Dive into the Razer Tartarus V2
The Razer Tartarus V2, originally released in December 2017, is a keyboard with almost all the functions you need or plan to use. The latest version is a 32-keyboard with a flashing light and now with full RGB illumination.
Out of the unlikely, both in its modern and classic form, this ergonomic keyboard has a small plate above the hand rest. On the side there is an octagonal number pad, a small circular key (standard Alt) and a thumb key, which normally functions as a space bar.
While most keyboards are generally no larger than a micro keyboard, the Razer Tartarus V2 is no ordinary keyboard. It features Razer membrane technology, chromatic backlighting with 16.8 million customizable colour options, full anti-focus, 32 fully programmable buttons and more. The wrist support is now adjustable and has a leather lining for extra comfort and support.
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Game keyboards such as the Razer Tartarus V2, once a growing subcategory of game keyboards, may turn out to be a niche product in 2020. A one-handed PC joystick that allows you to emulate the basic keyboard game keys and even make custom settings seems much less useful today because most game keyboards allow you to create custom profiles.
But for what it is, it works very well. And when your gaming experience is enhanced by a small programmable keyboard with a guide handle, it does its job. Of course, it’s not as versatile as a full keyboard, but if you’re an avid gamer who doesn’t need the full 104 keys, it can increase your productivity.
Is it worth investing in the Tartarus Raider? After a tiring time of testing and using (okay, weeks of night fun!), we make our final with the most important features, we give you our opinion.
Who is it for?
The keyboard is not just any keyboard, as it seems at first glance, but a completely independent device that makes playing easier and more comfortable. For the player, the light touch, comfortable hands and the promotion of more relaxation are a real discovery.
If it is a normal keyboard, your keyboard is nothing more than a numeric instrument on your keyboard, probably on your right hand, and the only games you can play with it are probably mathematical games. You could play other games on the motherboard itself, but it would be awkward, uncomfortable and perhaps even painful.
Thanks to the separate special keyboard you can put your hand on it perfectly and you won’t get tired even after those marathon games! First of all, the model must match your posture and the size and shape of your hand, which you can then adjust individually. So, the more axes of adjustment, the better it is for you.
But of course you will benefit from the advantages of a dedicated gaming keyboard, not only in terms of form but also in terms of functionality. If you want to play with multiple characters during the game. Thanks to their profiling, you don’t have to change the layout and create new bindings every time you log in. Instead, you only have to set everything up once and switch between the profiles at the touch of a button.
The characteristics of these keyboards and how to unlock their potential are most often noticed in MMORPG and MOBA games, in role-playing games. These are games in which there is a wide variety of actions, movements and options. With the right binding, you have everything at your fingertips and no need to adjust key combinations. Everything is fixed in advance and all you have to do is press a button.
If you play WoW or Dota, or maybe even LoL, we highly recommend this device. With one game, the game is transformed, and with the other – your perception and experience.
Additional features such as modular buttons, analogue control buttons, removable
panels and more will always be useful and contribute to your comfort, convenience and enjoyment. But you shouldn’t buy a model that fits too tightly. The keyboard should just be a keyboard – no printer, scanner, etc. And don’t forget you always need a standard keyboard for chatting. There’s nothing you can do about it.
Some types of games do not require a keyboard. They just wouldn’t realize its potential. Want to buy a separate keyboard to use only 6 or 7 keys? Save money and buy a racing bike for the PC instead.
The Razer Tartarus V2 is especially useful for MMO fans, with its easily programmable buttons. And don’t underestimate the convenience and advantages of easy portability in its small size. Especially for players whose game is not limited to the home game.
But for players who have acquired the taste and aroma of custom keyboards, or for those who have not yet done so for custom keyboards, the Razer Tartarus V2 can be a gadget worthy of the name.
Let’s take a good look at the reasons…
What we want in the Tartarus V2Reaser
Perhaps the most useful feature of Tartarus V2 is that you can switch between three different keyboard cards, which is ideal for different characters in MMO’s or MOBA’s, for different weapon layouts in FPS or for different races in RTS. It is undoubtedly a device that can improve almost any game.
The layout allows for faster access to everything than a game keyboard. We especially felt it when we were testing the MMO games, when all the moves and spells and actions were on hand. It took us less time to find the right keys and we felt even more immersed in the game.
World of Warcraft was probably the most useful. A high-level MMO game requires many buttons and the Razer Tartarus V2 can make full use of macros to control complex DPS sequences or effective healing circuits. Especially since you can reprogram the key card for different alternatives, Solid State Drives MMO’s can really benefit from Tartarus V2. In many ways, it was a different kind of game.
An interesting feature is the D-Pad. They expect it to look like a whole finger, a joystick. In fact, it’s more of an arrow key, with a control between the two main directions. Its usefulness depends on the type of game. Although using a D-pad to learn the minimum is probably very useful, it allows you to control the units more efficiently.
Another new feature Razer has adopted in Tartarus V2 is HyperShift mode, which completely changes what each key does when you press or hold a key of your choice. The hyper-reactive function can be attached to each button, allowing you to switch to the second alternative function. In theory, your 32 buttons can be duplicated for full programming in Razer’s Synapse software to move, rewind, execute programs, record and execute macros.
Razer Synapse offers a number of useful functions to configure your keyboard. You can create a profile for yourself, which is useful if the device is used by multiple people, and maybe the 8 predefined modes that are included are not enough. And because Tartarus V2 now has the chroma function, you can use Synapse to adjust the RGB backlight. You can set your personal color preferences or use one of the predefined modes.
The other side of this keyboard is the good non-playing potential it has. You can customize your profile so that all your Adobe Photoshop tools are linked to the buttons in a sequence that allows quick and easy access. With Tartarus V2 you can focus on the design work itself, instead of finding the right windows and interfaces.
Razer’s designers and engineers are commended for developing a clean and compact ergonomic unit. With a shape reminiscent of the anatomy of the human palm, it provides excellent support for itself so that even after long periods of use there is no fatigue or discomfort. The wrist rests are adjustable and the lower part of the keyboard has sliding legs that adhere well to the tabletop. Spend the time it takes to install it and you’ll have the perfect keyboard.
What we don’t like about the Tartarus V2Reaser.
One of the areas where Tartar V2 immediately loses points is the shape and structure of the keys. Instead of mechanical switches on most high-end keyboards, Razer has used the Mecha membrane or the Tartarus V2 technology. Designed to mimic the feel of a mechanical keyboard while providing a soft membrane under the covers, we believe this approach is the best of both worlds. She can’t take care of the best of both. We would have preferred the Razer with only 32 buttons, so that the equipment could be easily determined and an offer with full mechanical experience.
Synapse 3.0 is still in beta, and it’s getting clear. Of course, compared to the previous version of the Razer Synapse 2 software, visually it’s going in the right direction. Large, colourful icons have replaced all these numerous menus. But in general, the program still looks and feels bad, a little bad. There is a lot of white background and space between the options. And these synapse 2 attacks have made him pretty stupid. Synapse 3.0 Tabs within Tabs means there are many confusing steps to get where and what you want, even for simple tasks.
Yes, version 3.0 has all the features of the game, but the navigation in the beta user interface is simply complicated and cumbersome. Finding a way to block profiles in games is a long and confusing task. With Synapse 2 it was easy. The same goes for game-oriented parameters, such as the ability to control acceleration.
In general, the more useful the Synapse 2 is, the greater its raw simplicity compared to this beta version. It was much easier to create specific profiles and individual IPR axes. Currently Synapse 3 has much less of these important features for employees and players. To put it simply, it doesn’t work very well. It often comes too late and contains so many errors that after a while we just don’t use it anymore to register the profile online.
Configuring chromatic lighting options also requires a degree of trial and error, although it is feasible. And once that’s done, it’s automatically synchronized with other Razer products, which is a good thing. You can also reprogram buttons, link individual profiles to games and record macros – all in an attractive interface.
The hypershift is much smaller. It takes a lot of time to set the options. All the more reason to test and optimize your choice in the game. We tested Hypershift mainly in StarCraft: Remastered, Overwatch and World of Warcraft. Distribution of the types of games that players are likely to use and take advantage of.
The experiment wasn’t entirely successful. If we needed a command that was not programmed – like M for Earth Marine training or Ctrl + 1 for the control group – the focus returned to the keyboard and stayed there until we remembered Tartar V2. After the reprogramming of Tartarus V2 the same thing will happen again soon, because we realized that we had forgotten another critical team and had to repeat the process.
It is worth mentioning (because of its popularity) that Overwatch has probably had the least improvements. Special skills can be assigned to the keyboard, but the D-pad had no specific purpose, and the game simply doesn’t benefit from macros. Of course, some FPS snipers may want an extra scroll wheel, but if you really don’t like the mouse and keyboard settings, Tartarus V2 won’t have much influence at all.
So it’s not that the Tartarus V2 Hypershift doesn’t work well, but is there just a clear and sufficient advantage to buy and train a brand new device for it?
In theory, you could have at least 150 different teams. By default, however, no keys are assigned to activate Hypershift or to change the keyboard layout. And although their programming is not complex in itself, the effort required to do so makes one of the best aspects of Tartarus V2 a choice more a matter of personal preference than the key to be used, and should therefore have a special feature. The keyboard is both larger and more familiar. But perhaps the space-saving aspect alone would be enough for some players.
In terms of design and ergonomics, the Razer Tartarus V2 has an adjustable wrist support and this latest version features a leather cushion for extra comfort and support. Although this is a great idea, we have discovered that the seal is a bit thin. During the long play sessions we could feel the plastic base.
Overall, the Tartarus V2 is not as comfortable as it could be. You can set the hand rest to both positions, but if you don’t have giant hands, grab the top row of buttons and the space bar in both positions.
Also, the button that indicates the S has a small burr that helps you identify the movement buttons by pressing them, but the tone is too thin. We were often in the same position – right or left. It was awkward at best in solo, but dangerous in multiplayer, and can be deadly in high-stakes tournaments.
PROS
- Useful for high-level MMO games
- Easy to program
- Decent arrangement of the buttons
- Keys extended. Now with 32 programmable functions, including a scroll wheel
- Hypershift mode doubles the number of keys.
- Easy programming with Synapse 3.0
- Fast synchronization between devices
SUMMARY
- The beta version of the software offers a steep learning curve.
- A perhaps limited advantage for most players
- Preferably only for membrane keys.
- The work of the tailor is a delicate task.
What’s going on?
The Razer Tartarus V2 comes in a stylish package with a short overview of the device and the Synapse 3.0 software. In addition to the keyboard itself, the box contains a power cable (AC input – 110V~240V/50~60Hz, DC output – 12V with a maximum power of 1.5A), a user manual with separate information for easy installation, a warranty card and various Razer stickers for installation. As the Synapse software is pre-installed, the driver is not included.
Functional overview
The most remarkable feature of the Razer Tartarus V2 is that it exists within itself. There aren’t many small gambling keyboards on the market, let alone large, reliable device manufacturers.
In terms of functionality, anything innovative or interesting in Tartarus V2 comes from the Razer Synapse 3.0 software. It is used to program Chroma’s keyboard and functional RGB backlight. You can customize your personal color preferences or use one of the predefined modes.
The settings are saved for all currently available Razer devices by downloading them to a globally available cloud storage. So you don’t have to overwrite your macros every time you use a new computer.
Synapse allows you to switch between three different keyboard cards, which is ideal for different characters in MMOs or MOBAs, different weapon layouts in FPSs or different races in RTS. There is also a Hypershift function that completely changes the function of each button when you press and hold a button of your choice. The device has 8 different profiles, which can be changed by the software or assigned to one of the buttons to change the profile.
The Razer Tartarus V2 is made of Classic Black mat plain plastic and has a total of 32 programmable buttons. The first 15 are multi-touch membrane keys. You place your thumb on a separate 8-position programmable D-pad. There are two other buttons on the top and bottom that you can press.
The assembly quality and ergonomics of the Razer are generally good, and the Tartarus V2 measures 2.36 x 7.98 x 6.02 inches and weighs just 0.77 pounds.
Review overview
The Razer Tartarus V2 can be an excellent keyboard. With 32 keys you have almost endless combination possibilities. With Hypershift it will be hard to miss the buttons for everything you need, which are located in an easily accessible grid. This can be a mandatory requirement for any MMO player that wants to improve its performance or needs the most powerful macropaddle available. At the same time, of course, an expensive print remains on the table.
But of course there is a crisis; should + should = should.
Many of the benefits it advocates are still only theoretical options. It can be said that the Synapse hardware of Tartarus has to some extent been suspended in the beta version of Synapse 3.0 by its software. It’s not a friendly reality right now. This will undoubtedly change with the development of the Razer beta. We hope this will happen soon, because at the moment it is detrimental to the user-friendliness and value of a very good device. But so far the breeder has given no indication when this could happen.
For other reasons, keyboards are generally not very suitable for text chats. The raseur has not yet solved this problem on Tartar V2. And if the standard mouse and keyboard configuration still works for most games and MMOG players, will its benefits be enough to conquer what is already a niche market?
There is a market for Razer Tartarus V2; in the end the players welcomed and bought the first version, enough to need the second one. However, after experimenting with it in some of our favorite games – albeit at a not particularly high level of competition – it seems a bit of a cheap solution to a problem. This is accompanied by a reversal of the training at a relatively high price, for perhaps insufficient profit. At least for now.
This could be the central dilemma of the Tartarus V2 Reiser. Yes, what does it do, it does it pretty well, but is it useful or necessary for most players? As with many, if not most, devices, this is of course largely due to the personal preferences of the user.
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