After the Hall effect detour Razer took with the Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic in July, the company is back with another optical keyboard. But unlike every Huntsman product before it, this time Razer is targeting an entirely different form factor with the release of the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro Low Profile.
As the name suggests, its biggest change is a new low-profile optical switch, which allows the keyboard to stand just 19.5mm tall at the front edge while retaining all the features you’d expect from a Huntsman V3 Pro. It may be the fastest keyboard the company has ever produced, but is the substantial asking price worth it for every gamer?
Razer Huntsman V3 Pro Low Profile: specs and price
| Specification | Razer Huntsman V3 Pro Low-Profile Tenkeyless 8KHz |
|---|---|
| MSRP (USD) | $229.99 / €259.99 |
| Form Factor | Tenkeyless |
| Switches | Razer Low-Profile Analog Optical Switches |
| Keystroke Lifespan | 100 million |
| Actuation Range/Point | 0.1mm to 2.8mm |
| Avg. Actuation Force | 40g |
| Total Key Travel | 2.8mm |
| Rapid Trigger Mode | Yes |
| Razer Snap Tap | Yes (up to four pairs) |
| Polling Rate | 8000Hz |
| Average Latency | 0.39ms |
| Connectivity | Wired (USB-C) |
| RGB Lighting | Per-key RGB |
| Keycaps | Doubleshot PBT |
| Internal Foam | Thick EPDM and EVA bottom case foam |
| Wrist Rest | No |
| Media Controls | One macro button, one multi-function media button, one multi-function dial |
| Others | Onboard adjustable actuation, Rapid Trigger adjustment, Razer Snap Tap, Dynamic Keystroke and Dual-Keypress Priority |
Razer Huntsman V3 Pro Low Profile: hardware overview
The Huntsman V3 Pro Low Profile launches in a tenkeyless (TKL) form factor, dropping the numpad for extra mouse room without going as compact as a 65% board. As the name suggests, the Low Profile keyboard is incredibly slim, coming in at just 19.5mm at the front edge, with key switches and keycaps to match. That thinness, however, means the keyboard comes without a wrist rest, unlike the regular Huntsman V3 Pro TKL.
Like the rest of the Huntsman lineup, the Low Profile pairs an aluminum top plate with a plastic chassis. It feels a touch less hefty than the 65% HE in hand thanks to its thinness, but it’s just as rigid on the desk.
The Pro series adds two features the standard Huntsman V3 lacks: a media control dial and an actuation point display. The dial is a must for anyone running music or podcasts during sessions, and it doubles as a horizontal scroll wheel for tasks like video editing. It’s smooth enough that you’ll find yourself fidgeting with it between matches.
The actuation display feels more gimmick than genuinely useful. Without Razer Synapse running, it lets you quickly adjust the optical switches’ actuation points, though most people will just use Synapse anyway, and the Huntsman V3 HE 65%’s number-key approach to the same adjustment felt just as intuitive.
Razer Low-Profile Analog Optical Switches
While the BlackWidow V4 Low Profile used Razer’s low-profile mechanical switches, the new board sticks to the Huntsman formula with a brand-new Low Profile Analog Optical Switch. It has a 2.8mm travel distance and the same 40g force as its full-sized counterpart.
For a “first-gen” switch, it compares favorably: Razer’s testing clocks an average latency of 0.39ms, versus the previous low of 0.48ms. Actuation point adjustment still runs the full range, from 0.1mm to 2.8mm, versus 4.0mm on full-sized variants.
Paired with PBT double-shot keycaps, the board feels solid while gaming, but typing takes a hit. Next to Razer’s regular Huntsman keyboards, or the Hall effect boards I’ve tested, the Low Profile sounds noticeably tinny.
The spacebar is the worst offender, sounding closer to a membrane keyboard than any mechanical I’ve used recently. What’s particularly baffling: Razer already has the fix. Flip over the Huntsman V3 HE’s spacebar and you’ll find foam pads damping the sound. The Low Profile’s spacebar skips that foam, leaving an unpleasant twang after every keystroke.
Razer Synapse software: Snap Tap, Rapid Trigger, and more
After my positive experience with Razer Synapse during the HE 65% review, I expected much of the same with the Huntsman V3 Pro Low Profile, and Razer didn’t disappoint. Everything functioned just as expected, and the keyboard even received firmware updates during my testing without any hiccups.
The two standouts features are still Snap Tap (also known as SOCD), which is banned in Counter-Strike but genuinely useful in games like Apex Legends, and Rapid Trigger, which makes movement feel razor sharp. Snap Flex, Dynamic Keystroke, and Dual-Keypress Priority round out the toolkit, and six onboard profiles are available via hotkey, making the keyboard work even without Synapse running.
My personal setup for FPS games After much experimentation, I found these settings to be the best for my playstyle, giving me rapid movement on WASD while controlling accidental presses everywhere else:
W, A, S, D: 0.4mm actuation point, Snap Tap, Rapid Trigger
Other gaming keys: 2.0mm actuation point
Everything else: 2.8mm actuation point
Thus far, this setup has given me impeccable movement control, with hardly any mispresses.
The keyboard also retains analog input, though the low-profile switches offer slightly less range than the 4.0mm on the full-sized variants. Still, the input method is good enough to let you enjoy nearly every game on PC without needing to bust out the controller.
The typing experience
Unlike the Huntsman V3 HE, Razer is aiming this keyboard squarely at professional gamers, making the typing experience a secondary consideration, and that shows in the keyboard’s day-to-day use. The shorter travel distance alone would have made it fare slightly worse compared to the full-sized keyboards, but the thinner keys and tinny spacebar combine to make it a no-go.
If all you need to type is the all-chat message that tilts your enemy, the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro Low Profile will do just fine. But for anything beyond that, one of the regular-sized options may be a better bet.
Verdict
As someone who has typed as many words on laptop keyboards as on mechanical ones, I went into this review excited for the Low Profile form factor. The board may be perfect for some gamers, including CS2 pro player Lotan “Spinx” Giladi, who recently earned his first MVP medal using this particular keyboard. For me, the typing experience is enough of a drawback to make it not worth the $229.99 asking price.
Especially when you can get Razer’s own HE 65% for just $139.99 instead. Professional gamers may be able to tell the optical switch’s 0.39ms latency apart from the Hall effect’s 0.6ms, but for any casual gamer, the difference is simply too small to be relevant.
If you desperately need the Pro features, including that brilliant media control dial, I’d suggest going with the standard Huntsman V3 Pro instead. As much as I want to love the slim Low Profile, the classic size still offers a better experience, for now.
6.5 Razer Huntsman V3 Pro Low Profile 8KHz A new option in the Huntsman lineup that excels in gaming, but falls flat in the typing department. Pros
- Snap Tap + Rapid Trigger
- Great Build Quality
- Low Profile ergonomics
- Media Controls
Cons
- Wired Connectivity Only
- High Price
- Poor Typing Experience
This keyboard was provided by Razer for review.
