I have long been a fan of the Razer Blackwidow range of keyboards, so I jumped at the chance to dive into their latest offering, the Razer Blackwidow V4 Pro keyboard. Much like the Razer Blackwidow V3 Pro that launched back in 2020, the Blackwidow V4 Pro is built to be the ultimate keyboard for the enthusiast gamer, offering all the features you could want from a mechanical keyboard. With great attention to detail, a solid build, and the always fun Razer Chroma RGB, if you can look past the price tag, the Razer Blackwidow V4 Pro keyboard is a fantastic offering.
Gamers know that a keyboard can make or break their gaming experience. That’s why Razer, a leader in gaming technology, has released its latest gaming keyboard, the Blackwidow V4 Pro. The Blackwidow V4 Pro is a mechanical keyboard designed for gamers who demand the best. Looking at the list of features is a bit staggering, but it is even more exciting when you unbox everything and actually get to use the V4 Pro for gaming and general PC work.
Razer has included everything I could have expected, including Underglow lighting. While I was a big fan of the previous Razer Blackwidow V3 Pro, the improvements and new additions make this a worthy investment, especially if you want everything at your fingertips.
Razer Blackwidow V4 Pro Keyboard Review: Design
First thing I noticed when I unboxed the keyboard was how good it looked. I am a fan of Razer-designed gear, so that is not all that surprising, but the simple touches like the look of the command dial or multi-function filler and media keys make it stand out among the sea of high-end mechanical keyboards. The Blackwidow V4 Pro keyboard boasts a sleek modern design, with its solid construction immediately noticeable when you pick up the keyboard. The Doubleshot ABS keys are backlit with Razer Chroma RGB lighting, which can be customized to your liking.
To complement the lighting and design, the Blackwidow V4 Pro comes in the box with a magnetic plush leatherette wrist rest that also has Razer Chroma RGB Underglow lighting. When all together, the keyboard is an imposing setup that includes everything you would expect from a $200+ package, complete with a braided cable and internal foam to help dampen the sound of the keyboard while typing. It is incredibly striking when all set up, with the many accents complimenting the lighting in a very ‘gamer’ way. Anyone who streams or just wants to have their gaming setup to ooze style will be in luck with what the Blackwidow V4 Pro brings to the table.
Razer Blackwidow V4 Pro Review: Features
The top 5052 aluminum alloy case makes for an incredible study typing experience, especially combined with the Razer mechanical switches (Green Clicky or Yellow Linear). The V4 Pro also features four programmable macro-keys that sit left of the standard keyboard layout and can be customized to meet your needs, be it a creator or gamer.
While very handy to have, these macro keys were also my biggest gripe to diving into the keyboard, simply due to the slightly offset positioning of the keys, it did take me a few hours to not accidentally press the keys when trying to hit shift or toggle my caps lock. While this won’t be the case for everyone, it is something that can be frustrating due to muscle memory, so important to take note of if you are looking at this keyboard.
On the other hand, the command wheel located just above the macro keys, I immediately fell in love with. While it may seem like a simple addition to a keyboard, for anyone that likes a tactile way to work with computers, it is a masterful addition. Customizable through Synapse, the wheel has a bevy of things that can be assigned to it, from spamming a spell in an MMO, to changing brush size in Photoshop, making it incredibly versatile and useful.
If you are a creator, this is one more tool you can use to work on a video clip or edit your latest art piece. The fact it is so adjustable makes it incredibly useful and something I managed to make use of many times a day since I started testing the Razer Blackwidow V4 Pro keyboard.
There are also three side buttons that, again, can be customized and adjusted to meet your needs. As I use my computer for both work and gaming, I used these as a handy way to swap between profiles, jumping from a creator profile while working, into one that is tailor-made for gaming, with all the adjustments that entail.
You can use these however you may choose and even simply disable them if they get in the way, but thankfully, the added buttons make the level of adjustments simply staggering, and something I still have not fully got a handle on even after testing the V4 Pro for countless hours daily since it first arrived in the CGMagazine offices.
The right side of the keyboard features media keys and an industrial-style scroll wheel. This aluminum multi-function scroll is mapped to volume by default, with the four keys sitting under it working as media controls out of the box. Thankfully, if you are someone who likes to tweak every aspect of your gaming setup, the media keys are programmable, giving you another way to add macro keys to your rig if you are so inclined.
Razer Blackwidow V4 Pro Review: Performance
The Razer Blackwidow V4 Pro has a staggering level of customization and buttons, delivering an incredibly robust range of options, and that is even before you dive into the Razer Synapse software to tinker with things and get the keyboard working just as you like it. But all these features would be wasted if the Blackwidow V4 Pro keyboard were not good to type with, game on, or simply use to interact with your PC.
“Using the Razer Blackwidow V4 Pro keyboard for creative work at CGMagazine was a joy.”
The Blackwidow V4 Pro inherits the great typing and gaming experience from all the Blackwidow range before it. The Green Clicky keys I used on my review unit felt fantastic, giving the right level of feedback while typing but never feeling overly cumbersome. The pre-lubed stabilizers provide a great overall experience and are a great middle-ground for people wanting a responsive keyboard but are not quite ready for the fully customized gaming keyboard many enthusiasts strive for.
The Razer Blackwidow V4 Pro features an impressive 8000 Hz polling rate, and as all modern Razer keyboards do, it includes N-key rollover, which means that every keystroke will be registered, even if you press multiple keys at once. The included wrist guard provides the right level of comfort for those long multi-hour gaming sessions.
Using the Razer Blackwidow V4 Pro keyboard for creative work at CGMagazine was a joy. The many programmable buttons and dials made it great for my own unique way of working, especially as we pushed out a series of layouts for our print issue and dived into the plethora of video work that needed to be completed. Gaming was as good as I would expect, giving the right level of responsiveness and feedback to make it fantastic for a game of Diablo III or just enjoying a casual match in Fortnite.
Razer Blackwidow V4 Pro Review: Is It Worth The Investment?
As a longtime lover of the Blackwidow range of keyboards, the Razer Blackwidow V4 Pro keyboard delivered in the ways I needed to make me a believer. Annoyances with the left-side macro-keys aside, this keyboard had everything I demanded to make it my new daily driver. The keys feel great, the dials and extra buttons make it ideal for gamers or creators, and the design makes it stand out in a way that looks great on any desk.
With its $229.99 USD price tag, it is on the upper end of enthusiast keyboards, but Razer has put a lot into the V4 to make it a worthy investment. While there are a few options from competitors that deliver some of the features I enjoyed with the Blackwidow V4 Pro, none I have tested offered up such a complete package, delivering the ultimate gaming mechanical keyboard built to take on any task you can throw its way.
