Reviewed: December 2, 2006
Reviewed by: Mark Smith

Manufacturer
Razer

Type: Gaming Keyboard
System: PC

Rating: 9.6

Features

Razer is the latest company to tempt me away from the Logitech camp. I’ve been using their G15 gaming keyboard for pretty much all of 2006 and have grown quite accustomed to it, but I really like Razer products and their new Razer Tarantula gaming keyboard sounded mighty intriguing.

The Razer Tarantula is a feature-rich keyboard targeted toward high-end gamers who demand incredible precision, lasting durability, and some stylish black plastic under their dancing fingers. If you can afford the admission price you might find this is the last keyboard you’ll ever need, at least until they make something better.

Going down the feature list for the Tarantula will make most serious gamers drool. We start off with Anti-Ghosting while allows you to press up to 10 keys simultaneously, although I’m not sure if there is any gaming condition where you need to press more than two or three...but you can if you need to.

There are also 10 programmable hot keys, five on each side of the keyboard, that can be programmed with macros containing up to 8 keystrokes and even delays up to 200ms. Or, you can just assign your favorite functions to these keys and then save those settings as one of up to 100 profiles you can swap to on-the-fly, making this perhaps the most intelligent and versatile keyboard in existence. There is even 32kb of onboard memory (Razer Synapse) allowing you to keep five profiles in the keyboard at any given time.

For that added touch, Razer even includes 10 key replacements with various icons like ammo, guns, health, etc. that you can swap the default macro keys with so you can instantly recognize the function of each key. And for ultimate customization, you can swap between two complete keyboard mappings per profile with the press of a button.

The Razer Battledock is an ingenious addition that allows you to snap on additional peripherals like the Razer Battlelight or the Razer Battleeye webcam. They even include the necessary tool to remove the flush-mount cover and make the swap.

I have to admit that after using my G15 for nearly an entire year I was pretty used to a completely lit keyboard, especially considering I do most of my gaming at night in the dark. The Tarantula does feature some lighting but only for the right and left macro keys, the profile button, and the cool Razer logo on the wrist rest. The rest of the keyboard is dark making that Battlelight a most attractive addition.

To round out the functionality of the Tarantula you have dual USB ports in the back along with headphone and mic jacks. There is also a set of media keys on the left and right edges that give you full control over Media Player (play, pause, next, mute) and even some image manipulation tools like rotate and zoom you can use in Windows Picture Viewer or Adobe apps.

Installation - 10

Installation is a no-brainer. Just plug this keyboard into any two available USB ports and Windows XP auto-detects and you are nearly read to go. If you are wanting to use the headphone and mic jacks on the keyboard you will also need to connect those cables into your PC’s sound card.

Of course to get the full functionality of this device you will need to install the software that allows you to program the macros and manage the profiles. But even this installation is extremely quick and doesn’t even require you to reboot the PC.

With the included software it’s a snap to configure your own custom settings to the right and left macro keys and create profiles specific to certain games. You can set the profiles to load with the specific game or have the game load when you pick the profile. There is even a dedicated Razer logo button between the right ALT and CTRL keys to launch the profile software.

Aesthetics - 9

This is one sexy keyboard with a mix of polished black plastic juxtaposed against a flat black finish on the keys and wrist rest. The blue backlighting is cool and help orient yourself when using the keyboard in the dark, but is nowhere near as functional as a fully backlit QWERTY keyboard.

The overall design and footprint of the Tarantula is slightly larger than normal with an extra inch on either side for the macro and media keys. The function keys along the top are only half-height, which seems to be the growing trend with these new keyboards, but it might prove troublesome until you get used to the smaller size.

The glowing blue Razer logo on the wrist rest is more than just stylish, it will actually blink to indicate when profiles are being switched.

Durability - 10

The Tarantula is designed with the gamer in mind so the keys are durable and responsive. Using a unique membrane, the Optimized Hyperesponse gaming keys provide instant response and minimal lag during those critical frag-fests.

Despite the large footprint and durable construction the keyboard is surprisingly light but quite stable on the desk whether resting flat or with the rear feet propping it up at a comfortable angle for typing or gaming. The keys themselves have a great feel to them, very durable with a responsive spring-back.

Performance - 10

So far the Tarantula has proven itself in countless gaming situations ranging from intense bouts of Battlefield 2142 to strategic missions in Company of Heroes. The profile system works great for programming my favorite commands (or series of commands) into the macro keys on the outer edge of the keyboard and the iconic replacement keys help me to remember what key does what.

Everything is still highly responsive, even after a hundred hours of gaming and dozens of typed reviews (including this one). The USB ports are also extremely useful, allowing me to jack in my MP3 player, PSP, and even my external Hard Drive without having to string a cable around to the back of my PC. The same goes for the mic and headphone jack.

Value - 9

Keyboards are fairly cheap these days but those are also “cheap” keyboards. I thought the Logitech G15 was expensive at $80, but if you want to play with the Tarantula you’ll be looking at $129.99 unless you can find a better bargain online or in a store.

Sure it costs more than most other competing keyboards, but the Tarantula is specifically targeted to the high-end gamer who demands quality, durability, and the increased functionality of a fully programmable keyboard. And with Razer, you always get what you pay for.

Overall – 9.6

The Razer Tarantula is a fantastic keyboard, ready to work alongside your Copperhead, Krait or their new DeathAdder mouse (with matching blue glow) for the ultimate in precise and durable game control.

The only real negative thing I could even think to say about the Tarantula is the lack of a fully backlit keyboard, but the Razer Battlelight should resolve that issue once it arrives and I’ll be gaming in total darkness once again.

If you take your gaming seriously and want the ability to intuitively create and quickly access up to 100 unique game profiles, swap between dual keymaps, and have quick media access to music and photos, all from one of the sexiest keyboards currently available, you need the Razer Tarantula gaming keyboard.