Are Razer purple opto-mechanical switches worth the price?

Razer Huntsman

All-time reply: The purple opto-mechanical switches are a fresh take on mechanical gaming keyboards. It has light, superfast actuation cheers to using a beam of lite, while maintaining the satisfying click that so many gamers crave. Currently, information technology's available on the Huntsman and Huntsman Aristocracy keyboards, both of which are worth buying.

Try the switches for yourself: Razer Huntsman ($130 at Amazon)
Elite-class keyboard: Razer Huntsman Elite ($180 at Amazon)

What is the opto-mechanical switch?

The opto-mechanical switch from Razer is equal parts elementary and scenic. You lot can identify it by its purple colour (compared to the greenish, orange, or yellow switches on other Razer keyboards).

So what is it? Simply put, information technology's a mechanical switch that uses a light axle to actuate over an actual slice of metal. The switch itself is similar in design to Razer'south other switches, but instead of a metallic contact being made when you press the primal downward, a axle of light passes through the switch and then actuation happens.

It all sounds fancy, only what it really means is that the opto-mechanical switch is insanely fast. So much and then it might catch y'all out at first. Actuation occurs the exact instant y'all feel the bump on the switch. There's absolutely no delay, something you just tin't attain by using a traditional mechanical switch design.

Substituting light for a physical object makes it as fast every bit it tin be, just Razer made sure that the feel of the opto-mechanical is yet on par with its regular mechanical switches. They experience like to the Razer Green switches, albeit lighter and with less noise, but yous nevertheless get that click and bump only as you would on a green switch.

How it stacks up against Razer's regular mechanical switches

Razer Huntsman Elite

We've previously covered the differences betwixt Razer switches, but where does the opto-mechanical fit in? It combines the all-time of all three with, of grade, that instant actuation.

It has the aforementioned light actuation force as both the orangish and yellow switches, with an actuation distance somewhere in the middle of the two. The difference over the yellowish is that while the distance is marginally further, when y'all hit that point the switch actuates with zero delay. These kind of 'delays' aren't something you'll be able to fourth dimension or visibly see, but over fourth dimension you'll brainstorm to feel the difference. When gaming, instant response is improve than whatever filibuster, no matter how small-scale.

The opto-mechanical switch then has the low-cal feeling you become from an orange or a yellow, with a bump and clicky feeling similar to a green switch. Information technology's substantially the all-time of all worlds. And with less moving parts, the opto-mechanical switches are rated for double the number of lifetime clicks that the regular ones are. And then it's faster and more durable.

Which keyboard to go

Razer Huntsman Elite

You lot might be thinking: "great, I need these switches in my life correct now" and you lot'd be perfectly justified in doing so. The opto-mechanical switch has to be experienced to truly understand how good it is, but correct now there are only 2 keyboards which use it.

Those are both in the Huntsman family. The regular Huntsman and the Huntsman Elite both use these switches, with the only divergence being more overall features such as a punch control, dedicated media keys and an included wrist residuum on the Aristocracy.

If you're a fan of the BlackWidow in particular, give the Huntsman a shot. It feels a lot like the next evolution of the BlackWidow, which is no bad thing.

Get hunting

Razer huntsman

Razer Huntsman

Different annihilation yous've used before

Any the fastest keyboard you've used is, this is faster, and with a light, clicky feeling switch that's utterly joyous to type and game on.

Elite class

Razer Huntsman Elite

All the skilful of the Huntsman with a little more on elevation

The Huntsman Elite adds some extra features, similar a magnetic wrist residue, a control dial and dedicated media control keys to the already excellent Huntsman.

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