Razer – a now-iconic PC peripherals manufacturer known for its brand recognition, adoption rates, and its “Snek” mascot – is synonymous with releasing variants of its flagship devices, but only when warranted. In this vein, the latest product to follow this mantra is none other than its iconic BlackWidow V4, by way of the much more compact Razer BlackWidow V4 75%.

The Razer BlackWidow V4 75% continues the manufacturer’s popular flagship lineup by not only introducing a compact variant, but also by keeping the evolutionary ideology the company deposits onto its variants. In so doing it keeps the true meaning of “revolutionary PC Peripheral” alive. More importantly, however, is how the Razer BlackWidow V4 75% looks, feels, and even specs like it came from a third-party custom shop thanks to a number of firsts for Razer [including, but notwithstanding, hot-swappable PCBs, switch swapping, and more]. 

The Razer BlackWidow Pro enjoys the prestige of being the manufacturer’s first ever V4 product due to its unique flagship status amongst other Razer peripherals. The V4 Pro offers unique category-first options, so it only stands to reason how the Razer BlackWidow V4 75% follows suit with features unique to it. As such, and for the first time ever, Razer is offering a mainboard with zero soldering, meaning prospective owners are able to switch out the default tactile switches with an entirely different set. Gone are the days of needing to mutilate PCB boards just to get your favourite switch style on there! Razer even went the extra mile and added a 2-in-1 keycap and switch puller in the box. 

Moreover, Razer has also included a gasket-mounted faceplate in the build, ensuring typing away will never feel dull or “hollow”. It also adds an additional layer of quality and weight, adding to the illusion that the Razer BlackWidow V4 74% is as much a premium quality first-party keyboard; as it is a custom peripheral made for enthusiast gamers. 

In addition to the obvious new inclusions, Razer has also included factory-lubricated stabilisers mounted onto the plate; two layers of sound dampening foam, and a pre-installed tape mod [which is basically just a layer of tape (usually boxing or painting tape) covering the bottom plate], all in order to keep typing and cap clicks as quiet as possible. Neither the lube, nor the dampening ever wavered during the review period.

It must be said how the sonic changes truly does wonders to elevate the experience, and Razer could not have chosen a more pertinent keyboard for the “upgrades”; considering the debut of the Razer Orange Tactile Gen-3 switch. Removing the double-shot ABS (and not PBT) keycaps reveal how the new switches have been designed with transparent housings, maximising the Razer Chroma RGB goodness, while its Cherry-MX reminiscent cross-style stem reduces keycap vibration and wobble. Perhaps the only nitpick with the keys on the Razer BlackWidow V4 75% is how they have not been designed as “floating keys”, which minimises the RGB slightly. However, this is most likely due to the company’s focus on making the keyboard appeal to gamers who prefer the freedom that customisation affords. 

With all of that said, it is absolutely necessary to mention how, while the keyboard looks and feels like it is a custom job and while it does encourage customisation, Razer‘s warranty stipulates it will becomes void if the screws have been turned. While odd, this is both understandable on a business level. When ordering a custom keyboard most customisations will always come with a disclaimer explaining how first-party warranty will become void anyway, so it even stays on-brand for the focus. 

While the Razer BlackWidow V4 75% has the aforementioned focus on customisation, mainstream gaming remains the company’s largest target audience. As such, and like the V4 Pro variant, owners can adjust the polling rate to a whopping 8,000Hz if need be. Similarly, owners can also toggle a “Gaming Mode” on and off thanks to a dedicated button combination (basically turns off the Window key by default). The keyboard also includes a dedicated mute button, and a very hefty volume rocker for gamers who like to jam while sitting in server queues. On top of all of its built-in features, Razer have also been nice enough to include a very premium-feeling wrist rest attached to the bottom of the keyboard via magnets. 

With all of the new and fanciful features out of the way, it goes without saying how one simple, yet extremely important, facet of the keyboard remains undiscussed: its compact nature. Given it has a footprint of just 75% [hence its name] when compared to the average full-size keyboard, prospective owners can expect a fair fewer number of keys than even the likes of a tenkeyless (TKL) keyboard. However, the Razer BlackWidow V4 75% is still a big boy with a height of 4 cm, breadth of 15 cm, and length of 32 cm, making it slightly larger than the average TKL! 

Like all Razer products, users will have to utilise the manufacturer’s in-house software suite in order to take full advantage of some of the keyboard’s features. Razer Synapse 3 is by all accounts lightweight, modular, and easily navigable. Users can make use of the software to program new macros or change the functionalities of most other keys. 

Sadly, the Razer BlackWidow V4 75% only works through a wired connection. While a slight bummer, Razer have included a few additional features and technologies to take advantage of the wired connection. For one, this means lag will never be an issue as long as the keyboard is connected and the PC has no underlying issues, and with a monstrous polling rate of 8 000 Hz, users will be hard pressed to blame any action on input lag. With that said, the polling rate can be dialled down [to a much more reasonable] 1 000 Hz through Synapse 3.

The Razer BlackWidow V4 75% embodies Razer’s dedication to innovation in gaming peripherals. Its compact design and groundbreaking features, such as hot-swappable PCBs and switch swapping, redefine the gaming keyboard experience. With premium additions like gasket-mounted faceplates and factory-lubricated stabilisers, it delivers superior typing quality. While prioritising customization, it doesn’t overlook mainstream gaming needs, offering adjustable polling rates and a dedicated gaming mode. Despite warranty limitations on extensive modifications, it remains a top choice for gamers seeking both performance and style.

Verdict:

EXCEPTIONAL

PROSCONS
Quiet and discrete!Wired only
Soft and luxurious wrist restLarger than the average TKL keyboard
Crazy customisation options

Device temporarily provided for review by Razer.

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Junior Editor at Vamers. From Superman to Ironman; Bill Rizer to Sam Fisher and everything in-between, Edward loves it all. He is a Bachelor of Arts student and English Major specialising in Language and Literature. He is an avid writer and casual social networker with a flare for all things tech related.