Razer Pro Type Keyboard Review

The Razer Pro Type is a large, full-size keyboard. It looks a lot like the Razer BlackWidow Lite, just with an added numeric pad. Unfortunately, there aren't any TKL or compact variants available.

Build quality is excellent. It has a plastic frame with a metal plate on top to provide rigidity. It flexes a little bit, but not enough to be a cause for concern. The feet are sturdy and provide enough grip to prevent the keyboard from sliding around. The keycaps are made of ABS plastic and have a soft-touch coating that feels nice. The coating doesn't feel cheap, but it might chip or fade over time. The stabilizers on the spacebar, Shift, and Enter keys aren't that great and rattle slightly.

The ergonomics are okay. It isn't fatiguing to type on, but some people may need a wrist rest due to the keyboard's fairly high profile, and there isn't one included in the box. Unfortunately, while Razer does sell wrist rests separately, there isn't one specifically made for this keyboard.

The Razer Pro Type has simple white backlighting, and it gets bright enough to be visible in a well-lit environment. Unfortunately, it's limited to two lighting effects, 'Static' or 'Breathing'. It isn't possible to create custom lighting effects even though the keys are individually-lit. The brightness is adjustable directly on the keyboard or through the software.

The included USB-C is braided. It's stiff and maintains kinks. It's only for charging, as data is still sent over the wireless connection when it's plugged in. Note that while this keyboard uses a USB-C charging cable, the Razer Pro Click, a mouse designed to complement this keyboard, uses a Micro-USB cable.

The Razer Pro Type can connect to four devices simultaneously, one via the wireless USB receiver, and three over Bluetooth. You can switch between the devices that are connected through Bluetooth by holding 'FN' and pressing either '1', '2', or '3'. To access the device connected via the wireless USB receiver, set the switch at the top of the keyboard to 2.4GHz.

The built-in rechargeable battery is rated to last up to 12 hours with backlighting enabled, whether you use the wireless dongle or Bluetooth. With the backlighting off, it's rated to last up to 78 hours when using the wireless dongle, and 84 hours if you use Bluetooth. However, we don't test battery life.

The Razer Pro Type has media control hotkeys, not dedicated ones. Every key is macro-programmable except for the Windows key, but it requires the Synapse 3 software to set macros.

• Razer Pro Type keyboard
• User guide
• Wireless USB receiver
• USB-A to USB-C cable

Unlike Razer's gaming keyboards, the Razer Pro Type is only available with Razer Orange switches, which are similar to Cherry MX Browns. These switches provide a good amount of tactile feedback and don't require much force to actuate. The pre-travel is low, making the keyboard feel very responsive.

The typing quality is excellent. The shape and spacing of the keys are relatively standard and shouldn't require much adaptation for most people. Although most keys wobble a bit, it isn't noticeable while typing. That said, the spacebar, Shift, and Enter keys wobble a lot more and rattle as well. Typing feels light and responsive, and the Razer Orange switches provide satisfying tactile feedback. It doesn't feel tiring to type on, but a wrist rest would have been nice since it has a relatively high profile.

The Razer Pro Type doesn't generate a lot of typing noise, so it shouldn't be bothersome to those around you. That said, it can be loud if you tend to bottom out the keys. Unlike the BlackWidow Lite, it doesn't come with any O-rings to reduce typing noise.

The Razer Pro Type uses Synapse 3 for customization. It allows you to program macros, remap keys, and create custom profiles. You can save as many profiles as you want within the software. There's no onboard memory, so you would need to re-install Synapse 3 and use the cloud sync function to retrieve your settings if you move to a different computer. Unfortunately, there's no backlight customization; you can only choose between a static or a breathing effect.

The Razer Pro Type is fully compatible with Windows. On macOS, the Pause/Break, Scroll Lock, and Context menu don't work, and there's no software for customization. All keys function on Linux, Android, iOS, and iPadOS; there's just no software support.