For newcomers, frequently one of the more frustrating aspects of entering the keyboard hobby are group buys. Many of the more highly sought-after models you see in showcases from content creators aren’t available to buy on-demand. Instead, you need to pay in advance and sometimes wait months before your new keyboard arrives in the mail. Companies like KBDfans, Mode, and CannonKeys have tried to address that issue, but even their stock is frequently limited. Add to that the amount of experimentation and modding some keyboards require, and you have the perfect recipe for a sometimes frustrating hobby. With its new BlackWidow V4 75% keyboard, Razer sought to sidestep that and give gaming enthusiasts an affordable and accessible entryway. In the process, it has created one of its best products to date.
Razer BlackWidow V4 75% – Design and Features
The spec sheet of the Blackwidow V4 75% reads like a wish list of custom keyboard features. For the first time, Razer is offering a board with a hot-swap PCB, meaning you’re free to switch out the V4’s stock tactile switches to try a different set of switches, no soldering required. Additionally, the PCB is a five-socket design, so there’s no need to clip your new switches if you decide to go with a five-pin set, and you can go with three-pin switches without any issue. Razer even includes a 2-in-1 keycap and switch puller in the box to encourage customization.
The nods to custom keyboards don’t stop there. Razer has gone with a gasket-mounted FR4 plate that offers a nice bit of flex when you’re typing away on the BlackWidow V4. The amount of give may not satisfy enthusiasts, but if you’ve only used tray-mounted gaming keyboards in the past, the BlackWidow V4 will feel revelatory.
Out of the box, it’s also one of the best-sounding gaming keyboards I’ve used thanks to a set of factory-lubricated plate-mounted stabilizers, two layers of sound-dampening foam and –, get this –, a pre-installed ‘tape mod’ designed to dampen higher frequencies. My review unit could have come with a touch more lube applied to the Shift, Spacebar, and Backspace stabs, but even with that in mind, the BlackWidow V4 sounds and feels better than any mainstream gaming keyboard I’ve either used or reviewed in the past. It’s deep without being too marbly, and doesn’t produce the clacky sound signature most gaming keyboards are known for.
Razer’s take on the 75% layout is also excellent. On top of a function row and arrow keys, the V4 comes with a handy multi-function roller. By default, the roller adjusts system volume, but you can configure it to control scrolling or microphone volume instead, among other things. A pair of multimedia buttons below allow you to mute volume and control music playback.
The BlackWidow V4 marks the debut of Razer’s new third-generation Orange Tactile Switches. There’s nothing revolutionary about them, but they’re satisfying to use, provided you don’t bottom them out too aggressively. Additionally, they’re smartly designed. Razer has outfitted the Orange Tactiles with a transparent top housing to maximize RGB illumination and a box-style cross stem to reduce keycap wobble. Interestingly, the V4 comes with double-shot ABS keycaps. Typically, most keyboards ship with PBT keycaps since ABS plastic is known for developing an unsightly shine over time. Razer told me it went with ABS plastic because it offers better RGB shine-through. It also textured the keycaps to make them more durable against fingerprinting.
I put in a few Drop Holy Pandas to see how the BlackWidow V4 handles switch swaps. The compact form factor of V4 makes removing some keycaps and switches tricky, but for the most part, stock parts came out without much fuss or resistance.
The one disappointing aspect of the BlackWidow V4 is that Razer doesn’t fully commit to customization. The keyboard comes with a two-year warranty that becomes void if you open it up. Razer notes the BlackWidow’s PCB can accommodate screw-in stabilizers, but the company won’t provide support if you decide to go down that route.
“Similar to other custom keyboard warranties in the space, once you open up the chassis of the keyboard, your warranty is voided, and the keyboard can no longer be returned,” a Razer spokesperson told IGN. “Switching out the keycaps, cable, and switches will not void your keyboard’s warranty and are covered in Razer’s general warranty policy.”
Some may also find the BlackWidow V4’s RGB disappointing. Since Razer didn’t go with a floating key design, lighting effects are more subdued than they are on the company’s other boards. I also wish the aluminum case wasn’t such a fingerprint magnet, and the included palm rest was more supportive.
Razer BlackWidow V4 75% – Software
At this point, most people know what to expect from Razer’s Synapse software. In conjunction with the BlackWidow V4, the app allows you to customize the keyboard’s RGB lighting and polling rate. You can also use Synapse to create macros. If you want more control over RGB lighting, you can separately download Razer’s Chroma Studio software. The V4 comes with enough on-board memory to store five profiles, though some features, such as the ability to bind Windows shortcuts to the keyboard, require Synapse to be running on your system for them to work.
Razer BlackWidow V4 75% – Gaming
Despite the V4’s focus on customization, it has a few gaming features to satisfy all but the most competitive FPS fans. Like other Razer keyboards, the V4 allows you to adjust its polling rate (the frequency it sends information to your computer) up to a maximum of 8,000Hz. In theory, that’s a feature that should increase the responsiveness of the keyboard. In reality, however, any difference will be subtle, and you will probably get more mileage from an 8,000Hz mouse.
More practical is the V4’s inclusion of a built-in Gaming Mode you can enable by pressing the Function and F10 keys simultaneously. By default, this feature disables the Windows Key, but you can also configure it to prevent the Alt Tab and Alt F4 shortcuts from working.
I’ve been gaming with tactile switches for years, so I found I was right at home with the V4. Again, one of the strengths of this keyboard is that you can swap out the stock switches for a set of fast linears. That said, if you’re serious about competitive gaming, the Razer Huntsman V2 Analog or Razer Huntsman Mini Analog, as well as competing models from Wooting and Corsair, will give you an edge you won’t get from the V4. All of those models allow you to adjust the actuation point of their fast linears. What’s more, they either ship or will soon include a feature called Rapid Trigger that makes it easier to pull off tricky movement tech in games like Valorant and Apex Legends.
Razer BlackWidow V4 75% – The Competition
The 75 percent category isn’t as crowded as some other segments in the keyboard market, but a few models stand out. In gaming circles, the GMMK Pro is probably the most well-known. Glorious offers the GMMK Pro in both barebones and prebuilt options, with the former starting at a pricey $170. If you want a full keyboard out of the box, you’re looking at spending $350 if you decide to go with the GMMK Pro. By contrast, the BlackWidow V4 75% starts at $190 (the White Edition costs $10 more) and comes with switches and keycaps. I haven’t built or used the GMMK Pro, but the consensus online is that it should sound and feel better for how much it costs. When you consider how much more affordable the V4 is, it’s the clear winner of the two.
For the budget-minded, Keychron offers a few different 75 percent models, including the well-regarded Q1. It starts at $169, with Keychron offering a rotary knob variant for about $10 more. One thing to keep in mind with the Q1 is that it ships with a set of OSA profile keycaps, which might take some getting used to if you’ve only used Cherry profiles keycaps in the past. That’s not something you need to worry about with the BlackWidow.
In the custom space, you have more options. A couple that don’t involve group buys include the Drop Sense75 and Mode Sonnet (pictured above). After launching with a starting price of $249 part way through last year, it’s not hard to find the Sense75 on sale for as little as $149 for a complete kit, though most reviews, even those on Drop’s own website, note the keyboard requires modding to sound its best. The Sonnet, meanwhile, is widely considered one of the best custom keyboards on the market, but it’s pricey. Once you configure it to your liking, you can expect to pay at least $300, and that’s before you factor in the cost of stabs, switches and keycaps.
