Razer Joro keyboard review: Trading gaming for portability
Why you can trust Windows Central
Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
Not everyone needs a keyboard that can connect to multiple devices across operating systems and go wherever they go, but those who do are often met with the same compromises.
Ultraportable keyboards are usually designed with purely productivity in mind, but Razer is bringing an intriguing new option to the market with the Joro. It’s definitely a premium wireless board, but it’s also designed for gaming on the go.
I’ve been using the Razer Joro since I initially went hands-on with it, and there’s simply no other keyboard I’d rather slip into my bag before setting out on a trip. Having full macOS support will also be extremely valuable to a lot of people.
There are certainly more affordable high-quality traveling keyboards, but the Joro has a style all its own. I just wish it was actually as good for gaming as Razer claims it is, though a future update may help a lot.
It should be obvious that there’s always a keyboard or two on my desk, but there’s value in a keyboard that can connect to multiple devices wherever I happen to be. It still has to be a great keyboard, though, so I still put every peripheral through its paces.
This review was made possible thanks to a review sample provided by Razer. Razer had no input nor saw the contents of this review prior to publication.
Razer Joro review: Cheat sheet
- What is it? A premium, ultra low-profile, wireless keyboard compatible with Windows, macOS, and mobile devices.
- Who is it for? Those who need a slim and ultraportable keyboard that works just as well across devices, and isn’t half-bad for gaming.
- How much does it cost? The Razer Joro retails for $139.99 at Razer, and is available in one color. You can also get this keyboard for $139.99 at Best Buy or $139.99 at Amazon.
- What did I like? The attractive, sleek, and intelligent design, the comfortable typing experience, and the multi-device compatibility.
- What did I not like? The higher price tag, the compromised gaming experience, the lack of backlighting for secondary key functions.
Razer Joro review: Pricing and specifications
There’s no shortage of budget keyboards that will get the job done if you just want something functional and portable, but the Joro is attacking the premium segment.
The Razer Joro can be purchased for $139.99 at Razer, which puts it up against the best in the category. It’s sadly only available in one color (black), too, as many people would probably prefer silver or grey.
You can also buy the Razer Joro for $139.99 at Best Buy or $139.99 at Amazon, depending on your retailer preferences.
|
Spec |
Razer Joro |
|---|---|
|
Switches |
Razer Ultra Low-Profile Scissor Switches, 1.6mm travel |
|
Hardware features |
75% layout, 5052 aluminum alloy top case, UV-coated laser-etched keycaps, N-Key Rollover & anti-ghosting, 5 onboard profiles, up to 1,000Hz polling rate (wired only), secondary media keys, 1-zone Razer Chroma RGB lighting |
|
Software features |
Razer Synapse support (including macOS), fully remappable keys, Razer HyperShift shortcuts support, native macOS compatibility, Razer Snap Tap support |
|
Connectivity |
Wireless via Bluetooth 5.0 (up to 3 devices), wired via USB Type-C |
|
Battery |
1,960mAh, up to 1,800 hours w/ power saving mode, USB Type-C charging |
|
Dimensions |
298 x 112 x 16.5mm (11.7 x 4.4 x 0.65in) |
|
Weight |
~374g (~0.8lbs) |
|
Warranty |
2-year standard |
In the box, you’ll find the Razer Joro wireless keyboard and a USB Type-C to Type-C charging cable.
Razer Joro review: What I like
When I reviewed the Razer Blade 16 (2025), one of the biggest upgrades was the keyboard. To make the Joro, Razer essentially took that redesigned keyboard out of the Blade 16 and put it in its own chassis.
Becoming the lowest-profile keyboard in Razer’s lineup necessitated using the shallow scissor switches found in most laptop and productivity keyboards, rather than the mechanical or optical switches found in Razer’s dedicated gaming keyboards.
The Razer Joro is small. It comes in at just 16.5mm at its thickest point, gently sloping down in a soft incline for a more ergonomic typing experience. With a 75% layout that takes full advantage of all available space and a minimalist design devoid of flashy accents, the Joro is ready to slip into any bag with ease.
The Joro’s build quality doesn’t suffer from that thin profile, either. An aluminum top plate preserves the Joro’s premium feel and prevents any flexing or bending. Whatever work Razer did when redesigning the Blade 16’s keyboard also benefits the Joro, too, as there’s no hint of a metallic or hollow feeling when typing.
Outside of the actual keys themselves, all you’ll find on the Joro is a simple power switch and USB Type-C port in the upper right corner, and four impressively grippy rubber feet on the bottom.
Image 1 of 2
The Razer Joro obviously isn’t going to compete with the top mechanical keyboards when it comes to typing, but this typing experience is just as good as some of the best laptops.
Typing is comfortable and consistent, and it takes little time to become proficient with the Joro. I particularly love the 75% layout, which feels properly uncompromised. You get decent-sized keys with great spacing, full-sized arrow keys, dedicated page navigation keys, and proper function row shortcuts and media controls.
The single-zone RGB lighting is also bright and colorful, evenly illuminating every key. There are built-in shortcuts to change the lighting effects, change profiles or layouts, enable the power saving mode, and more — and it works across devices.
The Joro is designed for multi-device use in general. It supports up to three Bluetooth devices, and Razer put in the work to ensure every Joro function — including all its shortcuts and multimedia keys — work with everything.
Most importantly, this is the very first keyboard that Razer designed for Windows and macOS. Relevant keys also boast macOS iconography, and you can easily switch to the macOS-specific layout with the Fn + Tab shortcut. Razer Synapse is even available on macOS in preview now, with the Joro as the first fully supported peripheral.
You can use the Joro as a wired keyboard, but it’s absolutely designed to go all wireless, all the time. It’s not the latest Bluetooth standard at 5.0, but you have three Bluetooth profiles with dedicated buttons on the function row.
It’s easy and seamless to connect the Joro to new devices, and it’s quick to switch between devices with a press of a button. I’ve had one instance where the Joro absolutely refused to connect to my PC, forcing me to do a complete reset, but for the most part it has been perfectly responsive and reliable.
Razer won’t give me anything more specific than “up to 1,800 hours” for battery life, but with real world usage (as in, not in an extreme power saver mode and with the backlighting actually active), the Joro has solid endurance. It has withstood several dozens of hours of usage, and it’s simple enough to top it off with any Type-C charger.
You can also download Razer Synapse (including on macOS!) for access to additional features, including customizing up to five onboard profiles, setting up Razer HyperShift shortcuts, enabling Razer Snap Tap (last-key prioritization) and gaming mode features, and more.
The Joro doesn’t boast the most in-depth or feature-packed software customization (or per-app profiles), but it’s still better than the vast majority of ultra low-profile keyboards you’ll find elsewhere.
Razer Joro review: What I don’t like
The Razer Joro may be designed like a portability-focused productivity keyboard, but it’s positioned as a gaming keyboard alongside the rest of Razer’s offerings.
Admittedly, the Joro is immediately much more suited to gaming than most travel-friendly keyboards, especially with support for features like Razer Snap Tap last-key prioritization, Razer HyperShift shortcuts, and N-Key Rollover/anti-ghosting.
Scissor switches will never be a proper replacement for traditional mechanical switches when gaming, though, and you’ll notice the downgrade. Right now, the Joro is also restricted to Bluetooth, which introduces noticeable latency and potential interference issues.
Razer is set to update the Joro’s firmware in the future to allow it to connect to existing Razer HyperSpeed Wireless dongles with Multi-Device Pairing, like the Razer Basilisk Mobile mouse I reviewed. That should help a lot, but I’m reviewing the device based on what it is now.
I’m also fine with the single-zone RGB lighting (that’s already better than the basic white LED backlighting of most travel keyboards), but I do wish the secondary functions of keys were highlighted, too.
Above all, though, the Razer Joro is simply expensive. It’s a premium peripheral, certainly, but you can get excellent wireless travel keyboards for less.
Razer Joro review: Also consider
Razer Joro review: My final thoughts
✅You should buy this if …
- You want a high-quality, ultra low-profile wireless keyboard for travel.
- You need great multi-device compatibility, including with macOS.
- You want a great travel keyboard that’s better than average for gaming.
❌You should not buy this if …
- You just want a low-profile gaming keyboard and don’t plan to travel.
- You need the lowest wireless latency for competitive gaming.
The Razer Joro isn’t quite like any of the other best keyboards we’ve tested, in that it’s an ultra low-profile, ultraportable keyboard with some gaming influences. It’s great for productivity and mobile work, but it also wants to be a reliable gaming companion.
This keyboard gets far more right than wrong, with excellent build quality, an intelligent design and intuitive layout, peerless multi-device compatibility and native macOS support, and a comfortable typing experience.
For traveling, it’s the only keyboard I personally need now. If you’re specifically approaching this keyboard from the gaming side, though, the Joro isn’t nearly as good for PC gaming as it is for working and creating on the go.
That could very well change once this keyboard gains support for Razer HyperSpeed and its decreased latency, but this will always effectively be a laptop keyboard (no matter how good), and it’ll never quite replace a proper gaming keyboard in terms of performance or typing experience.
Still, I really like this sleek peripheral. If you do, too, you can buy the Razer Joro for $139.99 at Best Buy or $139.99 at Amazon. I also reviewed the Razer Basilisk Mobile, the wireless mouse counterpart to the Joro.
The Razer Joro won’t impress if you plan to only use it for gaming at a desk, but as a traveling companion for working, creating, and gaming while on the move — especially across multiple devices — it’s an excellent keyboard. The Joro isn’t cheap, though, so be sure this peripheral fits your needs.