain point to enable another input. Analog optical switches have no such restrictions, and can register inputs with any amount of pressure and reset with any release of that pressure, between 0.1 and 4mm of distance with the Huntsman V3 Pro keyboards.

Razer isn't the only company with these advanced, hardcore gaming keyboards, but the Huntsman V3 Pro is probably the very best in the category. This new feature further proves that. The new Snap Tap feature specifically applies to the "A" and "D" keys on the keyboard, and makes it so that only the newest input (regardless of the pressure used) will be recognized. This means that, in competitive games like Valorant, Counter-Strike 2, or Apex Legends, strafing and counter-strafing no longer comes with that brief hesitation when switching between left and right directions. Your movement will be instant, always.

These analog optical switches make all the magic happen. (Image credit: Windows Central | Zachary Boddy)

This is admittedly a very small advantage, but the highest-level players will (and apparently are) seeing improvements when enabling Snap Tap. When no chance of opposing directions being recognized simultaneously, players' movements are the highest level of responsive. This also pairs with the Rapid Trigger Mode, which makes every key register inputs instantly rather than waiting for a specific actuation distance to be reached.

In my Razer Huntsman V3 Pro review, I speak in-depth on this keyboard's many advanced features and customization options, many of which can be tailored to the player without any software. It's a seriously impressive accessory with genuine utility for a competitive player, and Snap Tap simply adds another tool to its arsenal. However, this certainly doesn't help the Huntsman V3 Pro be easier for casual players to wrangle, as the overwhelming amount of features and options leads to a steep learning curve for new users.

Still, it's one of the best gaming keyboards you can buy, and Snap Tap will add some extra value for current or future owners (even if it's likely not a reason on its own to buy this keyboard over another). Snap Tap begins rolling out to Razer Huntsman V3 Pro today via a firmware update delivered through Razer Synapse, although it may take up to a week for all players to see the update.

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Zachary Boddy
Staff Writer

Zachary Boddy (They / Them) is a Staff Writer for Windows Central, primarily focused on covering the latest news in tech and gaming, the best Xbox and PC games, and the most interesting Windows and Xbox hardware. They have been gaming and writing for most of their life starting with the original Xbox, and started out as a freelancer for Windows Central and its sister sites in 2019. Now a full-fledged Staff Writer, Zachary has expanded from only writing about all things Minecraft to covering practically everything on which Windows Central is an expert, especially when it comes to Microsoft. You can find Zachary on Twitter @BoddyZachary.