How to set up your razer keyboard and mouse get the most out of it! ?

So you have a Razer keyboard and mouse, huh? Not bad, very good brand, without a doubt. If you are here it is because you are looking for advice to get the most out of it or check that nothing has been overlooked. We are going to review the most important aspects when managing our peripherals so that they are fine cinnamon.

You already know how Razer spends them: he likes to put our long teeth with peripherals especially focused on gaming. The American company does not spend it with young children and in the same way that it brings us quality keyboards and mice, it also offers software to match.

When it comes time to configure our devices, it is the moment when everything comes to light. What about lighting? Refresh rate? Macros? Software? Maintenance? Go for it.

Index of contents

Razer software

As Jack the Ripper said well: we go by parts. Razer peripherals always have software, it is inescapable in high-end devices. This brand offers us some of the most advanced programs when it comes to making configurations, only comparable to other brands such as Logitech or Corsair. Let's take a look at the options.

Razer Synapse 2.0 and 3.0

Synapse is the program par excellence and one from which you can manage various aspects for button customization such as performance, lighting, DPI, memory slots and more.

While Synapse 2.0 is the current current version, we can also see users using the 3.0 Beta (legacy), an updated version that promises to add even more options to the menu.

Modules

Within Synapse we can find functions that can be optimized from modules: small sections that we can additionally download to customize our peripherals.

Macro

You can already imagine what is going on here: setting the opening of programs to buttons, key sequences, multimedia controls, changing lighting, profiles… Macros often seem to be a matter of witchcraft and when editing them it is necessary to download the Macro Module to optimal management of them.

Depending on your peripheral model, you can make macros on the fly or through the program. The number of profiles integrated in the local memory of the device or in the cloud will also vary, even depending on the type of action you want to save.

On all these aspects and to avoid going crazy we recommend that you take a look at the articles that we have specifically dedicated to this section:

• How to create macros on a Razer keyboard How to create macros on a Razer mouse

Chroma RGB

This module is well-known since practically all Razer products usually promote it from its packaging. The Chroma Studio is responsible for the lighting management of our peripherals, both patterns and speeds, direction and sequence.

These options are linked by default to the Razer Synapse, but if we want to go one step further we must choose Advanced Effects in the Lighting category. From there it would be convenient to download the following module: Chroma Studio.

Chroma Studio

This is the OverPowered version of the usual lighting settings. At Chroma Studio we can calibrate the lighting of our peripherals according to speeds, with colors and patterns that can be chosen individually key by key. Speeds, direction, width, pause in animation and color are some of your available options.

The modifications made here need to have Synapse active in order to be displayed, so you must keep that in mind. The software itself shows us a real-time animation of the presentation of the illuminations that we want to configure as well as a distribution by layers.

Chroma Connect

Continuing with other modules we come to Chroma Connect. This option is the control center for all Chroma enabled applications as well as for third party hardware devices. Games and other RGB devices can be configured to sync with other Razer peripherals.

Chroma Visualizer

Another virguería for the collection. Visualizer lets us synchronize all our compatible devices to establish intelligent lighting from the multimedia files that we play on our PC.

Cortex

Just as Logitech has a section in the G HUE for the community to exchange macro profiles and memory profiles, Razer does the same with Cortex. This extension focused on gaming allows access to an arsenal of tools in which we can download and share resources with the rest of the community.

Nanoleaf

If you like the Saturday Night Fever mode, you will love this module. Nanoleaf allows us to configure light panels with Razer synapse. Here you can even get to the LED strips that have a controller and turn our room into a synchronized disco.

HUE

Establish a link between Razer and Philips through Hue Bridge

What aspects should we control

We still have things to see, we already warn you that Razer has one of the most complete softwares. Here, however, we are not only going to deal with aspects that have to do with the program but also with hardware.

DPI (mouse)

The dots per inch on a mouse mark how many of them it detects with mouse movement on the table and transfers that information. Depending on your mouse model you can have a specific number of phases (2, 4, 5…) that we can specifically calibrate and from which to choose.

This means that we can have five different DPI modes (or more), although usually the most advisable thing is not to change it from one to the other since doing so involves a period of adaptation and if you are players it can generate a loss of precision.

Also in the percentage of DPI has a lot to do with the type of sensor of your mouse. Depending on how advanced it is, the amounts of DPI can increase up to 16, 000 points, although we warn you that these numbers can also be affected by factors such as acceleration and smoothing.

Polling rate

Polling rate, popularly known as latency, is the frequency with which the mouse or keyboard exchange information. This frequency is measured in hertz and its quantity is subject to the characteristics of our mouse or keyboard.

In gaming environments, there is general consensus that the ideal percentage is at 1000Hz, which means that there is one communication for every millisecond. However it is also common to find frequencies of 125 or 500 hertz. This of course does not necessarily mean that we are going to notice a really noticeable difference, but it does put us at a disadvantage when it comes to playing.

Basically there are aspects that we can control for the delay between the moment we press a button and our character performs an action and others do not. Online servers, the international region from which we play or our own internet connection are the most common and beyond our control. In short, if your mouse allows it, the higher the better.

In keyboards, the polling rate is usually fixed, but practically all those created for gaming default to 1000Hz communication.

illumination

Razer Cynosa Chroma

After talking about Chroma within Synapse and the Chroma Studio Module, there is not much more we can add in this section. Yes it is true that there are models that allow us to move between light patterns in an analog way on our keyboards such as FN + 1, 2, etc., but as a general rule we will always have much more effective control if we do it using software.

As previously indicated, light patterns can be stored within each of the memory profiles available in our peripherals, and they can be switched between one or the other. Aspects like brightness, speed or direction can be fully controllable, even synchronizable.

The first time we connect a new Razer Synapse peripheral it will probably ask for a firmware update. Doing so can allow our new mouse or keyboard to adopt the same lighting pattern that exists in other peripherals and obtain light harmony.

This can be done directly from the Chroma built into Synapse, whereas for custom lighting patterns by zones it may be necessary to download Chroma Studio.

Macros

For both mouse and keyboard, the option to create and edit macros is mandatory for many users. Either because they are heavy gamblers or because they use shortcuts to work, these types of tricks never hurt.

Configuring macros may appear to be a bit convoluted work at first, but let's calm down. As we are so managed, here you have a couple of tutorials where all their utilities and how to do them are explained:

Profiles

Previously we have already mentioned the versatility of having memory profiles for our peripherals. These can be presented in the following ways:

• Local memory on PC: the most common for mid-range. Integrated memory: the information is stored in the peripheral itself. Memory in the cloud: allows our commands to be available wherever we go by downloading the application and logging in.

Ideally we should aspire to have memory integrated in our peripheral, be it mouse or keyboard. This is so because it does not matter where we go or what device we connect it to. Our preferences are within the device itself and we will save time in having to reconfigure them all.

Information about lighting options, macros, button functions, probe rate and DPI is stored in the profiles.

Basically the most essential thing to work with. However, there may also be specific aspects that require Synapse to be installed in order to run properly. An example is found in buttons associated with the execution of specific programs, such as photoshop, which may not be installed on our new PC or may not be on the same path as the original.

Maintenance and care

A clean peripheral is a guarantee of durability. We all like to eat doritos while we watch our favorite series but watch out for fingers full of grease: sometimes wiping our Razer keyboard and mouse is not enough.

Cleaning the keyboard

In many ways keyboards are more delicate than mice. Dust, food debris or dirt tend to sneak into the gaps of the switches and this can play a trick on us in the long run. This is why our first recommendation is a periodic total cleaning of the keyboard, lifting all the keycaps (if it is mechanical) or opening it to give a pass to the rubber (membrane).

We have a fairly detailed tutorial in this regard, we leave it here: How to clean your mechanical or membrane keyboard.

And now you will ask yourself: how often should we clean it? Well, that is relative not only to personal taste, but also to the workspace. If we open the windows it is possible that more dirt tends to accumulate in the slots, while in the office the environment is usually much cleaner. Perhaps the ideal period can vary between every six months or once a year. It all depends on the user and environment.

Cleaning the mouse

Broadly speaking it is identical to that of the keyboard. We must disconnect it from the computer and we can clean it with a cloth slightly moistened with glass cleaner or another non-abrasive product. It is advisable to pay attention to the dirt that may be present on the non-slip rubber surfaces or near the sensor.

Keycaps replacement

There are times when accidents do occur despite our best efforts : keys that break, characters that are erased, or slimy touch on buttons due to grease on your fingers. There are many things that can lead to the need to replace keycaps, especially if our keyboard has passed the warranty period.

There are many possibilities on the market to replace those buttons that for one reason or another have passed to a better life, but unfortunately Razer does not sell its keycaps individually. We must then resort to sellers who provide us with a model similar to the original. This can cause changes in height or font used in the characters, so our recommendation is that if you need spare parts, buy the complete set and replace them all.

Remember that broken switches unless they are removable will have no fix. Generally we are presented welded to the chassis and are impossible to remove.

Surfers replacement

Also paying attention to the mouse, details come into play such as watching surfers for scratches, pecks or other imperfections that can generate an irregular slide or a grainy sensation when moving it on the table. Generally it is not easy to replace surfers unless the brand itself provides us with spare parts. It is not ideal, but it is also possible to use third parties to obtain replacements if the ones we have are in very bad condition.

Conclusions on how to get the most out of your Razer keyboard and mouse

The brand of the three-headed serpent has many virtues. The possibility of having a software as complete as yours usually delights the most inveterate geeks, allowing them to create custom configurations until they say enough. On the other hand, less seasoned users can still enjoy its qualities in finishes and lighting and through Synapse they can also configure more basic but not less effective notions.

We recommend reading the following guides:

What we want to tell you is that you don't need to be an expert to get the most out of your Razer keyboard and mouse, and that is largely the objective of this guide. Here what interests us is that both the users most familiar with the brand and its software and the most novice find in this article new ideas about what they can do with their peripherals.

For our part, we have tried to be as direct and simple as possible. However if you are left with doubts you can always leave it to us in comments and we will try to give you a cable. With nothing more to add, until next time!