Is it worth betting on the fastest switches on the market? I checked the Razer Huntsman keyboard

When Razer first launched a keyboard with a new type of buttons, everyone wrote "cool but too expensive". Now you can have a Razer Huntsman keyboard for less than PLN 500. Is it worth it

We wrote about Razer Huntsman Elite and opto-mechanical buttons on the occasion of the premiere of the keyboard, so for details about their operation I refer to that text:

• Razer Huntsman is expected to be faster than any keyboard on the market

In a nutshell - optical-mechanical buttons combine the advantages of mechanical switches with increased speed. In addition to the classic button mechanism, we have two more elements here - a metal latch and infrared light.

Thanks to the infrared beam, the keyboard instantly recognizes when the key is pressed and shortens its activation time. This is only 1.5 mm. The mechanical latch accelerates the return of the key to the initial position, and also increases its stability.

Both in theory and in practice the opto-mechanical switches are fantastic, and they have already gained the recognition of professional players. The so-called. "Mainstream", however, did not have many opportunities to find out about their quality, because keyboards with this solution are very expensive, even for Razer.

Razer Huntsman Elite, previously tested by us, still costs PLN 850. Until recently, its poorer version cost well over PLN 600.

Today, the Razer Huntsman keyboard can be purchased for less than PLN 500, which is no more expensive than most high-end mechanical keyboards. Is it worth it?

Razer Huntsman is an excellent keyboard for players.

When it comes to gaming, Huntsman is one of the best keyboards I've ever dealt with, not only for up to PLN 500.

It combines everything that I like very much in the Blackwidow series - quality, Chroma backlight and no unnecessary frills - with really fast buttons. You can feel the difference in the speed of opto-mechanical switches right away. During the game, the keyboard seems to even "read minds" because pressing the key occurs almost at the same time when we press the button with our finger.

To the set with the keyboard I also got a set of replaceable keycup Upgrade Set covers in white, and a dedicated Razer Ergonomic Wrist Rest wrist pad.

This second gadget is standard in the Elite model, for the "ordinary" Huntsman you have to buy it separately and it's definitely worth doing. It is a pity that it does not connect with magnets with the keyboard, like the "pro" version of the pad, but on the other hand it can also be used with keyboards from other manufacturers.

Spare overlays are useful not only for changing the appearance of the keyboard. In my test copy, I replaced the most used keys with white ones and noticed that the removable ones are rougher than those on the keyboard, making them easier to feel under my fingers. Such exchangeable keys cost about PLN 140, so not everyone will decide on it, but in my opinion it's worth it.

Razer Huntsman is unlikely to like computer users.

While Huntsman is a great gaming accessory, during everyday work ... a bit annoying.

Objectively, the biggest disadvantage of this keyboard is the noise generated by the keys. Opto-mechanical buttons are even louder than ordinary mechanical switches, and due to the metal latch, the silent O-rings do not quite match them. So you have to live with noise, and this one - on my ear - was far too high.

Subjectively, I also had another problem resulting from the way I write. I usually put all my fingers on the keyboard, so I press some of them involuntarily. On a regular mechanical keyboard this is not a problem, because the activation point is long enough that you need to intentionally press to activate the key. Here, the keyboard was able to record my key-based fingers even when I didn't want to press anything. Of course, you can get used to it, but before it happened, I used to talk a lot about the hypersensitive keyboard.

Razer Huntsman or Razer Blackwidow?

At an identical price to Razer Huntsman, we can buy an identical-looking Razer Blackwidow keyboard with green, clicking Razer buttons. And here the question arises - which one to choose?

The answer to this question depends entirely on what you spend more time at the computer.

If you work more than you play: Razer Blackwidow will still be a better choice. It's quieter, puts more resistance as you type, and still performs great in games.

If you play more and write only occasionally: Razer Huntsman is for you.

A few tenths of a millimeter difference at the activation point does not sound like a big difference, but in practice it can be felt the first time you contact the keyboard.

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Is it worth betting on the fastest switches on the market? I checked the Razer Huntsman keyboard