Just like gaming with consoles, there are various peripherals we can use to elevate the experience of PC gaming in which one of them is a gaming pad like Razer Tartarus V2 Vs Pro. As a well-known gaming brand, Razer continuously upgraded their products and not long ago released the new keypad. While in general they are very much similar to each other, it doesn’t mean they are identical and if you are going to get one of them, go check which seems to fit your preference better here.
In this article, we are going to give you information about:
- Do You Need a Gaming keypad
- What are Razer Tartarus V2 and Pro
- What Razer Tartarus V2 and Pro Look Like
- How are the Switch in Razer Tartarus V2 and Pro
- What else Razer Tartarus V2 and Pro can offer
- Are Razer Tartarus V2 and Pro Comfortable
- Razer Tartarus V2 Vs Pro
Gaming Keypad
Part 2 of our joystick MOD for the Razer Tartarus V2. This video will show you how to install, upload, and test your joystick. Discord: https://discord.gg/6G. Razer Tartarus V2. Razer™ Mecha-Membrane Technology; 32 fully programmable keys; Unlimited macro lengths; View details. Add to cart compare. Razer Tartarus Pro - Black. Razer Analog Optical Switches; Dual-Function Keys; Adjustable actuation.
Gaming is fun, they make you forget about how much we spent the time sitting in front of the screen be it with a gaming console, with a PC, or with a handheld console. People have their own preference just like how we choose our favorite music genre when it comes to games but hardware will surely improve the playing experience as they are becoming more reliable, making whatever needs to be done can be executed faster and more accurately.
If you are here then we are sure PC is where you will mostly spend the time playing MMO, FPS, etc. and just like how computers are built to work with, their peripheral matters in terms of delivering the best experience. At the basic we will need a keyboard and mouse, more often than not gaming mouse such as Razer Naga Trinity VS Naga Chroma, sometimes also combined with a gaming headset if you will be playing in a team to communicate with each other.
Of course most games in general are still playable with a regular keyboard and mouse but you will not find any useful or interesting features in a basic office setup. Besides these common peripherals, there is another one called keypad which you may already be familiar with. As the name suggests, this is a set of keys, smaller than a regular keyboard and made with the common useful keys only. The main goal of using one is helping the player to focus on what keys required by the game.
Keypad offers more quality than quantity and it is great for games like First Point Shooter or RPG and mostly fine with the rest except with stealth, twin-stick shooter, racing, touch-based, or drawing game. While our right hand is holding the mouse, the left hand is free to use the keypad and in most cases you will find this tool to be angled properly to match the contour of the hand. What’s amazing is it treats every finger equally so all will have its own duty.
One of the drawbacks of using a keypad is actually about the time required to get used to the system. Most if not all of us are starting with standard keyboard and continue to play with one for years which makes a sudden change of habit can be a challenge. We will need time to get familiar and achieve the level of playing again when changing into a keypad and in addition, it doesn’t suit most game genres especially those with complex controls such as strategy and complex RPG.
About Razer Tartarus V2 and Pro
Similar with many other products, there is no one perfect product which is made to equally satisfy everyone and keypad certainly is not made for just any PC gamers. However, if your games don’t require complex keys and feel like the full keyboard is too cluttering and distracting or less comfortable by providing lots of less useful keys, then a keypad should be a great choice. In addition, we personally like the keypad for it keeps your arm straight and in a fairly still position compared to when using a keyboard.
As PC gaming gains more fans, their peripheral market will also get more crowded by long time players and new names trying to offer their products to interested consumers. Talking about gaming gear, we are sure most people, even those who are not really into games will be familiar with Razer as how popular this brand is. They are also among our first choices whenever looking for new peripherals for their amazing product collections, ecosystem, and trusted qualities.
Some of you may already have their gaming mice or headset but for those who are looking for a keypad, they also have several interesting options to choose from. Razer Tartarus V2 and Pro are two among their newer keypads which are all similarly built over the well-known predecessor Orbweaver that has been leading the keypad segment for quite some time already. These models however, are not exactly the same and overall what seem to set them apart the most are the keys itself.
Tartarus keypad originally has been available for more than 5 years already and the V2 was launched a few years back, marking new improvement that makes the gear even more powerful than its initial version. Last year Razer launched the Pro version of Tartarus and it is actually very identical to the V2 model which makes many of us question whether it is actually a different keypad. Moving from V2 to Pro or vice versa will not make you a better player yet your personal taste is what matters the most here.
Razer Tartarus V2 and Pro Design
As you can see from the sample picture above, Razer Tartarus V2 and Pro are practically the same keypad with the same design and the same amount of keys available. They are built ergonomically and what Razer means by it is because the keypads have four rows of five keys apiece excluding the bottom row where you can find a scroll wheel instead of the fifth key located just above the hand rest. Moving to the side, there is an eight-directional D-pad along with a circular button.
Checking out their button features, both of them will have a total of 25 programmable buttons and this is about one-quarter as many as what we have in a standard keyboard which makes them a very appealing options if your games only need a handful of keys or if your common office job will also have similar requirement. For the appearance/aesthetic wise, these keypads are looking like any gaming peripherals out there, matte black or white finish (Pro) combined with RGB lighting.
Razer Tartarus V2 and Pro Switch
When you are shopping for a keyboard be it a full sized one or its keypad version like Razer Tartarus V2 and Pro, the first consideration often being the switch itself. Any switch will work but experiences differ among various types of switches and this is what set these keypads apart the most in our opinion. As some may already know, the Pro version is using an optical switch while the older V2 is using what Razer called as Mecha Membrane. Optical switch essentially is a mechanical system and has moving parts.
When you push the key cap, there is a stem moving within the shaft and spring pushes the switch back to its reset position. What makes it “optical” is the way input is received and transmitted because the optical switch uses light as the main transmission medium to detect the key’s actuation. Mecha Membrane on the other hand is Razer’s tried on offering the soft and cushiony keys with a sense of mechanical feeling which makes it have a different experience compared to the mechanical ones.
Razer Tartarus V2 and Pro Features
Razer Tartarus V2 Setup
Moving further, let’s check out the new feature coming with the Tartarus Pro since this is quite interesting and wasn’t there before in V2. This is the double actuation function which you can explore deeper in their Synapse software and what makes it very special is now we have two functions for a single key depending on which actuation point you press. This is very useful for macros and you can customize them to fit what you need using the software.
Besides this new feature, Synapse will work the same and offer the same functions just like with many other Razer’s peripherals such as creating profiles and customizing the RGB lighting. Profile switching will stay the same that can be accessed through the physical button and shown with the LED light but unfortunately, Pro still doesn’t come with its own memory to save the profile on the go.
Razer Tartarus V2 and Pro Comfort
The last point we want to talk about is their comfort and we do think this is very necessary as keypad is not for everyone. On the bright side, Razer Tartarus V2 and Pro are small, they take less space so we can position them more conveniently e.g. in an angle and in front of the screen. They have adjustable length; the standard and a longer hand rest for a bigger hand. The down side is we need time to get used to the keypad especially with Pro’s two actuation points for you can easily activate the 2nd function if not concentrating enough.
Razer Tartarus V2 Software
Razer Tartarus V2 vs Pro
Gaming keypad is amazing for its convenience and comfort as well as compact build but they are not something every PC gamers need. Razer Tartarus V2 and Pro are great choices for MMOs players and they are also different both on the switch type and the additional feature which makes the latter a better version but also more expensive. Pro uses an optical switch which we do think feels great combined with two actuation points for expandable macros in which the V2 have membrane and standard key programming.
Razer Tartarus V2 Vs Pro
Razer Tartarus V2 Software
Conclusion
You can pick any of these keypads and still be satisfied with the performance; Tartarus Pro is undoubtedly the better version of V2 and amazing for those who want to have the best peripheral but the older model is actually not bad either, especially if you are fine with its cushiony keys.