I have used a lot of tiny keyboards in my career but I have never used a tiny gaming keyboard before. Sure, gaming notebooks have smaller keyboards but they usually never include mechanical switches. So when Razer asked me if I wanted to review this Razer Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed gaming keyboard, I thought why the hell not. The device not only boasts all the Razer goodness you could ever ask for such as RGB and fantastic battery life but it also only takes up 65% of the traditional keyboard space.
I now try to live my life wirelessly. This means both my keyboard and mouse are without wires unless they need to charge. It also opens up doors to use less desk space when working. The Razer Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed was able to fit into this lifestyle quite easily thanks to its versatile connection methods and smaller design.
Razer Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed Tech Specs
- Switch Type: Razer™ Yellow Mechanical Switch
- Sizes: 65%
- Lighting: Razer Chroma™ RGB customizable backlighting with 16.8 million color options
- Wrist Rest: No
- Memory: Hybrid On-Board Memory and Cloud Storage – up to 5 profiles
- Media Keys: No
- Passthrough: No
- Connectivity: Connect via Razer™ HyperSpeed Wireless (2.4 Ghz), Bluetooth, or USB-C
- KeyCaps: Doubleshot ABS
- Other Features
- Razer™ HyperSpeed Wireless Technology
- Razer™ HyperSpeed Multi-device Support
- 80 million keystroke lifespan
- Razer Synapse 3 enabled
- N-key roll-over
- Fully programmable keys with on-the-fly macro recording
- Gaming mode option
- 1000 Hz Ultrapolling
- Aluminum construction
- Price: R3,499
Razer Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed Design
To make the Razer Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed smaller Razer had to get rid of the number pad. While it may seem like a tough sacrifice at first, it actually makes a lot of sense. If you’re a gamer then you would know that the keyboard section gets very little use. In addition, the directional keys also don’t get much traction thanks to the use of the WASD keys.
So Razer has now taken those keys and moved them around while also getting rid of some. The result is a mini gaming keyboard without a number pad, function keys and a shifted arrow key layout. This means the overall design is more efficient while also offering the same level of customization Razer offers on its other devices. So if the key isn’t there, one would simply make it by assigning it to another key.
From a design perspective, the Razer Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed is your everyday basic gaming keyboard but just smaller and with fewer keys. The keyboard is black and offers full per-key RGB lighting. There is also a Razer RGB logo that lights up at the bottom of the keyboard. So far it is as Razer as it gets. Speaking of Razer things, it is also priced like Razer stuff at R3,499.
On the bottom, the Razer Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed includes a set of feet that can unfold into two positions. I could open up the feet fully and use both the larger and smaller feet together to offer a high-pitched angle. Or I could lowe the larger feet inwards and slant it further down with the lower feet. Of course, I could also use no feet if need be too. The stand allows it to sit at a 6 or 9-degree angle. There’s also the ability to lay it flat.
The Razer Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed isn’t heavy due to its design and included battery. The keyboard weighs 800 grams which is not too bad at all. It is charged through USB-C at the back. There’s a wireless switch that turns the keyboard from either using BlueTooth to using the 2.4Ghz hyperspeed connect. The same switch can also turn off the keyboard when positioned in the middle.
The general key layout takes some time to get used to. This is not your full-sized keyboard so some keys double up as other keys while others even triple up as three keys. The numbers, for example, contain the function keys as well as symbols. This means getting to the specific key you want might be a challenge. Taking a screenshot, for example, means holding down Windows + Alt + Fn + Print Screen. You have to forgive some of these limitations mainly due to the sheer size and form of the Razer Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed. It is only 12.6 x 5.1 x 1.6-inches after all.
As for the keys themselves, they are made with doubleshot ABS plastic. This makes them light and pretty sturdy while also thin enough to allow the lighting to shoot through the specific number or letter cutout.
Razer Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed Performance
When it comes to the day to day use of the Razer Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed, it performs fairly great. Of course, the big idea is that it is tiny and it takes a while to get used to. The lack of buttons and the shift of other keys can be a problem for those who rely on them. Especially if you’re one that uses a keyboard for both gaming and work.
The Razer Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed comes in both Yellow and Green switches. The Yellow keys are included in this review model and go a long way to reduce the sound of the keys. They include 3.5mm of travel and 1.2 actuation with 45g of force. In comparison to other run-of-the-mill switches, this is impressive. A standard Cherry MX Red switch offers 4mm of travel with 2mm of actuation and 45g of force. Sure, they might sound the same on paper but the slight differences are noticeable.
Typing on the Razer Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed is great in terms of sound. The Yellow switches don’t make a loud click noise at all and instead of a loud click-clack sound, these keys are softer and a lot less pronounced. This will go a long way to help reduce the loud clicks that might feedback into your mic while gaming.
The only real loud key on the Razer Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed is the spacebar that does make a much louder clicking sound compared to everything else. This is most likely due to the size of the key and the hollowness of the bar. Overall, this helped during working and typing leaving the noise levels low and the workflow high. I still had to adapt to some of the missing keys but after a few days of use, I was a semi-pro.
Apart from the typing, the Razer Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed is easy to set up and get going. Razer includes a 2.4GHz USB dongle in the keyboard that is recommended for gaming. Once plugged in, I just had to flip the switch at the top towards 2.4Ghz and it connected. This form of connectivity is ideally the way you would want to use the keyboard. It prevents connection issues that might come from other BlueTooth devices around you.
You can also opt for the cleaner built-in BlueTooth too. This helps save a USB port. I jumped between the two. When I was gaming I used the dongle and when I was working I used the other connection mode. It also helps that pairing is simple. Holding down Fn and number 1-3 allowed me to pair the device with up to three PCs (and even a Mac).
The Razer Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed is wireless and the battery life is okay. Using max brightness and an intense RGB lighting preset, I was able to get just over 26 hours from the keyboard. It is decent for the most part. However, you would want to turn off the RGB to save battery when you’re not gaming. The Razer Synapse app does track the battery life and also give feedback on how long it has left depending on the current usage. You can get close to 20 hours of pure RGB lighting out of this Razer Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed if you wanted to. But don’t expect any longer if you’re enjoying the rainbow colours all the time at max brightness.
The Razer Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed takes an average time to charge too. You can get it maxed from around 10% to 100% within 4 hours but you can also just leave it plugged in and carry on gaming while it charges. It is not the fastest charge in the world but you can get away with it.
Of course, the Razer Synapse software is the brain behind the device. Here I could see the battery life, tweak the shortcuts and even apply a range of macro recordings to the device. I was also able to set RGB presets to shortcuts that I could switch to on the go. It still remains the leader in gaming accessory software even if it annoyingly needs an update every day or so and pops up all the time.
Razer Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed Verdict
The Blackwidow V3 Mini is Hyperspeed gaming keyboard is great for those looking for a 65% keyboard. It is tiny and quite adorable. However, you need to want this sort of experience to spend R3,499 on it. You could always get a full-sized keyboard for the same price. Sure, it is not wireless and small but I doubt those are two features you look for when shopping around for a keyboard made for gaming.
This Razer Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed review was based on a loan device sent to us by Razer. The keyboard retails in South Africa starting at R3,499.
