The Razer Ornata V2 is a great full-sized gaming keyboard. It's the replacement of the Razer Ornata Chroma and comes with the same Razer Hybrid Mecha-Membrane switches. These are considered a hybrid between mechanical and rubber dome switches; they offer the same tactile feedback as a mechanical switch, but like some rubber dome switches, they require a bit of force to actuate. Other than that, the keyboard is fairly well-built, features full RGB lighting, and has dedicated media keys, including a wheel for volume control. You can also set macros to any key through the Razer Synapse 3 software, which is unfortunately available on Windows only.
Our Verdict
The Razer Ornata V2 is a great gaming keyboard. It has unique Razer Hybrid Mecha-Membrane switches that mix the softness of rubber domes and the clickiness of mechanical switches. Unfortunately, they require a bit more force to actuate than most mechanical switches. The keyboard features nice RGB lighting and comes with a fairly comfortable wrist rest.
- Full RGB lighting.
- Macro-programmable keys.
- Low click latency.
- Hybrid Mecha-Membrane switches require a bit of force to actuate.
- No onboard memory.
The Razer Ornata V2 is a wired-only keyboard and isn't designed to be used with mobile devices.
The Razer Ornata V2 is a good keyboard for the office. It has acceptable ergonomics with two incline settings, and it comes with a wrist rest. It offers good overall typing quality, although it can be a bit noisy due to its clicky switches, which might not be ideal if you're near colleagues. The keys can also feel a bit heavy to press at times, but it isn't too bad.
- Good typing quality.
- Acceptable ergonomics; includes a wrist rest.
- Hybrid Mecha-Membrane switches require a bit of force to actuate.
The Razer Ornata V2 is a good keyboard for programming. It offers good typing quality with its Hybrid Mecha-Membrane switches, and its ergonomics are acceptable thanks to its two incline settings and wrist rest. You can program macros on all its keys, but unfortunately, it doesn't allow multi-device pairing since it's wired-only.
- Macro-programmable keys.
- Good typing quality.
- Acceptable ergonomics; includes a wrist rest.
- Hybrid Mecha-Membrane switches require a bit of force to actuate.
- No onboard memory.
The Razer Ornata V2 is poor to use as an HTPC keyboard. It's wired-only, so you have to connect it directly to your TV. It also lacks a trackpad, so you need a mouse to navigate the on-screen interface. On the plus side, it has full RGB lighting, making it easy to see the keys in the dark.
- Full RGB lighting.
- Wired-only.
- No trackpad.
Changelog
- Updated Jun 15, 2023: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.2. This update introduces new Backlight Features and Backlight Clarity test boxes. We've also added a new Switches test box, added additional test comparisons to our Hardware Customizability test box that we introduced with our last Test Bench. For an in-depth look at our changes, you can see our full changelog here.
- Updated May 26, 2023: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.1. This update adds several new tests addressing Hardware Customization, Macro Keys And Programming, and Wireless Mobile Compatibility. We've also added new objective evaluations to the Typing Noise test, and we've simplified several tests and removed several others that were no longer relevant. For an in-depth look at all our changes, you can see our full changelog here.
- Updated Sep 12, 2022: Added in a comparison to the recently reviewed Razer Ornata V3 X.
- Updated Sep 08, 2022: Added in a comparison to the newly reviewed Razer Ornata V3.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the Razer Ornata V2 in black, and it's the only available in this variant. If you have an Ornata V2 that's different from ours, let us know.
Popular Keyboard Comparisons
The Razer Ornata V2 is a small upgrade over the previous Razer Ornata Chroma but still uses Razer Hybrid Mecha-Membrane switches. They have low pre-travel distance but can feel a bit heavy to actuate at times and are clicky. Also see our recommendations for the best mechanical keyboards, the best Razer keyboards, and the best gaming keyboards.
The Razer Ornata V3 is the successor to the Razer Ornata V2. However, the V3 offers fewer features than the V2. For example, the V2 comes with a plushy wrist rest, while the V3 has a fairly stiff plastic one with soft touch coating. The V2 has full RGB backlighting that's customizable on a per-key basis, while the V3 only has ten RGB zones. Otherwise, the two keyboards perform fairly similarly, so it depends on your personal preference of what extra features you value.
The Razer Huntsman and the Razer Ornata V2 are very different keyboards. The Huntsman uses mechanical switches. while the V2 uses hybrid switches that feel more like rubber domes. The Huntsman's switches have a much shorter pre-travel distance and lower operating force, so they lighter and more responsive. The V2 has a wrist rest and dedicated media keys, but it lacks onboard memory, which the Huntsman has. The V2's latency is a bit higher, but it shouldn't be noticeable for most people.
The Razer Ornata V2 is an upgraded Razer Ornata Chroma. It now has dedicated media keys with a volume wheel. Other than that, the hybrid switches still feel fairly similar and you still get full RGB backlighting with individually-lit keys. These two boards offer nearly identical features, but if you prefer having dedicated media keys, the V2 is the better option.
The Razer BlackWidow Elite is a much better keyboard than the Razer Ornata V2. The Elite features mechanical switches from Razer, which have very low pre-travel, making it great for gaming. On the other side, the V2 features non-mechanical Mecha-Membrane switches, which may feel a bit heavy to press. The Elite is also much better-built and feels a lot more durable than the plasticky V2.
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