Most mechanical keyboard switches have two positions: on or off. The switches in Razer’s new $ 250 Huntsman V2 analog keyboard detect the amount of movement, allowing users to set their own activation depth, apply pressure degrees like with an analog joystick, or even let one key perform multiple functions depending on how far it is. is pressed.
One of Razer’s most popular keyboards is now slightly better and very different from traditional models. With the same analog switching technology comparable to that of the Wooting One keyboard I reviewed it in 2018, the Huntsman V2 Analog provides a level of control unheard of in most mainstream mechanics. Traditional keyboard switches are activated when pressed to a certain depth. Razer’s analog optical switch measures a beam of light as it passes through a lens on the bottom of the switch stem. When the switch is lowered, the lens opens further, allowing more light to pass through. By measuring the amount of light, the keyboard knows how far the key has been pressed and can use that data to do fun things.
An example that comes up every time analog keyboard switches are mentioned is the throttle of a car in a racing game. A standard keyboard switch does not provide any degree of fine-tuning. Either you hit the accelerator or you’re not. An analog switch can be pressed a little to give the car a little throttle, or it can be pressed all the way to put it on the ground. Your WASD keys can determine not only how you run, but how fast you run. (One caveat: The Huntsman’s analog key support works by simulating gamepad keystrokes. If a game doesn’t support simultaneous gamepad and mouse / keyboard input, like some don’t, you can use the keyboard’s analog functions. not next to a mouse.)
The Razer Huntsman V2 Analog also allows you to set your own articulation depth. That’s how far the key must be pressed to register as a press. If you have a light touch, you can set the depth to be shallower, so you need less pressure to type. If you’re heavy-handed like me, deeper depth can keep you from accidentally firing the wrong keys while your sausage fingers try to dance across the keyboard. Each key on the keyboard is controlled via Razer’s Synapse software and can be set individually, resulting in a keyboard whose sensitivity is fully configurable to meet your specific typing and playing needs.
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Even cooler, you can set a key to activate at two different depths. This feature can be used to streamline in-game actions. You can set a single key to equip a grenade with a light touch, for example, or to throw it harder. For shooters with a reload sweet spot, you can press lightly to start reloading, then harder to hit the correct spot on the meter. Or set a button that can target a specific player and then cast a healing spell. Of course, all of these things can be accomplished with macros, but the addition of analog functionality adds an extra layer of control.
It’s nice to see such a major player in the gaming peripheral market embracing this further niche technology. If there could be anything that makes expired keyboard-and-mouse gamers drop their gamepads and come home, it’s analog keyboard switches.
It helps that these particular switches come on one of Razer’s best keyboards. The new Huntsman comes with all the bells and whistles of the older models, such as Chroma lighting, fully programmable keys, built-in configuration profiles for gamers on the go, thick braided fiber optic cable and a very handy USB 3.0 passthrough. The switches are covered with beautiful textured double stroke PBT plastic keycaps. The top plate is made of aluminum, which gives the keyboard a nice lift. The included magnetic wrist rest is not only comfortable, but also extends the keyboard’s underglow illumination when attached.
And it wouldn’t be a modern gaming keyboard without the goddamn multi-function dial at the top right. I don’t hate the watch face, nor am I a fan. I don’t know why a keyboard needs a rotary knob. I use it as a volume control every now and then, not forgetting it’s there. I’ve convinced myself that it only exists because the watch faces look pretty cool and retro tech.
If you don’t care about analog controls then there’s no reason to buy this particular Huntsman model. At $ 250, it’s certainly on the pricier end of Razer’s typing gear. If you’re interested in a keyboard with definable degrees of switch depression, the Razer Huntsman V2 Analog is the perfect piece of technology to press.
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