Gaming Keyboard

★★★★☆ I like the keyboard it works well and it's bice and quiet, for 20$ I highly recommend it. I bought it to replace my steel series apex 3 keyboard after I lost both the feet for it (I can't stand a keyboard that isn't at an angle).Although this keyboard is nice I decided to return it and just use binder clips as feet, I should've just looked online to see if I could replace the feet rather then order a new keyboard bur it is what it is.Most of these reasons arent that big for most people I just got used to my other board and I don't really have anything negative to say about it. Some of the actual main reasons I'm returning this board is because I like how my steel series one has a scroll bar just for the volume. I'm pretty sure the keys are spaced a bit further apart on the steel series which I prefer, despite me having small hands I like slightly spaced up keys it's more comfortable for gaming. The keys could very well be spaced the sane and I just think they aren't I'm not 100% sure. This is very nitpicky but I really like when I can adjust the rgb to whatever color I want instead of a set color, if this board even just let me dim the lighting by a bit I'd be fine with that.For 20$ this is a nice board and that's a reasonable price for it. Works well.

★★★★★ Easy 5-star for this product, I did not expect much (beyond just having some basic function buttons for media players, browsing, etc) and was pleasantly surprised by this keyboard. The build quality is great, well above what you'd expect at this price point. I'm a taller guy so I didn't find the wrist guard to be very helpful (it doesn't extend very far beyond the keys) but the keyboard is comfortable enough without it. Keys feel strong, not loud, with enough bounciness to make me recognize it will likely handle plenty of wear and tear.The lights were suppose to be just a fun little perk on top, but they're actually quite beautiful, not too bright (I can have it on in my room with almost no lights on it and doesn't blind me) and they help illuminate the keys if you ever get lost on the home row (which has happened fairly often since this keyboard elevates the keys differently than my old one). I would highly recommend this as a very capable "basic" keyboard that feels/looks more expensive than it is.

★★★★★ My hubby is a big gamer, his other keyboard was old and he needed something new. I purchased this one for him and so far this keyboard seems to be working well for him. The keys light up nicely and it's great for his gaming from what he tells me. So I'd say this is a good gift idea for the computer gamer in your life.

★★★★☆ Razer, I feel very weird saying this - you should be extraordinarily proud of the products you've put out in the past few months. Between the Viper, Viper Ultimate, the Tartarus Pro (assuming we fix the stuck input bug), and now the capstone being your Huntsman TE, you've created an exceptional, premium and worthwhile suite of products that even the enthusiast community will appreciate. I got the Huntsman TE out of sheer curiosity to be completely honest. I had full intent of returning the keyboard once I had messed around with it but I am retiring my custom builds for this keyboard because Razer ticks so many important boxes with this keyboard that I feel like you've become an entirely different beast.We'll start off the review by saying the inclusion of PBT key caps makes the biggest difference out of any changes and choices you've made. The PBT key caps feel so good, it’s insane. The texture, and muted lighting make this feel like RGB for adults. I love it. I had one issues with a cap showing some plastic flashing from the mold, which made the D key feel gritty and unstable. This is being fixed by a simple replacement, but I'm sure if I really wanted to I could just grab my file or an Exacto-knife and remove the flashing with no issue.The best place to go with this review is the switches themselves. My first experience with the opto-electric switch design was with your Tartarus Pro, and while my experience with the Tartarus has not been flawless, the switches themselves are very, very good. The era of Cherry MX and MX-style switches is over, or well should be over, by now. The hall effect and opto-electric switches are far superior and hold the promise of being able to offer features and reliability that cherry switches simply never could due to their design. The extremely fast actuation speed of 1mm is insane, ALMOST too sensitive, but you quickly adjust to their responsiveness, and the fact that no de-bouncing circuitry is required means that you will never run into the issue of key chatter. That means you are left with an incredibly reliable switch design that will far outlast ANY peripheral that uses a mechanical switch many lifetimes over. The switches also have been designed with a somewhat overkill, but greatly appreciated (no seriously I freaking love this feature), stabilizer system. Every. Single. Switch. is stabilized. It is AMAZING. There is very, very little key cap movement - creating a very solid monolithic feel as if every key was directly attached to the chassis. Each stabilizer has also been individually lubed from the factory using a very, very, good lubricant. The best part is that because the switches have an MX stem you are able to use custom key caps and the larger key stabilizers are removable from the OLD key caps so you can use custom key caps and transplant the special stabs over to your new key caps.Did I mention custom key caps? We have a STANDARD BOTTOM ROW! All custom key cap sets will work. If you ever wanted or needed to replace your caps with something else, you have the entire enthusiast community of key caps to pick from. More and more manufacturers are thankfully starting to do this, and hopefully now that Razer has followed suit, hopefully even more will now as well (COUGH LOGITECH COUGH).The form factor is extraordinarily attractive. Sleek lines, low profile, and attention to detail on every part of the chassis. No gaudy design here, and the only manufacturer logo here is an incredibly subtle Razer logo in a slightly polished aluminium relief right above the nav cluster. It reminds me, very much, like a Massdrop CTRL board with less light everywhere. The black matte design of the chassis keeps the lighting muted, which is personal taste, but I personally very much prefer it. The legends have mostly uniform lighting, but the Function row and some of the larger keys have a little dark spot near the center for most of them. Maybe this can be improved on later designs, but overall it is a huge step in the PBT+POM design for backlit capable PBT keycaps.The only real downsides, and there are two of them, are that the chassis itself is plastic. Yes, there is an aluminium plate on the top, but the vast majority of the chassis is plastic - sturdy well-made plastic, but still plastic. I think a more premium model could be sold with a full aluminium or steel chassis for a higher price that would appeal to many enthusiasts who normally would never look twice at a Razer board, myself included. This really is a matter of preference as the plastic body design does mean that the keyboard is lighter and makes this a really viable travel keyboard option. The only other downside is Synapse, but I am going to preface this by saying that Synapse 3 is MUCH, much improved. It is significantly ahead of both iCUE and G Hub offerings from Corsair and Logitech respectively. But it’s still bloat that really isn't needed - and it’s not needed in fact. As far as I can tell, there is nothing that Synapse is required for, so you can safely set up your customizations and then uninstall.Speaking of software customization though, in a pleasant change, every single key is programmable and nothing is locked in. You can, for example, even change function keys to do other things - which also means opening up Hypershift as an option for a variety of macros and functions that you can program directly onto the keyboard itself.In conclusion, this is my new daily driver. Previously, I said I am retiring MY custom builds with Tealios switches that are lubed and dampened. I am surprised at the steps Razer have taken in making a keyboard that even an enthusiast will look twice at. PBT key caps, individually stabilized switches, opto-electric switch design that is far superior to other options out there and equally reliable as something like Hall Effect switches. These switches have the potential for far more interesting features later down the line like full analog key presses and multiple functions per keystroke depending on how far they are pressed. I hope this is a new normal for Razer, and if so - I will put down the soldering iron for a while and continue to support the Razer eco-system. I love the direction you're going Razer, and can proudly say I'm happy to support Razer as a brand again after not having owned a Razer keyboard for over ten years.You guys got this in the bag, and Logitech and Corsair should be shaking in their boots. You've bit back, and bit back hard.

★★★★★ The best performing gaming keyboard with a feature that MIGHT make you reconsider reds for typing : 1. if you generally don't perform great typing wise on red switches like me, the low actuation distance and short key travel before bottoming out actually helps with typos and errors. Personally, the imperceptible actuation of reds contributes to typos and the annoyingly long travel distance hampers one from bottoming out the key to ensure it registered, providing the much needed peace of mind to move onto the next. Because of the short distance to bottom out these keys I can now join the other linear lovers in both gaming and typing. It, perhaps unintentionally, allows me to enjoy the smoothness of reds with comfortable tactile feedback from bottom out. Which is only more enjoyable because of the fact the keycaps are made with PBT plastic. A more premium feel for some but what benefit cant be disputed is that it doesn't show oily smudges from your fingers. I gave lighting 4/5 because of brightness but it's a tradeoff you make with better plastic for keycaps -- it is harder to shine through. That being said the colors look great but the software sucks and that's coming from someone who used Logitech's GHub the last 3 years.

★★★★★ I purchased this for my son for gaming. He loves it. One of the rating categories is ergonomic. It is not designed to be ergonomic, so not quite sure why that is there. As it is a Razor product, which is now owned by Microsoft, i would recommend registering the product right away, and keep a copy of your receipt as it will be required for any support. Besides that, the software makes it pretty easy to configure the RGB lighting as well as the macros. I would recommend this for anyone looking for a quality made reasonably priced gaming keyboard.

★★★★☆ This is my review of the SteelSeries Apex 3 corded keyboard, with number keypad. I do not game, and I have a Windows 10 desktop computer.I've been computing since 1985, and this is easily among the best keyboards I've used, both professionally and at home. I almost wish my Perixx keyboard had broken sooner.PROS:1. Nice weight, with very nice rubber footing. The keyboard's tilt stands are exceptional quality, and include the rubber footing. There are three options for cord routing under the keyboard.2. The volume control knob is well made, easy to use, and provides a tactile feedback. Each click of the wheel bumps the volume by two steps. It takes me four quick turns of the wheel to go from zero to full volume. Clicking the knob mutes and un-mutes the volume. I find it intuitive and easy to use.3. A single click of the media button will play/pause, and it works fine with iHeart, YouTube and other online media. A double-click forwards to the next track, and a triple-click goes back one track.4. Typing is supreme. The keys have a slightly firm feel, with just the right amount of tension that reminds me of the high quality keyboards of yesteryear. I find myself typing faster and with less errors.5. The keys are not completely silent, but there are no audible clicks and it won't wake the household at night. I only hear gentle keystrokes as I type.6. The overall construction is excellent. There's no unusual flexing, rattling, etc. The keys are well set, with not even the slightest rattle if you shake the keyboard. The key caps have no perceptible side-to-side play in normal use.7. This is a membrane keyboard, with a spill-proof design. But if I didn't know better, I would swear in court that it's a mechanical keyboard.8. The keyboard remembers settings, even after unplugging it and then plugging it back in. Note that I am using the Engine software with custom settings applied.CONS:1. The indicator lights (num lock/caps lock, etc.) are very poorly placed just above the number keypad. I have to sit forward over the keyboard to see the lights, or I have to tilt the keyboard back. Hopefully a future revision will fix this irritation.2. The zone lighting (ten in all) works well, but it is not as good as individual key cap lighting. The key characters are not as bright as I prefer, and the light spill is slightly distracting. In reality, it works and it's easy to get used to it. At this price point, it's easy to forgive.3. The preset keyboard profiles do not have any single-color patterns. You have to download and install the software to achieve that. BEWARE that in the Engine software, you must FIRST select the zones that you want to adjust, or nothing will happen.4. The keyboard lighting goes off when the computer is shut down (this is good), but not when the computer sleeps. I don't use hibernate or any other sort of deep sleep, so I don't know how that will work.5. There is no USB extension port.All of the dual function key characters are oddly reversed. For example, the special characters on the number row are on the bottom half, and the numbers are on the top half. The numbers are the default, and the special characters require using the shift key as normal. I don't understand the thinking that went into this.I don't use the palm rest, but it appears to be as high quality as the rest of the keyboard.In all, the cons are minor. The keyboard looks and feels so good that it's easy to overlook my dislikes. It oozes quality, despite the low price. If I could, I'd rate it 4.5 stars.

★★★★☆ Keyboard feels very solid, it probably weights 3x as much as a cheap keyboard, hoping it will last for a long time. The buttons feel like a mechanical keyboard so you have to press them a little hard, which some people may like and others may dislike. The lighting was a bit of a let down for me though. For one thing the little lights that indicate if caps lock is on etc. are difficult to see, I have to lean forward to see over the 18 key section to see if they are on or not, not a very thoughtful placement. A better placement would be on the keys themselves. It's great that you can use the desktop software to customize the colored lighting, but I found that when I disconnected from my desktop and plugged the keyboard into my work laptop it would not continue as I set it, it would just stay static on 1 or 2 random colors and I can't install the software on my work machine. The color button doesn't do anything by itself, not very useful. It would be much better if the lighting profiles were saved to the keyboard itself then if you could tap the button to change through your color profiles that would be great. Lastly I thought it would be cool if I could assign a different color to sections like the 18 key section, F keys, directional arrows and so forth, but the software doesn't allow for creating sections or assigning colors to individual keys, it can only go in about 7 preconfigured sections.

★★★★☆ This keyboard has almost everything I wanted in a keyboard. But the reason I bought this overall was because it would be quiet and allow me to type while I was in a voice call. So for the amount of noise it makes, I don't think it can be beat. Gold star for quietness.The backlit portion is my gripe. The number keys are a pain to read because the numbers and symbols are the same size and not well lit. I thought I could make the backlit color white in hopes of making it glaringly bright, but no. Setting the color selector to white still leaves the keyboard a lavender color rather than true white. Despite my complaint, I am happy with my purchase.