Maximum PC - USA (2021-Holiday)

EVEN THESWITCHES on your keyboard
can be a contentious issue. Some people
prefer the old-school mechanical clicks
that give you a real sense of feedback
when typing, while others enjoy the
softer, quieter, and more delicate type of
keyboard that's often found on a laptop.
Razer’s Huntsman V2 analog appears to
hit a sweet spot between the two.
The Huntsman lineup has always been
a popular choice for PC enthusiasts,
especially when it comes to gaming.
The V 2 Analog comes with a few bells
and whistles, but are these important
additions or simply unnecessary extras?
Those familiar with the full-size
Huntsman style will notice that the V 2
hasn’t changed much in terms of layout
from the Huntsman Elite model. In the
top right are the media controls; three
cylindrical buttons for the skip and play/
pause controls. Next to that is the volume
dial with a mute button in the middle. The
wheel protrudes slightly out of the side
so you can easily adjust the volume. It's
slightly heavier than the Elite and feels
significantly more sturdy. It also has a
better grip, helping prevent the keyboard
from slipping around on your desk.
The build quality on the V2 is superb.
Though it features a mainly plastic
construction, nothing feels cheap. Razer
has increased the angle of the keyboard
and while the original keyboards were
flatter, the V 2 offers stands if you want
to increase this further. It makes for a
comfortable angle for typing, even for
all-day usage.
Razer has also thrown a wrist rest
into the mix, which is similar to the one
on the Elite. It loses the plastic surround,
making it even more comfortable, and

8

VERDICT Razer HuntsmanV 2 Analog

ANALOG IS THE KEY Solid build

quality; super speedy analog

switches; sweet acoustics; comfortable

design and wrist rest.

BACKSPACE Pricey board; permanent

cables; not the brightest keys.

$249.99, http://www.razer.com

SPECIFICATIONS

Switch Type Razer Analog Optical

Switches

Switch Durability 100 million presses

Design Style Full size

Connection USB-C, USB-A (lighting)

Wrist-rest Magnetic plush

leatherette wrist rest

Weight 2.64lbs

the plush and padded leatherette rest

provide great comfort. Of course, the rest

features RGB too, because, well... it's

Razer, and it attaches to the keyboard by

magnets. The Huntsman V2 comes with

a main USB-C connection and a USB-A

connection for powering the lights on the

wrist rest. If you don’t have a USB-C port,

a type-A adapter is included in the box.

Unfortunately, the braided cables aren't

removable, but they seem pretty durable.

It also offers a USB passthrough on the

right of the keyboard.

LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

The keys on this board are pretty sweet.

They feature Razer’s Doubleshot PBT

caps and seem fairly durable. Razer’s

font is a decent typeface and one that

is clean and sharp, however, it has one

drawback. Due to its thin design, it lacks

vibrancy when backlit as it doesn’t exactly

let the most amount of light through.

With Razer’s Chroma lighting being a big

selling point of this keyboard, it seems a

shame that the keys aren’t the brightest.

The keys are pretty good on the whole

but how about what's beneath? One of

the standout features is the linear analog

optical switches on this board. Great for

gaming, these switches give you far more

control. It has pressure-sensitive scaling

inputs depending on how far the key is

pushed, making them perfect for racing

games. If you want to customize this

further, Razer's Synapse software allows

you to set actuation points between

1.5mm and 3 .6mm.

Compared with the V 1 Huntsman, the

typing sound these switches produce is

less of a high-pitched click and more of a

satisfying deeper sound.

There is one thing that we have yet

to mention and that is the price. This

keyboard comes in at $250—that’s

expensive for any setup. However, for

that hefty price, you get a keyboard with

decent build quality and feel. It has a nice

weight and stability to it, the wrist rest

is better than before, and the keyboard

provides great comfort on the whole.

We love the analog switches and the

sound you get from typing away on this

board, it provides nice deep feedback

which won’t get annoying over time as

some louder switches can do. Razer has

created a flagship keyboard, with more

precision and speed over gimmicks, but

for most people, that price tag will be a

little overwhelming. – SAM LEWIS

HOL 2021 MAXIMUMPC 87

Pure precision or gimmicky overkill?

Razer Huntsman V 2 Analog