Razer Orbweaver Gaming Keypad
Razer introduced the Orbweaver, to use a different approach to the traditional way of gaming through the keyboard and mouse. The Orbweaver comes with twenty keys, two buttons, and an 8-direction thumbstick. All of these buttons are on a device that is shaped according to your hand. The Razer Orbweaver aims to bring comfort and control, and it delivers on that promise.
Design
Compared to the Logitech G13 Advanced Gameboard, the Razer Orbweaver is narrower in size, which helps as it won’t take much space on your table. The Orbweaver measured 2.2 by 6.1 by 8.0 inches (HWD). Moreover, you get a long USB cable measuring about 6 foot. The palm rest is higher than what the G13 provides, so that’s another plus point for the Orbweaver.
Rubber Feet
Once you decide the position of the Razer Orbweaver, it will most likely stay in that place thanks to its large rubber feet. The Orbweaver aims to bring comfort, which it does as it’s made to make your control keys easily accessible. Since the way the Orbweaver is designed, it will save you from wrist strain, even on longer gaming sessions.
With the Razer Orbweaver, you get about twenty programmable buttons while the center buttons are placed precisely where your fingertips can reach them easily. Mechanical switches are behind the keys which are easily pressed using a minimal amount of force. This makes the Razer Orbweaver easy to use.
One thing missing from the Razer Orbweaver is the indentation that differentiates the WASD keys from the surrounding buttons. There are tiny symbols on the edge of the tickets, just like the ones used on a keyboard, but they could be a lot better.
Better thumb controls
The thumb controls on the Razer Orbweaver are one of the best you will find from the currently available gaming pads. The controls have been improved over the Razer Nostromo. The joystick that comes with the Razer Orbweaver is sensitive and thumb-friendly. Along with the joystick, you get a bottom button to be used as a spacebar.
This button comes with a mechanical switch and a lever design which will be pressed by using the perfect amount of force. The button is firm enough to prevent any unintentional clicks, but at the same time, it requires little force to click, making it quite comfortable to use.
Along with the adjustable modules that provide comfort and control, the Razer Orbweaver comes with buttons that are all programmable using the Razer Synapse 2.0 app. Each key can be remapped, multiple profiles can be saved, and every detail of the Razer Orbweaver can be changed according to the game you are about to play next. The cool thing about Razer Synapse is that all your Razer products can be customized through this one single app, which saves you from multiple driver installations and management programs.
You can pair up this keyboard with SkullCandy headphones, they are half the price of Apple’s iPod and they are designed with stabilizing gel to offer a great fit.
Performance
The performance of the Razer Orbweaver is something that will stop you from going back to the traditional keyboard setup. Even games that are heavily dependent on the keyboard, deliver a pleasant experience with the Razer Orbweaver. The gameplay experience is smooth and comfortable with the Orbweaver, whether you are slaying monsters in an MMO or running across rooftops in a game like Mirror’s Edge. The only problem worth mentioning is the lack of proper indentation which we talked about earlier, other than that, the Orbweaver showed no weaknesses.
Buttons positioned to deliver control
The thumb buttons that come with the Razer Orbweaver use a little actuation force and are placed in a way that prevents unintentional clicking. Moreover, the joystick and the thumb buttons are also way better positioned than the Razer Nostromo. This is because the entire thumb module of the Orbweaver can be repositioned according to your needs.
Comfort and support better than the traditional keyboard
Once you play with a gaming keypad such as the Razer Orbweaver, you will have some hard time going back to the conventional keyboard. The comfort and support are way better with the Orbweaver as the experience is better than even the best keyboards such as the Corsair Vengeance K90.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The way the Orbweaver plays and looks, it’s not for everyone. However, serious gamers who seek to achieve superior control, a comfortable design, and programmable keys, will find no better option than the Razer Orbweaver.
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