What you need to know
- Razer loves to split its product categories into various lines, and its gaming keyboards are no different: Blackwidow for features, Deathstalker for low profiles, and Huntsman for ultimate performance.
- During RazerCon 2023, Razer announced the latest addition to its Huntsman line of esports-focused gaming keyboards: The V3 Pro.
- Available in three different sizes (normal, tenkeyless, and 60%), the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro features upgraded analog optical switches.
- These keyboards are all about on-the-fly customization, with onboard profiles, adjustable actuation points, and a rapid-fire FPS mode.
- All three keyboards are now available to preorder, with a release date sometime in Oct. 2023.
Razer is one of the premiere manufacturers of premium PC gaming accessories, laptops, and components, with a wide range of products to target every price range and use case. Razer's keyboards are some of the most advanced on the market, offering unique features and capabilities for any gamer that doesn't want to invest in enthusiast keyboards.
RazerCon 2023 is here for Razer to show off a range of new products and updates, and one of the headlining announcements is the latest in Razer keyboards. The Razer Huntsman V3 Pro line of high-end, esports-focused gaming keyboards is here, and it looks like a fantastic follow-up to the aging Razer Huntsman V2 or — more accurately — the Razer Huntsman V2 Analog. That's because the V3 Pro, available in different sizes, features Razer's new Analog Optical Switch Gen-2, with even more varied customizable actuation.
You can see an overview of the features shared by all three sizes below, then continue to learn about the specific differences between the models.
- Razer Analog Optical Switch Gen-2. Razer's latest analog optical keyboard is highly precise thanks to per-switch factory calibration, and is rated by Razer for a 100-million keystroke lifespan. More importantly, the optical switches allow for zero debounce delay and a fully adjustable actuation from as shallow as 0.1mm to a bottomed depth of 4.0mm — almost twice the range of its predecessor. This adjustable actuation also allows for a Rapid Trigger Mode for lightning-fast inputs.
- Quick on-the-fly adjustments. A series of keyboard shortcuts and onboard LED lights allow users to adjust various keyboard settings on the fly, including for the actuation levels and the Rapid Trigger Mode. The keyboard is able to store six onboard profiles that can be instantly switched between using hotkeys.
- Premium, durable build. Textured doubleshot PBT keys ensure the ultimate resistance to shine and fade, while the brushed aluminum chassis is built to withstand intense use and resist warping. Bottom case foam provides a degree of internal sound dampening. The USB Type-C cable is also detachable, allowing users to quickly swap cables.
- Per-key RGB lighting. Like many other premium Razer products, the Huntsman V3 Pro keyboards support Razer Chroma RGB lighting, giving you complete control over the lighting and effects for every key.
- Other specs. You have three sizes from which to choose, but all three will feature similar baseline specs, including:
- 40g actuation force
- 1,000Hz polling rate
- N-key rollover
- Pre-lubed stabilizers
- Dual-level kickstands
Razer Huntsman V3 Pro
The full-sized Razer Huntsman V3 Pro is also the most fully featured, with a tenkey number pad on the side (with per-key RGB lighting), three programmable control buttons and a multi-function digital dial, and a full-sized magnetic leatherette wrist rest. The Razer Huntsman V3 Pro is available to preorder from Razer now for an MSRP of $249.99, and will be released in Oct. 2023.
Razer Huntsman V3 Pro Tenkeyless
The Razer Huntsman V3 Pro Tenkeyless drops the tenkey number pad for a more compact form factor, but it also loses one of the three programmable control buttons in the process. Other than that, it is practically identical to the regular V3 Pro. The Razer Huntsman V3 Pro Tenkeyless is now available to preorder from Razer for an MSRP of $219.99, and will be released in Oct. 2023.
Razer Huntsman V3 Pro Mini
The Razer Huntsman V3 Pro Mini is a standard 60% sized keyboard, and it does lose some features versus its bigger siblings. For one, you lose all the programmable control buttons and the multi-function digital dial, but you also lose the wrist rest and dedicated arrow keys.
Instead, the Mini employs dual-purpose modifier keys that turn some keys into the arrow keys when tapped (Right Shift into Up, Right Ctrl as Right, Menu as Down, and Right Alt as Left), while letting you use the keys' original function with a long press. The pseudo arrow key function can still be accessed without the dual-purpose setting enabled by holding the FN key when pressing the corresponding keys.
The Razer Huntsman V3 Pro Mini is now available to preorder from Razer at an MSRP of $179.99, and will be released in Oct. 2023.
Ultimate esports performance from Razer
I'm currently typing this on the Razer Huntsman Elite, and it has been my daily driver since my previous keyboard's "F" key mysteriously bit the dust. It's an excellent gaming keyboard and has been extremely reliable and consistent when playing all the best PC games. The upcoming Razer Huntsman V3 Pro line of wired gaming keyboards looks like a marked step up from my current peripheral, and I'm curious to see if the widened adjustable actuation and onboard keyboard customization will be enough to justify the high price tags.
After all, it's basically a given that these keyboards will look good and be built well, but the high-end segment of gaming keyboards differentiates itself through unique features you can't find anywhere else. Hopefully, Windows Central will be able to get one or more of these keyboards in to give you the full breakdown on whether the latest, high-performance, esports-focused gaming keyboard from Razer is really worth it.
Stay tuned to Windows Central for more news out of RazerCon 2023, like the Razer Fujin Pro and Razer Fujin mesh gaming chairs, Razer Blade 16 Automobili Lamborghini Edition, and Razer Synapse and Chroma updates with new Aether lights.
