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Author: Amazon Customer
Rating: 5
Review: My Tartarus died recently, not sure which version it was, but it was the one with mechanical clicky keys, had it for quite some time but the buttons were starting to fail on the keypad. So I bought this to replace it and although I have not taken advantage of all it's features (apparently you can configure keys to have 2 functions as you press them down further?) I am very happy with it. Can finally use the latest version of the Razer software (old Tartarus wasn't supported). If you're a big gamer I can whole heartily recommend this product, although for what it is, I think it is a little over priced, so if you can get it on sale I would deffo go for it!
Author: Diesel_X
Rating: 3
Review: I've had this since end 2015 (2 & half years from this review) and it is my third Orbweaver with the previous two being the non-RGB versions. There are a few gaming peripherals that I cannot be without such as the R.A.T. 9 for my mouse to mention one. They all have their good and bad points. With the Orwaever, I require this because I find it infinately more comfortable for first person shooters (Battlefield multiplayer games) than a keyboard, because of things like the adjustable pad/palm rest, the separate adjustable thumb control section and most of all that your hands/fingers fall just nicely into that perfect WASD position which mostly eliminates requirement for greater mental-memory-speed positional relocating. The RGB lighting is nice and completes the Orbweaver. However the bad points are too frustrating:- 1. The cheap rubbishy plastic build quality can be infuriating. I had a small bit of different colour plastic-mark on the top corner of the body housing and under closer inspection realised that a flake/chip of the surface colour coating had come off. I then thought to myself "really, this thing just has a painted/coated surface onto a totally different colour plastic underneath, are you serious". How rediculous is it that Razer couldn't even spend the money to have solid same colour plastic. What a Mickey Mouse process! I've only seen this before on the cheapest of cheap things such as the plastic toys that fall out of the Bubble Gum machines. I had to touch-up that white plastic showing through with a black permanent felt marker. Ridiculous! 2. The previous two Razer Orbweaver keypads done this (was reason for second replacement Orbweaver unit) and this third Orbweaver with RGB has done the same albeit some time ago; yes that bottom palm rest with the "thin rubber" (the one with the Razer Logo) has started to mis-shape as the cheap glue that holds it in place soon degrades causing first visible signs where it looks uneven with a slight "bubbling" of the rubber where sections of the thin rubber have come unstuck below. Again this is cheap and nasty. 3. The software can be unbearable and painfull. Worse still the Razer drivers for the Orbweaver often conflict with other devices and especially USB hubs. I have to Disable the Razer Synapse software within the start up processes within Windows Task Manager so that it never runs, if it's vital to use a USB Hub because of limited ports or other reason. This results in me being able to use the Orweaver keypad with Windows generic drivers and this way my other devices function properly such as my RAT 9 Mouse, Corsair K95 Platinum RGB Keyboard. However the cost is that I lose the Orbweaver's extended functionality as well as RGB lighting thus only having Razer's trademark "Green" Colour illumination, if using it within a USB Hub is necessary because of not having enough ports on computer/laptop. Well done Razer. When there is enough ports on a computer to have one dedicated for the Orbweaver, then you can finally run Synapse 2 again, however there's still an unusual issue with Joypad controllers such as DS4 or Xbox one elite controller which strange. The Joypads are or can be affected by the Razer Orbweaver only when playing certain games like BF3 multiplayer in which I am then required to "disable" one of the two Orweaver's devices within Device Manager for Human Interface Devices, this then brings back joypad control within certain games like Battlefield 3 Multiplayer. Maybe it's related to the Orbweaver appearing within the Windows game controller settings dialog box within Hardware and Sound>Devices and Printers when you right click on a Joypad Icon and choose Game Controller Settings; here you will see your Joypad (DS4 or Xbox controller, etc) and the Orweaver despite the Orbweaver being effectively a keyboard/keypad and one would have thought that it would only be under the Windows Keyboard Setting. Other keypads I used in the past such as Logitech, didn't conflict with other devices. 4. Not sure about Razer's Green switches which this has, but that's probably a personal thing. There appeared and still appears to be no way of choosing wether to buy Razer's green, orange or yellow switch versions when buying the Orbweaver RGB from Amazon and it's hard to see where it's mentioned for the one your buying. I've had clicky cherry mx blue switches before. While I don't mind clicky switches, I found that after extended time of play my hand actually starts to ache from the green switches on the Orbweaver and I'm left wishing that they could be redesigned to require far less force to push them. Like I said, maybe this is just a personal thing. So, if Razer could change the production so that the plastic is to be made from the same solid-colour plastic i.e. no nasty different colour plastic showing through when outer paint/coating comes off from chips, scratches or somehow bits just flaking off over time. Also Improve or re-work the software/drivers. Remember Synapse 3 won't even recognise the Orbweaver as it has not been included (as of this review date). Thanks Razer. Redesign the Palm rest pad so that the rubber is much thicker to avoid mis-shaping & slight bubbling effect over time and is also held in position in such a way that it will not come unstuck over time. Possibly change switches to version requiring less force. Maybe have version with newly designed Razer witches that match Cherry MX speed switches that are quicker, easier and more responsive to push. Or just put the Cherry speed switches in as the appear to require less force, as experience on my Corsair K95 Platinum speed switch.
