The Razer Green Mechanical Switch Is Actually Good

Controversial title. We know that, we get it. But hear us out. If we’re talking about mechanical switches and if we’re talking specifically about clicky switches, we’re pretty sure that everybody would immediately blurt out the words, MX Blue. But if we were to ask you to name yet another clicky switch, we highly reckon that you’ll say the words, Razer Green. With custom keyboards getting more and more popular, and tactile and linear switches getting the spotlight, do not dismiss the clicky switch. You might be pleasantly surprised at how great Razer Greens are.

Today, we’re checking out the Razer Blackwidow V4 Pro and it’s Razer’s flagship Blackwidow that has basically all the features you can ask for in a keyboard.

The Flagship Blackwidow

This is a full-sized keyboard, so for all those of you who require a numpad, you'll be well covered. In addition, you do also get access to media controls and even a custom knob which Razer calls the Command Dial which can provide you a variety of actions that can be customized to your individual needs. And for all the gamers out there, there’s a total of 8 dedicated macro keys on the left, 3 of which are actually on the side of the frame, giving you even easier access to the abundance of skills in MOBAs and MMOs. The keycaps are also of the doubleshot ABS variety which looks great and feels great. Should you want to upgrade to PBT for even higher durability, you have that option too.

Of course, you do get full Chroma RGB which even extends to the wrist rest which can be attached magnetically and does also expand on that RGB goodness. Say what you may about RGB but Razer probably does it best. Synapse however is a whole other story but that’s a story for another day.

There’s also the option to plug in another Type-A to Type-C cable which will power that Type-A port found on the frame itself. It’s basically a USB passthrough and is best used with a USB headset or perhaps a home for your wireless mouse dongle.

Now there’s many other great things about this keyboard such as the 8,000Hz polling rate, the great build quality, the usage of sound dampening foam and more but let’s put that aside.

Razer Mechanical Switches

Let’s talk about the switches.

With all new Razer mechanical gaming keyboards, you basically get a choice between the Razer Green or the Razer Yellow. The Razer Green is a clicky, tactile switch while the Razer Yellow is a smooth, linear switch.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m personally a fan of the Razer Yellow switch. It’s seriously pretty nice to the point that I actually contemplated desoldering a board of it and using it in a custom board instead.

But that doesn’t mean you should discount the Razer Green. As mentioned, MX Blues are probably the most famous when it comes to clicky switches but we reckon that Razer Greens are a close second.

Razer Greens are a standard MX style switch and so you’ll be able to open them up using a standard MX opener. Breaking it down, it has an opaque cream coloured bottom housing, a standard silver coloured spring, the copper leaf which also comprises the click jacket, a standard MX style stem in the iconic green colour and a transparent top housing.

In terms of the technical specifications, you get a travel distance of 4.0mm with an actuation point of 1.9mm and a rest point of 1.5mm with a total actuation force of 50g. Oh and yes, 100-million keystroke lifespan which is basically way more than you’ll ever need. If you were to press a key 10,000 times a day, every day, you’ll be able to do so for 27 years before exceeding the rated lifespan.

So Why Razer Greens? 3 Main Reasons.

Basically, the switches are really well built and they truly are. So why might you want to consider the Razer Greens? We will say that there are three main things. Sound and feel. Accuracy. Hidden benefits.

The first pointer, sound and feel. Of course, this is highly subjective but you have to admit that the Razer Green is a good clicky switch and there’s a reason why it’s still around. We aren’t exactly sure what Razer did but it feels exactly like what you would want in a clicky switch. The actuation is nice, the click is satisfying and the wobble is much better than you would expect from a clicky switch.

And if you’re a fan of the classic sound akin to that of a typewriter and such, you will be happy with this. Cue the sound test.

We then have the second pointer, accuracy. Razer got the actuation force just right and coupled with the satisfying sound of the click, it gives you the confidence with every keystroke. At any point in time, it is evidently clear when you’re typing right and it feels natural and when you do get it wrong, you know it instantly.

But more so than that, you probably know how and why you made the mistake. Unlike linears and especially light linears, while they may give you the lightning fast reaction speeds essential for gaming, they don’t fare as well for general typing. Razer Greens manages a fine balance between the two and this is one of the key reasons why we feel the Razer Green is better than MX Blue.

And the last pointer, hidden benefits. With clicky switches, you don’t have to lube the switches and you don’t have to do such a good job with your stabilizers either.

Because of the click jacket, lubing a clicky switch is actually not ideal as it would interfere with the snappy feel and crispy sound of the click. In fact, it’s generally a rule to not lube clicky switches as it defeats the entire purpose of it. So you’re saving time there and you’re already getting the best it can already offer.

More importantly however will be the stabilizers. Just a little bit of lube and you’re good to go. You won’t be able to notice the subtle differences due to the nature of clicky switches. Both the feel and the sound will be slightly masked thanks to the click jacket. With the Blackwidow V4 Pro, Razer did a slight lube job on the stabilizers and while you can tell it’s not great with the Razer Yellows, it’s perfectly fine with the Razer Greens.

Time to Go Clicky?

So there you have it. The advantages of clicky switches and the hidden benefits you get from them. You might not love clicky switches at all but you do have to admit that they do have their place and Razer has done a darn good job with their Razer Green. It’s actually good.

Anyways, let us know if you're a fan of clicky switches and which clicky switch do you feel is best on the market right now? Kailh? Razer? Logitech? Gateron? You name it. Go over to YouTube and let us know in the comments!