Driver

There is no software driver support for the Vortex Race 3 at this point, with all functionality and programming being hardware based. As such, I have chosen to combine the Driver and Performance pages into one.


However, Vortex is working on a web-based configurator called MPC for their keyboards. See the pictures above for example layouts of their other two keyboard lines (Poker and CORE) for a first impression on how it would look, and it would be similar for the Race 3 as well. While there is no release date provided, this will help provide full programmability to their keyboards.

Performance

There is full N-key-rollover USB here, as Aqua's test confirms. Similarly, no key chatter was detected using Switch Hitter.



By default, you are in layer L0, which is not programmable, and what you see on the keycaps out of the box is what you get. The Race 3 has three other layers (L1, L2, and L4) which are programmable and can be switched to using Fn + R Shift. There are two LEDs under the space bar, and the left LED helps with visually identifying which layer you are on with red, green, and blue for the three other layers respectively and no lighting for the base layer. Layers L1, L2, and L3 are programmed to be the same as L0 if you do nothing, so there is no layout for the layers to see here. This is a result of the Race 3 being large enough to where it has all the functionality needed via discrete or single-shifted keys.


Say you want to program layer L1. The left LED under the space bar will have the red light under it as seen above, and the following are the steps for programming:

1) Press Fn + right Control to initiate programming. The right LED under the space bar will light up a steady blue.
2) Press the key you want to program; this will be visually confirmed by the right space bar LED, which will now be flashing in red.
3) Press the key(s) you want the above key to be assigned to and press Fn to end the programming. Following this, the right space bar LED will turn back to a steady blue.
4) Repeat these steps for other keys as necessary, and press Fn + right Control again once done to exit programming. The right space bar LED will now turn off.

If this sounds familiar, it is because this is the exact same procedure as on the Vortex Core and their Poker line of keyboards. Thus, there are once again some limitations. For instance, you cannot re-program the keys that allow you to toggle between layers. You also cannot re-program right Control since it is used to activate and exit programming mode.

A couple other rules:

1) Each key programming can have a maximum of 32 key strokes, so you can set up complicated macros.
2) Time delays between key strokes are supported, and that is where the Fn + descript comes in. Fn + T gives you 15 ms of delay each time pressed, Fn + G gives you a 0.1 s delay each time pressed, and Fn + B gives you a 0.5 s delay each time pressed. Each consecutive time delay will add up, and you can use combinations as you please, but they will only count as one key stroke per delay between key strokes and won't cut into your allocation of 32 key strokes past the first stroke.

Two more points concerning a restore to factory settings:

1) Press and hold Fn + R to erase any programming on the layer you are on. This obviously only applies to layers L1-L3 and is shown by the left space bar LED flashing white for 5 seconds, after which you can stop holding the two keys.
2) Press and hold both Alt keys to erase any programming on the entire keyboard aside from L0. This too will be shown by the left space bar LED flashing white for 5 seconds, after which you can also stop holding the two keys.

This was a massive wall of text, and may have led to a lot of readers losing interest in the product. I would say it is not as bad as it looks, but also understand such concerns. A fully programmable keyboard with a GUI-based configurator would have helped a lot. The excuse of there not being enough demand to warrant it is running thin as well, with there now being three different product lines/form factors from Vortex that use the exact same programming approach, which has them run into these limitations also. All this is covered in the manual a buyer will get, so there will be a readily available reference point.

There are a few other options available here which will interest a lot of customers:

1) Fn + M switches to MacOS mode, which is also why there are MacOS-specific keycaps included. Note that not all keystrokes may be registered as is, such as the media keys, but you can always assign them in MacOS using Karabiner or something similar. To get back into Windows OS mode, use Fn + W. There is also a Linux OS mode that activates by, you guessed it, Fn + L. Here, Caps Lock is interchangeable with L CTRL.


2) Given the nature of the larger keyboard, Vortex is also supporting Dvorak and Colemak layouts here. By default, the keyboard comes in QWERTY layout, which Fn + Home activates if you need it. Fn + Pg Up activates Dvorak, and Fn + Pd Dn activates Colemak mode, as can be seen on the secondary legends on those keycaps. The good thing is that the DSA keycaps mean you can easily swap keycaps around to match these without worrying about sculpting or a keycap's top curvature. This is where the right space bar LED lights up red (for Dvorak) and green (for Colemak).
3) Fn + End toggles between Win lock, and the right space bar LED lights up blue if the Windows key is locked. This can be useful when running applications in full screen.


Back to the keyboard as a whole now. This Vortex Race 3 sample came with Cherry MX Blue RGB switches, and as per usual, Cherry QC was up to par. I measured the actuation force here using a tension gauge, and the average across twenty keys was 50.15 g, which is very close to the rated 50 g. These were also the smoothest Cherry MX Blue switches I have tried in a while, especially with these being the RGB versions as well. I did hear about Cherry having revamped their production facilities recently, and if this is representative of current batches, I am all for it.


It was fairly easy for me to get used to the Race 3, even though I originally thought the larger Esc key would create havoc. The sound clip above is at an average of 90 WPM. As always, the sound of a keyboard is based on more than just the switch type. So when comparing sound clips, consider the keyboard as a whole. For context, you can find sound clips from other keyboards here, including those with clicky/tactile switches. I did bottom out here, although it is fairly easy not to do so with Cherry MX Blue switches if you practice.