Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition Compact Gaming Keyboard with Optical Switches( US Layout)

• PROS

  • Light, compact design.
  • Optical switches are accurate and have hair-trigger actuation.
  • Detachable cable enhances portability.

• CONS

  • Featherlight actuation can lead to lots of typing mistakes.

In 2019, we're seeing the start of an esports gear boom. A bunch of mice have already emerged, from big companies such as Razer and Cooler Master, as well as from small but successful upstarts like PC Gaming Race and Finalmouse. I've seen far fewer esportskeyboards, though, to the point that I wouldn't necessarily be able to tell you their definitive features. That said, Razer's newest, the Huntsman Tournament Edition (TE, for short), feels like a textbook example. It's compact, comfortable, and easy to reposition, and its keys register on the lightest touch. While that isn't without its drawbacks (your typos-per-email ratio is likely to skyrocket), the Huntsman TE makes you feel quick on the trigger with every keystroke. If you play games that benefit from that, it could help translate your twitches into wins.

You've Got The Touch

The Huntsman TE looks and feels compact, even for a "tenkeyless" keyboard. (That's keyboard lingo for a keyboard with the number pad lopped off.) At 1.5 by 14.2 by 5.5 inches, it has just enough of a base to support its keys and a small outer edge. There's no superfluous space used for lights, media keys, or logos. (That isn't to say it isn't branded. The Razer name is etched above the arrow keys.)

The compact body isn't just for show: It's designed, as the name suggests, to bring along to tournaments. In addition to being trim for a gaming keyboard, it's light—only 1.7 pounds—and its cable is detachable. The USB Type-C port on the keyboard side is embedded in the base of the back-left corner of the board. To keep it from getting yanked and disconnected—not an unrealistic concern when playing in crowded spaces like game tournaments—the Type-C connector has security rails to hold it in place. Obviously, that's important, though it prevents you from using other USB-C cables in lieu of Razer's, and I could see that easy cable-replacement flexibility coming in handy.

Of course, you aren't going to bring a keyboard anywhere if you don't like using it. The Huntsman TE uses the company's new Razer Linear Optical variety of key switch. Optical switches in the generic sense are a special, unusual type distinct from mechanical ones. Let's explain.

The Optical Difference

For those unfamiliar with them, optical key switches trigger inputs using beams of light. Rather than actuating the key with a physical contact inside a switch, pressing down a key allows a beam to pass through from one side of the key to the other, completing a circuit and signaling that the key has been pressed. According to Razer, its Linear Optical Switch allows for quicker actuation, particularly when pressing the same key many times. Razer also claims that it reduces wear and tear long-term, since each key requires fewer moving parts versus a typical mechanical switch.

I can't speak to those claims, but I can say that the Huntsman TE has the lightest touch of any keyboard I've ever used. It requires only 45g of force to actuate, and the key actuates at just 1mm of depression, out of a 3.5mm travel distance. Indeed, it feels like you barely need to touch a key before the result triggers on the screen. At times, it feels as if each thought goes right from your brain to the screen.

As an esports-minded keyboard, this obviously has implications for twitchy shooter titles, strategy games, and MOBAs, but really it applies to every game. I'm not sure that the shallower actuation actually makes my play faster—I'm 33 and my reaction time is not what it once was—but it definitelyfaster. And that feels good.

The problem with that, though? Having a keyboard that seems to type at the mere suggestion of a key tap doesn't always work in your favor. Outside of games, the keyboard can be a bit of a liability. Even keeping your fingers perched on the keys can be problematic. It's easy to apply just enough pressure to slip from a ready position to holding down a key without noticing.

Of course, some serious players who know their hardware are used to this increased propensity for typos and errors—the Razer Linear Opticals, after all, are not the only feather-trigger switches on the market. Other sensitive linear switches include Cherry MX Reds and Razer Yellows, and they too make it easy for you to press the wrong keys. You get used to it. But the Razer Linear Optical Switch takes it to a new sensitivity level. As with linear mechanical switches, I'm sure players who embrace the Huntsman TE will find their flow, but as someone who plays a lot and writes even more, I found the typing aspect of these switches a bit too finicky for my tastes.

Lighting Up Synapse

As with all Razer products, the Huntsman TE supports Synapse, the company's configuration software. The software allows you to create macros, customize your key mapping, and set the keyboard's RGB lighting.

In keeping with the keyboard's portability element, the Huntsman TE has onboard memory that can store up to five keyboard profiles. That's about average for a mid-to-high-end board. I'd say five is the over-under, but it's enough to bring along your default settings and specific configurations for your top games. On your home PC, Synapse can store as many profiles as you want and sync them to as many games and apps as you please.

The lighting on the Huntsman TE is relatively subtle. The light, which you can customize key-by-key using Razer's Chroma Studio software, comes through the legends softly, even at the maximum brightness setting. It's enough light that it's worth customizing, but the look is a bit subdued for something from Razer, a company closely associated with bold PC-hardware lighting.

How Far Will You Go to Compete?

The Huntsman TE is definitely made for a certain kind of player. Given its $129.99 MSRP, a lot of shoppers may be happier spending the same money and getting a high-end mechanical keyboard, which will likely have more bells and whistles (such as media keys and USB passthrough ports) and may be better for everyday computing.

Even so, there's something to the Huntsman TE. I can't guarantee it will make you a better player, but it can accentuate a certain instinctual style of play—the kind where you're playing as fast as you can think, and the best keyboard is the one that just gets out of your way. If you're quick enough in your favorite games to have that kind of near-telepathic flow, the Huntsman TE could very well be your ideal conduit to speed—and victory.

Specifications

Switch Type	Razer Linear Optical Switch
Key Feel	Light and Instant
Sizes	Tenkeyless
Lighting	Razer Chroma™ backlighting with 16.8 million customizable color options
Wrist Rest	None
Onboard Memory	Hybrid onboard storage – up to 5 profiles
Media Keys	None
Passthrough	None
Connectivity	Detachable Type-C
Keycaps	Razer Doubleshot PBT Keycaps
Others	Razer™ Linear Optical Switch with 40 G actuation force 100 million keystroke lifespan Standard Bottom Row Layout Compact form factor Detachable USB-C Braided Fiber Cable Fully programmable keys with on-the-fly macro recording N-key roll-over with built-in anti-ghosting Gaming mode option 1000 Hz Ultrapolling Aluminum matte top plate
Warranty	2 Years