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Around the launch of the Huntsman V3 Pro, I was starting to get itchy for a new keyboard. At the time, I was rocking a Logitech G815. So you can imagine how thankful I was to get the opportunity to review the NZXT Function Elite MiniTKL about 10 months later.
Even with a solid keyboard, I wanted more. While I’m nearing closer to 40 years than the 30-year mark I’m currently living, I still consider myself to be a pretty damn good competitive gamer.
Disclaimer: This review was made possible by a review unit provided by Razer. The company did not see the contents of the review before publishing.
Huntsman V3 Pro 8KHz: Pricing and specifications
First off, let’s go over the pricing. With premium-level products, you can expect to pay a lot more than something like a “Redragon” bundle at Best Buy.
Razer Huntsman V3 Pro 8KHZ
• Price: $249.99 at Best Buy | Amazon
• Switches: Razer Analog Optical Switch Gen-2 with additional lubrication
• Specs: 0.1-4.0mm actuation, 40g actuation force, 100 million keystroke lifespan, textured double-shot PBT keys, N-key rollover w/ anti-ghosting, pre-lubed stabilizers, 8,000Hz polling rate
• Connectivity: Wired via detachable USB Type-C
• Other features: Adjustable actuation, Rapid Trigger Mode, gamepad emulation, six onboard memory profiles, on-the-fly adjustment & macro recording, multifunction dial w/ three buttons, per-key Razer Chroma RGB lighting, magnetic firm leatherette wrist rest, Double-Step Actuation
The Razer Huntsman V3 Pro 8KHz ranges from $219.99 for the TKL version to $249.99 for the full version at the official Razer store.
If you’re looking for either the white or Razer green editions, expect to pay $10 to $20 more for the TKL variants. Or $259.99 and $269.99, respectively.
Now, you might be thinking, “Wow, that’s a lot of money for a keyboard,” and I’m not going to sit here and tell you you’re wrong by any means. It is, it’s a heck of a lot for a keyboard.
However, the price of entry is worth it if you’re looking to invest in a skillset you know you have. I won’t come out saying buy it if you’re just a casual gamer, because this keyboard isn’t for you.
But, if you’re a good player who could benefit from better response times, better control, actuation, Rapid-Trigger, and everything else that comes with this board, then it’s time to save up.
Huntsman V3 Pro 8KHz: Design and build quality
The look and feel of the Razer Huntsman Pro V3 8KHZ is something you need to try for yourself to truly understand, maybe at a local Best Buy. I’ll still do my absolute best to explain just how superb the experience feels.
For the second time in my gaming career, I’ve jumped onto the TKL bandwagon. While I do quite a bit of writing and even some sim gameplay, the tenkey always seemed to get in the way of my over-swung mouse movements.
I’m one of those players who use a giant Artisan Ninja FX mousepad, but the more room to bring that closer, the better. Often, I’d find myself hitting the side of my keyboard when trying to make sudden movements to the left, and I hadn’t properly repositioned. The TKL format is compact and neat, with everything I could ever need right at my fingertips.
The 8K is just so well designed that, while it might be a placebo, I had the easiest transition ever to this board.
Whenever I swap keyboards, it always seems to take me a week to really get used to a layout before I’m back to typing and gaming like before. The 8K is just so well designed that, while it might be a placebo, I had the easiest transition ever to this board.
The feel is incredible, the subtle texture differences between my Huntsman V3 Pro 8KHZ and the NZXT Elite MiniTLK stand out when played over 10,000 key presses per hour. Almost charming when compared to the likes of the Huntsman V3 Pro (non-8K). Which was knocked for having a more subtle loudness than the newest version.
The keyboard also feels substantial without a single hint of flimsiness. I mention this because it’s so light compared to recent magnetic hall effect keyboards that I thought I might break it at first. I don’t know what magic Razer is using over there, but in terms of build quality, it holds up to the best there is.
Huntsman V3 Pro 8KHz: Typing experience
Like the previous iteration, the typing on the Huntsman V3 Pro 8KHZ is still solid, but even better this time around, thanks to several new upgrades based on customer feedback.
First, to dampen the ~53 dB reported previously, Razer has introduced a new, denser foam they’re calling “Thick EPDM + EVA” foam beneath the keys to deliver a more plush sound rather than the high-pitched clack of the prior board. It’s small, but it has a noticeable impact on typing sound. Again, you notice these things after 10,000 keystrokes.
Huntsman V3 Pro 8KHz: Gaming performance
The elephant in the room comes with gaming performance. What significant improvements have the team at Razer made in terms of pure, raw performance to make the board worth it? The answer: yes.
First of all, let’s talk about the double-edged sword that is 8K polling.
The real-world performance difference between 1KHZ and 8KHZ is measurable in terms of latency, from 1.7ms to 0.58ms, respectively. That’s a 66% increase in performance based on latency alone, from what I’d consider inhumanely measurable to unmistakably instant.
The other side of the coin can come at the cost of that 8K polling rate. The Razer app, and I’m sure other apps for similar keyboards, all give the same warning when tuning to any polling rate above 1K: “Higher polling rates will result in higher CPU usage, which may impact frame rates.”
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These are self-tested, but as you can see from the photos above, under no load vs me spamming the keyboard with Rapid-Trigger, Snap-Tap, 0.1 actuation, and an 8K polling rate.
While it’s not the same impact I’ve seen with 8K mouse polling, it’s still a jump. One that could eat into your top-end frames in CPU-limited games like Counter-Strike, Siege X, and other high-refresh games on 480Hz displays.
If the raw performance is what you need, then this is the board for you. What about other features?
Both Snap-Tap and Rapid-Trigger return, with the former being another boogeyman in the gaming world, as some titles like Counter-Strike outright deny its use. Rapid-Trigger, paired with the new 0.1mm to 4.0mm actuation range, is absolutely stunning.
The slightest up/down tap of a key can be counted as a repeated stroke, giving your teabagging game—or other repetitive gaming motion tasks—an absolute boost in output.
I want to reiterate the actuation range increase, as the old/current version of the Huntsman Pro V3 has a range of 0.4mm to 3.6mm. Now, they match the likes of magnetic switches found in Wooting and NZXT.
Speaking of competition.
Huntsman V3 Pro 8KHz: Competition
The one thing I always ask is, “What are the pros of using?” For years, I’ve used Prosettings.net as the go-to place to find out. The competition these past few years has basically been Razer vs Wooting, with Wooting taking the crown by a percentage point and a more substantial overall market share.
Coming in as the second-most-used keyboard on the market, the Razer Huntsman Pro V3 is not a slouch, and with the introduction of the 8K variant, I can see this gap either closing or being surpassed.
The main difference between the old Huntsman and the Wooting 80HE was the 8K polling rate. With that gap closed, the Razer Huntsman Pro V3 8KHz could very well overtake the Wooting 60HE+ for the crown.
Other competitors in the area are cheaper alternatives that still give decent performance compared to these other top-tier boards, including the likes of SteelSeries Apex Pro and the Logitech G Pro X. Whether the difference in price is worth it to you will come down to what you’re looking for in a board.
Do you settle for good, or go for the best? For quite a few years, I settled for good, and I wish I had made the jump sooner.
Huntsman V3 Pro 8KHz: Final thoughts
✅You should buy this if …
- You’re looking for the best. While expensive, the Huntsman V3 Pro 8KHz brings the juice that amateur and professional-level gamers have come to expect.
- You want to customize your experience to be the best of gaming, writing, and casual use, all on one keyboard.
❌You should not buy this if …
- You wouldn’t get much use out of the features with 8K, 0.1-4.0mm actuation, Snap-tap and Rapid-Trigger keys, then there’s no reason to pick this over something half the price.
The Razer Huntsman V3 Pro 8KHz is the best gaming keyboard Razer has made to date and the best one I’ve ever personally used. From the relatively satisfying feel of each keystroke to the gamer-centric features that are sure to raise your skill ceiling, I can’t find anything to complain about outside of a high price tag. If you’re in need of a high-end, premium gaming keyboard, then the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro 8KHz should be at the top of your list when deciding.
Razer Huntsman V3 Pro 8KHz
Razer’s Huntsman V3 Pro 8KHz takes everything great from its predecessor while improving on the features that brought the last iteration down. Through and through, the best keyboard Razer has ever made.
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