The Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro is a mechanical gaming keyboard that continues Razer's BlackWidow lineup and is available with either linear or clicky switches. New features introduced with this entry include sound-dampening foam layers, pre-lubed stabilizers, dedicated macro keys on the left side of the keyboard, and a maximum polling rate of 8000Hz. This keyboard also has a rotary knob and a multi-function roller, both of which you can use to adjust volume, scroll through media, or adjust backlighting brightness and other keyboard settings. You can change the behavior of these controls and a wide range of other settings using the customization software.
Our Verdict
The Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro is an excellent gaming keyboard. It has exceptionally low latency, and the clicky Green switches have very low pre-travel and feel relatively light to press, making them very responsive. Unfortunately, these switches are somewhat inconsistent in how they sound and feel, but there's also a linear Yellow switch type available that we don't expect to exhibit this inconsistency. That said, the build quality is good overall. There are also many extra features, including a USB passthrough and eight dedicated macro keys that you can customize directly on the keyboard or within the customization software.
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Exceptionally low latency.
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Has two adjustable incline settings and an included wrist rest.
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8000Hz maximum polling rate.
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All keys are macro programmable, and there are additional dedicated macro keys on the left side.
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Full RGB backlighting.
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Clicky Green switches are satisfying overall but individual switches sound and feel inconsistent.
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While better than average, the ABS keycaps aren't as high quality as PBT keycaps.
The Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro is a good keyboard for office work, though it isn't designed specifically for this use. It feels well-built and has two incline settings and an included wrist rest for added comfort. The clicky Green switches are satisfying to type on, but they sound and feel somewhat inconsistent and are too loud for most open offices. That said, this keyboard is also available with linear Yellow switches instead, which are much quieter.
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Has two adjustable incline settings and an included wrist rest.
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All keys are macro programmable, and there are additional dedicated macro keys on the left side.
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Clicky Green switches are satisfying overall but individual switches sound and feel inconsistent.
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While better than average, the ABS keycaps aren't as high quality as PBT keycaps.
The Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro isn't suitable for use with mobile devices or tablets.
The Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro is a good keyboard for programming. It feels well-built and has adjustable incline settings and a detachable wrist rest. You can program macros to any key, and there are eight dedicated macro buttons on the left side of the keyboard that you can program directly on the board or using the customization software. It also has full RGB backlighting with shine-through keycaps that are easy to see in darker rooms. The clicky Green switches are fairly light to press and provide satisfying clicky feedback. Unfortunately, some of these switches sound and feel somewhat inconsistent. This keyboard is also available with linear Yellow switches, which we don't expect to exhibit this same inconsistency.
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Has two adjustable incline settings and an included wrist rest.
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All keys are macro programmable, and there are additional dedicated macro keys on the left side.
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Full RGB backlighting.
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Clicky Green switches are satisfying overall but individual switches sound and feel inconsistent.
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While better than average, the ABS keycaps aren't as high quality as PBT keycaps.
The Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro is a sub-par keyboard for an entertainment or home theater PC setup because it's a wired-only keyboard, meaning you'll need to sit close to your PC to use it. It's also large and difficult to move around, even with its wrist rest removed. It feels well-built, has dedicated media keys, and has full RGB backlighting with shine-through keycaps, making the legends easy to see in darkened rooms.
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Full RGB backlighting.
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Clicky Green switches are satisfying overall but individual switches sound and feel inconsistent.
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While better than average, the ABS keycaps aren't as high quality as PBT keycaps.
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Wired-only.
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Large, even compared to other full-size options.
The Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro has excellent overall performance with outstanding single-key and excellent multi-key latency. It's also one of few keyboards with an 8000Hz effective polling rate, delivering extremely consistent latency performance. The unit we bought and tested uses clicky Razer Green mechanical switches, which have very low-pre-travel. However, the biggest downside is that these switches require significant travel time on release, which is an issue if you play games requiring fast, repeated inputs. See the Multi-Key Latency section below for more details.
- 8.6 Gaming
- 6.4 Office
- 0.8 Mobile/Tablet
- 7.4 Programming
- 4.2 Entertainment / HTPC
- 8.9 Raw Performance
Changelog
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Updated Dec 02, 2024:
We've added mention of the GLORIOUS GMMK 3 in the Typing Quality section.
- Updated Nov 29, 2023: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.3.1, which adds a new estimated PCB latency test to the Single-Key Latency section and a new Analog test to the Switches section of this review. You can see the full changelog here.
- Updated Nov 15, 2023: We've found that latency results are impacted by the placement of the testing solenoid, so we retested this keyboard for consistency with other reviews. This review has been updated, and you can find more information regarding this retest here.
- Updated Aug 30, 2023: We've added text to this review for the new tests added in TBU 1.3.
- Updated Aug 30, 2023: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.3, which overhauls how key input is evaluated. We've added new tests for Single Key Latency, Multi Key Latency, Data Transmission, and Chord Split. We've also introduced a new Raw Performance usage and adjusted how the Gaming and Office usage scores are calculated. You can see the full changelog here.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro is available in a black colorway with either Razer Green or Razer Yellow switches. There are no variants available at the time of writing. We purchased and tested this keyboard with Razer Green switches, and you can see the label for our unit here.
If you come across a variant of this keyboard or have a Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro that doesn't correspond to our review, let us know in the discussions, and we'll update our review.
Compared To Other Keyboards
The Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro continues Razer's popular BlackWidow lineup. As a departure from Razer's recent naming formula, this product is a wired-only model, while most other Razer products that carry the 'Pro' designation are wireless models. The standout features of this new entry are a handful of dedicated macro keys on the left side of the board and an 8000Hz maximum polling rate, which means it sends information to your computer eight times more often than most gaming keyboards with a standard polling rate of 1000Hz, producing exceptionally low latency. The build quality is similar to other flagship gaming keyboards from major brands like Corsair and Logitech. However, it uses lower-quality ABS keycaps, which are becoming less common on gaming keyboards at this price point. Additionally, the clicky green switches on the unit we bought and tested feel satisfying, but there's a noticeable inconsistency between individual switches, which is also an issue with several other models in this series, including the Razer BlackWidow V3 Pro and Razer BlackWidow V3 Mini HyperSpeed.
For more recommendations, see our picks for the best gaming keyboards, the best mechanical keyboards, and the best Razer keyboards.
The Razer Huntsman V2 and the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro are full-size wired gaming keyboards with very similar gaming performance. The Huntsman V2 has higher-quality PBT keycaps and is available with either linear or clicky Razer Optical switches. On the other hand, the BlackWidow V4 has additional dedicated macro keys, a higher maximum polling rate of 8000hz, and a multi-function roller bar which the Huntsman lacks. It's available with either clicky Razer Green or linear Razer Yellow switches.
The Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro and the Razer BlackWidow V4 are wired mechanical keyboards in the same product lineup. The difference between these boards is that the BlackWidow V4 Pro has several additional features, including one more layer of sound-dampening foam inside the case, additional RGB lighting zones in the wrist rest, additional macro buttons on the left edge of the keyboard, and a programmable knob that Razer calls a 'command dial.' That said, the standard BlackWidow V4 has one additional macro key in place of the command dial, but it lacks the three additional macro buttons on the left edge of the case.
The Razer DeathStalker V2 Pro and the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro are full-size mechanical gaming keyboards. The DeathStalker V2 Pro is a wireless model with a low-profile design. It's available with linear Red or clicky Purple Razer low-profile optical switch types. On the other hand, the BlackWidow V4 Pro is a wired-only model with somewhat better gaming performance and a higher maximum polling rate of 8000Hz. It's available with liner Yellow or clicky Green Razer switches.
The Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro and the Razer BlackWidow V4 75% are wired gaming keyboards in the same lineup. The LBlackWidow V4 Pro is a larger, full-size model. It's available in linear, tactile, or clicky switch varieties and has dedicated macro keys, a USB passthrough, and a programmable control knob, which the BlackWidow V4 75% lacks. On the other hand, the BlackWidow V4 75% has a smaller Compact (75%) layout and a hot-swappable PCB. It only comes in a tactile switch variety, but it has a gasket mount system, a factory tape mod, and an FS4 plate, producing a better overall typing quality.
The Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro and the Razer BlackWidow V3 are wired mechanical gaming keyboards in the same lineup. The V4 Pro is the newer version and features several improvements, including eight additional dedicated macro keys, sound-dampening foam layers, and a higher maximum polling rate of 8000Hz. Both keyboards are available with either clicky Razer Green or linear Razer Yellow switches.
The Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro and the Razer BlackWidow V3 Pro are mechanical gaming keyboards in the same lineup. The V4 Pro is the newer version and is a wired-only model. It features several improvements, including foam dampening foam layers, eight dedicated macro keys, and a maximum polling rate of 8000Hz. On the other hand, the V3 Pro is a wireless model. Both keyboards are available with clicky Razer Green or linear Razer Yellow switches.
The SteelSeries Apex Pro and the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro are full-size mechanical gaming keyboards. The SteelSeries has a customizable OLED screen and uses OmniPoint switches which let you customize the pre-travel distance of each key. On the other hand, the Razer has additional dedicated macro keys, a multi-device roller, and a higher maximum polling rate of 8000Hz. It's available with linear Razer Yellow or clicky Razer Green switches.
The Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro and GLORIOUS GMMK 3 are wired mechanical gaming keyboards. The Razer has significantly better raw performance, build quality, and typing quality. It also includes a wrist rest and a full set of dedicated media controls, which the GLORIOUS lacks. On the other hand, the GLORIOUS offers more in-depth hardware customization. You can also choose to customize the GLORIOUS extensively at purchase with a much wider range of color options, materials, and features. The GLORIOUS also has a hot-swappable PCB, while the Razer's switches are soldered.
Test Results
The Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro is quite large, and the additional column of dedicated macro keys on the left makes it slightly wider than most full-size keyboards. That said, you can reduce the footprint of this keyboard on your desk by removing the wrist rest if you prefer.
The build quality of this keyboard is good. The lower chassis is made of plastic, and the top plate is made of aluminum. The keycaps are made of ABS plastic, but they feel comparatively high-quality compared to most ABS keycaps and have pleasant textured tops. There are internal layers of sound-dampening foam and pre-lubed stabilizers, contributing to a more premium feel overall.
Unfortunately, the Razer Green switches have an inconsistent quality, with some keys lacking audible clicking sounds and requiring noticeably different amounts of force to operate. However, we've tested other models with the linear Razer Yellow Switches and didn't experience the same issues, so we expect this to only be a problem if you buy this keyboard with the Green switches.
The Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro has two plastic feet on the back edge of the keyboard that offer two incline angles. There's also an included plush wrist rest that attaches magnetically and provides additional support while typing.
This keyboard has full RGB backlighting with individually-lit keys. You can adjust the brightness levels and customize the lighting and effects using the customization software. The wrist rest also has RGB lighting zones that activate when the wrist rest is attached to the keyboard.
This keyboard provides outstanding backlight clarity overall. That said, there's a faint red hue visible when set to white backlighting.
This keyboard comes with two braided USB-A to USB-C cables. One cable powers the keyboard, while the second cable is for the USB passthrough.
The Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro is a wired-only keyboard.
This keyboard has quite a few extra features, including common features for gaming keyboards at this price point, like LED indicators, Game Mode, and dedicated media keys. There's also a rotary knob on the top left and a roller bar on the top right of the keyboard; you can use both of these controls to adjust media volume, RGB brightness, or other customizable commands. There are a total of eight dedicated macro keys, including five keys in a column on the left side and three keys on the left edge of the keyboard.
This keyboard also supports a maximum polling rate of 8000Hz. Using a higher polling rate means your keyboard communicates more frequently with your computer, ensuring the lowest latency possible. However, it also consumes more system resources from your computer.
- Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro
- 2x USB-A to USB-C charging cable
- Wrist Rest
- User documentation
Overall, the typing quality on the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro is good. The keys only exhibit minimal wobbling, keys are well-spaced, and while the keycaps are lower-quality ABS, they feel superior to most ABS keycaps and have a slightly textured surface for added grip. Razer has also added layers of sound-dampening foam and pre-lubed the stabilizers on modifier keys with this model, so typing feels smoother than it does on previous entries.
Unfortunately, some of the clicky Green switches on the unit we bought and tested don't produce an audible click when actuated. Some switches also require different amounts of force to operate, producing a somewhat inconsistent typing experience. Note that this issue was also present on previous generation models with Green switches we've tested, including on the Razer BlackWidow V3 Pro and the Razer BlackWidow V3 Mini HyperSpeed.
This keyboard is also available with linear Razer Yellow switches. Based on our testing with other Razer keyboards using Razer's Yellow switches, we don't expect them to have the same inconsistent quality as the Green switches.
If you're looking for a similar gaming keyboard with a gasket mount design that provides a slightly softer, springier typing experience, check out our review for the GLORIOUS GMMK 3.
The Razer Green switches are satisfyingly loud and clicky, but there's some inconsistency in how individual switches sound, and some keys don't provide clicky feedback, making it difficult to know when you've actuated a key.
This keyboard is also available with Razer Yellow switches, which are linear and much quieter. We also don't expect them to exhibit the same sound inconsistency as the Green switches, based on other similar Razer keyboards we've tested.
Overall, the Razer Green switches are fairly light to press and feel quite responsive due to the short pre-travel distance. They also have satisfying clicky feedback to let you know when you've actuated a key. Unfortunately, there's a noticeable inconsistency in how much force it takes to operate some keys, and some keys don't provide audible clicking feedback.
This keyboard is also available with linear Razer Yellow switches, which provide a smooth linear keypress without any tactile feedback. Based on our tests with other Razer keyboards, we don't expect these Yellow switches to suffer from the same inconsistency issue.
This keyboard has exceptionally low single-key latency. It's also remarkably stable due to its effective update rate of 8000Hz, delivering an extremely responsive and consistent-feeling experience for gaming in any genre for casual or competitive play.
Overall, this keyboard has excellent multi-key latency performance. Key press latency is exceptionally low and remarkably consistent. However, key Release travel is significantly higher. While it's normal for mechanical switches with low pre-travel to have a noticeably higher delay on key release, the result for this keyboard is unexpectedly high.
We're unsure why this keyboard, in particular, performs this way, as the result is very unusual compared to other similar Razer keyboards we've tested and other major flagship gaming keyboards from other major manufacturers. This high key release latency is only a major issue for games that trigger on release, such as some Rythym games. It can also be a bottleneck for performing extremely quick repeated keystrokes.
If you'd like to share your experience using this keyboard, let us know in the forums.
This keyboard has outstanding data transmission performance. It has full n-key rollover and can send multiple keystrokes per USB report. Furthermore, this keyboard has a maximum 8000Hz polling rate and a true 8000hz effective update rate to match, so performance isn't bottlenecked by scan rate or other latency components, providing exceptionally consistent latency performance.
This keyboard has good and fairly consistent chord split performance with relatively low 4-chord and 8-chord split delay, making it well-suited for playing rhythm games that require multiple simultaneous inputs.
The Synapse 3 software is well laid out, easy to use, and offers plenty of adjustable features. You can customize the RGB lighting, set macros to any key, and reassign keys. You can also enable a 'Game Mode' to disable Alt+Tab or Alt+F4 commands and assign a Hypershift button to enable a secondary layer of programmable keys. Note that certain settings, including custom RGB settings, can't be saved to onboard memory and require the software to run in the background.
However, like the software options from other major manufacturers, this software receives criticism for requiring frequent updates and taking up disproportionate system resources. You may find this software frustrating if you prefer more lightweight software options or no software at all.
This keyboard is fully compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux. However, the customization software is only available for Windows, and certain OS-specific buttons don't function in macOS, including Scroll Lock and Pause/Break.