Patriot Viper V770 Keyboard Review

1. Introduction2. Unboxing and First Look3. Testing4. Closing Thoughts5. View All Pages

Taking everything into consideration, the Viper V770 is an outstanding offering from Patriot that isn't to be overlooked when in the market for a new keyboard.

While it's likely to be a little large for some people, the sheer amount of features packed into the V770 is enough to turn heads. From its macro keys to its media keys and its pass-throughs to its spectacular RGB lighting, Patriot has crafted a fine flagship for its brand new range of keyboards.

I do still feel that the software lets it down, with some of its interface feeling a little clunky and unresponsive, not to mention the lack of RGB syncing between the main board and the palm rest. This is a shame, given that an illuminated wrist rest is a part of its unique design, but there are limitations as to what a single strip of light can do, of course.

That being said, it's still a relatively sleek looking keyboard with beautiful colours that quite literally glow.

Kailh wouldn't have been my first choice in switches given some of its past reputation, but this year has seen a lot of improvement for the company as they've introduced many more switches into its line-up and redefined established ones. The silence of these new Kailh Reds was certainly welcome, while retaining a firm click to each press of a key. This provided a great balance between lighting fast response while gaming, while at the same time giving the user a comfortable time typing for longer periods.

All things considered, these gripes are trivial in comparison to the price that Patriot offers its Viper V770. Its standard RRP of £129.99/$139.99 is already a steal for potential buyers, including many features that would not often be paired together until the £150/$150 mark.

You can pick one up directly from the Patriot website for $139.99 or Amazon UK for £129.99. Unfortunately, availability in the UK is somewhat scarce at the time of writing.

Pros

• Solid build quality.
• Vibrant RGB LEDs, even on the palm rest.
• Comfortable Kailh Red switches.
• Macro buttons.
• Media buttons.
• On-the-fly RGB lighting buttons.
• USB and Audio pass-through.
• Price.

Cons

• Software if fragmented and unresponsive at times.
• Audio pass-through is placed a little awkward.
• Media tray isn't sturdy for larger phones and tablets.

KitGuru Says: What the Viper V770 lacks in software it more than makes up for with its overwhelming amount of features, packed into a relatively small price tag.

 

Become a Patron!