Most mechanical keyboard switches have two states, on or off. The switches in the new $ 250 Razer Huntsman V2 analog keyboard sense degrees of movement, allowing users to set their own drive depth, apply pressure degrees, such as with an analog joystick, or even have a key that to perform several functions, depending on how much is pressed.
One of the most popular Razer keyboards is now a little better and very different from traditional models. Using the same analog switching technology similar to that found in the Wooting One keyboard I revised in 2018, Huntsman V2 Analog allows unprecedented control in most table mechanics. Traditional keyboard switches are triggered when pressed to a certain depth. The Razer analog optical switch measures a beam of light as it passes through a lens at the base of the switch rod. As the switch decreases, the lens opens wider, allowing more light to pass through. By measuring the amount of light, the keyboard knows how long the key is pressed and can use this data to do interesting things.
An example that occurs every time the analog switches on the keyboard are mentioned is the gas pedal of a car in a racing game. A standard keyboard switch does not provide any degree of fine control. Either you press the gas or you don’t. An analog switch can be pressed lightly to give the car less fuel or it can be pressed all the way to the floor. Your WASD keys can not only determine which direction you are running, but how fast you are running. (One catch: Huntsman analog keyboard support works by simulating gamepad button presses. If a game doesn’t support simultaneous gamepad and mouse / keyboard input, as some don’t, you won’t be able to use the mouse’s analog keyboard functions. )
The Razer Huntsman V2 Analog also allows you to set your own articulation depth. This is how far you have to press the key to register as a press. If you have a light touch, you can set the depth less, requiring less pressure to type. If you’re as hard as I am, a deeper depth can keep you from accidentally pulling the wrong keys while your sausage fingers are trying to dance on the keyboard. Controlled via Razer’s Synapse software, each key on the keyboard can be set individually, resulting in a keyboard whose sensitivity you can fully configure to suit your specific typing and playback needs.
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Even cooler, you can set an activation key at two different depths. This function can be used to streamline actions in the game. You can set a single key to, say, equip a grenade with a light touch or throw it with a harder press. For shooters with a sweet recharge point, you can press lightly to start recharging, then harder to reach the right place on the counter. Or set a button that can target a specific player and then cast a healing spell. Sure, all of this can be done with macros, but adding analog functionality adds an extra layer of control.
It’s nice to see that such an important player in the gaming peripherals market embraces this otherwise niche technology. If there’s one thing that could cause keyboard and mouse gamers to drop their gamepads and come home, it’s analog keyboard switches.
Help these switches come on one of the best Razer keyboards. The new Huntsman is equipped with all the bells and whistles of older models, such as Chroma lighting, fully programmable keys, on-board configuration profiles for on-the-go players, thick woven fiber cable and a very useful USB 3.0 passthrough. The switches are covered with wonderful double-text PBT plastic keys. The top plate is made of aluminum, giving the keyboard a pleasant weight. The included magnetic wrist support is not only comfortable, but also extends the thin illumination of the keyboard when attached.
And it wouldn’t be a modern gaming keyboard without the damn multifunctional dial on the top right. I don’t hate dials and I’m not a fan. I don’t know why a keyboard needs a dial. I use it as a volume control from time to time, when I haven’t forgotten it’s there. I was convinced that it exists only because the dials look a bit cool and retro-technical.
If you don’t care about analog control, there’s no reason to buy this special Huntsman model. At $ 250, it’s definitely the most expensive part of the Razer keyboard. If you are interested in a keyboard with definite degrees of switch depression, the Razer Huntsman V2 Analog is the perfect piece of technology to press.
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