Razer has taken the Tartarus V2 Pro global, a one-handed gaming keypad that splits the difference between a keyboard and a controller.
Quick specs:
- 31 programmable controls, 24 of them on second-generation analog optical switches
- Actuation adjustable from 0.1mm to 4.0mm, plus Rapid Trigger, Snap Tap, Snap Flex, Dynamic Keystroke and Dual-Keypress Priority
- 8000Hz HyperPolling
- Anti-drift TMR thumbstick and three dedicated thumb buttons
- Synapse supports up to 24 keymaps across three onboard profiles
- Adjustable wrist rest that slides and rotates for different hand positions
- MSRP $199.99, £199.99 or €219.99, with a two-year warranty, sold directly by Razer and through select retailers worldwide
The hype check: Razer says this is the first time its keypads have combined 8000Hz HyperPolling, second-generation analog optical switches and a TMR stick, and that is a vendor claim rather than something independent testers have confirmed. The 8000Hz number is also narrower than it sounds: it describes how often the keypad reports to the computer, every 0.125 ms instead of the 1 ms of a standard 1000Hz device, and it only helps if the game, the engine and the display can consume it. The genuinely different part is the analog range. Actuation from 0.1mm to 4.0mm across 24 keys is what lets one hand cover keyboard and controller input at the same time.
The catch: $199.99 is premium keyboard money for a device that covers one hand. The announcement says nothing about whether the switches or the TMR stick can be replaced or serviced outside the two-year warranty, and the only hands-on note behind it comes from CGMagazine rather than a long-term test.
Is a one-handed keypad worth $199.99 to you, or would that money go further on a compact keyboard with a separate controller? Tell us below.