An Excellent Entry-level Gaming Keyboard
Razer Cynosa Chroma is a budget-friendly gaming keyboard that brings a decent performance and offers excellent RGB lighting that is neck and neck with the best gaming keyboards out there. This is a beautiful keyboard, with all the necessary stuff, although it is revoked of any extras, such as dedicated keys, and fully committed to the entry-level market and players that have a limited budget, yet want to have a proper gaming experience.
Specifications:
Form factor: Full-size
Connectivity: Wired (USB 3.0 or 3.1 Type-A)
Keyswitches: Mesh Gaming-Grade Keys
Number of keys: 104 programmable keys
Software Type: Razer Synapse 3
Onboard storage: No
Media keys: Yes
Cable length: 2 meters
Weight: 943 grams
Dimensions: Width 463 mm, Depth 154 mm, Height 31 mm
RGB lighting: 16.8 million color Chroma RGB lighting
Features
Razer Cynosa Chroma has everything that you need for proper gaming, such as 104 fully programmable keys, excellent customization options, as well as the ability to manage up to ten commands simultaneously, with the help of the built-in key rollover anti-ghosting.
In addition, there is also the Razer Chroma lighting, with the ability for individual backlight of each of the 104 keys, and the Chroma Workshop that allows synchronization with the popular games, and a large base of devices from more than 30 manufacturers. Also, there is the Hypershift function that allows for Macros creation, as well as the excellent Razer Synapse 3 software that will let you adjust even the smallest detail on your keyboard with ease.
Usage
That should be no surprise since the Razer Synapse 3 presents one of the most user-friendly software solutions out there, due to its redesigned and intuitive UI that does make a difference.
When talking about the usage of the keyboard itself, the first thing you will note is that it is super quiet, while the mesh switches provide a smooth feeling, with a decent actuation, as should be the case with a proper gaming keyboard.
However, that should be no surprise since the Razer Cynosa Chroma’s membrane switches provide a much deeper travel than the regular membrane switches; therefore, they deliver a much better gaming experience. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean you will end up with the same level of responsiveness with a mechanical keyboard, yet you will get the most you can from a membrane-based keyboard.
In other words, the Razer Cynosa Chroma keyboard is a decent device that is very good for general use and typing, due to the switches’ light feeling, as well as a pretty good gaming tool. However, this goes only if you aren’t already spoiled with the highly responsive mechanical switches, in which case, you may consider the Razer Cynosa Chroma’s keys a bit too mushy for your taste.
Design
When it comes to the design, Razer Cynosa Chroma sticks to the main goal of the keyboard – to be simple, and as a result, it offers traditional looks, with the addition of spill-resistant characteristics, and a durable build that also includes solid membrane switches that allow for up to 80 million clicks.
Razer Cynosa Chroma is a full-sized keyboard, although a bit more compact than the competition. It is built mostly from black plastic and it is fitted with 104 fully programmable keys that can be individually backlit, as the Razer Chroma lighting.
Unfortunately, Razer Cynosa Chroma’s basic build means that there are no media or dedicated macro buttons, not even a USB pass-through, which means that the more demanding users might feel a bit disappointed.
Good
Of course, that doesn’t mean that the Razer Cynosa Chroma is a bad keyboard – it isn’t; however, this keyboard is built for an entry-level gaming market and as such, it needs to have an affordable price, which means that certain savings had to be made here and there.
Luckily, these actions haven’t ruined it – they helped create one of the best budget gaming keyboards on the market, a device that offers solid performance, good customization features, and impressive RGB lighting. To make things even better, Razer Cynosa Chroma is a very quiet device, with probably the best membrane switches on the market, great following software, as well as handy features such as Hypershift, as well as the Chroma Workshop, that will let you fulfill its gaming potential to the max.
In other words, this is a device that has a lot to offer for its price and as such, it needs only good complementary pieces, such as the best budget mice to show you its true value.
Bad
As mentioned earlier, the number of Razer Cynosa Chroma downsides isn’t the shortest one; however, the price is what dictates many things and as a result, certain assets have to be removed to make the savings. The features such as dedicated macro and media keys, wrist rest, as well as mechanical switches all had to go away.
However, what is the most important is that the resulting product is still pretty good, regardless of the cuts, and presents a pretty solid gaming solution. However, one thing that doesn’t have that much with the savings, and would have helped, is the ergonomics – it is rather disappointing that and should be improved with the future releases.
Final Thoughts
All in all, Razer Cynosa Chroma is what it is supposed to be, and that is an efficient gaming keyboard at a budget price. No, this keyboard won’t blow you away, yet it will do its job pretty well.
To be exact, Razer Cynosa Chroma will give you a similar value as the HyperX Alloy Core RGB keyboard that offers a similar level of features and performance and has dedicated media keys, while the Cynosa Chroma offers more customization options.
Another pretty similar device is the Razer Cynosa V2 that also offers a similar experience and in addition, has dedicated media keys, yet costs slightly more. In other words, you may be sure that the Razer Cynosa Chroma will give you everything that you need for a pleasant gaming experience, and more importantly, that won’t drastically impact your wallet, which is maybe the most important aspect of any device in these turbulent times.
