Recommendation: Definitely buy

Now my success with Razer gaming products has been hit or miss, but this one was definitely a hit. The Razer Nostromo is a gaming keypad that substitutes for your keyboard. It averages about $60 in stores and online. Back when I played World of Warcraft, I found I was running out of keybinds for all the abilities I needed in PvP. When I tried to add in a modifier like SHIFT, ALT, or CTRL, it felt a little awkward reaching out. Then one day I ran across Swifty’s video review about the Razer Nostromo. All the pieces fell into place.

So why would you want to substitute your keyboard? The secret is on the right side of the device. The little button you see above the D-pad. Your thumb sits there, while your hand rests comfortably, and acts as your modifier key. So instead of reaching your little finger over to the CTRL or ALT, you can just use your conveniently placed thumb. You can also use the D pad to set up hotkeys as well. Basically, you’ve just added several extra hotkeys while your hand stays in a comfortable position.

A feature of the Razer Nostromo is that you can set up profiles on it for all your multiplayer games. One for League of Legends, one for Star Wars, one for Battlefield 3, and so on. The only downside I’ve found is that you can’t type chat messages without taking your hand off the keypad. Not a big deal for me, as I find typing into chat isn’t usually productive during PvP.  That’s what voice chat is for.

I’ve had my Razer Nostromo for some time now, so I’d say it’s definitely durable and worth the money. It’s design also helps prevent carpal tunnel. If you don’t have a wrist rest for your keyboard, this is another plus. There are a few other products out there like the Razer Nostromo, but they did not look as usable or functional. If mine broke today, I’d certainly buy another one.  It is a must for any MMO.

• I use the Razer Tartarus now, an upgraded version.  The affiliate link on the right sidebar will take you to the Amazon.com page.

Do you use any keypads? If you have a Razer Nostromo, what do you think?