Customer Reviews
not so spectacular. 
2008-10-03
It's an ok keyboard. the looks is great, laptop keys are nice. but the the lights on keys are a bit dim and the keyboard is plain black when not lit. I like looking at my systems when not in use. lol...
A professional gamer's keyboard. 
2008-09-20
The first thing you should do when you buy this keyboard:
*Download and update the drivers (for Vista, especially).
*Download and update the firmware after updating the drivers.
If you don't do this you'll run into compatibility issues with Vista and the keyboard won't work until Windows loads (i.e. can't press keys for BIOS or Windows boot menu). The firmware fixes this issue and the drivers that come with the unit are not Vista compatible, so they fail to install properly. A serious gamer is going to download the latest updates anyway, but I wanted to make it clear that the keyboard was originally released for Windows XP and not Vista, so drivers had to be written for Vista.
The functionality of the keyboard consists of 10 customizable keys (5 left, 5 right) that you can set macros on. The keys are backlit and can be changed out for a set of included keys that have various pictures on them (for gaming). On the right are play options for Windows Media Player (and others), shuffle and volume. On the left there is a home key that brings up your default browser. Rotate, zoom and 100% keys can be set to work with the Windows picture viewer, Photoshop and a few others.
The Home, End, Delete, Page Up and Page Down keys take some getting used to as the Delete key is huge and the End key is higher than it normally is. Another thing I noticed is the offset at which I had to place the keyboard in order to type with the home keys. As with any keyboard, it takes time to get used to a key layout and this isn't an issue in my opinion.
The keyboard takes a minimalist approach to gaming, but caters to the professional gamer with nice programmable features. Some gamers like fancy key layouts and loads of oddball looking gadgets. The Tarantula bypasses the fluff and goes right to the source--giving you what you need as a gamer and not stuffing the keyboard with items that you won't use anyway.
I changed from a Zboard (which still functions just fine) to this keyboard for a change in pace. If you're a serious gamer looking for a sleek approach to a gaming keyboard then this is probably going to satisfy your needs.
Razer makes quality products. This is no exception.
Mammoth of a keyboard but not worth the price. 
2008-07-05
Bought this thing for full retail price about a year ago, and I don't feel it was worth the money. It is a huge keyboard and the software is pretty good. Probably best if you play FPS but for me, playing WOW, basically like any other keyboard. Its not backlit so you might want to look for that feature. You can plug your headphones directly into it which is cool. Anyway it is broke right now at first the space bar stopped working and now most of the keys don't work. I contacted customer support by email and basically they told me I was S.O.L. They said they don't have any sort of repair program and don't exchange keyboards.
Decent gaming keyboard 2008-06-21
The Tarantula tries to be a great gaming keyboard but it falls a bit short of the line.
One of my biggest problems with this keyboard is the fact that Razer went to all the trouble to put backlighting effects on some parts of the keyboard but couldn't be bothered to backlight all the keys. There are plenty of keyboards out there that do, and when I'm playing games in the dark I sometimes wish I had.
Oh, but I could get the light attachment you say? I could I suppose, but that would mean plugging a device into the battle dock, also known as the 2nd thing I dislike about this keyboard. So far there have been no good uses for the add-on port.
In my opinion Razer attempted to match its competitors gimmicky gaming keyboards with the Tarantula but did not actually bother to go the distance with any of the gimmicks they chose to include, with the exception of the re-bindable keys.
I do like the additional buttons to be mapped, and the media controls. The software is decent and the fact that it has speaker/microphone jacks built in is nice for LAN parties, as is the built-in USB hub.
The biggest thing though, and the reason I gave this keyboard 4 stars, is the fact that the keys feel nice and respond nice, and the board as a whole just feels very solid and nice to type on. It feels and performs well enough as a keyboard that I can overlook some of its shortcomings.
CONS For Razer 2008-06-09
I don't see the cons of a Tarantula keyboard enough in print. If I did I would not have bought mine. I pluged my nice 2.1 speakers into the keyboard and moving my keyboard broke my cord. Nice speakers no more. I do not plug my expensive replaced logitech z-2300 into my keyboard any longer. The keyboard is illuminated but not the keys most used: w,a,s,d,z,x,c,f,g,r,1,2,3,4,5,6,shift,control. They have a place for a raised light to sit. Like I want a lamp for my keyboard. Next time I buy a gaming keyboard it will have the correct keys illuminated, not a place for a lamp. Consider the cons before buying.
BUY THIS KEYBOARD! 2008-05-05
The Razer Tarantula Gaming Keyboard is the first definitive keyboard created For Gamers, By Gamers. A cutting-edge companion to Razer's suite of gaming peripherals, it is specially engineered to empower competitive gamers with seamless control and unparalleled flexibility.
Gaming only! 
2008-04-01
First of, I love the Razor products. I'v used their mice before I purchased their keyboard. With the experience with their mice, which are one of the most confortable mice I'v used, I decided to try their keyboard. I purchased this keyboard when it first came out so I'v had a good at least 6hrs a day on it since then.
I'm a gamer(fps, mmorpg) and when it comes to it this is a good keyboard. Not too big and cluttered like some I have used. Very responsive to the gaming controls and comfortable. I'v used both USB ports with the headphone/mic jack all at once without a problem. My Razor Deathadder is always connected to one of the USB ports at all time. That's the good part.
Now the bad. Not all the keys are has backlighting and I play in the dark. You have to get purchase the Battlelighting and it gets annoying when using it in the dark. Too bright I think. When it comes to typing, well, that's why I titled it "Gaming Only" because for some reason the keys have a hard time responding during game chats or just typing in general. Either you have to press the bottons at least twice to get a character out or you tap once and 3 characters comes out. Kind of like the problem I'm having now while typing up this review. I guess it's trying to prevent me from doing it. LOL :)
Not as good as it looks 2008-04-01
Big keyboard, with wide key spacings. Nice for gaming but not so good for typing, repeated letters are a real problem and it takes some time to adjust to spacing.
Big downsides are software and customer support. I have had repeted incompatability problems between Razer software and iTunes and Microsoft Outlook. I have only had the keyboard for a week but have had to reload software sevral times (seems to be the same problem I had with short lived Razer Death Adder Mouse).
Razer also has awful customer support, they don't seem to acecpt returns of failed products. So if you buy from Amazon, hope that yours fails before Amazon's 30 days are up.
Great Keyboard - With Caveats 2008-01-07
I've used this keyboard for about 6 months now, and this review is based on my experience over this span of time. I am an avid gamer, and play mostly FPS (First-Person Shooter), RPG (Role-Playing Games) and RTS (Real-Time Strategy) games.
Build Quality: 9/10
The keyboard is very well constructed, with a solid feel, and plenty of space. This is not a keyboard for people with limited desktop real estate. The lighting on the keyboard is very pleasing, and the Razor logo on the palm rest fades in and out. The keys are all removable via the tool provided inside. Feet are properly rubberized, with the usual height stands to prop it up. The cables coming out of the keyboard are thick and well-constructed, and the connectors are gold-plated. Impressive! Overall, excellent. Makes you feel like you paid for proper quality.
Feel (9/10) & Function (5/10)
The keys are very responsive, and are on the firm side. There was no learning curve involved when I switched from my $10 cheap Logitech keyboard.
Ergonomics are acceptable, but aren't revolutionary in any way. This leads to my main comment about function. The customizable gaming keys run down both ends of the normal keyboard, and look great in theory. In practice however, I found using them a pain. Stretching my little fingers (probably the least dexterous of all fingers!) to hit one of the several gaming keys is a real hassle, especially when you're in the middle of an intense FPS battle. For example, trying to hit one of the left hotkeys is completely impractical if you're using the typical WSAD (forward, back, strafe left and right) and in the middle of combat, as it requires you to stretch your litle finger, which messes with the rest of your hand placement (unless you're a piano player, or especially dexterous, or possess large hands). Also, your right hand will be on the mouse, rendering the right keys nigh impossible to use as well.
On to the USB Ports. I haven't had problems with the ports, except that they're low power ports, and unable to support devices such as hard disks. Also, they're not USB 2.0, making them inefficient for large transfers of data to/from a media player. Otherwise, they've worked fine for me when I use them, which is almost never.
The ports for audio are unusable for me, because improper grounding of the LED lights on my keyboard means that there is a rising and fading buzz that corresponds with the Razor logo illumination. This is the biggest "Con" for me with regards to the keyboard. I tried to use them, but the buzz drove me crazy, and I haven't used the audio ports since. I'm not sure if it's a problem with my particular keyboard, but if not, it's an unacceptable flaw as it renders the audio ports unusable. Nobody wants to listen to electronic buzzing, especially not after paying this much for a keyboard.
Conclusions:
This keyboard is good value overall, and if appearance, build quality, and BASIC functions are your top priorities, then it's an excellent choice. If you're looking for a keyboard that will expand your gaming horizons, and change your gaming habits, this isn't it.
So pretty....funtions great also! 2008-01-02
Definetely a recommendation for those of you looking to beef up your gaming equipment. This goes great with....
Razer Mantis Gaming Surface
Razer Deathadder Mouse
Razer Barracuda Headphones
Razer FTW!
