Razer is a pretty prominent brand of gaming devices and accessories around the world, and among their most popular pieces of hardware are mice and keyboards. Apart from the brand factor, Razer hardware is seen as popular because all of them can be updated, modified and synchronized using only one software.
Recently, the company has introduced their latest and most premium keyboard, the Razer Deathstalker v2 Pro which comes with a combination of low profile design, lightweight and loaded with a number of additional features that make this keyboard very easy to install and use.
Design
The Razer Deathstalker v2 Pro is a full-sized keyboard that comes with a low-profile design with a combination of polycarbonate material for the bottom frame and aluminum metal for the top.
A physical button and knob can be seen on the upper side of this keyboard which can be used to scroll media pause and also control audio. Through the Razer Synapse 3 software, users can change the settings for the buttons and also add new shortcuts and change different profile settings.
In terms of connection support, this keyboard can be connected to a computer wired, using a USB-C cable, Bluetooth 5.0 or WiFi, using their HyperSpeed technology. For Bluetooth connection, no adapter is needed to connect this keyboard to a computer, but for Hyperspeed connection, you will need to use a WiFi adapter that is also offered along with this keyboard.
This keyboard also uses an optical switch developed by Razer itself and comes in two offerings, the Razer Linear Low-Profile Optical Switch and the Razer Clicky Low-Profile Optical Switch, their own low-profile linear and clicky optical switches.
In the meantime, this keyboard also comes with a per-key RGB feature that can change the lighting pattern through the Synapse software again, but for this you need to use a wired connection or LightSpeed before any modification of this setting can be done.
The keys of the Razer Deathstalker v2 Pro are also seen using double-coated doubleshot ABS plastic which is said to reduce the issue of greasy keys when in use, which is a fairly common issue when using keys with that material.
Speaking of greasy, since the top surface of this keyboard is made of aluminum, touch marks can be seen very easily, and you will need to be diligent in cleaning the surface of this keyboard as often as possible to ensure that it remains clean and beautiful.
Software
Just like all other Razer accessories, this Razer Deathstalker v2 Pro keyboard uses Razer Synapse v3 software to change all the settings on this keyboard. Through this software, you can change the lighting pattern and color of each key, settings for each key, and also various types of shortcuts.
If you want to change the lighting system without using Synapse, you can also use the keyboard shortcut FN+Ctrl and the numbers 2 to 7 to change the lighting pattern quickly and easily.
One of the reprogrammable keys is this keyboard button. Originally, it will be used to scroll the audio volume, but through the Synapse software, its function can be used for several other functions such as changing the brightness of the display, moving the video time forward or backward and so on.
This Synapse 3 software is also used to update the keyboard firmware if necessary, and can also be used to set the inter-device function that allows users to change profiles of other Razer devices through a single device.
It also allows you to see the battery life of this keyboard, where Razer says the Deathstalker v2 Pro has a life of 80 hours on a single full charge.
Another easy way to see your battery life is with the abbreviation FN+End, where you will be able to display the estimated life through the five LED lights at the top of the directional keys. Each LED exhibits a lifespan of about 20 percent.
Through this Synapse software you can also set the 'sleep time' of this keyboard to save battery if it is not used and left for a while.
User Experience
As someone who is already too used to using custom keyboards, my impression of a ready-made keyboard like this Razer Deathstalker was not very high at first. The low-profile design, use of optical switches and unmodified key stabilizers would normally give me a poor typing experience.
But my impression of the performance of this keyboard is actually quite good. True, the Razer Linear Optical Switch that comes with this keyboard feels a little soft when typing on it, but for me the typing experience with this keyboard is more comfortable when compared to keyboards that use most low-profile mechanical switches. others.
For those of you who are more concerned with shallower key activation for computer games, this optical switch comes with an activation level of only 1.2mm, suitable for games that require faster reflexes such as Valorant, Call of Duty Warzone and so on.
Touching the keys of the Razer Deathstalker v2 Pro as well, once again you don't have to worry about the issue of oil from fingers staining these keys because the use of double-coating that is seen ensures that the oil from your fingers will at least take longer to stain it.
What also surprised me was that parts like the spacebar, Shift and Enter did not have the noise from the metal stabilizer part that is commonly heard on many other ready-made keyboards.
The use of the Razer Synapse 3 software is also quite easy, and if you use other Razer accessories, you are actually ready to use this keyboard without any problems.
But that doesn't mean you have to use the software. You can connect this keyboard both wired and wirelessly without using it, but to access any updates and settings for this keyboard, you will need to use the software.
Talking about the wireless connection, Razer says their Hyperspeed connection comes with a time delay almost the same as the wired connection, but for me, the speed difference between the wired connection, Bluetooth and Hyperspeed is not that different from each other.
The only difference I can feel when comparing the "speed" of the Bluetooth connection and the Razer Hyperspeed is that when the keyboard wakes up from sleep mode, the Hyperspeed connection seems to wake up faster than the Bluetooth connection.
Closing
At a price of RM999, this Razer Deathstalker v2 Pro keyboard is the most expensive keyboard released by Razer so far. The sky-high price tag includes the thin and light design of this keyboard, support for different connections, including wired, Bluetooth and WiFi as well as support for modifying keys and knobs and more through the Razer Synapse software.
Razer's decision to use profiled optical switches will certainly cause divided opinion. There will certainly be those who feel that typing with an optical switch is not as comfortable as using an optical switch, while there will also be those who say that this low-profile switch is more suitable for gaming purposes only.
For me, this keyboard is seen as a good choice for those who can afford it, or if you are a die-hard Razer fan who already owns an ecosystem of other accessories such as mice, headphones, microphones and so on.
If you don't really care about features such as Bluetooth or WiFi wireless connection, the regular Razer Deathstalker v2 is also offered in the local market at a price of RM799, which is still in my opinion not so far from the asking price for the Pro series, but at least it still comes with savings around RM200.
Pros:
Thin and light design
Full size
Wired, Bluetooth and WiFi connection support
Low activation pressure is suitable for a number of computer games that require high reflexes
Razer Synapse 3 support
Beautiful RGB lighting
Long lasting battery
Cons:
Heavenly price
The linear optical switch feels a little flimsy
A full-sized keyboard might not be for everyone right now