Summary
- Razer's Snap Tap technology allows for instant directional changes in gaming, giving players a competitive edge without cheating accusations.
- Snap Tap Mode eliminates delays by registering only the last key pressed, enabling instant movements for faster gameplay reactions.
- Only available on the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro line, Snap Tap can be easily enabled through Razer Synapse, enhancing the gaming experience.
Razer has been a pioneer in developing technologies that, in some way or other, improve the gaming experience. The latest development targeted towards its Huntsman V3 Pro line of keyboards is nothing short of brilliant. Accurately titled “Snap Tap,” this new technology allows for much more responsive inputs that lead to near-instant directional changes. What this essentially means is that you can move faster in games, without being labeled a cheater.
Razer Huntsman V3 Pro
- Brand
- Razer
- Wireless
- No
- Backlight
- Yes
- Media Controls
- Yes
- Num Pad
- Yes
- Switch Type
- Analog Optical
Razer's most innovative gaming keyboard is back with improved Gen 2 analog optical switches and advanced onboard storage capabilities. The Huntsman V3 Pro features even more accurate switches, allowing on-the-fly actuation adjustments and Rapid Trigger mode for furious inputs. A multi-function digital dial can toggle between volume and actuation settings, while a series of LED indicators lets games know what settings are active. The Huntsman V3 Pro remains one of the most durable keyboards thanks to wear-resistant PBT keycaps and sturdy aluminum top plate.
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info- Number of Keys
- 104
- Keycaps
- PBT
- Wrist rest
- Yes
- Polling rate
- 1000 Hz
While Razer was the first to bring this “Snap Tap” tech to the mainstream (a version of this existed as a script that was deemed illegal), it is not the only one with it. Wooting has started pushing the update to its keyboards and this feature is something that other manufacturers would want to jump on as soon as they can. For gamers, here’s all that you need to know about Razer Snap Tap and its potential in competitive gaming, especially FPS games.
Razer Snap Tap Explained
To understand Razer’s Snap Tap, here’s a quick overview of how regular mechanical gaming keyboards work. Every key has a certain amount of travel and an actuation point. The travel is the vertical distance it covers when pressed down all the way, and the time it takes to return to its rest position. Somewhere along this distance is the actuation point. The smaller the actuation point, the faster you can send an input.
However, when quickly pressing a second key, there is some amount of overlap between the first input returning to its reset position and the second input being pressed down and crossing its actuation point. Essentially, the second key is being pressed without the first being reset and this translates to no input or delayed input in games. While this is a rare occurrence with mechanical keyboards, it can cause delays and give your competition an advantage.
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Razer has managed to solve this with what it calls “Snap Tap Mode” and has created a new feature that allows gamers to outperform those who don’t have it. With Snap Tap Mode turned on, only the last pressed key is activated, which means there is no overlap between releasing the first key and pressing down on the second. This in turn means the second input can be registered instantly, which translates to instant movements in the game.
For example, if you are strafing left and right in an FPS, you need to press down the left and right movement keys (typically A and D) rapidly in succession to be able to counter strafe, and sometimes you can be faster at pressing the keys than the keyboard is at registering the input. With Snap Tap, the movement will be registered as soon as the second key is pressed, so in the game, your character will move instantly to the left or right, without any delay, making you a much harder target to hit, and giving you a competitive advantage, depending on how good your aim is.
In competitive games like Counter-Strike, Valorant, Overwatch, and others, this feature is especially useful, which is why Razer has worked with several pro gamers to fine-tune the Snap Tap experience. Having the ability to instantly change direction or counter-strafe is a huge advantage when people are trying to shoot at you in these games. What’s great is that game developers do not need to incorporate or enable this feature in their games as it is completely hardware-based.
On top of all that, Razer’s Snap Tap can be used along with its Rapid Trigger technology. Rapid Trigger is essentially canceling an input the moment a key is released, which means the key does not have to go all the way back to its reset position for a second input to be registered. This means you can give a second input as soon as you let go of the first.
Razer Snap Tap: Compatibility
The existence of the feature does not necessarily mean everyone who owns a Razer keyboard will be able to use it. While it is just a simple software update, only the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro line of keyboards will have support for Snap Tap. This includes the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro, the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro TKL tenkeyless keyboard, and the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro Mini keyboard. These are the company’s premium gaming keyboard offerings and should have received the update via Razer Synapse.
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Image
Display card main info widgetRazer Huntsman V3 Pro TKL
Display card main info widget end- Brand
- Razer
- Wireless
- No
- Backlight
- RGB
- Media Controls
- Yes, Multi-functional dial
- Switch Type
- Razer Analog Optical Switches Gen-2
- Wired operation
- Yes, Detachable Type C Cable
The Huntsman V3 Pro TKL features more accurate Gen 2 analog optical switches, allowing on-the-fly actuation adjustments and Rapid Trigger mode for furious inputs. A multi-function digital dial can toggle between volume and actuation settings, while a series of LED indicators lets gamers know what settings are active. The Huntsman V3 Pro remains one of the most durable keyboards thanks to wear-resistant PBT keycaps and sturdy aluminum top plate.
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info -
Image
Display card main info widgetRazer Huntsman V3 Pro Mini
Display card main info widget end- Brand
- Razer
- Wireless
- No
- Media Controls
- No
- Num Pad
- No
- Switch Type
- Analog Optical
- Number of Keys
- 61
The Huntsman V3 Pro Mini is the most compact version of Razer's innovative mechanical gaming keyboard. Even at its 60% form factor, the Huntsman V3 Pro Mini offers cutting-edge Gen 2 analog optical switches with precise actuation adjustments. This diminutive keyboard utilizes modifier keys on its bottom right, which can act as the arrow keys found on full-sized alternatives. Gamers will also make no sacrifices in build quality since the Huntsman V3 Pro Mini features an aluminum top plate and doubleshot PBT keycaps, which can survive years of intense gaming.
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info
As of now, there is no information on whether Snap Tap will make its way to other Razer keyboards.
Razer Snap Tap: How to Enable
If you are one of the proud owners of a Huntsman V3 Pro/Tenkeyless/Mini gaming keyboard, head over to Razer Synapse and make sure you have updated it to the latest version. Then, find your keyboard and simply enable the Snap Tap toggle. Alternatively, you can use the FN + Left Shift keys to enable or disable it.
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Once enabled, you can select the pair of keys you want to work with Snap Tap (in case you use different keys for movement), and those keys will light up white when it is enabled and red when it is disabled. This is an on-device feature, so nothing else needs to be enabled, whether in-game or in Windows settings.
Razer Snap Tap: Competition
Shortly after Razer released its Snap Tap feature, Wooting followed suit with its own SOCD (Simultaneous Opposing Cardinal Directions). It does the same thing as Razer’s Snap Tap but with Wooting’s twist on it. It allows you to choose between different SOCD resolutions and adds a toggle that changes the behavior when two keys are pressed simultaneously. Interestingly, this feature is available for all of Wooting’s keyboards, unlike Razer.
Furthermore, Wooting also has its Rappy Snappy feature, which is its version of Rapid Trigger, and it takes into consideration how far a key is pressed. It compares the two keys that have been pressed together and prioritizes input from the one that gets pressed the furthest. Not just Wooting, but some Keychron and QMK-based keyboards are also getting the SOCD feature.
FAQ
Q: Which keyboards have Snap Tap?
The Razer Huntsman V3 Pro line of keyboards have the Snap Tap feature which can be enabled through Razer Synapse after a software update.
Q: Can you put any keycaps on Razer Huntsman Mini?
Yes, the Razer Huntsman Mini is compatible with any standard keycap set.