WHAT DO CONTROLLERS have over the
reliable old keyboard-and-mouse
combo? How can they hope to match
the unerring precision of the mouse?
How can they keep up with less than 20
buttons to press? Pfft. There’s absolutely
no reason to use a controller, no sir. No
reason whatsoever. Except...
Yeah, alright, analog sticks are great.
Variable input force has long been an
advantage of rocking a gamepad in all
sorts of games, from racing titles to
shooters and fighting games. The ability
to move your avatar or turn your vehicle
slowly, delicately, with a single sustained
input rather than constant anxious key-
tapping, can be an oft-underrated boon.
Fortunately, keyboards are catching up.
The Huntsman Mini Analog isn’t
Razer’s first foray into using analog-
input key switches, nor its first attempt
at a 60 percent keyboard. The original
Huntsman Mini was a fine example of
a compact gaming keyboard, while the
Huntsman V2 Analog offered Razer’s
flashy switches in a full-scale layout.
What we have here is a mashup of those
two keyboards, the best of both worlds.
It should go without saying that you
need to be comfortable with the 60
percent layout to get the most out of
this keyboard. There’s no numpad, no
dedicated function, or media keys, and
everything is squeezed together for
the smallest possible overall size. It’s
impressively lightweight but sturdy, ideal
for tossing in a backpack for LAN parties
or maintaining a minimalist gaming
space. The detachable USB-C to USB-A
cable is braided for improved durability.
The keycaps are doubleshot PBT with
a nice textured feel to them and will never
lose their labeling through heavy use.Small but mighty keyboard
8
VERDICT Razer Huntsman Mini AnalogHUNTER Excellent build
quality; precise optical analog
switches; lots of customization options.
HUNTED Expensive for a compact
keyboard; no wrist rest; dual-step
actuation is a bit fiddly in practice.
$150, razer.comSPECIFICATIONSSwitch Type Razer Analog OpticalSwitch Durability 100 million presses
Media Keys Integrated alt-keysConnection USB-C to USB-A
Battery Life N/AWrist-rest N/ADimensions 11.6 x 4.1 x 1.5 inchesMore than half the keys have secondary
functions printed on their front-facing
sides, to make executing additional
commands more intuitive. Beneath those
keycaps lurk Razer’s proprietary Analog
Optical switches, which promise more
precise movement control, superior
lifespan, and adjustable actuation levels.
So, how well do they work in practice?
The variable analog input is fantastic;
moving and steering in games feels
amazing, with a gentle push providing
slight movements while a firm press
sees you fully commit to a direction. The
adjustable actuation is great too; setting
the actuation point high gives you ultra-
twitchy responsiveness while dialing
it down makes for a more comfortable
typing experience.
One lauded feature of the Razer
Analog Optical switches is the option
for ‘dual-step actuation’, which allows
you to map two different commands to
one button. The first command triggers
upon initial actuation, with the second
activating when you further depress the
key. Razer suggests this could have a
plethora of uses for two-action combos
in games, and it does to a certain extent.
We tried using it for equipping and
then throwing a frag grenade in Apex
Legends, which worked reasonably well
in a pinch, but actually trying to use those
two commands separately is tricky. It
strikes us as a niche feature that many
players aren’t likely to use.
Another point of contention here is the
price. At $150, the Huntsman Mini Analog
is expensive for a compact keyboard,
especially considering that it doesn’t
come with any add-ons (a wrist rest would
have been nice). The standard Huntsman
Mini is $30 cheaper, for comparison,while HyperX’s excellent Alloy Origins 60
costs $111. If the analog switch features
are something you would use regularly,
the extra price is justifiable.
No Razer product review would be
complete without our usual commentary
on the bundled customization software,
Razer Synapse (and Razer Chroma, and
Razer Cortex, and... you get the idea). It’s
still a rather arcane program to use if you
aren't familiar with it, and it’s a necessity
to get the most out of this keyboard. Still,
the Mini’s per-key RGB is pretty, and the
software provides an extensive level of
control over your lighting, hotkeys, and
switch actuation. Overall, this is a top-
notch compact keyboard for the serious
gamer. –CHRISTIAN GUYTONin the lab
88 MAXIMU MPC JUN 2022
Razer Huntsman Mini Analog