As nice as mechanical keyboards can be for gaming and typing alike, it's tough to deny that the market hasn't seen much in the way of innovation lately.
Sure, companies like Razer and Logitech have developed their own unique mechanical switches, but they still tend to feel pretty similar to Cherry's MX switch line-up. And while keyboard startup Wooting got a little closer to creating something extraordinary with their Wooting one (the world's first true analog mechanical keyboard), it has a few issues of its own.
Today, however, Razer has finally decided to shake things up with two new wired keyboard offerings: the Huntsman and Huntsman Elite.
Both of these devices are technically mechanical, but they introduce a unique new twist, in the form of 'opto-mechanical" key switches. These switches combine some mechanical components with optical, IR laser technology.
This hybrid switch system is intended to retain the clicky, satisfying feel of a standard mechanical keyboard while improving key actuation speed and typing accuracy. Whether or not the Huntsman accomplishes that goal remains to be seen.
Some journalists have already tried the Huntsman out for themselves, and it sounds like the device's short 1.5mm actuation point isn't noticeably faster than other mechanical keyboards on the market.
With that said, it's clear the Huntsman is geared more towards PC gaming enthusiasts, who may be able to detect more of a difference than the average tester.
Key switches aside, both the Huntsman and the Huntsman Elite will ship with full, per-key RGB lighting customization, and the latter will come with a comfortable-looking magnetic wrist wrest.
Both devices are available for purchase right now through Razer's official website. The standard Huntsman will run you about $150, while the Elite will cost about $200.
https://www.techspot.com/news/75295-razer-introduces-opto-mechanical-ir-laser-based-switches.html
