The Razer Ornata Chroma keyboard is a winning combination of two key systems: mechanical and membrane. There are indeed two main groups for the keys of the keyboards that the Californian manufacturer has brought together at the level of the Razer Ornata Chroma keyboard. This keyboard is available on the manufacturer’s website for the price of 60$. It is also available on Amazon for a more competitive price.
Razer Ornata Chroma
Let’s start by opening the box containing our keyboard to test. In the box, we find the Razer Ornata Chroma keyboard, 2 stickers, a user manual, a note from the President of the Razer Group and a wrist rest. The latter is well padded and allows a comfortable and less tiring play session. This wrist rest is very popular with the fact that it has a magnetic attachment.
This allows the palm rest to follow the keyboard if it moves during hectic gaming sessions. Likewise, the palm rest has pads that enhance the overall grip. This palm rest makes it easy to reach the highest keys on the keyboard and takes the strain off the wrists tremendously.
The Razer Ornata Chroma is well-groomed and sturdy. We feel the quality of the materials used which is quite remarkable. Even if you press the keys with force, the keyboard resists and does not sag. The quality of finish and assembly is also at the rendezvous. And this, even at the back of the keyboard. The assembly marks are indeed well hidden.
This is not the case on entry-level keyboards such as the Corsair K55. We are thus in a higher range. However, the keyboard does not have additional macro keys, unlike the Corsair K55 gaming keyboard. Which is a bit crippling for fans of certain games like MMORPG or MOBA.
The keyboard is black in colour and presents itself with a sober and refined look. Razer targets both office and gamers here. The keyboard measures 15.4 x 46.4 x 3.1 centimetres for 950 grams. We find at the level of the Razer Ornata Chroma keyboard quite comfortable keys usually found in membrane keyboards and a good reactivity of mechanical keyboards.
The keys are halfway up and have a coating making them very pleasant to the touch. The keys are also quieter than mechanical keyboards. The Razer Oranata Chroma features a 16.8 million colour RGB lighting system. It can react with your game for a more immersive gaming session.
On the back of the keyboard, the pads are present to prevent the keyboard from slipping on fairly smooth supports such as wood or glass. Two feet are also available for the more inclined keyboard enthusiast. However, the 2 feet do not have a pad. Which makes the whole thing a little slippery when the 2 feet are deployed.
Razer Ornata Chroma Keyboard Configurations
Despite the fact that there are no dedicated keys for the macros, the shortcut keys are present: Fn plus the function keys F1 to F12. So we can manage media files, sound volume and backlight. F9 and F10 allow you to record macros and disable certain key combinations to avoid quitting the game in the middle of a game session.
The Razer Synapse software is available on the manufacturer’s website and allows easy and more advanced management of our Ornata Chroma keyboard. It allows you to record macros and assign them to the different keys. You can choose from the available macros or create your own macros.
With the Razer Synapse software, you can customize the RGB lighting system and take advantage of the different light effects available. Via the Chroma configurator, you can customize the colour of each key and choose a colour from the 16.8 million colours available.
You can also via this software disable certain keys or certain combinations of keys to avoid an accidental exit in full gaming (Windows keys, alt + F4, alt + Tab etc.) It is also possible to configure the lighting effect depending on the events of the game: put the colour red for example as a backlight when the level of life of your character in the game is relatively low, flash when enemies approach etc.
The backlighting system is perfectly successful on the Razer Ornata Chroma. This comes in part from the fact that the Californian manufacturer has put a white background. This allows the light to come out well.
On the button side, the switch is composed of a membrane head and a mechanical foot allowing tactile and audible feedback. The typing quality is thus quite clear and without burrs. The keys are both quick and comfortable. The medical-membrane keyboard does not include a spring that we usually find in a mechanical switch. The keys are halfway up, allowing more speed. Razer key technology is the result of extensive research at the Razer Enterprise level. The resulting keys are thus both innovative and at the cutting edge of technology.
Razer has concocted a mix between the mechanical keys and the rubber membrane. The resulting hybrid keyboard thus combines the pleasant feel of a membrane key with the speed of a mechanical key. Plus, every key has been thoroughly tested. This means that each key on the keyboard is of superior quality. The manufacturer offers a 2-year warranty on the Razer Ormata Chroma clavier.
We regret a little the fact that this keyboard does not integrate an additional port (USB, jack for microphone etc.) But this in no way detracts from the superior quality of this keyboard. If you want a Razer mouse with this keyboard, you can go for the Razer DeathAdder Elite. If you prefer a vertical mouse, we recommend the Logitech MX Vertical Wireless Mouse.
If you want a wireless keyboard instead to play your favourite clips from your computer to your Smart TV, you can opt for the Logitech G915 Gaming Keyboard Tastatur. The latter has the advantage of using Lightspeed technology, a fast wireless connection implemented by Logitech. If you don’t want to lug around a keyboard in addition to the wireless mouse, and instead want a keyboard & mouse set, the Logitech K400 Plus Keyboard will be your thing. The latter indeed integrate on its right side a touchpad.
