The Razer Huntsman Pro has long been a staple in the realm of eSports. From its impressively responsive switches to overall design, the Huntsman Pro series is designed to respond to the most demanding situations. The latest iteration, the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro 8K TKL keyboard, takes all the elements of this series and asks the simple question, “What if we made it faster?”.
In line with the design of the original Huntsman V3 Pro, the Pro 8K looks and feels great. It features the same textured aluminum top plate, multifunction dial, two multifunction controls (three on the full-size Huntsman V3 Pro) and a unique actuation display located above the arrow keys. The Razer Huntsman V3 Pro 8K TKL offers a sleek, thin profile, along with a fairly firm wrist rest designed to withstand hours of punishment without wearing down. The aforementioned dials by default manage media, Xbox Game Bar and Windows Task View (on the full-size model) but can easily be configured through Razer Synapse.
Back as well are the textured double-shot PBT keycaps, a staple for the line, with full support for per-key RGB through Razer Chroma. Razer’s Analog Optical Switches Gen-2 are also on full display with additional lubrication applied to each switch to ensure a smooth keystroke experience every time. Additionally, the team has added a new, thicker EPDM and EVA foam layer to the internal structure of the board to further reduce both physical and acoustic vibrations caused by rapid keystrokes.
All of the features you would expect to find in the Huntsman line are also present, from Snap Tap to Rapid Trigger mode. As with the excellent Blackwidow line, Razer’s whole lineup for unique features performs exceptionally well and is easy to manage from Synapse. One area the Huntsman V3 Pro 8K shines is in the inclusion of quick onboard adjustments, allowing for hotswapping of Rapid Trigger settings and even Snap Tap toggling. With preset combo keys, gamers can easily make adjustments without ever leaving their game. While it took a bit to remember the combos needed to make adjustments, it worked incredibly well.
“The Razer Huntsman V3 Pro 8K TKL offers a sleek, thin profile, along with a fairly firm wrist rest designed to withstand hours of punishment without wearing down.”
While much of the design is in line with what we have come to expect from Razer’s premium pedigree, the Huntsman V3 Pro 8K TKL really shines in its performance. Thanks to the Analog Optical Switches Gen-2, the Huntsman V3 Pro 8K gives the user ultimate control over keystroke actuation down to the millimetre.
With a range of 0.1mm to 4.0mm, the Pro 8K allows per-key actuation customization across multiple profiles. In testing, I found that for productivity and writing, having a profile set with a standard 2.0mm actuation was ideal for my heavy-handed typing style. Gaming, on the other hand, could easily be saved with a much more sensitive actuation point for quick key pressing in succession.
Swapping profiles is a simple process thanks to the aforementioned quick-onboard adjustments feature, and allows for a much more customized user experience per application. The switches feel great to both type and play on, and I am loving the textured keycaps and am seriously considering buying a second set in white. The overall typing experience is exceptional on the Huntsman V3 Pro 8K TKL.
Thanks to the combo of both analog and optical within each switch, there is also a notable improvement in deadzone reduction. In essence, this translates to a more accurate keystroke experience with increased overall precision per stroke and thus a more responsive overall user experience. Honestly, on an everyday user case, it might be hard to note the differences, but when doing A/B testing, the Huntsman V3 Pro 8K does feel more responsive.
The other noteworthy change that comes with this latest iteration of the Huntsman is the inclusion of 8,000 Hz HyperPolling. A first for the Huntsman series, this improved Hyperpolling, in tandem with the Analog Optical Switches Gen-2, creates a ridiculously quick keystroke response time measuring 0.58ms. For context, the original Huntsman V3 Pro measures 1.7ms response. It is one of the fastest response times I’ve experienced in this latest generation of keyboards.
From the ground up, the Huntsman Line is built for pro-level gamers. Much like Formula 1 Racing, the engineers at Razer are working constantly to squeeze every ounce of performance out of the keyboard that is possible. And much like Formula 1, I would argue that only the most pro-level players can fully appreciate the refinement that comes with the Pro 8K version of the Huntsman V3.
That being said, the Huntsman V3 Pro 8K TKL is an amazing board. If you are someone who wants full control over every keystroke, this is the board to buy. It offers a premium user experience with some of the best customization available and is backed by Razer’s premium pedigree. Priced at $219.99, the Huntsman V3 Pro 8K TKL is a pro-level keyboard ready to answer the call.
