I wasn’t expecting the Razer keyboard to boost my office productivity — here’s how it happened

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I have to admit: I have a soft spot for hybrid devices. I like a high-performance gaming laptop that’s suitable for the office, and I appreciate a keyboard that can handle multiple use cases.

razor is new pro type ergo The keyboard is one such device: it’s designed for productivity (a first for the brand) but it has some features that nod towards its gaming heritage – even if it’s better designed for working overtime than marathon sessions of your favorite RTS title.

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The Pro Type Ergo Split is a large keyboard with an ergonomic layout, attached wrist rest, and multiple height and angle adjustments. Compatible with both Windows and Mac, this thing takes up very little desk space and has a substantial structure that can be raised up to a seven-degree slope or raised on all fours.

It’s one of the most comfortable keyboards I’ve used, although there is a learning curve as you train your muscle memory to work with the split design and its quirks.

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At 18.3 inches long and 9.6 inches wide, the Pro Type Ergo features a wave design that slopes upward in the middle to facilitate natural hand placement. The vegan leather wrist rest is plush and large, and is attached to the keyboard without any way to disconnect it – a commitment to its ergonomic design, but worth noting if you’re not a fan.

The keys are concave and low-profile, and have a more premium feel than other mainstream productivity keyboards. They have scissor-style key switches with much less travel than a mechanical board, but suitable for a productivity tool. Finally, of course, they support the full range of RGB lighting with 19 effect zones in Razer’s Chroma RGB app.

Razer made some unique layout choices here, namely mimicking both the space bar and the B key. Yes, the keyboard has two B’s, one on each side of the split, because it’s one of the keys you press with both fingers.

However, my biggest operational problem with the split keyboard is that the Y key is placed on the right side of the split. I learned to press Y with my left index finger – not my right – so within the first week of using the keyboard (and sometimes even today) my left index finger would awkwardly slam into place on the board (without the key) and require deliberate refocusing.

Also: I tested a split keyboard made for gamers, but I’d use it in the office just as well

I would have preferred if Y was duplicated like the B key, especially as it would have been possible with the amount of space available on the device. However, after rewiring my brain, it became much less common.

The keyboard also has two chrome dials on the top right and left corners and three macro buttons on the right side. The Command Dial can be assigned up to eight pre-loaded functions per app, up to 100 custom functions in the Razer Synapse. It’s a satisfying tactile element that adds value to the device as a productivity tool.

Plus: This mechanical keyboard is as good for work as it is for gaming

The M1-M5 keys on the left are pre-assigned to common actions in each app. For example, in Google Chrome, the M1 key moves one tab to the right, M2 to the left, M3 opens a new tab, M4 closes the current tab, and M5 reopens the last closed tab.

These are all so practical, I’ve left them as is and continue to use them for quick navigation. It comes with keybinds for Microsoft Teams, DaVinci Resolve, Adobe’s suite of products, as well as popular creative and office apps like Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

some creative touches

I know I called it a hybrid keyboard, but let me clarify that Razer probably wouldn’t agree. It would be more accurate to call it an ergonomic office keyboard that is built with Razer’s design language. He said, yes, you can absolutely play on this thing. In fact, the ergonomic inclination made the WASD keys particularly comfortable.

but razor makes gaming keyboardAnd this product doesn’t have the same kind of dedicated physical features targeted at that demographic. Split gaming keyboards are a thing — I tested ROG’s Falcata last year — but where it had serious precision and premium hardware, this is a more comfortable package.

It’s also versatile: Multi-point connectivity means the Pro Type Ergo can connect to three devices simultaneously, and the three Bluetooth buttons on the top right let you easily switch between them. When it comes to charging, you can have it wired or on a rechargeable battery, which Razer says will last up to three months on a single charge (assuming you turn off the RGB).

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On that note, Razer’s proprietary software for controlling lighting effects and hardware settings isn’t exactly the most intuitive. Once you’re in the right place, making changes to the keyboard’s lighting or settings is simple enough, but navigating the different apps and their multiple windows requires a bit of trial and error.

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The bold design and customizable RGB lighting effects that Razer is known for pro type ergo This is not a corporate ergonomic office keyboard. The plush wrist rest and large range of adjustment options make it great for users who prefer elevated or angled keyboards, but ultimately, it speaks the same language as Razer’s more straightforward gaming devices.

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At $189, it’s definitely more expensive than a typical office-minded keyboard like the Logitech Slim Solar+. But for the user who wants ergonomics without being tied to a beige, corporate device, it’s comfortable enough to be worth it.

Razer isn’t going to say this is a gaming keyboard – the key travel is very shallow and the ergonomic design is optimized for typing. But for dad gamers, casuals, and weekend warriors, it works very well as an ergonomic solution with rich customization and visual brilliance.