First Impressions

As usual, the attention to detail on Razer packaging is second to none. Plastered with various awards and praise, the Razer Tarantula has without a doubt an extremely stylistic keyboard package. Features such as the Anti-Ghosting Capability and up to one hundred customizable profiles and programmable hot keys sound like a gamers dream, but we'll put their usefulness to the test later. For now as we cycle 'round back you can read all the usual specifications and features in ten different languages, a nice touch showing just how global Razer is. Beside the additional features and CPL logo is a snapshot of Meng Yeng, also known as 'Rocketboy', and Harley Orwell from Fnatic. Not that it should really matter since any peripheral you use should be your own personal educated preference, not someone else's.

Inside the box is your regular assortment of driver disc, quick start guide, replacement keys and certificate of authenticity. Beyond the black cardboard is the fabled Tarantula. Looks are subjective, but I thought the glossy midnight black exterior looked very sharp. Unfortunately the impeccable exterior will only last you a few seconds when you begin using the keyboard. The oil from human skin shows up rather easily along with dust. You'll notice I only have one clean picture of the Razer Tarantula that has absolutely no dust, this is because it was taken within seconds of removing the keyboard from its packaging with surgical gloves. You may want to pick up a quality microfiber cloth to clean your Razer Tarantula if you enjoy keeping your gear clean. Good luck too, because you'll be wiping it every other second.

Note the dual USB ports, microphone and headphone jacks built into the keyboard. Although I found it useful and comfortable to have my headset plugged in at such a close proximity, my USB flash drive would not work correctly. I was greeted with an error message stating the hub does not have enough power available to operate the device. This is disappointing but not unexpected. The good news is that my A4Tech X-777F gaming mouse worked perfectly when connected. It would have been better if anything I connected worked because let's be honest; how often do most individuals unplug their mouse and keyboard compared to their USB flash drive? Even if you are at a tournament away from home - if you were able to connect the dual USB connectors the Razer Tarantula has built-in then you should be able to have enough slack to connect your mouse directly as well. Perhaps if the tournament computers are setup in an unorthodox manner would you prefer to connect your mouse to the Razer Tarantula, but I tend to think this is the exception rather than the norm.


Once everything was unpacked I placed the Razer Tarantula on my desk and noticed that the four rubber rectangular feet did an amazing job of keeping the keyboard suctioned to the desk. It would certainly take an excessive amount of force to move the keyboard while playing a game, even in heated battle. For the price of the keyboard I expected more rubber feet compared to the original Saitek Eclipse, which has a total of ten rubber feet including the wrist rest. If you sit back and think about it, even though the Razer Tarantula only has four it still gets the job done, so kudos on that.


On the backside I also noticed several orifices. I was actually able to see sunlight right through these slits. Perhaps they are drainage holes for gamers who tend to spill their drinks on their keyboard :). The Media Keys without any drivers only allow you to adjust the volume and mute sound. Every other key doesn't work unless you install the Razer Tarantula Drivers. Upon hooking up all cables and installing the software I rebooted and was greeted with the mesmerizing blue Razer logo as it pulsated back and forth. It's a nice touch that you'll appreciate at first, but it's pure eye candy and offers no additional functionality. If you have a matching Razer DeathAdder you'll love the matching scheme. You'll notice the array of additional keys and the controversial BattleDock™.