Razer Pro Type Ergo Review: Effortless Ergonomics With Gaming Roots

While the Pro Type Ergo is Razer’s first wireless ergonomic keyboard, it’s not the company’s first venture beyond gaming keyboards. Back in 2021, Razer released the Pro Type Ultra, which still tops our list of favorite keyboards. But while the Pro Type Ultra doesn’t show its gaming roots, the Pro Type Ergo wears its Chroma RGB backlighting—a gamer’s go-to—with pride.

(Credit: Zackery Cuevas)

Razer describes the Pro Type Ergo as an ergonomic split keyboard, but it doesn’t actually split—you can’t literally pull it apart into two halves, like you can the Keychron Q11 or the Kinesis Freestyle Edge RGB. Instead, it’s a split layout that bends up through the center, dividing the keys into two distinct sections with a ridge between them. This is a tried-and-true design, similar to the Logitech Wave Keys and other long-since-discontinued ergonomic boards from Microsoft and other vendors.

Attached to the keyboard is a firm wrist rest, which is always a plus in my book. In use, my hands fit naturally into the keyboard’s indentations, and I have ample space to stretch my hands and search for keys.

The Pro Type Ergo is one of the biggest keyboards I’ve used in a while. Measuring 1.6 by 18.3 by 9.6 inches (HWD), the Ergo commands a decent amount of desk space, and at 3.2 pounds, it’s no featherweight. But the Ergo feels distinctly premium, unlike the Wave Keys, which is distinctly lightweight and flimsy, likely thanks to the recycled plastics used in its build.

The Ergo is certainly bulkier, but the extra space is not wasted, as it packs in two command dials, a full number pad, and a column of dedicated macro keys (which we’ll touch on a little later in the review). 

(Credit: Zackery Cuevas)

Taking a look at the keys, Razer has made a few changes to optimize the ergonomic typing experience. For starters, the keys closest to the center of the keyboard are slightly elongated to avoid mistaken presses. You can see the extra space on the 7, T, G, H, and B keys. Speaking of the B key, Razer actually adds two of them, aiming to improve typing speed and comfort. It certainly works, and I wonder if, in another revision, the company might do the same for the Y key. (Am I the only person who stretches my left index finger for the Y key?) The space bar is also separated, with the remaining center piece acting as an extra Backspace key.

I mentioned this in my review of the Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless, and it’s worth repeating here: I haven’t been fond of low-profile keyboards in the past, but I think that’s starting to change. Razer opts for ultra-low-profile fingertip-shaped keycaps with spherical indents that guide your fingertips to each button press. The Pro Type Ergo uses a scissor-style membrane key switch, but it doesn’t feel squishy like many cheap keyboards do. Each press delivers an acceptable amount of tactile feedback and is pretty quiet, too.

As mentioned earlier, it wouldn’t be a Razer keyboard without RGB lighting. While not per-key RGB, the Pro Type Ergo uses 19-zone Razer Chroma RGB backlighting to illuminate the keys.

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(Credit: Zackery Cuevas)

In the interest of making the most of the Pro Type Ergo’s larger size, the keyboard includes four adjustable feet that offer forward and backward tilt options of 4 or 7 degrees. Tucked away underneath the lower left corner, you’ll find a tiny cubby for the included 2.4GHz USB dongle.

These days, I find myself hunched over a laptop more often than I’d like to admit, so having a comfortable ergonomic keyboard and mouse has become more important to me. This is especially true as I get older. Ergonomic keyboards are meant to reduce strain on your body by promoting a neutral, more natural posture for hands, wrists, and shoulders. While I can’t say for sure whether your average ergonomic keyboard has quantifiable health benefits, I can say that I felt more inclined to sit up straight while using the Pro Type Ergo. I thought it was a comfortable ride, with nearly no acclimation time needed, a far cry from the learning curve I normally go through when working with true split keyboards like the aforementioned Keychron Q11.