With so many people trapped at home, updating the good gaming battle at home has become a kind of hobby. Razer’s new Huntsman V2 Analog, the company’s latest flagship keyboard, has three new features that may be worthwhile.
The most important new update to the $ 250 analog Huntsman V2 is support for adjustable performance heights, which can be customized by key, from about 1.5mm to 3.6mm deep. To achieve this, Razer took the second-generation linear optical switches that debuted last year and updated them with a new laser sensor that allows users to decide the depth of a keystroke instead. in the factory.
This is similar to what is available in Steelseries ’Apex Pro (which is one reason it’s one of ours top level gaming keyboards) and provides a practical way to offer the most sensitive feeling that people usually prefer in faster paced games like CS: GO and other shooters, though they allow you to drop the pulse sensitivity in a slower paced game like Stellaris.
The second major update has to do with the analog part of the Huntsman V2 name. Razer added the possibility for the keyboard to record full analog input, so instead of simply pressing a key to register on or off, the Huntsman V2 analog can know how far you are pressing. It’s like the analog shoulder buttons you get on all the main console drivers. You may need to play to make it work the way you want, but that means Huntsman V2 Analog can more accurately simulate the gas and brake pedals in a racing game, or distinguish between a ride, a race, or a script based solely on what he presses.
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The third important novelty is the two-step action, which allows you to split a key into two different actions, such as equipping a grenade in a shooter by pressing down and throwing the grenade when you release the key. It is true that this is one more niche feature and while it may save time in some games, titles where this can be useful already offer their own perception of this setting, such as the Smart setting. Cast a League of Legends.
Aside from its three major new features, the Huntsman V2 Analog also includes a handy magnetic wrist rest, built-in media controls and a 3-way USB port. And of course, like so many Razer gaming peripherals, the Huntsman V2 Analog comes with customizable key RGB lighting, dual-stroke PBT keys, the ability to save settings directly to the keyboard, full Chroma compatibility and syncing with other RGB lighting devices, such as Nanoleaf lamps.
Even though I’ve only been using the analog Huntsman V2 for a couple of days, there are a few things I really like. The first is that the support for adjustable performance heights makes it much more forgiving to try a keyboard with sensitive performance points. For example, the Corsair K100 keyboard comes with a 1mm hair trigger performance height, which is often seen faster and more sensitive to competitive gamers.
However, keys with shallow action points are also super contracted, which means that simply resting your fingertips on a key can often be recorded as a full press. The big problem for a lot of people is that they just don’t know if they like short action points, deep action points, or something in between. And on the Huntsman V2 Analog, you now have the option to test a surface-operated keyboard, without the need to toss or return the keyboard if you find it’s not your jam. In addition, if you find that shallow keys work well in some situations, but not in others, you can also set action points individually per game or even key-based. Think of controversial WASD keys and then deeper keystrokes for spells or loading options.
Other than that, the Huntsman V2 Analog simply feels like a well-built device. Its base is solid and even includes an LED light boat that surrounds the base of the keyboard. In addition, Razer includes a USB-C to USB-A adapter, so you can more easily connect the Huntsman V2 to a new laptop that may not include larger USB-A ports. And as for the switches themselves, while they’re a bit strong when you hit the bottom, Razer’s linear optomechanical switches have a very smooth, uniform stroke that feels very balanced, even if you hit them from a angle by accident.
The obvious downside is the price of Huntsman V2, because at $ 250 it costs $ 50 more than a Steelseries Apex Pro, which is a significant jump, but not surprising, because the Apex Pro doesn’t come with full analog switches or Razer’s drive in two steps.
To many people, an extra gaming keyboard with all the bells and whistles may seem excessive. But for the more demanding gamers or those who are really dedicated to customizing every aspect of the performance of their keyboards, Razer’s Huntsman V2 Analog has just pushed this bar a little higher.