Razer Tarantula Gaming Keyboard

Reviews: Peripherals

Accessories | Gaming Devices | Keyboards / Mice | Printers

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Anthony Fiti
Kurtis
Razer
Dec. 19, 2006

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Conclusion

The Razer Tarantula keyboard is an OK keyboard. Aside from the multi-stroking issues with three keys, it has worked pretty well. The media keys are a little troublesome in iTunes, but you can work around that if you just turn off coverflow view. The profile software worked well; it was easy to create macros and switch between profiles.

The replacement of keys is a neat feature. It's not a new feature by any means, as the old IBM keyboards that used springs had replaceable key covers, so when I got bored in high school I could use my pen to pop the key top off and spell out dirty words.

While I can't say this keyboard made me a better gamer (I play flight simulators and RTS games, not FPS), I do understand that I'm not the hardcore gamer that Razer is after. I don't go to LAN parties or play FPS; I take a more relaxed approach to games. I guess you could say I'm not too far away from telling kids to get off my lawn.

The biggest downside I can think of is really the price. With a street price of $100, this is an awfully expensive keyboard. My Logitech G15 (which has a flip up LCD panel) was less expensive. Even as feature packed as this keyboard is, I have a hard time recommending it for anyone but the serious gamer who feels they can put all the features of the Tarantula to good use.

Pros

Very sharp looking
Keys feel a little more bouncy and responsive
Can replace macro keys (or any keys, really) with gaming icons

Cons

Steep price tag
Multi-Stroking keys

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Page 1: Introduction & First Looks
Page 2: Taking a Closer Look
Page 3: Setup & Testing
Page 4: Conclusion

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1 User Comment

1 - Posted by PsychoSnowMan on May 6, 2007 - 8:01 pm

I've read some other reviews that have said you need to upgrade the firmware for the anti-ghosting to work. It might be a good idea to try this out and update the review.
Also can the backlighting be disabled? I sleep in the same room as my computer, and my mouse, joystick, and stereo already have LEDs that shine all night.

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