A Tartarus is not a keyboard you replace every year. It is a left-hand command centre that sits under your palm for thousands of hours, mapping every ability, macro and modifier in your favourite game to a thumb-stick and a fan of keys you can reach without ever looking down. The shape barely changes between revisions, the membrane or mecha-membrane switches feel the same whether the unit shipped this year or three years ago, and a previous owner’s used keypad does exactly what a sealed one does. If you have wanted to bind your spells to a proper gaming keypad instead of cramping your fingers across the bottom-left of a full keyboard, the refurbished market is where the clever money goes.
The numbers that change the conversation
Top refurbished razer tartarus keypads on eBay right now
Here is a live look at what Australian sellers are listing today, so you can compare the version, condition and price at a glance.
Listings update automatically and open in a new tab.
Why second-hand is not “second best”
A gaming keypad is one of the safest possible devices to buy used, because there is almost nothing on it that ages. There is no screen to dim, no battery to swell, no camera to scratch. The Tartarus is a wired unit, so it never relies on a tired cell to keep working; it draws power straight down its USB cable. The body is a contoured plastic palm rest with an adjustable wrist support, a circular eight-way thumb pad, a small scroll wheel, and a curved bank of around twenty keys. The switches under those keys are rated for millions of presses, so a keypad that has carried a previous owner through a couple of raid seasons has the overwhelming majority of its life still in front of it.
What actually matters on a second-hand Tartarus is mechanical: that every key registers, that the thumb pad clicks cleanly in all directions, that the scroll wheel and its push-click still work, and that the cable is intact where it leaves the housing. These are all things you can confirm in two minutes once it arrives, and they almost never go wrong on a unit that has simply been used and looked after. The lighting, the profiles and the per-key remapping all live in Razer’s free Synapse software, so a used keypad gives you the identical feature set a new one would, configured the same way.
Your fingers learn the key layout, not the serial number. A used Tartarus teaches your muscle memory exactly the same map a brand-new one would, for a good deal less money.
The savings are real
A keypad is a niche accessory, which means the new price holds firm and stock can be patchy at Australian retail. That same scarcity is why the used market is so rewarding here. Earlier models such as the Tartarus V2 and the membrane-based Tartarus Chroma do everything the average player needs and routinely land in the 20-60% cheaper bracket, with the deepest discounts attached to the older Chroma units that work perfectly but predate the latest switch feel. If you are coming to keypads for the first time and are not sure the form factor suits you, buying a used unit is the lowest-risk way to find out without paying full retail for an experiment.
New vs used, side by side
| Brand new | Used / refurbished | |
|---|---|---|
| Key feel | Same switches per model | Same switches per model |
| Price | Full retail, often scarce | 20-60% less |
| Software | Free Synapse remapping | Free Synapse remapping |
| Wear point | None yet | Cable and keycaps, easily checked |
| Cosmetics | Flawless | Light palm-rest shine possible |
| Environmental cost | New manufacturing footprint | Reuses an existing device |
The five-minute checklist before you pay
- Confirm which model it is. Tartarus V2, Tartarus Pro and the older Tartarus Chroma look similar but differ in switch type. The Pro uses adjustable analogue switches; the Chroma is membrane. Know which one you are paying for.
- Ask about the thumb stick and pad. The eight-way thumb directional and the large thumb key are the most-used parts of the unit. Make sure the seller confirms they click cleanly in every direction.
- Check the cable and strain relief. It is a wired device, so the braided cable where it exits the body is the one genuine wear point. Look for any fraying or kinks in the photos.
- Confirm the keycaps are present and not worn smooth. A clear photo of all twenty-odd keys plus the scroll wheel tells you everything about how hard it was used.
- Verify Synapse compatibility. Razer’s current Synapse software still supports these keypads, but confirm the unit is detected and remappable rather than locked to one old profile.
You have more protection than you think
Buying refurbished in Australia does not mean buying blind. When you purchase from a business, an eBay store, or a registered refurbisher rather than a private individual, the Australian Consumer Law still applies. The keypad must be of acceptable quality, match its description, and be fit for its purpose. If a “refurbished” Tartarus turns up with a dead key, a wobbly thumb pad, or a cable that only works when you hold it just so, you have a clear right to a repair, replacement, or refund. That consumer guarantee sits on top of any warranty the seller offers and cannot be signed away, which is exactly why a reputable business seller is often the safest place to buy a niche accessory like this.
Ready to find yours?
Browse current refurbished and used Razer Tartarus keypad deals from trusted Australian sellers below.
Red flags to walk away from
- “One key sometimes sticks.” On a twenty-key keypad, a single unreliable key can sit right under a critical bind. This is the one fault that quietly ruins the whole unit.
- No mention of the thumb pad or scroll wheel. Silence on the two parts that get the heaviest use is a quiet way of avoiding a known fault.
- Stock photos only. If you cannot see the actual keycaps, palm rest and cable, you cannot judge wear. Insist on real images of that specific unit.
- Sold “for parts” or “untested” at a tempting price. A wired keypad that has not been plugged in and confirmed working is a gamble, not a bargain.
- Private seller, no returns, cash only. You lose your consumer-law footing the moment you step outside a proper business transaction.
Frequently asked questions
Will a refurbished Tartarus work on a Mac, or only Windows? The keypad is fully supported on Windows through Razer Synapse, where you do all your remapping. Mac support is limited, so if you game on a Mac, confirm your titles read it as a standard input device first.
Do I need to reset a previous owner’s key bindings? No. The profiles live in Synapse, tied to your own login, so once you plug the keypad in you start with a clean slate and build your own layout from scratch.
Is an older Tartarus Chroma still worth buying in 2026? Yes, if you want the biggest saving. It is membrane rather than the newer switch types, but for binding spells and abilities it does the job perfectly and is usually the cheapest way into the form factor.
Can a left-hander use it? The Tartarus is shaped for the left hand to sit on the keys while the right works the mouse, which is the standard setup for most players regardless of handedness. If you mouse with your left hand, it will not suit you.
The bottom line
Few gaming accessories reward the second-hand buyer as cleanly as a keypad. There is no battery to fade and no screen to wear, the key feel is identical to a new unit of the same model, and the savings on a niche product like this are substantial. Decide whether you want the analogue Pro, the V2, or a bargain Chroma, confirm the thumb pad and cable are sound, buy from a seller who stands behind the unit, and you walk away with a genuine piece of gear that reshapes how you play for a price that makes the new one hard to justify. It is kinder to your wallet, and to the 588,000 tonnes of e-waste Australia would rather not add to.
This article may contain affiliate links; see our Affiliate Disclosure.