Razer Pro Type
Two minute review
The Razer Pro Type is a wireless keyboard targeted at the business and home office consumer made by one of the world's most popular makers of computer peripherals. So there's no question that the Pro Type is an excellent keyboard with a lot of great features and an appealing design.
The keys themselves are a dream to type on and the mechanical clicks are more muted than the typical mechanical keyboard, making it more tolerable for coworkers in the close confines of an office.
With room to save three Bluetooth device profiles, switching the Razer Pro Type out between different computers is quick and easy, with a fourth device being accessible by using the standard 2.4GHz wireless connection.
The soft white backlight on the keys is just subdued enough to keep the keyboard professional, but it does feel like a gaming keyboard designer managed to smuggle in some of their aesthetic under the radar and into the Razer Pro Type.
Those issues are fairly minor compared to the keyboard's biggest problem though: its wireless connectivity. A lot of peripherals are hit or miss when it comes to their wireless connections, especially a 2.4GHz signal, and the Razer Pro Type is not exempt.
On a lot of devices, you just shake the thing in frustration until the wireless gods sort it out, but depending on where and when you lose your wireless connection on a keyboard, you can end up stuck in an endless input loop that can make a mess of active documents or menu navigation.
This seems much more like the kind of thing within Razer's control, so it's frustrating when it does occur.
Another issue we've had with it is fairly regular instances of double-letter typos. Again, this is a problem with a lot of wireless keyboards, but it is still an aggravating one that we really don't want to see in a keyboard at this price.
There are a few more minor nuisance issues like this that pop up from time to time with the Pro Type and it can be frustrating, which is never good. It's especially bothersome because it holds back this otherwise phenomenal wireless keyboard from being one of the best out there right now.
Price and availability
The Razer Pro Type is available now from Virgin Megastore, priced at AED 569.
Design
The Razer Pro Type is part of Razer's latest productivity collection of peripherals aimed at the office and remote worker. Leaving aside the jet black and RGB color schemes of its gaming keyboards, the Razer Pro Type features a softer off-white and silver color scheme, backed up by white LED lighting underneath the keys.
The metal finish of the top plate that holds the keys in place is a more mature look than most of Razer's other products.
The biggest issue with the Razer Pro Type as far as the design goes is that the backlighting seems counter-intuitive to the look they seem to be aiming to hit. While it's true that you can turn off the keyboard backlighting, when left on it still hints at the gaming peripheral pedigree it came from.
This is even more apparent when sitting side-by-side to the much more impressive Razer Pro Click. The backlighting is even enough to make you question, at a glance, whether these two peripherals are even a part of the same collection or two entirely unrelated products.
Still, this is a minor issue with an otherwise visually subdued and elegant design. It definitely isn't the kind of keyboard you'll be uncomfortable using at a downtown office.
Performance
When it comes to the actual business of typing on the Razer Pro Type, you quickly find that it lives up to its name. Razer's Orange mechanical switches are quieter than other mechanical keyboards and feel very responsive to the touch.
Combine this with the soft-touch coating on the keys and before you know it your fingers are just flying across the keys with very little effort. The switches are rated for 80 million keystrokes so the keyboard is also physically built to last.
Depending on whether you turn the backlight off or leave it on, you can expect about 12 hours out of a full charge using either wireless option with the backlighting on. Turning it off gives you substantially more battery life, up to 84 hours on Bluetooth and 78 Hours on 2.4GHz wireless.
The Pro Type does charge off of a USB-C port in the back, which we love to see, and this port can provide a wired connection to any device with a USB port in case you ever run out of battery charge or just prefer a wired connection.
Buy it if...
You want a wireless keyboard that you can really type on
Between the soft-touch coating on the keys to the very responsive Razer Orange mechanical switches, there are few keyboards we've tried that are as easy to type on.
You want to maintain connections to multiple devices
The wireless device profiles allow you to work with up to four devices with switching between them as easy as pushing a button.
You want a decent battery life from a wireless keyboard
While the Pro Type's battery life takes a nose dive if you use LED lights, turning them off nets you a substantial boost of several extra days before you'll need to recharge the keyboard. Not too shabby.
Don't buy it if...
You get a lot of wireless signal interference
If you get a lot of dropped calls in your office or just terrible interference, the Razer Pro Type might not be the best option given its issues with the way it handles inputs.
You want a clean break from the gamer-chic designs of recent years
While the all off-white and silver palette of color might make it look more distinguished than a gaming keyboard, the LED backlighting - however subdued - still makes it look like it is or is nearly related to a gaming keyboard.
- Check out our pick of the best keyboards
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