Razer Blackwidow V4 PRO 75% Review – Modder’s Dream Keyboard

Razer Blackwidow V4 PRO 75% Review

When it comes to computer keyboards, I suspect most people fall somewhere on a broad continuum. At one end are folks that look at keyboards like toasters: utilitarian, functional and definitely non sexy (cringe) They’re an important piece of gear but not something you think about unless the cat knocks it off the desk or it gets too clogged with Doritos dust to function. At the other extreme are competitive gamers trying to shave micro-milliseconds off response time. There are also keyboard enthusiasts ( that’s definitely a thing), and modders. With the Blackwidow V4 PRO 75%, Razer is looking to capture the entire spectrum of users. 

Personally, I fall somewhere in the middle of the range. I’m not a competitive gamer, but I do play a lot of simulation, building and strategy games where keyboard and mouse still reign. Most of my day is spent writing, so I’m always looking for a keyboard that functions like a natural extension of my hands and fingers. This brings us to one of those subjective aspects of keyboard design that can’t be accomplished by bells and whistles alone: feel. How a keyboard feels is a mysterious magical mojo that can only be approximated by mechanical switches and sound-dampening. 

But let’s face it, keyboards like the Blackwidow V4 PRO 75% can tilt the odds in their favor with some smart engineering, quality materials and useful features. And the new Blackwidow has those things covered.

Multi-Talented

As its name suggests, the Blackwidow V4 PRO 75% is a compact keyboard aimed towards both productivity and gaming. Although, given its relatively small form factor, sturdy build and range of connectivity options, I guess it could get tossed in a travel bag, too. At $299 US, it’s $100 more than the 2023 version, which was widely well received. The higher price tag brings with it some really useful features and some smart changes to the older model.

Maybe the most immediately noticeable is the keyboard’s new OLED display with command dial. Out of the box, you can switch between controls for polling rate, brightness, volume, cycling through apps, etc.. These are pretty standard, of course, but where things get interesting comes from programmability. Using Razer’s Synapse software, you can set up specific configurations for 100 different use-cases like video editing or particular games. You can display system info like GPU and CPU temps. You can even upload GIFs to the display. I thought it was a bit gimmicky until I dove in and started seeing the possibilities. 

Apart from the OLED display, the Blackwidow V4 PRO 75%’s other features are centered on build quality and potential for customization. $299 might seem expensive for a modding platform, but Razer is banking on the keyboard’s solid construction and ease of access being the draw. The keyboard has hot-swappable switches with three and five pin support. There are six layers to the chassis, many gasket-mounted. The FR4 plate is white for extra RGB reflectivity and brightness. In addition to two layers of sound-dampening foam, the back of the PCB already has enthusiast-approved tape applied. 

Click, Clack or Thwack

It’s clear that Razer has paid close attention to a couple of critical things: the sound of the keyboard and its appeal for enthusiasts. For the former, noise-dampening foam and tape, pre-lubricated switches and quality chassis materials significantly reduce unwanted noise. The result is a mechanical key-clack that’s somewhere in the middle of the pitch range, neither tinny or muffled. Some particular users have noticed minor pitch variation on the right side, where sound dampening construction is different. It’s indeed the case that those keys — by accident or design — do have a higher pitch.

As far as RGB, the Blackwidow V4 PRO 75% has an impressive, bright display, per-key lights, 18 lighting zones and even underlighting. Using Razer’s Synapse software, the RGB is incredibly versatile and over 300 games are supported with pre-programmed lighting assignments. I tried it with several recent titles and was impressed. Lastly, the Blackwidow V4 PRO 75% includes a wide range of connectivity options. Gamers can achieve a wireless 4K Hz, low latency polling rate or connect via Bluetooth 5.1 or wired USB. Razer claims impressive battery life in wireless mode, but of course that will depend on use.

Also in the box are a comfortable, leatherette magnetic wrist rest, key puller, USB cable and three replacement switches.

Daily Driver or High-End Racer?

In the end, the lengthy feature list and bells and whistles are meaningless if the keyboard doesn’t feel comfortable and natural. I’ve been using the Blackwidow V4 PRO 75% for many days now, both as a gaming keyboard and productivity device and I’m thoroughly impressed. It feels solid, very stable on the desk and well made. I’m not a competitive gamer but it feels responsive. It’s comfortable and the audio and visual aesthetics work for me.

At $299, the Blackwidow V4 PRO 75% is not an inexpensive keyboard, and probably more keyboard than most people need for simple, mundane tasks. That said, the programmability, quiet, comfortable keys and impressive RGB just might make typing email and basic gaming more fun. If you’re a demanding, high-end gamer or compact keyboard enthusiast, the newest entry in the Blackwidow lineup is definitely worth a closer look.

***Blackwidow V4 PRO 75% provided by Razer for review***