Razer Huntsman V2 2021 is Razer's latest and fastest optical gaming keyboard currently that comes with Razer second-generation optical switches. I was trying my hands on it for the last few weeks and now it is time to share my detailed review of the device with you all on Geeky Stuffs.
This review is divided into different sections, covering the pros and cons of each of them to give you a better idea.
Razer Huntsman V2 2021 Optical Gaming Keyboard Review
Unboxing
Inside the retail box of Razer Huntsman V2 2021, you will find the Huntsman V2 keyboard, a nice magnetic leatherette hand wrist, quick start guide, welcome message and some Razer stickers. Just like all other Razer products, the Razer Huntsman V2 also comes in an eco friendly box and packaging.
Performance
Talking about the performance Razer Huntsman V2 is the best gaming keyboard that you can buy for yourself for many reasons. Since this is an optical gaming keyboard, unlike the mechanical keyboards the actuation distance and needed actuation force to trigger the command are very small. And so it provides a faster response when either you are playing games or just having a typing session.
Razer Huntsman V2 comes in two types of switches - Razer Clicky optical switches and Razer Linear optical switches. If you recognize gaming keyboards by the color of the switches then Clicky switches are the Blue ones and Liner switches are the red switches here.
The variant of Razer Huntsman V2 we used for the review came with the Clicky optical switches. As mentioned earlier, the actuation distance is so small on the Razer Huntsman V2 making it very fast gaming keyboard. And if you go with the Linear optical switches then, the actuation distance and the actuation force are even lower compared to the Clicky switches. So if you want to improve your gaming performance then optical gaming keyboards are the best option and when it comes to optical gaming keyboards the Razer Huntsman V2 is the best one for sure.
Another great thing about the Razer Huntsman V2 is that it comes with zero debounce delay so it removes the bouncing usually found in mechanical keyboards and because of the low actuation distance, the Razer Huntsman V2 transmits the signal as soon as you press the key. So once again this is a very important factor for gamers that how fast the signal is being transmitted from the keyboard to the PC.
Razer Huntsman V2 also comes with the Razer 8K Hyperpolling. So the polling rate is 8 times better and faster compared to the traditional 1000 Hertz polling rate we find in most of the other gaming keyboards. The 0.125 millisecond latency provided by the Huntsman V2 optical switches with 8K polling rate is just blazing fast and better than all other gaming keyboards available in the market. So the combination of 8K Hyperpolling and the zero debounce delay provides a very nice and super fast experience on Huntsman V2.
Usually, the blue switches or the clicky switches are quite noisy but Razer is providing a sound dampening foam on Huntsman V2 that improves the keyboard acoustics a lot while providing the same tactile feeling that we get while using the clicky or blue switches. It means that you can bring your Razer Huntsman V2 to your workplace or any public place and you can use it without annoying other people in your surrounding with the keystroke sound coming out of it.
Design and Build Quality
The new Razer Huntsman V2 comes with a solid and durable aluminum construction that provides a nice smooth satisfying touch while providing sturdiness and durability to the keyboard. We got the Double Shot PBT keycaps providing a nice smooth textured finish on the keycaps. The keycaps and the paint job are very durable. So you can use Razer Huntsman V2 2021 for years without worrying about fading of the paint job or getting any damage to the keycaps because of your intense gaming sessions.
Razer also provides a key stabilizer bar on top of the switches that helps in keeping the keycap motion leveled and consistent, does not matter what corner of the key you are pressing. So it also contributes in the gaming performance by providing a balanced keypress every single time. Since the Razer Huntsman V2 is an optical gaming keyboard and there is less physical contact between the parts, you get up to 100 million keystrokes that is nearly twice of what usually you get with mechanical keyboards. So the average life span of the Razer Huntsman V2 is going to be twice of a regular gaming keyboard that are available in the market.
The slightly indented keycaps are very comfortable to use and provide a nice typing experience or on a longer gaming session. Razer also provides some dedicated keys for performing different tasks quickly like - launching the macros, turning on/off the Gaming Mode, quickly putting the device in the Sleep mode etc. It also comes with the Razer Hypershift technology that allows you to assign a secondary task and command of action to a key. So you can use one single key to perform two different actions. It also comes with a multi-functional dial and media keys that you can use to control the music playback, switching between the tracks or skipping the frame while watching videos, and adjusting the volume. All of these multimedia keys can also be changed to perform different multimedia actions with the help of Razer Hypershift technology. These dedicated media keys and the multi-functional dial provide the same tactile feeling that you can expect from a nice gaming keyboard.
The cable is also of very high quality, looks beautiful and it is very durable as well. At the bottom, you will find multiple foam pads that provide a very nice and solid grip to the Huntsman V2 and does not matter how intense is your gameplay, your keyboard will not move from its position contributing in nice gaming performance and experience. Huntsman V2 also comes with two level of elevation that you can use based on your preference for better user experience.
At the bottom, there is also a tiny magnet that helps in connecting the provided hand rest to the keyboard and keeps it in position as well to provide a nice and comfortable user experience while using the Razer Huntsman V2. The magnetic wrist rest is also of very nice quality. It looks beautiful and premium. It's very soft cushiony and provide a very nice support and comfort for longer gaming sessions.
Razer Huntsman V2 is powered by the Razer Chroma RGB that allows to perform various customization when it comes to keyboard lighting using Razer's Synapses software. Unlike few other Huntsman series keyboards, the new Razer Huntsman V2 2021 does not come with the underglow feature. So there is no RGB lighting provided below the keyboard body or on the hand rest.
Software-based Features
Using the Razer Synapse, you can turn on or off the Gaming Mode and what keys and key combinations you would like to disable when the Gaming Mode is turned on. You get the option to select the polling rate from 125 Hz to up to 8000 Hz.
Using the Razer Hypershift feature you can assign a secondary task to the keys of Huntsman V2 for the key to perform its usual task and and then a secondary task in the Hypershift mode. Under the Lighting section, you get various options like adjusting the brightness, switch off the keyboard lighting and some preset lighting effects that you can select for your Huntsman V2. You can also create you own custom lighting effects on your Huntsman V2 using the Chroma Studio .
You can also install some additional Razer Chroma modules like Chroma Connect, Chroma Visualizer etc. to perform various lighting effects and create nice lighting patterns if you've got multiple devices supported by Razer Chroma RGB. Syanpse also allows you to create different macros on Huntsman V2 that you can use while playing games to improve your performance and gaming experience.
Conclusion
So the Razer Huntsman V2 is the perfect combination of the hardware software and as well as the design and build quality to provide an amazing gaming experience there are so many improvements that you will find from the previous generation of Huntsman V2 on the Huntsman V2 2021. So getting the Huntsman V2 2021 keyboard is the best thing you can do for yourself if you are a gamer.