There are limited ways to directly alter a player's performance on the server aside from optimising their preferred mouse, keyboard, mousepad, and overall setup.
Some players are obligated to use peripherals provided by their sponsoring organisation or choose a customised mix-and-match setup that suits them best.
Until recently, there has rarely been a physical hardware innovation capable of significantly enhancing player performance—until now.
Razer has introduced a groundbreaking feature called "Snap Tap" mode for their Huntsman V3 Pro keyboard line. Similar to Wooting's "Rappy Snappy" feature, Snap Tap prioritises the latest input between two keys, enabling players to counter-strafe more swiftly. This helps reset the aim and enhances accuracy.
In practice, this means players no longer need to release the previous key when strafing; the keyboard registers the last key pressed, even when simultaneously holding keys like A and D together.
However, controversy has arisen as some professional players argue against allowing this mechanic in tournaments, despite ESL's prior approval. FaZe player Robin "ropz" Kool expressed skepticism, comparing it to macros/scripts that eliminate human error in movement, a practice historically banned in games like Osu! and CS 1.6 KZ. He suggested that tournament organisers might opt to ban such peripherals.
Martin "STYKO" Styk noted that these keyboards have already been used in several Tier 1 tournaments.
Razer's Senior Esports Ambassador, Jimmy Malavong, acknowledged concerns about the feature potentially violating tournament rules but assured that organisers had cleared its use, drawing parallels to the initial acceptance of jumpthrow binds in CS:GO.
While the Snap Tap feature has just been released for the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro line, its perceived advantages may prompt more professional players to adopt this keyboard soon.