Tech Review – Razer Turret

Tech Review – Razer Turret

Gaming with your PC hooked up to your TV seems to be gaining popularity. There has always been an inherent problem with this though and that is the ability to use a keyboard and mouse from your comfy lounge. Recently however accessory manufacturers have been trying to get around this issue with a range of solutions and the Turret represents Razer’s attempt at solving the problem.

Turret is essentially a keyboard and mouse combined with a stable table. There is a bit more to it than that but basically, that is it. The overall size of the unit is quite small and it folds away nicely into a charger that can fit behind a TV with ease. Visually it is an appealing package and one that won’t look out of place with a modern entertainment unit. The size however brings with it a problem that will affect some and not others. For those of us cursed with large hands the unit can be frustrating to use. The mouse is very small and it is very easy to bump keys when typing on the keyboard. This of course is not so much of an issue for those with more normal sized appendages but it is certainly something to consider when purchasing.

Tech Review - Razer Turret

The Turret is super easy to setup and provides multiple ways to connect to your computer. It can be done through Bluetooth or with an included wireless adaptor. There is even an extension for the adaptor so it can be placed in a better position and avoid signal interference which is common from TVs and audio equipment. There isn’t even any need to install Razer Synapse (Razer’s custom built driver suite for most of its products) as Windows recognises the Turret without any problems.

Battery life is quite good as well with approximately 8 hours of heavy use from a full charge. A good gaming session without doubt. It does however take about 3-4 hours to charge fully which is somewhat annoying if a longer session is called for (doubtful) or the unit wasn’t put on charge when the user went to bed the previous night (more likely). It would have been nice to have a quicker charger but really it is only going to be an issue on rare occasions, especially as it has an auto off feature that conserves battery when not in use.

Tech Review - Razer Turret

All of this is pretty much secondary though because what the Turret needs to do is perform well in gaming situations and sadly this is a bit of a mixed bag. I found the Turret to be perfect with slower paced games such as Civilization V, X-Com 2 and The Banner Saga. With games such as Diablo 3, Grim Dawn and Starcraft it also performed well even if occasionally there was what felt like a little lag in input. Where the Turret failed was in fast paced FPS games. Overwatch, Battlefield and Doom were too much for the little unit to handle, as it struggled with the precise, speedy input that these games need. I noticed persistent problems with these games and it only led to frustration when playing. That is not to say they are unplayable, but at certain points in these games it will be clear that you are not using the best control option.

But in all honesty, I haven’t ever used a better option for controlling a computer from the couch. I use mine all the time to simply play around with YouTube, surf the net or even write this review from my favorite lounge chair. Sure it doesn’t quite cut it for FPS games but it handles just about everything else really well and playing Xcom 2 on my 60” Plasma TV is pure joy. The unit costs about $200-$220 so it isn’t cheap but in saying that it is very well put together, sturdy and appears to be just as reliable as everything Razer makes. If you are looking for a couch keyboard/mouse option that excels at most tasks this is the perfect solution. Only hardcore FPS players need not apply.

Tech Review - Razer Turret

TECH SPECS (From Razer Website) 

Lapboard
• Anti-ghosting capability for up to 10 simultaneous key presses
• Chiclet styled keycaps
• Dedicated Android buttons
• Battery life of up to 4 months – The life expectancy of this battery depends upon its usage
• Battery type: Li-Po (1500 mAh)

Mouse
• 3500 DPI sensor
• Form factor
• 40 hours battery life for continuous use – The life expectancy of this battery depends upon its usage
• Battery type: Li-Po (1000 mAh)

Tech Review - Razer Turret

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