Each year, Razer has continued to release new keyboards and expand its lines and offerings. We’ve seen everything from the BlackWidow line to the Ornata line to even the recent Joro. Now, Razer is officially releasing its first keyboard with Hall Effect switches in the form of the new Razer Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic 8KHz line, and I’ve had the chance to go hands-on with the Tenkeyless model over the last few weeks. These are positioned under the existing Huntsman V3 Pro models, and overall, I’m impressed with what Razer has put together here. Both a Tenkeyless and 65% option will be available, and I imagine these will be popular for price alone.
Enter the World of Hall Effect
Before diving into this new model, I want to establish what exactly Hall Effect is, as I realize some may not be familiar. A Hall Effect is what occurs when a magnetic field affects the movement or direction of electricity in a conductor or semiconductor. Where that matters with keyboards is with switches, as Hall Effect switches use this phenomenon to offer magnetic sensing instead of physical contacts. This can be a huge game changer for many reasons, with a big one being that Hall Effect switches have much less degradation than standard traditional switches. And beyond this, loads of features are able to be implemented thanks to the magnetic sensor.
This is where the Razer Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic 8KHz enters. Razer has rated these switches for 100 million keystrokes. The three biggest features available on this line are Rapid Trigger, Snap Tap, and adjustable actuation, making for immense customization that’s perfect for competitive play. This line features the Razer HE Magnetic Switches, which provide an 8000Hz polling rate and a 0.60ms response time that is lightning fast. Razer also has an understanding that magnets can lose their strength over time, so I was pleased to find support for on-demand calibration within Synapse. It takes just a bit to recalibrate each key whenever needed, and while this isn’t anything most users will need for a good bit, it’s a great feature to have for those wanting to purchase a keyboard for the long run.
The best feature regarding switches easily lies in your ability to make adjustments on the fly with the adjustable actuation. The keyboard can be adjusted in a range of 4.0mm all the way down to 0.1mm. This might not sound like much, but it makes an enormous difference that you will notice. I prefer my actuation point to be closer to 4.0mm for standard typing, but lower actuation points are a huge deal in competitive games, especially for movement keys.
New Features Await
Beyond this, Razer has introduced a handful of new features with this keyboard. The first is Snap Flex, which lets you perform multiple inputs in quick succession with just a single press. The example used is a grenade throw, where you must jump and throw. With Snap Flex, you can combine these inputs to just the press and release of a button, which can save time and make you even more efficient. There’s also Dynamic Keystroke, where you can map up to four inputs on a single key press and release. These register on the switch press, actuation point, switch release, and once out of the actuation point.
Finally, Dual-Keypress Priority lets you have smooth movement, locking in your directional moves (think holding W and D to move northeast) even if another directional key is accidentally released. Only once you release the D key, for example, will you be able to smoothly transition to moving northwest with the A key. This one was pretty interesting to try out in games like Marvel Rivals, as I feel like I constantly accidentally tap a directional key.
Regarding build quality, the Razer Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic 8KHz feels really solid. The top case is made out of 5052 aluminum alloy that has a nice finish to it and feels premium. I was personally happy to see this keyboard wasn’t entirely made of plastic. The underside is, but there’s a neat pattern that gives it a little more personality compared to a standard plastic backing. It’s also surprisingly light. Maybe I’m just used to my Keychron Q3, but my Razer Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic Tenkeyless felt light. There’s enough weight to avoid it sliding around or moving unless you purposely do so. However, it really is light. RGB is also here as expected, and you can customize all that with Synapse. You can use either the Desktop app or the web app, which I used for the very first time while reviewing this board. This is especially useful if you want to take your keyboard with you and plug it into a computer that isn’t your daily driver.
As for how it feels and sounds, this is a great feeling board! I’m a fan of the sound these keys make, as they aren’t too clicky but have a solid sound to them. Some of my previous keyboards could never be used on a Zoom call because of how loud they are, and while this one isn’t silent (no mechanical keyboard is), it’s quiet but loud enough to still feel satisfying. The keypresses themselves are also silky smooth, and I don’t feel like I ever had to press very hard to get an input.
A Welcome New Model
At $139.99, I was seriously impressed with the Razer Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic 8KHz. I think it sits quite well under the Huntsman V3 Pro line, offering an excellent, high-quality keyboard that comes with almost all the features you’d expect from the higher-tier models. I do think whether you look here or higher depends on what kind of games you play. If you’re someone who casually plays a few games and uses your keyboard for internet browsing, the Razer Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic would be more than enough (I may even suggest another line). Those who play competitive games do have a real value option here, as you have most of the features you’d need, but you do not get the Analog Gen-2 Switches (still Razer’s best).
I can wholeheartedly recommend the Razer Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic 8KHz line to anyone who isn’t a pro player who demands the best switches out there. This has almost everything the V3 Pro has for a significantly lower price, and it’s hard to complain about seeing such a high-quality, ESports-ready keyboard come in at $139.99.
Disclaimer: Razer provided a Razer Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic Tenkeyless 8KHz unit for review purposes.
