I've been using this new keyboard about a week, and while I didn't like it at first, the more I use it, the more I like it. It might not be idea for some but for me, it seems like it's going to be a perfect fit.
First off: I'm not really a gamer. The only games I mess with are flight sims, which don't really require super fast keyboards or mice, and occasionally I'll mess with a strategy sim like Command: Modern Operations. I am a professional video editor, though, and spend a lot of time working on a computer. This means one hand all over the keyboard and one hand on a mouse all the time. I was starting to develop pain in my right arm due to the wide angle of the mouse to my right to accommodate the full sized keyboard. I got a 60% keyboard to get my arms more centered and it worked like a charm; pain gone. I also prefer to buy gaming hardware for video editing because it performs better and there is no ghosting, which can create problems when doing very sensitive, heavy power using video editing.
The keyboard is well laid out. They keys are very comfortable. I am also a professional writer, and I was surprised to discover I writer faster and with less typos on this keyboard than I did with my previous full keyboard. Honestly, typing on the Huntsman Mini is an absolute pleasure. The Fn layer keys are not changeable with the Synapse 3 software, but any other key is, AND you can designate any non-FN layer key (except the useless Windows and Menu keys) to serve as macros or even alternative Fn keys. I was able to put a Fn key on each side of the keyboard this way, using the left alt button as another Fn key, which allows me to write faster. RAZER: PLEASE PUT Fn KEYS ON BOTH SIDES OF A KEYBOARD. IT HELPS A LOT.
The removable USB wire is the best laid out I have seen on any keyboard. It is recessed into a full enclosure so that lateral pressure will damage the USB wire or plug.
It has a bunch of RGB profiles, but I really don't care. As far as I am concerned, RGB is a gimmick and the public will soon grow bored with it. I set all keys to glow a muted green so that I can see them in low light when editing. Done.
In my perspective, the keyboard has three flaws. It should be heavier. It's competition from HyperX weighs almost twice as much due to an aluminum base plate. Being heavier would make the Huntsman Mini more stable, though, in truth, it doesn't move around on my desk when I type. It's pretty stable as it is. And it is, quite simply, overpriced. In Canada, it was $175 for the black with linear optical switches, while the white version was $15 less and the clicky switch version is a full $45 less. Razer is charging for brand and color.
The best/worst part of the keyboard, though, is the Synapse 3 software. You can technically use this keyboard fine without ever installing the software. You can change the RGB (who cares) and create macros (maybe kind of useful), but if you need to customize it (and I do actually really need to for work), you must install Synapse 3. Accessory makers like Razer and Logitech have been moving toward integrated software to run everything, under the delusion this is a great idea. This makes for huge apps simply to run a mouse, keyboard or headphones. Despite angry buyers who keep complaining they hate the resources these massive apps takeup, makers are sticking to this approach. Synapse 3 is about 400 megs and both a memory and compute cycle hog. Despite that, the software is powerful and will let you configure the keyboard in countless ways, changing keys, macros, executing software, emulating mouse functions and moving Fn buttons around.
Happily, I found a compromise. I discovered I could setup the keyboard keys to function like I wanted, (which was merely creating an extra set of arrow navigation keys on the Fn layer on the left, turning the annoying and useless Menu key into a second right-side Fn key (bigger Fn key, easier to hit), and setting up a third Fn key on on the left alt button. Then I can setup Synapse 3 not to auto-start on startup, turn off Synapse 3, and the keyboard remembers my settings. No more need of Synapse 3. It is off, out of the way, and not taking up precious RAM and compute cycles.
There are three caveats, and they are not mentioned in the user's manual. I had to figure them out for myself.. To leave Synapse 3 off, you cannot setup any alternative profiles, otherwise it demands you run Synapse 3 to use any setup, even the default profile. You must not change the default profile name. And you must not assign anything to the C key or the keyboard will not run the onboard default profile (probably a Synapse 3 bug).
I gave a lot of thought to purchasing the closest competition instead, the HyperX 60, which is markedly cheaper and significantly heavier, but in the end decided to stick with the Razer Huntsman Mini. I like the build quality of the HyperX 60 more, but the Razer Huntsman Mini has a far more configurable keyboard, is very quiet, still has great build quality and, most importantly to me since I couldn't really care less about gimmicky RGB profiles, I can setup the keyboard to do what I need it to do. And in the end, that's a what a keyboard is about--being able to do what you need it to do efficiently.
| Brand | Razer |
|---|---|
| Series | Huntsman |
| Item model number | RZ03-03390200-R3M1 |
| Hardware Platform | PC |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
| Product Dimensions | 29.36 x 10.34 x 3.68 cm; 498.95 g |
| Item dimensions L x W x H | 29.4 x 10.3 x 3.7 Centimetres |
| Colour | Classic Black |
| Power Source | Corded Electric |
