Lighting and Performance

The Razer Huntsman V2 TKL supports N-key rollover USB, which tested successfully using Aqua's test. Switch Hitter confirmed no chatter with these keys, and as per usual for gaming keyboards, the R. Win key is replaced by an Fn key by default.

When first connected, the keyboard lights up in a slowly changing color spectrum mode, which cycles through some of the base colors. It's an interesting default effect, but not the most impressive, especially with there being a demo mode. It does help visually confirm the keyboard is recognized and powered on, so that's something.


The default static effect in Razer Synapse 3 changes all LEDs to—you guessed it—the Razer green. It was simple enough to change to white to test for color fidelity since RGB LEDs can struggle to put out an accurate white. The switches and keycaps also play a role, as does the keyboard plate/frame in terms of reflecting light back up. We see a white with notes of blue and pink, which is new since it usually goes one way or the other. It's not bad, though, and may pass as white in person. I then used Chroma Studio to use the per-key lighting to test for light bleed, and there is very little of it courtesy the matte frame with even the floating keycaps. Seen above are also a couple of other dynamic effects, a rainbow wave and a spiral effect more in line with what keyboards typically utilize per default. As there aren't many backlighting onboard controls, you may well need Synapse to get what you want.

In fact, this continues with the general functionality of the keyboard, as there's not much in the way of extra pre-programmed functions. We get the customary Fn layer for volume and media playback control, but profiles and Synapse are really how to customize the Huntsman V2 TKL to your desire. The form factor is self-explanatory and one of the more popular ones out there, with support for different layouts and languages boding well for wider adoption. Marketing also gets to boast about how this is great for gaming, even competitive gaming at that, since optical switches theoretically have no debounce and near-instant actuation, as well as the 8 kHz polling rate, which I personally don't think is a practical benefit for most of us, especially with the higher system resources taken up in return.



Here's an example of what I meant with using Razer Synapse to set up the keyboard to your desire. The key-mapping options allow users to go with layouts other than QWERTY, and here, I used the source code from an older keyboard review in a layout tester (courtesy of Patrick Gillespie). The results above indicate that QWERTY is not even close to the most efficient layout for me, and very likely you as well. If you are willing, try out Colemak or Dvorak as they will result in lower finger travel and fatigue overall. As such, the software drivers offer a significant functional tool if you are willing to devote some time to adopting either Colemak or Dvorak. Here is the link to the full results if you are interested, including a detailed analysis on key presses and distances moved.


I've dissected the Razer Linear Optical Gen-2 (Red) switches before, so I will not again describe how these switches work. What I can say is that these Razer second-generation linear optical switches add two silicone sound dampeners to reduce bottoming-out noise. These are speed switches in that actuation happens at all of 1.2 mm, with the internal spring providing for a rated actuation of 45 gf. Total travel is also quite short at just under 3.5 mm, with peak force around 70 gf. This makes for a medium-heavy switch, one that might well be prone to bottoming out given the shorter travel even with the relatively steep increase in spring resistance. Those dampeners might come in handy thus, and I would not say they make for a mushy feeling when typed on as with many silent mechanical switches—this might be where the individual stabilizers help, too. These are smooth switches; however, the stabilizer bars are not lubed as with the A4Tech versions. What this means is that if you lift the keyboard and move it horizontally, you will hear these stabilizers move around and create a sound effect similar to rustling beans inside a bean bag.


As always, the sound of a keyboard is based on more than just the switch type. So when comparing sound clips, consider the keyboard as a whole. In this case, I have provided above an example sound clip of me typing on the Razer Huntsman V2 TKL keyboard sample at ~115 WPM as it comes out of the box with the Razer Linear Optical Gen-2 (Red) switches. For context, you can find sound clips from other keyboards here, including those with linear switches. The slimmer nature of the case coupled with the sound-dampening foam reduced reverberations and pinging due the keys hitting the frame well, and the sound dampeners in the switches further reduce downstroke noise. This makes for a pleasant, dampened sound signature in more ways than one. The lubed stabilizers on the larger keycaps and thicker PBT keycaps combination also result in a bassier response than usual. Not bad at all, and towards the end, you can hear I deliberately hit some of the larger keys rather than typing naturally to better illustrate how they sound.