What Is the Razer BlackWidow V3 Pro?
The Razer BlackWidow V3 Pro is a full-sized gaming keyboard that comes with everything you’d expect from a premium device. It has per-key RGB backlighting, dedicated media controls, a wrist rest, and a detachable wire. The keyboard itself is made of aluminum and plastic, with the switches underneath the keycaps being mechanical. Overall, it’s one of the best keyboards you can buy if you want the benefits of a full-sized mechanical keyboard. The backlighting is great, and the keys are a blast to type with and are even programmable, providing easy customization. In addition, its multiple connectivity points (Bluetooth, a 2.4 GHz receiver, or a wire) make it an ultra-flexible choice. However, there are some downsides to the keyboard. For example, customizing the RGB isn’t as straightforward as on alternative keyboards as it depends heavily on the software. Moreover, the keyboard itself costs over $200, which isn’t a price every gamer can afford. Nonetheless, it’s a solid option for luxury gaming setups if you can handle its drawbacks and deal with the price.
Razer BlackWidow V3 Pro Specs
Razer BlackWidow V3 Pro Review
Without further ado, let’s get into the review of the Razer BlackWidow V3 pro version.
Design & Keyboard Layout
At first glance, the BlackWidow Pro V3 looks like a simple full-sized gaming keyboard. It has an all-black body, keycaps, wrist rest, wire, and dials at the upper-right hand corner. All of these keep it pretty low-profile – that is, when the RGB is turned off. When the per-key RGB is turned on, the keyboard will immediately feel livelier and more flashy. This becomes even more evident if you use Razer’s transparent mechanical switches that help the LEDs look more noticeable. The generously large gaps between each key also contribute to the glowy effect even at a low 20% brightness level. If you look closely, you’ll also notice that the keycaps themselves were designed with great balance. The amply wide, rounded letters make the keyboard feel both fun and serious overall. With that said, it won’t look bad regardless of whether you’re using it in the office or for gaming. Apart from these, the ABS keys also make the keyboard feel premium despite not being PBT. Even after a week of use, they don’t retain too many fingerprints or smudges (but the aluminum plate does, unfortunately). On the other hand, the Razer BlackWidow V3 Pro volume wheel could use a better design. That’s because its current design looks plain, boring, and even a bit cheap. The BlackWidow V3 Pro could certainly take notes from Logitech’s G915 Lightspeed and its matching wheel and buttons. Nonetheless, the overall aesthetic of the BlackWidow V3 Pro strikes a balance between fun and professional. No doubt you won’t feel embarrassed by it regardless of the setting you put it in. What’s more, its detachable wire makes it that much more portable and easy to bring around.
Switch Sound & Quality
The BlackWidow V3 Pro has two switch options: the Green (linear) or Yellow mechanical switches. If you choose green, you’ll get a more tactile feel and an overall clicker sound when you press keys. On the other hand, the yellow switches are quiet and let you game or work in silence. If you use the green switches, the keyboard actuation force will be about 1.9mm with 50G of force. This makes them louder yet lighter and faster to actuate than Cherry Blues. They’re also easier to depress and pop much more prominently. However, what truly makes the green switches distinct is their loud and clicky sound. Hitting the actuation point produces a snappy click with the keycap popping back almost immediately. On the other hand, using the yellow switches on this Razer mechanical keyboard will yield a more silent typing experience. This is especially true with Razer’s updated yellow switches that feature permanent silicone dampeners. They also provide a different experience and actuate at 1.2mm with 45G of force. Apart from sound and actuation, the switches on the BlackWidow V3 Pro have good switch quality. The double-shot ABS keycaps feel premium to the touch and provide just enough texture to make it look equally high-end. They also resist fingerprints well enough and don’t smudge easily like regular ABS keys. In addition, the BlackWidow V3 Pro performs well whether you’re typing casually or gaming. It’s reliable and lag-free (if you use the dongle), so you can play on it comfortably. The only caveat is that the green mechanical keys sound a bit too loud sometimes and can be distracting.
Software & Other Features
One big drawback to the BlackWidow V3 Pro is probably its reliance on the Synapse 3 software. For one thing, you must use the software if you want to create RGB profiles. Sure, you can save each of these (up to four) on the keyboard’s onboard memory. However, you can’t apply any RGB settings on these profiles unless the software is open. This makes having profiles feel somewhat useless in the first place. What’s more, sometimes Synapse doesn’t register your commands and doesn’t change the RGB settings when told to. On the other hand, we’ll hand it to Razer that Synapse is handy for some things. For example, you can change the RGB brightness or choose from 10 different RGB presets through the software. Moreover, you can even program each key individually through the Razer Chroma Studio. Apart from this, you can also create profiles and program them to cater to certain games or applications. You can even reprogram every key (except the FN and Windows keys) to suit your needs, including the volume wheel. These are what make the BlackWidow V3 Pro more of a powerhouse compared to regular keyboards.
Functionality
One great thing about the BlackWidow V3 Pro is the high-quality accompanying wrist rest. Too many gamers suffer from wrist pain because of lousy desk ergonomics. This wrist rest, while imperfect, makes the problem slightly less of an issue. Moreover, unlike other free wrist rests, the one that comes with Razer’s BlackWidow V3 Pro is decently built. It’s comfortable and the leather-like material feels nice. Apart from this, the BlackWidow V3 Pro also provides a handy volume wheel at the top-right. Of course, this also lights up with RGB – but that’s not what’s great about it. No, what truly makes it stand out is how well it controls media and how good it feels to use. The wheel is tactile and precise with a press-in middle. It offers convenient volume control and is even programmable – making it extra functional. In addition, the three media buttons along the left side serve as solid complements to the volume wheel. They offer quick and easy playback controls for any type of media, whether video or audio. Lastly, the BlackWidow V3 Pro includes handy storage compartments on the underside of the chassis. You can store and access the accompanying dongle or use the flip-out feet for better elevation.
Wireless Experience
One of the main benefits the BlackWidow V3 Pro has over other alternatives is its wireless connectivity. This makes it a solid option if you want something that can pair with multiple devices. You can simply use the toggle on the left-hand side and swap from device to device. How many devices can the BlackWidow V3 Pro connect to? If you’re using Bluetooth, you can pair the keyboard to up to 3 other devices. You can alternate between them by hitting FN + 1 to 3. This makes the keyboard a powerhouse for productivity and heavy-duty work environments. Of course, we don’t recommend using the Bluetooth connection for any type of gaming. That’s because, while it’s great for professional environments, the non-immediate connection just isn’t ideal for games. This proves even truer if you want precision when pressing keys. For this use case, it’s better to simply connect the keyboard through the 2.4 GHz HyperSpeed receiver. However, do keep in mind that performance suffers when your keyboard’s battery hits 3%. Unfortunately, being wireless doesn’t mean the BlackWidow V3 Pro is portable. Sure, it’s portable in theory so you can switch desks while using the same keyboard when you need to. However, it’s still a full-sized keyboard, so it won’t fit in most ordinary backpacks. What’s more, the keyboard weighs a pretty heavy 3.1lbs, so it’s not that lightweight, either.
Battery Life
As for the BlackWidow V3 Pro battery life, we would say that it’s decent overall. While using Bluetooth or the dongle, you’ll get about 13-14 hours of use with RGB at max brightness. If you lower it to 50% while using spectrum cycling, that estimate shoots up to 25 hours. However, if you choose to turn the RGB off completely then Razer claims it can last up to 192 hours. Of course, there are a few factors that contribute to the battery drain. For example, the BlackWidow V3 Pro turns off the RGB by default after 15 minutes of inactivity. Hence, you can change these settings and potentially prolong the keyboard’s battery life if you need to. Apart from this, Razer’s BlackWidow V3 Pro performs disappointingly when it has little juice left. That’s because once it hits 3%, the keyboard becomes unreliable and doesn’t register key presses as quickly. Furthermore, the RGB becomes unstable and flickers or dims. You should just charge the keyboard when it reaches this point, or it’ll be nearly unusable. How do I charge my BlackWidow V3 Pro? Thankfully, charging the keyboard is pretty easy. All you need to do is plug in the USB-C cable and you’re back to normal. Afterward, you can use the keyboard without worrying about running out of battery.
How to Add More Functionality
If you’re convinced that the BlackWidow V3 Pro is for you, then that’s great news. However, before you dive into using the keyboard at default settings, we recommend making a few tweaks. Don’t worry: these tweaks won’t harm the keyboard and will just make your experience more convenient and personalized.
RGB Lighting
How do I set up my BlackWidow V3 Pro? One of the first things you might want to customize on your new keyboard is the RGB. You can do this by downloading the Synapse 3 software and connecting it to your device. Once finished, go to “Lighting” and change the effects and color by playing around with the settings. You can customize RGB profiles and even individual key lights, response lights, and more. Moreover, you can even switch between different effects through the “Switch Lighting” keyboard function. Just go to Keyboard > Customize and choose the button you want. Then click on the “Switch Lighting” option and assign the effect you want. Afterward, hit “Save.” Apart from lighting, you can also change the RGB’s brightness or disable it entirely through keyboard shortcuts. Just press and hold FN + Ctrl + 1 to 7 and see which setting fits your aesthetic.
Key Binding
In addition, you can remind different keys on the keyboard to make both workflows and gaming more convenient. You can also create or delete macros as you wish to speed things up even further. Of course, you can find all of these customization options within Synapse 3. If you want to tinker with the settings, just visit the Razer BlackWidow V3 Pro manual to get started.
How to Pair BlackWidow V3 Pro via Bluetooth
The BlackWidow V3 Pro Bluetooth feature is one of the things that make it truly a powerhouse device. Through it, you can pair the keyboard to up to 3 other devices and switch between them seamlessly. Whether you’re multitasking for a project or challenging yourself to play three games at a time, here’s how the BlackWidow V3 Pro Bluetooth pairing works. Firstly, toggle the Mode Switch button on the left side of the keyboard. The toggle should be on the “BT” side instead of the “2.4” side. Afterward, hold down any of these key combinations to initiate pairing: FN + 1 or FN + 2 or FN +3. Note that you can assign these key combinations to different devices. Afterward, enable Bluetooth on your computer or mobile device and choose the BlackWidow V3 Pro. Once the device pairs, your connection should be registered on the profile you chose.
BlackWidow V3 Pro vs Other Gaming Keyboards
How long does BlackWidow V3 Pro last, and are the benefits worth the price? If you’re on the fence about spending this much money on the BlackWidow V3 Pro, no worries. There are plenty of competent alternatives out there that can perform just as well or even better. Here are just some of our recommendations in case the BlackWidow V3 Pro isn’t for you.
Logitech G915 Lightspeed
The BlackWidow V3 Pro’s main competitor is undoubtedly the Logitech G915 Lightspeed. Both are competent wireless gaming keyboards and will provide excellent experiences regardless of which you choose. With that said, however, the Logitech keyboard is more low-profile, with shorter travel and lighter actuation force. However, it is less flexible because only its macro keys are reprogrammable. Nonetheless, if you dislike the BlackWidow V3 Pro’s typing experience, the Logitech G915 Lightspeed is worth checking out.
Razer Huntsman V2
One of the best Razer keyboards with low latency is the Razer Huntsman V2. It has an 8000Hz polling rate and even comes with PBT keycaps that are much more durable. Overall, it’s a great alternative to the BlackWidow V3 Pro if you’re looking for something more premium. However, do keep in mind that this product is wired only, so there’s no chance you can travel with it.
Razer Huntsman Elite
The BlackWidow V3 Pro may be better than the Razer Huntsman Elite overall. However, the Elite is more responsive because it employs Linear Optical switches. It also boasts a shorter travel distance and a lower actuation force. Overall, it’s a good alternative if you like more sensitive keys and don’t like the tactility.
Try Out the BlackWidow V3 Pro Today!
Is the BlackWidow V3 worth it? Despite all of its flaws, our answer is still yes. That’s because it’s hard to find another robust, full-sized wireless gaming keyboard like the BlackWidow V3 Pro. It’s responsive, fast, and provides all the conveniences of its wired counterparts. You won’t miss any of the luxuries you used to have, like programmable keys, per-key RGB, and even mechanical keys. However, we do recommend only those who have the money to purchase this product. That’s because this keyboard costs over $200 – and not many are willing to spend that much. Nonetheless, if you have the money, then we highly recommend it.
