Razer Deathstalker V2 Pro review: a minimalist gaming keyboard for esports

If you’re after a wireless gaming keyboard, this Razer Deathstalker V2 Pro review is worth a read. New for 2022, it’s a minimalist keyboard with a separate number pad that will be well suited to gamers who would rather keep their deskspace looking neat and tidy. 

Razer is one of the, if not the, most popular gaming peripheral manufacturers in the world - not only does this multinational tech company make some of the best gaming keyboards but they also boast some of the best gaming mice and best gaming headsets as well. 

If you’re looking to upgrade your entire rig then Razer has a seriously impressive range of devices that will all work seamlessly together and you'll be able to manage them all through the same desktop software as well.  

In this Razer Deathstalker V2 Pro review, I’ll go through everything you need to know about this gaming keyboard from details on its design and setup to my take on its performance and features. 

Razer Deathstalker V2 Pro review: price and what’s new 

After its release on the 26th July 2022, the Razer Deathstalker V2 Pro is available for $249.99 in the US and £249.99 in the UK. We are yet to hear anything about availability in Australia. Take a look at the widgets on this page to find out where you can pick one up in your region and our Razer discount codes to see if you can lower the price. 

Improving on the first edition of the Razer Deathstalker gaming keyboard, the V2 Pro upgrades it with the latest technology including Razer Optical Switches and Razer HyperSpeed Wireless. 

Razer Deathstalker V2 Pro review: design and setup 

One thing that struck me when I first took the Razer Deathstalker V2 Pro out of the box was how slim and unoffensive it looks, especially compared to other gaming keyboards I’ve tried. 

The design isn’t in your face, instead, its low-profile tightly packed keys give off a much more minimalist and modern aesthetic, and there are barely any extra bezels surrounding them either which helps to save on space. 

A black satin finish on the aluminium top plate helps make this feel like a more mature keyboard as well, but you still get bright RGBs that shine through the letters on each key so you still get a bit of gaming flair. I really enjoyed the vibrancy of the lighting effects, even in daylight, they added a little extra something to my desk setup. To switch between the effects you just need to press Fn, Ctrl and one of the numbers along the top to pick one. You can of course adjust it through the Razer Synapse desktop software as well. 

As well as your usual keyboard layout and separate number pad, the Razer Deathstalker V2 Pro comes with a multi-function roller and media key. By default, the media key will let you pause or play your music as well as skip backwards and forwards through tracks, while the roller can be used to adjust the volume or you can mute the sound entirely by pressing it down. Both were very useful to have because I could switch things up on the fly. The roller didn’t quite work as I wanted it to though, it would often get stuck and would need to be pressed back down to carry on turning the sound up or down. 

Other than that, when it comes to more general build quality, the Razer Deathstalker V2 Pro feels robust and sturdy, and on the underside, there are two feet which flip out to tilt it upwards. 

Five little LED lights are placed above the arrow keys, they let you know which gaming profile you are using at the time and you can also use them to find out the keyboard’s current battery life when you press the Fn and End keys together. It’s a really handy little trick. 

The battery will last for around 50 hours if you don’t use the RGB lights, or for about 40 if you have them set to 50% brightness.

Getting the keyboard up and running couldn't be easier. If you opt for wireless connectivity, you just need to flick the switch over to BT and open up your Bluetooth settings on your computer. It was working within seconds. What’s really great is that you can actually connect to up to 3 devices at once, and switch between them using the buttons located on the back - that means you can use this with your computer, your tablet and your phone without having to spend time disconnecting and reconnecting it. 

Another way to hook it up to your computer is with the included USB dongle which comes housed in a garage on the underside of the device or by plugging in the USB-C cable. If you were to choose the dongle, the really great thing is that you can use it to connect another piece of Razer kit as well, like a gaming mouse, so you'll only need to use one USB port on your PC for both devices. 

Razer Deathstalker V2 Pro review: features and performance 

This keyboard will be suited to FPS-style games in particular because you’ll be able to hit the keys efficiently every time. Razer’s low-profile optical switches have 1.2mm actuation with 2.8mm of total travel and an actuation force of just 45g.

Smooth and muted is how I’d describe the keys on the Razer Deathstalker V2 Pro. Unlike a lot of other mechanical keyboards, these don’t have such a loud click that will annoy you or distract other people sitting nearby, although you can buy it with clicky switches if you’d like. 

The keycaps themselves are dipped to suit the shape of your finger which helps to make typing much more accurate, and the lettering is laser etched with very clear sharp lines, which are made even clearer when the RGB lights shine through them. Razer claims they’ll last about 70 million keystrokes as well which is fantastic, you won’t be buying another keyboard anytime soon. 

Generally, I found the Razer Deathstalker V2 Pro very comfortable to type on, especially with the feet in use, but unlike some other Razer keyboards it doesn’t come with a wrist rest included to make it even more comfortable.

With 16.8 million colours available, the keyboard can be made to look exactly how you like it through the Razer Synapse desktop software and you can use it to make the keys even more visible as well. 

Through the Synapse app, you can also adjust the polling rate, switch between gaming modes and reprogram the buttons as well as create up to 5 profiles to use across all of your peripherals. If you download the Chroma RGB add-on software, you’ll even be able to sync the keyboard to your Philips Hue smart lighting setup. 

When you use the wireless functionality, the keystrokes are registered almost instantly although it does take a second to reconnect after a while of inactivity. That could be annoying when I didn’t notice because my PC hadn’t picked up what I was typing. I did also notice a small amount of delay at times when I was using the wireless functionality. 

Razer Deathstalker V2 Pro review: verdict 

The Razer Deathstalker V2 Pro might be pricey but it’ll be worth it if you want a wireless gaming keyboard that doesn’t make any sacrifices when it comes to speed or accuracy. 

Not only does it feel robust and long-lasting but it’ll also look good on any desk thanks to its smooth, slim design and understated per-key lighting. For me, the only major disappointment was the roller because it wasn’t as smooth or as easy to use as I expected. 

If you already own other Razer Synapse compatible kit then it’s a no-brainer because everything will work seamlessly together and you can even hook it up to your PC using just one dongle to save on space. 

 Razer Deathstalker V2 Pro review: also consider  

For those who don’t see themselves using the number pad, you might be better off checking out a tenkeyless option like the Corsair K70 RGB TKL Champion Series. It’s a sleek-looking keyboard that picked up a coveted T3 five-star rating thanks to its compact design, per-key RGB lighting, handy Tournament Switch and detachable USB cable.

If the price of the Razer Deathstalker V2 Pro is making your eyes water then there are much more affordable options out there, like the Trust GXT 856 Torac which costs a fraction of the price but that is comfortable to type of and feels solid and sturdy to use. You’ll still get fun RGB lighting and a separate number pad as well.