Razer Ornata V3 X Gaming Keyboard: Low-Profile Keys – Silent Membrane Switches – Spill Resistant – Chroma RGB Lighting – Ergonomic Wrist Rest – Classic Black

Top half of this review is an overall performance overview. Bottom half is an update about quality control and slow replacement issues that made me change this from a 4- to a 3-star review.I didn’t purchase this keyboard for gaming, just straight typing. I work in transcription and have many of the same problems gamers do. I type faster when the keyboard gives me the right tactile feedback, it can’t be too loud, the key spacing needs to be on-point, and even ghosting is a problem. The Ornata is one of the best keyboards I’ve ever used and has noticeably increased my productivity.Key Feel: I’m a heavy-handed typist, meaning membrane is generally easier for me to use. However, I love a good click. Having a ‘tickity-tack’ sensation with depression helps me stay ‘in the zone’ while I type. When I’m not working, I type fastest on my Macbook Pro keyboard. Macbook keyboards are a sort of membrane/mechanical hybrid like the Ornata, which is the biggest reason I went with it. You get that ‘click’ while still having gentler touch. The Ornata has a more aggressive ‘click’ than a Macbook keyboard, but it’s still that hybrid sensation.Key Height: The Ornata advertises itself as a mid-profile key on the Razer website (I don’t know why all the professional reviews call it ‘low profile’; it definitely isn’t even by gaming keyboard standards). I liked that idea. With low-profile keys (and especially full-on chiclets), it can be too easy to hit multiple keys at once when typing at max speed. However, the keys on the Ornata ‘float’ above the profile of the keyboard base. The end effect definitely isn’t as dramatic as high profile keys, but it’s still on the higher side. I expected something shorter. Key height can play a big role in hand fatigue, especially if you’re a heavy-handed typist. If they set the keys even a little bit into the base of the keyboard, or make them just a touch shorter, it would be closer to ‘mid-profile.’ The trade-off you get for this key seating is easier cleaning (see Cleaning down below).Anti-Ghosting: When typing quickly, I often have a problem where I’m hitting the next key in a sequence before my finger has fully “disengaged” the previous key. On every other keyboard I’ve ever used, this means ghosting. I’d get ‘thes’ instead of ‘these’ and so forth. The Ornata prevents that, and it significantly improves my work efficiency. I spend less time correcting the ‘thes’ and ‘tht’ and ‘thoug’s I normally have to deal with.Key Volume: I’d rate this as a mid-volume key. It’s much quieter 15-year-old, ‘out of the box’ desktop mechanicals that pretty much go “THUMPITY-WHACKITY,” but it’s nowhere near as quiet as my Macbook. I can still transcribe without the key volume making it hard to hear my files, but a friend of mine who works on the phone noted that their customers would absolutely be able to hear their typing. To me, the volume is too loud for a hybrid key. It seems like it’s making an effort to make a sound. I think that’s what bugs me the most about it. It’s inorganic; it doesn’t feel ‘native’ to the key feel. If it was even the same volume but less sharp of a sound, it would be great. If you’re looking for a ‘stealthy’ keyboard, this definitely isn’t it.Programability: TBA. I haven’t messed with this yet, but I use a number of macros while I work. I’ll update this review after I’ve fiddled with it. The one thing I will say is that the keyboard updates are a mild annoyance. Your keyboard will stop working until you restart your computer, which I found out the hard way.As an aside, the Synapse software frequently leaves a lot to be desired. I’m on the beta for the new version. It works better, but the “upgraded” main interface is enormous, slow loading, and ugly. Lots of negative space for no good reason. It also lacks the customization capabilities you would expect. Everything about the keyboard is customizable, but you can’t customize the interface to only show the options you use. The Chroma (color-change) customization screen is still awkward to use, though it works much, much better than it used to.Color & Color Programming: Phenomenal. The color is just icing for me, but it makes my work day a lot more interesting. It’s rich and lovely with a good color-to-color shift. There are a few problems with programming it. The first is that the software needs work, though the beta of the new Synapse works much better than the old one. I still have problems with the keyboard abruptly resetting the color cycle to default after updates.Cleaning: Someone asked a question about this and made me realize this keyboard is absurdly easy to clean. I have dogs that shed nonstop; fur tends to build up between keys in other keyboards. Because of the ‘floating’ set and spacing of the keys, I don’t get as much fur between the keys, and what does get in is a cinch to get out. I can tease pretty much anything that falls between the keys out with just a napkin or my nails. It would be effortless to clean up with canned air or just a paintbrush. Even if something was stuck to the membrane, you could dampen a Q-tip or a stiff paintbrush and get it right off.Overall, definitely recommend for heavy-handed typists that have a need for speed and accuracy. I knocked off a star for it overcompensating on the click loudness and the keys being taller than they should be for true ‘mid-height.’UPDATE, reduced from 4 to 3 stars:After having the keyboard for about eight months, the LEDs started glitching out. Razer customer service personnel is fantastic; I’ve dealt with them twice now, and they’re great. I sent my original keyboard back to Razer for a replacement. I appreciated free shipping both ways, but it was ground. It took almost a month between shipping it to them and getting my replacement.Six months after I received my replacement, the black coating is starting to wear off the center of my space bar. I have a .5 inch section where it’s totally worn off an a 2 inch section where it has a heavy gloss from wearing down and is about to wear off. I had a shoddy laptop keyboard’s coating last a good five years longer than this. The weird thing is that this didn’t even happen on my last Ornata after six months of an equal amount of use.I contacted Razer customer service. I got prompt, professional replies, and the agent checked with a particular department about my issue. Unfortunately, this is considered normal ‘wear and tear,’ and my warranty is considered to be from my original purchase date.Razer does offer replacement key caps, but they were out of stock when I contacted customer service.You’d think a gaming keyboard would have key coatings tough enough to withstand heavy, rapid key press abuse. Just six months is pretty pathetic. This could be a quality control flub, but if so, the Ornata definitely has QC issues; this marks the second time something has gone wrong with a brand new Ornata within less than a year.If this were a $30 keyboard, I wouldn’t care so much. But you can’t have a $100 MSRP on a keyboard and have quality issues like this, let alone replacement shipping that’s as slow as it is.

Great quality and product Speedy delivery Very happy customer

The keyboard itself is great I just wish the synapse app was a bit more stable.

I missed out on the V2, but i was an early adopter of the original Razer Ornata. It was nice to type on though the membranes used in that board felt very stiff right out of the box, and there were very noticeable differences in the leaf springs on each key that make the click sounds. Fast forward to the V3, and this is how the original Ornata should have been. My very first typing test after unboxing was a 106wpm. It is VERY smooth to type on, the clicks are consistent and satisfying to hear, and the RGB is next level as is typical of Razer products. I’m extremely happy with this purchase, and I think you will be too.

It was very nice and quiet enough where I don’t have to be scared to type shit up, last keyboard I had was ass cheeks cuz it was wayyyy toooo loud! But other than that this was a major upgrade for me and don’t see myself getting another keyboard anytime soon after this one.

This keyboard and the app that goes along with it are great! every single key can be customized to be a different color/brightness. you can have your keyboard light up patterns, faintly glow, or you can have it do a stobe like effect.I love the way it sounds, the clicking lets you know exactly when you hit a key every time.I dont think I will ever use another keyboard in my life