Razer has introduced a new mode for its analog Razer gaming keyboards, the Razer Huntsman V2 analog and Razer Hunstman Mini analog. The new Razer Rapid Trigger Mode allows gamers to instantly repress a key the moment they slightly release pressure on it, making for super rapid-fire button mashing.
The way the technology works is that it takes advantage of analog keyswitches, which are those that use a beam of infrared light and a sensor inside the switch to constantly measure the distance of the key top from the key bottom. The chief selling point of such switches is that they allow for analog control – like that of joysticks or analog sticks on gamepads – giving you precise control of inputs such as pitch and yaw in flying games.
However, another key advantage of analog switches is that you can program the non-analog actuation point (i.e. a single keypress) of a switch to occur at any level on the switch, and indeed such keyboards allow you to precisely program each key to actuate at different levels if desired. That’s unlike normal mechanical switches where the contacts have to pass a certain fixed point to actuate and then pass back past another point before the key can be pressed again, as demonstrated below.
Normal keyswitch activation
Programmable actuation points are useful but are still limited by the fact that the key must pass a chosen single point before actuating and resetting. That’s where Rapid Trigger Mode comes in.
Up until now, Razer had only taken advantage its analog switches to allow for analog control and precise control of the actuation point, but with Rapid Trigger Mode the actuation point becomes arbitrary. All that matters is that once the keyboard detects that the key has stopped moving down and is instead moving back up, it becomes ready to respond again to any downward motion triggering a new keypress. The end result is a key that will always respond as quickly as you can move your fingers.
Rapid Trigger Mode actuation
It’s a feature that has been available on the similarly analog Wooting Two HE keyboard for a long time but Razer has only just got around to adding the feature. In fact, it was requested by one Razer forum member seven months ago but has only now been implemented – seemingly with no reference to the forum member.
Sadly, it’s only a feature that will be of relevance to owners or potential buyers of the Razer Huntsman V2 analog and Razer Hunstman Mini analog but for those users it’s an easy upgrade. You just need to download the latest version of Razer Synapse and the feature will be available.
While this mode is limited in which keyboard can use it, it does make those very same keyboards more appealing and useful for a greater range of gamers. We found their analog movement and programmable actuation point alone wasn’t that compelling – after all, most gamers into racing games or needing analog input will use a racing wheel or gamepad – but the new Rapid Trigger Mode makes them even more versatile options and even puts them close to making our best gaming keyboard list.
Have you invested in a Razer Huntsman V2 analog and Razer Hunstman Mini analog or would Rapid Trigger Mode make you interested in doing so? Let us know your thoughts on the Custom PC Facebook page, via Twitter, or join our Custom PC and Gaming Setup Facebook group and tap into the knowledge of our 390,000+ members.