Why You Can Trust CNET Razer Turret review: Keyboard and mouse combo for sofa-based PC gamers
Razer has created a great companion for couch-loving PC users, but the Turret is only so-so on the gaming front.
Not designed to be a pure gaming keyboard, the Razer Turret is a lap-board best used on the couch with your PC or streaming device hooked up to a big screen. At $170, AU$280 or £150, it's globally available on Razer's online store.
Razer Turret
The Good
The Bad
The Bottom Line
The Turret consists of a "gaming grade" keyboard and a 3,500 dots-per-inch mouse. The higher the dots-per-inch, the more accurately the mouse registers movement -- giving the Turret more than enough precision for all but the most competitive of gamers.
According to Razer, the big innovation here is the integrated magnetic mouse mat. The mat connects to the keyboard via a foldable hinge and prevents the included mouse from sliding away. Thankfully, the mat's magnetic pull isn't too strong, so picking up the mouse when I needed to was never an issue. And while the mat's surface area is a little small for my taste, it's perfectly apt for more casual gaming sessions.
The device is light, so using it on your lap for long periods of time wasn't an issue for me. Build quality, usually an issue with lap-boards, is surprisingly decent. The keyboard has a nice amount of give and typing is as good as you can expect on a keyboard sitting on your lap -- though it's not at the level of a laptop, which has the advantage of extra weight and stability.
A great touch with the Turret is its sleek included dock, which plays double duty as charger and organiser. It allows the Turret to look at home amongst even the most impressive home entertainment consoles.
While the Turret is great to use for web surfing and casual gaming, it's hampered on the gaming front by its natural habitat...the lap. Games like Call of Duty and League of Legends, while perfectly playable, force you to constantly keep an eye out for the position of the keyboard on your lap, as any minor adjustment could spoil muscle memory. If you favour more mouse-intensive genres, or are a particularly competitive gamer, it's best to look elsewhere.