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Razer launches mechanical gaming keyboard, BlackWidow
The new creation solves that problem by reducing the vertical travel distance needed to register a keystroke. Keys are triggered at around the halfway mark. Additionally, the BlackWidow supposedly has one of the lightest actuation forces of any keyboard, so typing should be much faster than other mechanical keyboards -- all without sacrificing the clackity racket that'll drive your roommates crazy.
Other features include fully programmable keys with on-the-fly macro recording, 10 customizable profiles, five dedicated macro/gaming buttons, and common multimedia controls. The BlackWidow is currently listed in Razer's online store for $80 with an estimated ship date of September 21. A $130 "Ultimate" model adds a USB port, audio and mic jacks, and backlit keys with five levels of lighting.
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User Comments (26)
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LinkedKube
on August 18, 2010 7:25 PM |
/want one |
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Tekkaraiden
on August 18, 2010 9:20 PM |
I wasn't aware there was a demand for these. |
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red1776
on August 18, 2010 9:23 PM |
Tekkaraiden said: I wasn't aware there was a demand for these. Tek, you mean gaming keyboards? |
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LinkedKube
on August 18, 2010 9:39 PM |
I'm in the market for a keyboard as we speak. |
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Tekkaraiden
on August 18, 2010 10:20 PM |
No I mean gaming keyboards with a mechanical keys. |
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LinkedKube
on August 18, 2010 10:24 PM |
No I mean gaming keyboards with a mechanical keys. that made no sense. From what I read its a reasonable application to a keyboard. Did you not read the article? |
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captaincranky
on August 18, 2010 10:42 PM |
I'm sooo clumsy typing, I'd probably shoot myself to death in the first FPS I tried. |
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Tekkaraiden
on August 18, 2010 10:43 PM |
Yes I did read the article, I was just curious as to why after releasing only membrane style keyboards they have decided to release a keyboard with mechanical keys like the old IBM keyboards. I was not criticizing their product I was just curious since mechanical keyboards tend to have stiffer tactile response. |
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LinkedKube
on August 18, 2010 10:52 PM |
I'm sooo clumsy typing, I'd probably shoot myself to death in the first FPS I tried. /cranky man down. |
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Guest
on August 18, 2010 10:57 PM |
Right, and the article details how they accounted for the stiffness of their mechanical keyboard. |
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dividebyzero
on August 18, 2010 11:58 PM |
Like the idea of the mechanical action. Great for word processing and other non-gaming apps. $80 for a non-backlit gaming kb vs. $70 for G15 might be a hard sell, and an extra $50 for backlighting and USB seems mighty steep. Most keyboard USB pass throughs are 1.1 spec, is this model any different? |
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TomSEA
on August 19, 2010 12:34 AM |
I prefer ergonomic keyboards, but might be interested in this. I already type 110wpm - be curious if I could bump up my speed any with it. |
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Guest
on August 19, 2010 2:17 AM |
I think that the who wrote this article should do a bit more recearch. He says that Razer released the first mechanical keyboard for gaming ... ... and how about STEELSERIES 7G ??? |
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LinkedKube
on August 19, 2010 2:30 AM |
I think that the who wrote this article should do a bit more recearch. He says that Razer released the first mechanical keyboard for gaming ... ... and how about STEELSERIES 7G ??? I think its the companies first version of the type of keyboard. |
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Guest
on August 19, 2010 2:43 AM |
He clearly says: "Razer has introduced the market's first mechanical keyboard designed specifically for gaming." Market! I know its Razer's first mechanical keyboard. But he says market, and that's incorrect. Besides Steelseries I think that there are at least other 2 mechanical keyboards. |
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ddg4005
on August 19, 2010 4:57 AM |
Interesting keyboard. It looks like it'll suit gamers well but I'll with my Logitech Wave Corded keyboards. I've never been big on gaming keyboards anyway. |
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Lurker101
on August 19, 2010 5:42 AM |
There may be other mechanical keyboards, but how many of those are really purpose built specifically for intense gaming? Mechanical keyswitch keyboards are a big thing in todays market and it's about time one was made available without gamers having to sacrifice functionality. |
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Guest
on August 19, 2010 6:08 AM |
waiting to see some reviews on this one, Steelseries 7G uses Cherry Black switches, they require 60G and are linear. This video helps a lot: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEDv5eWB9lU |
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princeton
on August 19, 2010 6:56 AM |
Also I'm sorry but for that keyboards ultimate edition the price is much too high. At 130 bucks the logitech G510 is far superior. |
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bandit8623
on August 19, 2010 10:45 AM |
steel-series is a gaming company the 7g is made for gaming. the 7g is awesome. this article should be updated so the lies are fixed. |
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Guest
on August 19, 2010 11:24 AM |
http://www.steelseries.com/int/reseller/content/keyboards/s Name: SteelSeries 7G Catagory: Gaming keyboard Yup, pretty much says it all. I personally prefer any steelseries product over a razer product. All the mice I have ever owned that were razers fell apart way too quickly for my taste and their keyboards aren't much better. |
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Guest
on August 19, 2010 11:58 AM |
Finally! A mechanical keyboard with backlighting AND other gaming features! I'm soooo getting this. The price doesn't bother me so much, as mechanical keyboard are generally expensive anyway, and this one has more features as far as I can tell. |
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Guest
on August 19, 2010 12:01 PM |
@Princeton That logitech hasn't got mechanical keys, so of course the razer will be more expensive. It's price is right IMO. |
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Burty117
on August 19, 2010 12:01 PM |
Guest said: I personally prefer any steelseries product over a razer product. All the mice I have ever owned that were razers fell apart way too quickly for my taste and their keyboards aren't much better. What do you do with them?! Smash them around the room or something? or are the Steelseries actually made of steel? :P |
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Matthew
on August 19, 2010 12:10 PM |
If you read the press release (second link in the article), Razer states that other mechanical keyboards aren't necessarily designed for gaming, they're just standard mechanical keyboards "rebadged" as gaming keyboards. Anyway, let's not argue semantics guys.
Most mechanical keyboards in the market today are standard mechanical keyboards rebadged as gaming keyboards that feature stiff keys that cause key actuation fatigue. Such keyboards are inherently worse off for gamers as it actually decreases gameplay performance as opposed to enhancing it. As a result, most professional gamers eschew such marketing gimmicks for regular membrane keyboards.
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