Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% review

Razer BlackWidow V4 75% One of the best gaming keyboards Razer has ever released. So when the company announced a refresh, we wondered what could be improved on the already excellent design other than making it wireless. Plenty, as it turns out: The Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% ($299.99) not only cuts the cord while maintaining a respectable 4,000Hz polling rate, but it adds an OLED screen and further iterations on a prominently customizable design. This makes it an ideal board for tinkerers and enthusiasts of all levels. It’s expensive – too expensive to appeal to mainstream gamers – but it’s a great gateway to modding. This Editors’ Choice-winner offers a luxurious typing feel that both hard-core gamers and productivity hounds will enjoy.

Design: A classic refreshed

Just like 2023’s BlackWidow V4 75%, the Pro is a tenkeyless keyboard, forgoing the number pad while condensing some of its functionality onto other keys. At 1.6 by 13 by 6.3 inches (HWD), it’s slightly wider than the previous model, offering more room to accommodate its new feature, a 2-inch OLED screen in the top right corner. The larger size increases the weight a bit, to 2.2 pounds compared to the original’s 1.8-pound build, but overall, the board is similar to last year’s model. The similarities extend to the accenting RGB lighting on the side of the board and the magnetic (and very smooth) wrist rest.

The Pro uses fully-textured, full-length doubleshot PBT keys with the same translucent lettering and per-key RGB illumination Razor is known for. The dedicated media keys are out on the top right of the board to make room for the aforementioned OLED screen. At the same time, the volume roller has been shrunk to a universal dial and moved to the side of the screen, where it sits next to an additional mode button.

The Pro also cuts the cord by offering both Bluetooth and 2.4GHz wireless options. A USB-C cord is still included, handy for charging or just in case you want to maintain a wired connection. (The non-Pro BlackWidow V4 is the only option wired at 75%.)

Let’s take a closer look at the new OLED screen. Now, keyboard screens aren’t new, but much like we’ve seen OLED take over the gaming monitor space, this premium display technology has made its way onto our keyboards as well. Asus’ ROG Azoth and Azoth Extreme use similar OLED screens, with the latter even implementing touch controls and a color panel. The Blackwidow V4 Pro doesn’t go as far, but it still employs a large black and white display that looks great.

Pressing the Mode button cycles through the screen’s six default control modes: Volume, Track Selector, OLED Brightness, Light Brightness, Switch Apps, and Zoom. When a mode is selected, the dial becomes your modus operandi, allowing you to fine-tune the adjustment.

Aside from the small screen, the main draw of the Blackwidow is its hot-swappable nature, which allows you to swap sockets and implement switches in either a 3-pin or 5-pin configuration. You’re not tied to razor keys or key switches, as the keyboard is completely brand-agnostic. If, like me, you don’t tinker with your keyboard that much, the stock Razer Orange tactile switches should be enough to hold you over. Tactile and quiet, the Orange switches have a 2mm actuation point, a 3.5mm full travel distance and a 50g actuation force.

Keyboard mechanics, take note

The changes don’t stop there, as Razer encourages keyboard mechanics to open up the board and get their hands dirty. Building a customizable keyboard may seem as complicated as building your own PC, but keyboards like the Azoth and BlackWidow V4 75% have proven to be great gateways to the hobby, and that’s true for the pros.

The build of the keyboard is strengthened in small but significant ways. The gasket-mounted plate, made of FR4 (a glass-reinforced epoxy laminate that gives the keyboard its “poppy” sound), returns, now compatible with plate-mounted stabilizers. Another new feature is a set of screw-in stabilizers, lubricated with enthusiast favorite Krytox GPL 205G0, to reduce rattle and smooth keystrokes. Third-party screw-in or plate-mounted stabilizers are also supported if you want to swap stocks.

The keyboard comes tape-modded using thick fire-resistant tape. Called “Tempest” mode by tinkerers, it calls for layers of painter’s tape applied to the back of the PCB board to create a cleaner, more muted sound.

Comparing the Asus ROG Azoth and Azoth Extreme, two keyboard-tweaker-friendly options that are Blackwidow’s main competition, we can see a lot of similarities. Both come with keycap and key-switch pullers, though the Razer combines the two capabilities into a single tool. Asus boards come with extra lubricant, a brush, and a plastic frame that can hold multiple switches while greasing (Asus refers to it as a “lube station”), although both the Asus board and the Razer are pre-lubed Tinkerers also on the BlackWidow V4 Pro 14 screws need to be removed to open the Asus keyboard instead of eight.

The biggest downgrade between the V4 Pro and the ROG Azoth Extreme (and last year’s Blackwidow V4 as well) is the Pro’s 4,000Hz maximum polling rate, which measures how often your device reports its location to the computer; A higher rate means a shorter wait. High-end gaming keyboards flush with high polling rates, and the BlackWidow V4 Pro lags behind many of Corsair’s recent keyboard offerings, such as the K70 MAX RGB Magnetic Mechanical Gaming Keyboard and the K70 RGB Pro Mini Wireless, which offer an 8,000Hz polling rate. The more expensive ROG Azoth Extreme also manages 8,000Hz. But as a bridge between a gaming keyboard and a DIY kit, you might be willing to forgive the BlackWidow V4 Pro’s low $299 price tag. It’s expensive, but $200 cheaper than the Azoth Extreme.

Software: A brand new Synapse

BlackWidow V4 Pro is 75% fully compatible with Razer’s latest software tool, Razer Synapse 4. Synapse 4 may serve the same purpose as Synapse 3, but a lot has changed in the update, including improved system performance, stability, and a new UI. . The app still controls RGB lighting, macros, and many other features across the keyboard’s onboard profile.

You’ll find plenty of tricks beneath the surface, too. Snap Tap Mode, which debuted with the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro TKL, returns here. When Snap Tap mode is enabled, if you find yourself in an instance where two opposite keystrokes are detected, it will register the last input as priority and keep you moving, ideal for games where you’re strafing and shooting.

Gaming mode can also be toggled, which disables certain functions you don’t want to accidentally press during competitive play. Meanwhile, HyperShift mode lets you put a secondary set of functions on top of your existing button assignments.

You can also change the OLED screen using Synapse 4. You can load your own GIFs, images and text. I have to admit, I miss the colorful OLED screen of the ROG Extreme, such a display is mostly for aesthetics. But going from black and white to color is not something I’d pay a premium for. Overall, you’ll find an abundance of customizable assets in Synapse 4 if you’re obsessed with tweaking your board to your exact needs.

Verdict: The perfect keyboard for tinkering

The Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% iterates on the V4 75% in a way that greatly improves build quality. Both are excellent gateways for keyboard makers, and so is the Asus ROG Azoth. But we think the V4 and V4 Pro have better key switches and builds than the ROG Azoth, and are easier to open and tinker with. For the very expensive Azoth ROG Extreme, it has a few standout features, such as a color OLED screen and an 8,000Hz polling rate, but overall, the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is a good value, even if that. Still in shock of being too expensive. That makes this high-end customizable mechanical keyboard an Editors’ Choice winner.

About Zachary Cuevas

Analyzer, hardware

I am an analyst and ISF-certified TV calibrator focused on reviewing computer accessories, laptops, gaming monitors and video games. I’ve been writing, playing, and complaining about games for as long as I can remember, but it wasn’t until recently that I was able to express my opinions directly to a larger audience. My work has appeared on iMore, Windows Central, Android Central, and TWICE, and I have a diverse portfolio of editing work under my belt from my time at Scholastic and Oxford University Press. I also have some book-writing credits under my belt—I’ve contributed to sci-fi anthologies under the new sun, And I even wrote a Peppa Pig book.

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