At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Great form factor Cheap Mechanical switches Cons No adjustable feet No per-game profiles Our Verdict The Lemokey X0 is a great entry point into a fantastic, but sadly neglected, one-handed keypad form factor. Give it a shot if you’re curious, or you’re on a budget and want to experiment before upgrading to a pricier design. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Lemokey X0 Keypad Retailer Price $32.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket The keyboard that’s best for typing is rarely the one that’s best for gaming. That’s why I love little side keypads, like the Razer Tartarus. I love them so much that I chopped a GameSir one up so I could add in better switches and a bigger battery, because there aren’t any decent wireless options.  But more than 100 bucks for what’s essentially half a keyboard is a lot, especially if you’re not sure that you’ll be as obsessed with the form factor as I am. Enter the Lemokey X0, a budget option that’s quickly become one of my favorite gadgets of the year.  I’d recommend the X0 for just about any PC gamer who uses a keyboard on a regular basis.  As I said, this is basically half a keyboard, meant to be used with your left hand only. It’s also rather cheap — and I say that without any insult — at $33. But at that impulse-buy price, I’d recommend it for just about any PC gamer who uses a keyboard on a regular basis.  Single-hand design The X0 includes six rows of keys cutting off at the F5 column. It adds a couple of modifiers and an oversized, cross-shaped Space key. Under all of that it has a big, solid, rubberized pad for your palm. It also features mechanical switches (again, rather cheap ones) and keycaps (ditto), something that’s a little hard to find in this extremely niche form factor. A non-removable USB-A cable, red LED lights, plus compatibility with Lemokey/Keychron’s online programming tool round out the features.  Michael Crider/Foundry The utility of this kind of gadget should be obvious. They’ve been around in one flavor or another for over 20 years — I think the Belkin N50 SpeedPad was the original, eventually morphing into the Razer Tartarus I mentioned earlier. They’re a dedicated left–hand-only keyboard, intended to be a more focused and ergonomic tool than your typical full-sized keyboard, while still letting your right hand handle mouse duties.  (Sadly there’s really no way to make this work if you use your left hand for the mouse, and I say that sincerely, since I’m a lefty. Maybe try a full split keyboard design and a wrist rest.)  Michael Crider/Foundry I genuinely love this layout, and I’ve been using something like it since I transitioned from console to full PC gaming in college. Not only is it much easier to position a smaller gamepad for more comfy and ergonomic gaming, it lets me keep a full dedicated keyboard that’s focused on typing. Which, as someone who writes all day long to put food on my table (usually next to the keyboard), is a big deal.  Not much competition I’ve tried many of these things. I wouldn’t say that the X0 is the best — that goes to my customized GameSir pad, with the mechanical (and discontinued) Razer Orbweaver in a distant second. But among the cheap ones I’ve tried, the X0 shines bright as the best of the bunch.  In terms of layout it’s exactly what most PC gamers want, a faithful reproduction of all the keys you’re likely to reach with your left hand. The only exception is the double Fn buttons to expand programming options, and the space bar, which isn’t really a bar. Like the Tartarus and the ancient Logitech G13, it repositions the space input to more naturally fit the positioning of your thumb.  There is an important omission here: a D-pad. That’s a feature that originally drew me to the Belkin-slash-Razer designs, as a way to wean myself off of console-style movement. And it still persists in some modern offshoots, like the Azeron. But speaking as a big fan of this category I’m okay with its omission, especially on a budget device. If you’re used to the far more flexible WASD input for most shooters and first-person games, I think you’ll agree.  Michael Crider/Foundry Lemokey (nee Keychron, for its non-gaming parent company) went with brown tactile switches on my review unit. They’re not the best in the world, but they’re light and snappy, certainly good enough for me to get up to speed in Fortnite right away.  Note that the X0 is also available with red linear switches, though you won’t be swapping them out. That’s an okay sacrifice for a budget device, especially when pretty much everything else in this price range omits mechanical switches entirely. You can also use standard mechanical keycaps on this pad, though sizing might be tricky for the extended T, G, and V keys. If you’re okay with legends not matching up, it’s easy to find them on a full-sized set.  Michael Crider/Foundry Long sessions with the X0 were comfortable, far more so than a standard gaming keyboard — though again, I should point out that this is a form factor I prefer anyway. I could use a little more cushion in the palm rest, and I wish there was a way to adjust the angle (I lifted up the right side of my custom board with keyboard feet), but it’s still far more comfortable than anything else I’ve used in a while.  Programmable…but not much The X0 can be programmed with Keychron’s browser-based GUI, which I recommend, or QMK, which I do not. (Yes, mechanical keyboard fans, wag your finger of shame at me.) It’s straightforward and blatantly inspired by VIA, which is not a bad thing, covering just about everything you could need without overcomplication. This includes up to three sub-layers, though none are actually programmed with any alternates from the get-go. You can adjust the keypad’s red-only lighting…though I don’t really see the appeal. My only big change is remapping Caps Lock to M for easily bringing up a map in shooters. Here I’ll point out the only big problem with the X0 from my perspective: Both QMK and Keychron’s online tool lack the ability to bind specific layout profiles or macros to the running game or program. You could conceivably program the four layers for four different games, and then manually switch between them. But that’s a lot of work and tweaking, for something that’s still fairly limited — for example, the Keychron tool has no way to program in mouse buttons or scroll wheel commands.  Michael Crider/Foundry This is, frankly, a bummer, and I’ve pointed it out on previous gaming keyboards from Keychron and Lemokey. Program-based presets are one of the core features I consider essential for a gaming keyboard, and it would make sense to offer them here. But I’m inclined to forgive the absence, if not forget it entirely, for a budget-focused design. I made the same concession for the G.Skill KM250, which remains my go-to pick for a budget gaming keyboard.  If you must have programable profiles that activate with a game or program, the Razer Tartarus is right there…for more than triple the price, and with far fewer keys. And it’s worth pointing out that none of the other alternatives below the $100 mark offer that game profile option.  A great impulse buy for PC gamers So yeah, I’d be happy to recommend this little gadget for anyone who wants a primary typing keyboard and a gaming keyboard, and can’t find one that works for both of them. Note the limitations of the software and the form factor — I doubt a Starcraft pro would be okay essentially cutting their immediate keys in half, for example.  The Lemokey X0 with my modified Gamesir pad. Michael Crider/Foundry But even as an experiment, it’s definitely worth the $33 asking price. If you like it and want to go further you can step up to the Tartarus, or consider the ReDragon K585 if you want something wireless.  Even as an experiment, The X0 is definitely worth the $33 asking price. In the meantime, I’ll wait patiently for someone (Lemokey, maybe you folks?) to make a wireless version of this gadget that comes with a big battery, a nice metal body, and hot-swap switches. Something tells me I’ll be waiting for a long, long time. Read...

I’m not saying Windows is a terrible operating system, but it’s definitely no longer the one I choose to use on a day-to-day basis. After 30+ years of using Windows in its various forms (starting with Windows 95), I have moved on — but not to macOS! In fact, I’ve switched from Windows to ChromeOS and I’m loving every minute of it. Now, I want to be fully transparent: I admit that I still own an all-in-one Windows PC (currently running Windows 10 because Microsoft doesn’t think it’s capable of Windows 11), and I’m also likely to buy a new Windows PC before support for Windows 10 officially ends. However, my Windows PC only exists as a backup for those increasingly rare times when my Chromebook isn’t right for the task. Most days, my Chromebook is more than sufficient. Here’s why I switched and why I now love Chromebooks more than Windows laptops. Related: The best Chromebooks for every budget Why I switched to a Chromebook Why did I switch from Windows to ChromeOS? There were several factors that influenced my decision. Some may resonate with you, while others may differ from your own experiences. Reason 1: A simpler, less frustrating operating system Dave Parrack / IDG After decades of using Windows in its various forms, I grew tired of how frustrating it has become to use. It feels bloated and slow more often than not, even with a decently specced machine and everything updated. I don’t want to wait minutes for an operating system to fully boot and be ready to use, I don’t want it to constantly grind away in the background doing God knows what, and I don’t want to be troubleshooting it all the time when things inevitably go wrong. I want an operating system that boots on demand in seconds and simply works without fuss or obstacles. I just want to get on with my day and do what I need to do. That’s what I found in ChromeOS. Reason 2: Less stress about malware and security issues Mohamed Hassan / Pixabay Windows has always been the favorite target of scammers and hackers due to its mainstream popularity and the many vulnerabilities that continue to pop up even as older ones are fixed. In other words, while Microsoft has admittedly improved in this area, malware is more likely to hit and infect a Windows machine than a Chromebook. (Windows is riskier to use than macOS and Linux, too.) ChromeOS is especially safe and secure thanks to a range of built-in security features, including Verified Boot (which checks for unexpected changes on startup), Sandboxing at all levels (which ensures any issues are kept isolated), and the inability to run random executables. All of this, combined with the fact that malware creators are less likely to target ChromeOS, means I can use my Chromebook without worrying as long as I’m mindful of best practices for digital security. Related: Can Chromebooks get viruses? It’s complicated, but don’t worry too much about it Reason 3: No system updates that take hours to complete Dave Parrack / IDG Another constant frustration of using Windows that made me look around for an alternative is the seemingly never-ending updates that Microsoft pushes onto users — updates that aren’t seamlessly applied in the background but disruptive to daily productivity. I’ve often heard my PC chugging away as it downloads a massive Windows update, which then prompts me to restart my computer in order to install it. That can sometimes take upwards of an hour. ChromeOS, on the other hand, is such a lightweight operating system that its regular updates are fast, silent, and without fuss. It takes the hassle out of maintaining an operating system. Reason 4: Productivity without spending a fortune Dave Parrack / IDG As a freelance writer and editor, I have the privilege to work anywhere — at home, at an office, at a coffee shop, or even while on vacation. But only if I have a machine that’s light, portable, and user-friendly enough. Sure, there are plenty of Windows laptops and MacBooks out there that fit the profile, but they generally come with higher price tags than Chromebooks. For me, a Chromebook strikes the right balance between usability, performance, and affordability. Related: Don’t go below these specs in a budget laptop Reason 5: I’m already embedded in Google’s ecosystem Dave Parrack / IDG The final reason why I made the switch away from Windows to ChromeOS is the fact that I’m already embedded in Google’s ecosystem. I own an Android phone and I use most of Google’s apps (including Gmail, Meet, Calendar, Maps, Photos, etc.), so it wasn’t a huge leap to ditch Windows and go (almost) all-in on ChromeOS. In fact, the switch has made things easier for me as I now have full access to all of my data across my phone, Chromebook, and other devices. Why I don’t regret making the switch I have no regrets about buying a Chromebook and I have no shame in preferring ChromeOS over Windows. Here are three big ways in which the switch has left me in a better place than before. I’m actually more productive Matthew Smith / IDG The most obvious benefit I’ve felt after switching is a boost to my productivity, and that in turn has improved my work-life balance. As a writer who works from home but also needs the option to work outside of the home at times, a Chromebook offers the perfect blend of power and portability. I can get my work done with little fuss and I can do it from anywhere, without the operating system bogging me down. ChromeOS boots instantly and is ready when I need it Dave Parrack / IDG Despite being a desk worker, I don’t actually have to be sat at a desk for 8 straight hours every day. I have flexibility in my schedule, and that’s why I need a machine that’s always ready to use on demand. Sure, I could leave my Windows laptop running all day and jump on/off as required, but I don’t like the idea of needless idling. Sleep and hibernation modes are also options, but Windows is too sluggish for me when it comes to waking up. ChromeOS offers a more practical and environmentally friendly alternative. Given how lightweight Google’s OS is, it’s no surprise that it boots instantly and can be used at a moment’s notice. Web and Android apps are enough for me Dave Parrack / IDG One of the bigger worries I had when leaving Windows was losing access to all the Windows programs I’d been using for years. However, those fears proved (mostly) unfounded as there are adequate Android apps and web apps to replace the ones I used on Windows. What you may not know is that Chromebooks aren’t just limited to websites and Chrome extensions. A few years ago, Google added the ability to natively run Android apps on Chromebooks, and most apps in the Google Play Store are compatible with ChromeOS. Some work better than others, of course, and there was a lot of trial and error as I sought apps that most closely matched my needs and preferences. But these days, web and Android apps are pretty darn good and you can easily get by except in very specific situations. Related: Why your next laptop should be a Chromebook What you might miss if you switch from Windows to Chromebook ChromeOS works perfectly for me 99 percent of the time, but if you decide to follow suit and switch from Windows to Google’s operating system, there are some things you may miss — and I’d be remiss if I didn’t at least mention them. Access to your full-featured desktop applications Microsoft While I was able to find suitable web and Android apps to replace most of the Windows programs I previously relied on, some niche programs simply don’t have viable web or Android alternatives. For example, if your job requires that you use a particular Windows-only app — maybe even an in-house app that’s specific to your company — then you may not have a choice. Another example is software that comes in web and Windows versions, with the Windows version being more full-featured or more performant. In that case, switching to the web version might be an obvious downgrade that seriously harms productivity or usability. Therefore, you really have to do your research before making the switch, whether you’re switching to ChromeOS or some other operating system like macOS or Linux. Windows-only apps are a valid deal-breaker. PC games without needing to rely on cloud gaming Dave Parrack / IDG Contrary to popular belief, you can game on a Chromebook — and the experience is far better than you’d probably expect it to be. The caveat is that you can’t just install Steam and play all the same PC games that you can enjoy on a Windows machine. Yes, you can install Steam on Chromebooks now, but not all games on Steam are compatible with ChromeOS. You can also install most Android games on ChromeOS, which opens up a whole world of casual gaming opportunities (along with mobile ports of popular games like Stardew Valley, Dead Cells, and Hollow Knight). Otherwise, you have to rely on cloud gaming services if you want to play mainstream AAA games on a Chromebook. Using platforms like Xbox Cloud Gaming, Nvidia’s GeForce Now, and Amazon Luna, you can stream gameplay to your Chromebook… but it’s notably not the same as playing games locally on a high-end machine. If these limited gaming options are a problem for you, then you should probably skip the Chromebook. (Or keep a separate gaming PC.) Related: Are Chromebooks good for gaming? System upgradeability and customizations Framework If you’re a fan of either customizing your system to your heart’s content or upgrading your hardware to stay ahead of the curve, then ChromeOS probably won’t be for you. It’s meant to be a lightweight operating system that works out of the box, not something for tinkering and customizing and messing around in. And while that suits me perfectly, it won’t suit everyone. The same goes for the hardware, as you’re pretty much stuck with what you buy. Thankfully, ChromeOS isn’t at all heavy on resources, so as long as you buy smart to begin with, the hardware should last. Further reading: How to turn an old laptop into a Chromebook Read...

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The Smiths star donates £50k to the Salford Lads Club, which features on the band`s album sleeve. Read...

These days, you don’t need a full-blown desktop PC or laptop to get your work done — a mini PC will do just fine. Not just fine, but even better. If you don’t need the portability of a laptop or the boundary-pushing power of a top-tier gaming PC, a mini PC might be ideal for you. And right now, with the Beelink SER5 Pro mini PC on sale for $309 at Amazon, down from its original $389 MSRP, it’s a great time to grab one of these bad boys and see how good they are. (You need Prime for this discount. Don’t have it? Sign up for a free trial and get this price!) This computer is tiny but powerful, packing an AMD Ryzen 7 5800H processor and 16GB of RAM. Of course, if you later decide that you need even more RAM, you can easily add more yourself up to a maximum of 64GB. You can’t do that with most laptops. This Beelink mini PC also features a 1TB SSD, which should be more than enough for whatever files and games you want to keep on it. But, again, if you decide you need more later, you can add another TB. And probably the coolest part about this mini PC is that it comes with support for not one, not two, but three 4K displays. (That’s via one HDMI 2.0 at 60Hz, one USB-C video at 60Hz, and one DisplayPort at 144Hz.) It also has sufficient connectivity with three USB-A 3.2 ports, one USB-A 2.0 port, and an Ethernet port. Again, this Beelink mini PC is just $309 with Amazon Prime, which is an unbeatable price for this configuration. If you don’t have Prime, you can snag a 30-day free trial to take advantage of this deal. This mini PC packs a lot of power for just $309Buy now on Amazon Read...

Fast charging tech is something we all need for our phones because who has the time to sit around while waiting to hit 100% again? With a fast charging power adapter, you can cut down your wait time and get right back to using your phone. And right now, this Baseus 45W USB-C wall plug is only $19.49 on Amazon, down from its $30 MSRP. (You’ll have to clip the on-page coupon to get this price.) This power adapter is compact and speedy, delivering 45W of charging power that’s fast enough to refill more than 50% battery on an iPhone 15 Pro or Samsung Galaxy S24 in just 30 minutes. It features a single USB-C port with Power Delivery, so you can only charge one device at a time — but when it’s this fast, that shouldn’t be an issue. The coolest part is that it’s travel-ready with its super small size and lightweight build. The prongs don’t fold, but it’s still tiny enough to fit in a pocket and come in handy for on-the-go charging. And that compact size is also great when your outlets and power strips are crowded, allowing you to fit it anywhere and still get your charge on. So grab this tiny but fast Baseus USB-C power adapter for just $19.49 on Amazon while you still can. Remember to clip the on-page coupon! Save 35% on this USB-C wall plug and fast charge your phoneBuy now on Amazon Read...

Gaming laptops are often bulky and expensive, but here’s one that bucks the trend both ways: the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 is slim, powerful, and available at a fantastic price. Right now, you can get this mighty laptop for $1,250 at Best Buy, which is $350 off its original $1,600 MSRP. This laptop sports a fantastic AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS processor and 16GB of RAM, which means you’ll breeze through any game you want to play. The 1TB SSD should also be more than enough for whatever photos, videos, documents, and games you want to store. The cherry on top of this cake, however, is the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card, which will let you play your games with incredible visuals at near-max graphics settings. The 2880×1800 screen with 120Hz refresh rate and 500 nits of brightness are also winning features that lend to you having the most stunning visual experience. When we reviewed the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14, we loved just about everything about it, giving the laptop a solid 4-star rating. We found it to be light, compact, sleek, and powerfully performant: “If having a gaming laptop that’s barely even noticeable in your backpack sounds enticing, then it’s hard to overlook the 2024 ROG Zephyrus G14. If offers both extreme portability and mighty performance. But, based on its middling battery performance, you’ll still want to carry a charger with you on your gaming journeys.” Need a formidable gaming laptop that won’t weigh you down? Snag this Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 for $1,250 at Best Buy while you still can! This Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 is $350 offBuy now at Best Buy Read...

Slowly but surely, OLED monitor prices are creeping downward. I wouldn’t call them “affordable” just yet, but you can find one from a reliable brand for about half the price they were at a year ago. Take this 27-inch MSI monitor for example: it’s just $530 on Amazon right now. That’s $170 off its regular price. The MAG 271QPX is on the budget side of things, albeit in the very specific context of a “budget” OLED. But it’s still packed with features that gamers will appreciate. That starts with the 2560×1440 resolution, which is increasingly the “sweet spot” for PC gamers. With a 240Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms response time, you can get ultra-smooth motion for online competitive games and fantastic visuals for single-player games (assuming your PC has the power for it). This thing can even handle USB-C video, which is sometimes omitted even from newer OLED designs. The bad news is that its power output is only 15 watts, which means it can charge up your phone or tablet but definitely not a high-power laptop. Other input options include DisplayPort and double HDMI, but no extra USB ports. The monitor’s included stand is pretty robust with support for portrait tilting, or you can mount it to a standard VESA arm if you want. I also dig MSI’s 3-year warranty on OLED panels. Amazon’s discounted price for this monitor isn’t shown as a limited-time sale or promotion, so it may be around for a while. But it’s the lowest price we’ve seen for a new OLED monitor, and other retailers aren’t matching the price, so hop on it if you’re interested. Get this 27-inch 1440p OLED monitor for just $530Buy now on Amazon Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Excellent typing Incredible battery saver mode PBT keycaps (finally!) Cons Screen is unnecessary Single-day battery with lights on Huge price increase Our Verdict The wireless upgrade for one of the best gaming keyboards on the market comes with a huge price increase and a screen it doesn’t need. It still offers fantastic typing and gaming, but this one’s for Razer mega-fans only. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% Retailer Price $299.99 View Deal $299.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket If you ask a dozen PC gamers who makes the ultimate gaming keyboard, odds are good that more than one will answer Razer. If you ask Razer which of their keyboards is its own ultimate, they’ll answer “the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%.” Then they’ll take a breath, because that is a mouthful.  The Pro upgrade to the original BlackWidow V4 75% adds wireless capability, an OLED screen, and PBT keycaps. Oh, and over $100 on the price tag — this $300 keyboard is now the brand’s most expensive by a healthy margin. While it’s not the priciest keyboard on the market, it’s definitely a splashy flex of a purchase, and well beyond the realm of an impulse buy.   Is the Pro version of Razer’s ultimate keyboard design better than its original wired model? Yes. Is it $110 better? No. Is the Pro version of Razer’s ultimate keyboard design better than its original wired model? Yes. Is it $110 better? No. If you want a wireless upgrade that has this keyboard’s premium materials and customizable options, I’d recommend going with a competing model. But if you’re a die-hard Razer fan and you want its ultimate mechanical keyboard, it’s at least plausible as a purchase.  Design  If you’re interested in the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% (I’m just going to call it the “Pro” from here on out), odds are pretty good that you’ve already looked at the non-Pro predecessor. I’d recommend perusing that review, as I don’t want to cover too much of the same ground. The original is a fantastic mix of custom keyboard and gaming keyboard features, but if you aren’t sold on it, you probably won’t be along for the ride here, either.  Razer BlackWidow V4 75%, top, BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%, bottom.Michael Crider/Foundry But to summarize, the V4 75% is a damn good blend of features from high-end gaming boards you’d expect from the Razer heritage, and a ton of new features borrowed from increasingly popular premium designs from the likes of Keychron and Nuphy. We’re talking high-end, satisfying tactile switches, hot-swap sockets if you want to try out something different, internal padding for a better feel and sound profile, and all the extra goodies like RGB, a volume knob, and side-lighting.  Pretty much the only major features that the original design lacked were wireless and adjustable actuation, the latter of which remains an exclusive to Razer’s Huntsman line. It’s a great choice if you like to tweak your keyboard, but you still love Razer’s gaming-focused features…and you don’t mind a bit of a splurge.  Michael Crider/Foundry Aside from the jaw-dropping asking price, the Pro adds Razer’s high-speed wireless with Bluetooth for multi-device functionality, the company’s first display on a mechanical keyboard (it’s tried this before, but not recently), and upgraded PBT keycaps. Let’s tackle all of those first.  Wireless upgrade Razer has been making wireless PC gaming accessories for a long time now, and pretty much has it down to a science. Testing out the Pro for several weeks I never encountered a single hiccup, even though I was using either the 2.4GHz connection or Bluetooth for almost the entire time. It’s rock-solid, and if you have the superhuman reflexes to notice the 4,000Hz polling rate, I’m sure you’ll appreciate it.  That speedy polling apparently requires a bit more hardware than can be fit into the usual dime-sized dongle seen on other Razer keyboards and mouse. This one needs a separate USB-C cable, and it’s chonky, about the size (but not the weight) of a 9-volt battery. It’s a bit of a disappointment as part of the allure of a wireless keyboard is keeping your desk nice and tidy, and it also limits this thing’s travel appeal.  Michael Crider/Foundry But be honest: If you’re spending $300 on a gaming keyboard, you have a massive desktop setup anyway. One more cable to mind probably won’t be a huge hindrance. A bigger issue might be the battery life, at least when using this keyboard to its full potential. But that’s an issue for later in the review.  PBT keycaps  It’s about damn time.  I’ve complained about Razer’s insistence on cheaper ABS plastic for its keyboards for years, and been told by Razer representatives that its customers only really wanted the more premium feel of PBT on the Huntsman line. This, while offering its own PBT upgrade as a separate purchase, rang hollow to me.  Michael Crider/Foundry I dare say that even Razer couldn’t keep up that reasoning for the most expensive keyboard in its current lineup, no matter what branding was put on the box. The Pro upgrade comes with PBT keycaps out of the box, as it darn well should.  The keycaps are solid and pleasant for both typing and gaming, even while offering shine-through for the RGB lighting. If you’re not a fan of the all-black look you can replace them with your own set, with only the right modifier keys being non-standard. Even then, this 75% layout is so common that you shouldn’t have trouble finding something to match.  Screen…dangit. The OLED screen is perhaps the most dramatic change in the Pro upgrade. It’s a 2-inch, black-and-white strip that can show you your current configuration, offer adjustments to the keyboard, and (most of the time) enhance your typing experience with a looping animation.  Let’s get down to brass tacks: I think putting a screen on a keyboard is stupid. It adds essentially zero functionality — after all, if you’re using a computer you’re already looking at a screen. And any changes or adjustments you make on-the-fly can be communicated via an alert from paired software (Razer’s Synapse in this case) or just displayed via the keyboard’s own lighting (see the Huntsman’s adjustable actuation visualization for a good example).  Michael Crider/Foundry No matter how you dress it up with lighting or keycaps or other ornamentation, a keyboard is a tool you’re not supposed to be looking at while you actually use it. Doubly so if you buy a gaming keyboard, where your attention should be on the screen at 300 frames per second. And if I may bring in a collaborating voice, the PCWorld for the Deathstalker Ultimate keyboard came to a similar conclusion more than a decade ago. All that being said…the screen on the Pro is okay. It’s not so big that it actively distracts me, and it at least has the courtesy to show me important info when I press the Fn button. I like the extra button on the side that quickly cycles through the various functions of the wheel, displayed on the screen (which is not itself touch-enabled).  Michael Crider/Foundry But again, the vast majority of the time it was in use, I had it looping a Pop Tart cat GIF, at the request of a coworker who shall remain nameless Alaina. The screen moves the previously much more serviceable volume wheel and control buttons to the side.  It’s better than the Asus ROG Azoth — the wheel remains a wheel, instead of a rocker. And the mute button is nice and big, easy to press without looking. But if I had my druthers, I’d remake this keyboard without a screen, and smack every other keyboard maker until they followed suit.  Michael Crider/Foundry I fully admit that most of the above is my opinion. It isn’t shared by everyone. But one of the objective downsides of adding screens to wireless keyboards is battery life. And on that note… Battery Life  …it’s awful. But manageable, thanks to some clever choices on Razer’s part.  The bad news is that when operating the Pro at its most bombastic, with full RGB brightness, full screen animation, and 4,000Hz polling, you’ll be lucky to get 18 hours of battery life out of it. That is astonishingly low for any keyboard. I’ve seen the battery readout drop by 10 percent in an hour.  But even if you really love that screen, odds are that you won’t be using it in that mode very often. Because Razer built in a quick switch to an ultra-efficient power saving mode. By default it’s Fn+Escape.  Michael Crider/Foundry In this mode the keyboard cuts the screen and all lighting, and will go to “sleep” in a minute or so without input. Razer claims that this mode lets the keyboard last for 2,100 hours, almost three months of continuous usage. I obviously don’t have that long to test it, but it seems more than reasonable. While using the keyboard in this mode for full work days and several hours of gaming after, it could go for multiple weeks while only dropping a few percentage points.  Featuring this mode so heavily in the promotional material, and making it so immediately accessible on the keyboard’s design, tells me that Razer knew it would be in frequent use. And I appreciate it, since wireless with no lighting and no extras is how I use keyboards anyway. The second or two it takes to wake up after I come back to the desktop is a fair trade as far as I’m concerned.  Michael Crider/Foundry You might feel differently if that flashy screen is something you’re really after in a keyboard. But if that’s the case, I suggest that you might as well just plug this thing in and use it in wired mode anyway. That’ll work better if you’re constantly fiddling with it in Razer Synapse.  Software  Before testing out this keyboard, I’d have said that Razer’s Synapse is probably the best gaming accessory “driver” software on the market. Granted, that’s damning with faint praise, but it’s a big deal for the most intense PC gamers.  Michael Crider/Foundry The Pro upgrade of this keyboard comes with a redesigned beta of Synapse. And it’s rough. The new version handles all the basics of keyboard programming, but I found it extremely finicky. It often failed to detect the keyboard even when directly connected via USB, and it seemed to fight me for basic programming. It took about a half-dozen tries to get a custom GIF programmed, and that’s supposed to be one of the headline features.  All of the standard programming and settings functions are here (including a digital-only version of the contentious “Snap Tap” feature, which I’m still not a fast enough gamer to actually use). But they’ve moved around and they’re harder to find. The new version of Synapse seems at least as interested in selling me new Razer devices as it does actually running my hardware.  Michael Crider/Foundry Worst of all, the issues expanded beyond the keyboard. I use and love a Razer Naga Pro mouse as my all-day device, for both work and gaming. And the beta version of Synapse wiped out the settings I’d had saved for months. It also failed to connect every time I rebooted or even brought my PC back from sleep, forcing me to “reset” the mouse by cycling from to wired mode and back to wireless. Eventually I got so frustrated that I disabled the Hypershift functions I had been using and remapped the buttons to rely on local (mouse) memory only, then shut off Synapse completely.  Michael Crider/Foundry That’s a pretty terrible state of things, since I was previously happy to let Synapse run in the background of Windows, something I don’t often allow from gaming apps. I think there’s a good chance that Razer will improve this beta version of Synapse considerably — it’s one of the few accessory companies that really pays attention here. But at present when the beta version is the only one compatible with this new keyboard, it’s an unavoidable low point.  Value and conclusion The Pro version of this keyboard keeps all the good stuff from the original V4 75%. The great typing, the custom flexibility, the comfy magnetic wrist rest that’s the best in the category. And the wireless addition is great, especially if you don’t need the light show and use it in the super-efficient battery saver mode.  Michael Crider/Foundry But to get those goodies you have to get over a $300 asking price. And that price seems even higher when Corsair offers all of these features, minus the wrist rest and the entirely unnecessary OLED screen, for half the price with the excellent K65 Plus Wireless 75%.  Faced with that alternative, to say nothing of the original BlackWidow V4 75% for those who don’t need wireless, I can’t recommend this keyboard at this price. It makes too many sacrifices for that screen, while adding far too few actual capabilities, to justify the expense.  Corsair offers all of these features, minus the wrist rest and the entirely unnecessary OLED screen, for half the price. If you’re a huge Razer fan, you have money to burn, and you really need to see a black-and-white looping animation on your keyboard, go for it I suppose. Just remember that if you want to see it for more than a few seconds at a time, you’ll be plugging it in. Read...