As we were reviewing the Razer Barracuda X wireless headset, we were also simultaneously using the Razer Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed keyboard. Now that Razer recently released the Phantom Keycap Edition of this product, we thought that now was as good a time as any to post our thoughts on this 65% mechanical gaming keyboard. The Razer Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed is a wireless keyboard designed to take up the least space possible while offering a quality gaming experience. Offered now with both standard Doubleshot ABS and Razer Phantom keycaps, this keyboard is designed to deliver gaming grade performance with a splash of that Razer Chroma lighting style.
Let’s dive into the $199.99 Razer Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed wireless keyboard to see what it brings to the table.
Build, Appearance and Comfort
The Razer Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed keyboard comes with a USB wireless receiver dongle and a USB-C to USB-A cable. The USB wireless dongle stows away neatly in a compartment found under the keyboard, allowing for easy transport. The USB-C to USB-A cable not only allows you to charge the keyboard, but also offers a wired connection option for wired use with your PC. This method also allows you to recharge the keyboard while you use it. With that, the Razer Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed keyboard offers three options for connectivity: wired, Hyperspeed wireless via the USB dongle, and Bluetooth.
The Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed keyboard features an 80 million keystroke lifespan, N-key roll-over, onboard memory and 1000Hz Ultrapolling in an aluminum frame. All of the keys and their Razer Chroma™ RGB backlighting are fully programmable via Razer Synapse 3, Razer’s free peripheral customization software.
The standard key caps that come with the Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed keyboard feature front-facing side-prints. With this being a 65% keyboard, these side-prints help you identify the standard keyboard functions that you still have access to by holding the Fn (function) key.
The newly offered Razer Phantom Keycap variant of the Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed, gives you a somewhat flashier option of Razer’s standard keycaps. These keycaps feature translucent sides that allow Razer Chroma lighting to shine more than ever before. When these keys are not illuminated, the key’s labeling disappears.
Phantom Keycaps with lighting on 
Phantom Keycaps with lighting off
Outside of cosmetic options, the Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed is also offered in two mechanical switch options. One option is the traditional Razer Green Mechanical Switches, offering a clicky and tactile feedback with a focus on optimizing actuation. The other option is the Razer Yellow Mechanical Switches, which are linear switches with a lower actuation point, smooth keystrokes and sound dampeners.
We went with the Razer Yellow Mechanical Switches for this review. After spending so much time at home because of the pandemic, I personally gained an appreciation for mechanical keys with a low sound profile. Therefore, I was interested in checking out Razer’s quiet mechanical key option to see if I was able to game discretely without sacrificing key-press quality, actuation and responsiveness.
Starting off with looks and feel, the Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed keyboard does not disappoint with its sleek and minimalistic appearance. Despite its size, the keyboard’s aluminum frame coupled with rubberized feet do an excellent job at keeping the keyboard stabile. Whether it be casual typing or frantic gameplay, this keyboard stays put throughout its use. Bring in Razer Chroma™ RGB backlighting and you have yourself a vibrant display of key lighting that shines brightly and attractively, without becoming distracting.
While I did get my hands on this unit before the Razer Phantom keycap variant was announced, I was fortunate enough to land a Razer Phantom Keycap replacement kit. I was able to replace the edge-facing keys to get a nice front and side lighting effect. Here you can compare the lighting of the standard Doubleshot ABS keycaps with that of the Razer Phantom’s.
Standard Keycaps 
Phantom Keycaps along the bottom and sides.
The only takeaway I had with using the Razer Phantom Keycap replacement kit is that its keys do not feature the side-prints identifying Fn key functions. Therefore, if you replaced a dual-purpose on the Razer Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed keyboard, you will have to remember its alternative function.
Overall, the Razer Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed keyboard is quite impressive in both the build and looks department.
Last but most certainly not least, the Razer Yellow Mechanical Switches are a dream to use. These keys have a softer keypress sensation than that of the Razer Green Mechanical Switches or other clicky mechanical key variants. Despite that softer keypress feel, the keys themselves still have plenty of bounce and responsiveness to them. The keys themselves are also quite stable, with a negligible amount of wobble to them. Refreshingly, whether I used the keyboard for casual typing or frantic gameplay in Apex Legends matches, the keys remained quiet throughout all of my use cases.
I have used my fair share of mechanical keyboards where my girlfriend could not wait for my gaming sessions to finally end, due to my endless keyboard clicks. This was certainly not the case with the Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed keyboard and the Razer Yellow Mechanical Switches.
Functionality and Performance
Through Razer Synapse, you gain full control of the Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed keyboard’s features and RBG lighting. The software allows you create macros and assign them or other functions to any key on the keyboard. You can also create lighting profiles in Chroma Studio, where you can define per-key lighting behaviors. You can then save all of these tweaks to custom profiles that you can either activate manually or set to auto-activate when specific games or programs launch.
Razer Synapse was straightforward in how it interacted with the Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed keyboard. Creating profiles and assigning them to games was simple and easy. Linking profiles with game launch files was a little tricky when trying to do so with games installed from the Microsoft Store in particular. However, it was plenty possible with a little help from the Windows task monitor. Once I was able to track down the Microsoft Store-installed game file, marrying my PSO2 lighting profile with Phantasy Star 2 New Genesis was an issue of the past.
The macro creator works similarly to how most peripheral customization engines handle macros. You set a macro to record your keystrokes and timings. After you end the recording, just double back to tweak keypress timings as needed. After that, it is just a matter of naming your macro and assigning it to the key of your choice.
Outside of the functionality found through Razer Synapse, the Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed keyboard has much to offer at the surface level as well. Having the three connectivity options of 2.4Ghz wireless, Bluetooth and USB-C offers this keyboard to many usage scenarios. However, being compatible with the Razer Hyperspeed Multi-Device feature is very notable. Purchasers of this keyboard are either attracted to smaller form factor keyboards, are in need of a space saving gaming solution, or both. However, how about saving a USB port on your PC? Through the Razer Hyperspeed Multi-Device feature, two compatible Hyperspeed devices can share a single wireless dongle.
Luckily, having finished a Razer Orochi V2 review not to long ago, I had a wireless mouse that was compatible with this feature. All I had to do was use the pairing utility in Razer Synapse and follow the on-screen directions. Once done, that dongle will hold that pairing across any device you connect it to. Thanks to this, I was even able to use the single dongle setup with my Xbox Series X, taking up just a single USB port. This allowed me to enjoy both the Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed keyboard and Razer Orochi V2 mouse in Xbox titles that supported keyboard and mouse input.
With only three USB ports available on the Xbox Series X, this was a more than a welcomed feature for me to use in Call of Duty: Warzone and Phantasy Star 2 New Genesis. Best of all, this setup on both the PC and Xbox Series X played smooth, with no noticeable input latency. On PC, the Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed keyboard handled my Apex Legends playthroughs with no problems at all. I just focused on my games, played swiftly through matches in comfort, and did all of this without disturbing anyone on my team with the sounds of my keystrokes.
The Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed keyboard really knocks it out of the park with its performance.
Final Thoughts
If you are a fan of tenkeyless (TKL) keyboards, and you really don’t need those F keys, then this is the keyboard for you. You have a keyboard that simply wins in the looks, feel, and performance departments. If you have a Razer Hyperspeed Multi-Device compatible mouse, then you can take full advantage of this keyboard, exploring both PC and Xbox gaming while saving on port uasge. If you do not, the keyboard more than stands strong on its own, validating its price point with its quality build and feature set. It is going to be hard to find a TKL or 65% keyboard that replaces this one as my main for a while.
If you are looking for a TKL or 65% gaming keyboard solution for your setup, this keyboard should be on the top of your list of ones to check out now. Check out the $199.99 Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed keyboard for yourself by clicking here.
If you have a Razer keyboard that you are already happy with, but are interested in those Razer Phantom keys, you can upgrade your keycaps yourself! You can check out the Razer Phantom Keycap Upgrade Set for $34.99 by clicking here.
† As usual, there are no affiliate links contained within this post. We were provided a Razer Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed wireless keyboard and a Razer Phantom Keycap Upgrade Set for review purposes and were not compensated for this review.