Razer BlackWidow V4 75% review

If you’re deciding on the right size of gaming keyboard for you then Razer may have an answer. Enter the Razer BlackWidow V4 75%, which aims to pack in all the gaming prowess of its larger sibling into a much smaller footprint. This newer iteration comes in smaller than tenkeyless, but a touch taller and wider than 60%. It gets a lot right for the most part, even if there’s little that’s exciting about this revision. 

The main sellbig USP of the Razer BlackWidow V4 75% is that it’s fully hot-swappable. Priced at $180/£190, it’s a more affordable keeb offering this functionality when compared to the competition. This can be evidenced when contrasting with the pricier Asus ROG Azoth 75% at $250 / £270 and the full-size Mountain Everest Max at $200 / £190. It’s rare when the boomslang brand can come out as the king of value given the company’s boutique status and branding, but I’ll take it. 

My review unit comes pre-loaded with third-generation Razer Orange tactile switches which are said to deliver a quiet typing experience. I can verify this; they are notably quieter than the manufacturer’s Green Clicky switches but are a touch louder than its Analog Optical switches that you’ll find in the likes of the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro TKL. 

While no other sets of switches are included, you can buy new switches from Razer for $25 / £25 a piece. It would have been nice to have an extra set in the box to play with, but that would have seemingly undercut the more aggressive pricing here.

Size: 75%
Base: Hot-swappable
Switches: Razer Orange Tactile
Backlighting: Per key
Anti-ghosting: N-key rollover
Polling rate: Up to 8,000 Hz
Weight: 1.8lbs / 815g
Connection: USB-C
Price: $180 | £190 

Handily, Razer has included a multi-tool for pulling keycaps and switches in the box. The Razer BlackWidow V4 is held together with just five Phillips head screws for ease of access. Once you’ve lifted the lid, you’ll see the tape-enhanced PCB, the plate foam and the plate itself which you can slot the