I thought portable keyboards could only be serviceable, with a poor typing experience and product sizes that stretch the definition of the word ‘portable’. Then, I tried theRazer Joro.
Razer Joro
Designed for both play and work, the Razer Joro is an ultra-compact powerhouse that delivers seamless multi-device connectivity, immersive Razer Chroma RGB lighting, and ultra low-profile switches for fast, tactile keystrokes. Whether at home, in the office, or on the go, experience premium precision in an ultra-light form factor.
A Pleasant Keyboard to Type On
The Razer Joro is advertised first and foremost as a portable gaming keyboard—namely because of its ultra-thin, tactile switches that actuate faster than most of the competition in the market. This isn’t just a puffed-up claim, either, as the Joro is much more reactive than any other portable keyboard I tried. But for me, it wasn’t quite how good of a gaming experience the keyboard provided. It was about how nice it felt to type on.
I work at a desk all day, and I’ll stay there beyond the 9 to 5 if I want to play a PC game. Sometimes, I just don’t want to be at my desk, and I’d prefer to go lie in bed or sit on my couch and work on writing there instead. While I have a laptop, it’s a heavy gaming laptop that is a pain (metaphorically and literally) to type on. My solution has been to take my iPad, open up a word processor, and get to work that way.
As such, I already have a portable keyboard—theLogitech K480, an inexpensive yet often recommended option for those looking for a solution to type on their phone or tablet efficiently. But if you’re used to mechanical keyboards, the K480 just feels bad to type on. The keys offer too much resistance and are simply unpleasant to type on. It is also oddly bulky, taking up more space in a bag that I’d care to take up for something meant to be portable.
In short, I could feel that I only spent $50 on the K480. The Razer Joro is available at a premium price of $140, but the boost in quality is worth it.
Smaller Doesn’t Mean Worse
The first thing you notice about the Razer Joro is its size. The company isn’t lying about it being “ultra-compact,” and Razer uses every bit of space to give you a compact 75% keyboard with standard-sized keys. Compared to my Logitech K480, the Joro was far smaller, making it more portable.
The better portability is already great, but it gets even better when you type on it. Razer’s portable keyboard truly feels like a mini-mechanical keyboard under my fingers. Typing on the Joro is smooth, and the keys offer just the right amount of resistance. Despite the short actuation points for the keys being a big feature, the switches aren’t so sensitive that the keyboard will register key presses if your hands hover over the keys.
The backlight is also welcome. While you can customize the lighting in all sorts of ways in the Razer Chroma app, I was mainly thankful that the keycaps had shine-through lettering, making it easy to use in low-light settings. The LEDs aren’t very bright either, even at max settings, so you won’t be blinding people nearby by keeping the lights on.
Finally, while it may not sound as clacky as my full-sized keyboards, the quiet keys are very welcome in a portable keyboard, where there’s a good chance you’ll take it out in public. Not everyone enjoys the noise of mechanical keyboards, after all.
While the Razer Joro might be on the more expensive side, if you plan on using a portable keyboard for any length of time, it’s worth every penny. It works flawlessly with my iPad, my phone, and even my PC. It’s rare to see a portable keyboard that feels this nice to use, making it a fantastic addition to your accessory arsenal.
