Razer has many mechanical keyboards in its line-up, but there are two models that really stick out, the Razer Huntsman and the Razer Blackwidow. The question is, which one is better? We purchased both keyboards from Razer and we’re going to break down what we liked and disliked about each model to help you decide on your purchase.
Between the Blackwidow Lite and the Razer Huntsman, the Huntsman has better build quality with a detachable USB-C cable, PBT keycaps, and a better case. However, the red optical switches on the Huntsman make it quite uncomfortable to type on. I would prefer to use the Blackwidow for general usage, while the Huntsman is better for gaming.
We’ll go into a more detail analysis of each keyboard and give a list of pros and cons for each keyboard to help you determine which one may be better for you. There are some notable differences between the two keyboards that we’ll explain our thoughts on.
Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition
Features
- Tenkeyless (87 Key)
- Optical Red Switches
- USB-C Port
- PBT keycaps
Our Review of the Razer Huntsman
The Razer Huntsman is a popular keyboard from the Razer lineup. Commonly used by gamers and those new to mechanical keyboards. This particular keyboard is the tenkeyless size with no numberpad. The case is plastic with a slim aluminum top plate which feels very light making it very easy to take on the go. On the flip side, the light weight also makes the keyboard feel kind of cheap, like it would be easy to break on accident.
We ordered our Huntsman with the Red linear optical switches. Optical switches have a slightly faster reaction time which can be useful for those play competitive games such as Call of Duty, Fortnite, League of Legends, etc. Unfortunately, we found the optical switches to be very uncomfortable to type on and they we’re very loud as well. When typing on the optical switches they had very little support for the impact of your fingers, so after typing for a few minutes we started to experience some mild finger pain. We found that by adding 2-3 O-rings really helped the switches from being too loud and made them feel way better.
A cool feature is the keyboard came with PBT keycaps, which is a nice upgrade over the usual ABS keycaps. This keeps the keycaps from developing a shine and the PBT plastic is slightly more robust as well. We also really liked the RGB lighting and how easy it was to change through the Razer software. The power cable was braided and detachable, which is a double win.
Overall, the keyboard wouldn’t be that bad with a different type of switch (preferably not optical), but we found that the keyboard felt cheap and we we’re slightly disappointed by Razer’s performance. The typing experience just wasn’t enjoyable, and the keyboard failed to deliver to our expectations. If Razer put a little more work into developing a more robust case and stabilizers this keyboard would be a lot higher on the list. You can check the keyboard out for yourself on Amazon by following this link.
Although the typing experience on this keyboard was lacking, we found that if you use the keyboard for strictly the purpose of gaming, it wasn’t too bad to use. As mentioned before, the optical switches are made specifically to give a faster response time whilst gaming, but they sacrifice everything that makes typing an enjoyable experience. We can only recommend this keyboard if only used for the gaming niche.
Razer Blackwidow Lite Stormtrooper Edition
Features
- Tenkeyless
- Razer Orange Switch
- Detachable micro-USB cable
- Star Wars Design
Our Review of the Razer Blackwidow Lite
We lucked out and were able to get the Blackwidow Lite in the Stormtrooper Edition. I was extremely excited as a big Star Wars fan myself. Once the keyboard arrived, we found it to be a little underwhelming. Similar to the Huntsman, the build quality was not the best. It had the same flimsy plastic case with a thin metal top plate, which made the keyboard feel like it would be easy to break.
The keycap set wasn’t as Star Wars themed as I would’ve liked. The only keycap they changed was the escape key, it was changed to the Empire logo. The backplate was colored black and white with the outline of a Stormtrooper on it which was a nice addition, although It would be nice to see more Star Wars related stuff.
I really enjoyed the keycap profile, they had a great feel and it made typing quite enjoyable. The shape of the keycaps is slightly concave, but not so much as the standard keycap shape. We ordered our keyboard with the Razer Orange switches, which are basically Razer’s version of Cherry MX Browns. The switches felt nice and tactile, I would put them on par with the Browns as far as quality and feel goes.
I wasn’t a fan of the power cable on this keyboard for two reasons. 1) The cable is micro-USB, which can get frustrating when switching between keyboards because USB-C is standard. And with micro-USB you can only plug in the cable facing one direction, but with USB-C the cable will still plug in upside-down, it’s totally reversible. 2) The port is located on the right side of the keyboard which looks a little bit strange, especially if you use a coiled power cable. Usually the left side of the keyboard is standard.
The overall quality of the keyboard and the case was a little lackluster, while being slightly less robust than the Huntsman. The Blackwidow has a thinner aluminum top plate, which makes sense because it is the Blackwidow “Lite” Edition. The case feels more flexible and fragile than the Huntsman.
The Winner: Razer Blackwidow Lite… Sometimes
Between the slightly more affordable Blackwidow Lite and the hardcore gaming keyboard, the Razer Huntsman TE, I would choose the Razer Blackwidow Lite. While slightly less well-made and robust than the Huntsman, the Blackwidow feels way more enjoyable to type on. Plus, the Star Wars Edition doesn’t hurt either.
The optical switches of the Huntsman are loud and extremely uncomfortable to use. There are certain people that would benefit from using the Huntsman over the Blackwidow Lite, and those would be the truly dedicated gamers. The optical switches allow for a small advantage over the standard mechanical switch type, and if you’re not typing as much, you don’t experience finger pain from using the optical switches.
| Razer Blackwidow Lite | |
| Pros | Cons |
| Better for Typing | Detachable Micro-USB Cable (USB-C is preferred) |
| Braided Power Cable | Keyboard feels flimsy and flexible |
| Silent orange switches | |
| Stormtrooper Star Wars Edition | |
| Standard bottom row layout | |
| Better keycap profile |
| Razer Huntsman TE | |
| Pros | Cons |
| Optical switches better for gaming | Difficult to type on |
| Better build quality | Optical Red switches are loud and uncomfortable |
| Adjustable feet incline angle | |
| Detachable USB-C cable | |
| RGB Lighting | |
| PBT Keycaps |
Conclusion
Being able to test out both keyboards was a very fun experience, although painful at times (looking at you optical switches). Overall, both keyboards are decent and fun to use for the purpose of gaming. I would consider another keyboard altogether if you’re looking for a keyboard to type an essay on. The main downside about both keyboards was the case felt weak and flexible, and Razer definitely could benefit from some upgrades in that department.
If I had to choose between the two keyboards, I would pick the Blackwidow Lite, as it’s better for all-purpose use. For the purpose of strictly gaming, I would go with the Huntsman. Picking between the two, depends entirely on what you plan on using the keyboard for, but those are my recommendations based on my experience testing each keyboard out. We also included both keyboards in the best mechanical keyboards under 100 post, so if you’re looking for other keyboards in the same price range make sure to check that post out as well.
I hope you found this product comparison useful and we were able to help you in making a decision between both of these keyboards by Razer. Make sure to check out the prices of the Razer Huntsman TE and the Razer Blackwidow Lite on Amazon.
Happy typing!