Razer Blackwidow V3 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review

How Much Does it Cost?

The Razer BlackWidow V3 has an MSRP of £139.99, but lucky for you, it’s been on the market a little while now and has already dropped to just £119.00 (check for US prices here). OK, that’s still a lot of money, but in the world of flagship mechanical gaming keyboards from big-name brands, it’s peanuts, really. You can drop twice that on some models and not really see any better performance.

Overview

Razer has absolutely knocked it out of the part with the Razer BlackWidow V3 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard. It’s quite a big overhaul of their older model, which has been with us for a few years now and even has a few variations of its own. However, the new style looks much more refined and modern, and with the RGB turned off, a lot more professional and smart. It doesn’t scream “gamer” anymore, and the new slimmer frame with more aluminium in its construction takes it to the next level.

RGB

Of course, if you do want it to scream “GAMER”, then you can do so with the rainbow rave mode cranked up because it’s got some serious RGB pedigree here. The colours are incredibly vibrant, juicy and bright. Albeit, they still look great dialled back and with a more conservative effect like fade, or even just a single colour. It’s not that you have to blind yourself and light up the room with rainbows, but it’s nice that you have such an extended range of options to play around with. The per-key lighting engine on the keyboard is great, and with Razer Chroma, you can sync a wide range of other devices to match, including your Philips Hue lighting.

Build Quality

It’s their best yet, and it’s heavy, but not overly so. It’s slimmer in all the right places but still has no sections that feel hollow, rattle or vibrate. Nothing bends or flexes when you apply pressure, etc. It just feels robust, which translates to a very nice typing experience, as the click of each switch doesn’t travel throughout the keyboard. Make no mistake though, it is a bit loud, but that’s all down to those sexy green switches. With 80m click rated switches and those double-shot PBT keycaps, you’re unlikely to wear this thing out before you wear yourself out.

Should I Buy One?

If you’re looking for a kick-ass gaming keyboard, with some slick multimedia controls, powerful RGB and some of the most interesting and unique feeling switches on the market, then absolutely, you should check out the Razer BlackWidow V3. Short of wanting a removable USB C cable, I can’t fault it. It’s by far one of the best gaming keyboards I’ve ever used, and I’ve used hundreds! If the clicky switches aren’t your thing though, check out the linear Yellow Switches.