Razer Blackwidow Thoughts ? Advice?

Damn, no OP again. Something is wrong with servers.


Basically I need a keyboard since my 7 year old logitech decided to quit this afternoon.

I was looking at some keyboards.


Razer black widow normal edition @82 US $
Razer black widow BF3 limited + ultimate edition @143 US $


I maybe can buy it somewhere cheaper, but do you recommend the keyboard? Why or why not?


Thanks

 

No I do not recommend it, its one of the worst built and poorest quality mechanical keyboards made.

 

I wouldn't go as far as Vicious, based on my own experience, but there are definitely better offerings at the same or lower price as far as mechanical keyboards are concerned.

 

I'm really enjoying mine. I have the regular Ultimate Edition with Cherry MX Blue switches. I haven't had any of the issues that Vicious had with his. It feels very solid, much more so than any other keyboard I've ever had. Typing is very smooth and lightning fast, with a solid click on every keystroke. The backlighting is blue, which I like, and every key is very brightly lit on maximum brightness, unlike other illuminated keyboards I've had where there seems to be one bulb in the center of the keyboard, and outlying keys are virtually unlit (looking at you, Logitech G15). Obviously that doesn't apply if you have the cheaper non-Ultimate version. Both the regular and Ultimate are available in "Stealth" editions that use quieter MX Brown switches instead of Blue. I have yet to use the audio and USB ports on the side of the keyboard, so I can't comment on those. They are also not in the non-Ultimate edition.

That said, my experience with mechanical keyboards is quite limited, so I certainly won't rule out the possibility that I just have no idea what I'm talking about. But I'm quite happy with mine, and it's easily the best keyboard I've ever used.

 

If you HAD to have a Cherry keyboard, there are possibly better options. Certainly not blue switches as found in the BW's as far as I'm concerned - but I guess it's something you have to experience. Of course for most people it ends there and they erroneously (IMO) end up thinking it's the best keyboard they've used.

Leopold from Elitekeyboards are fairly no-nonsense Filco clones and give you a direct experience of the switches. Once again, if I HAD to have one I'd go for the Linear Touch (red) - $100.

Personally I alternate between Topres and Sidewinder X6/X4, and my Cherry-switched keyboards (I have an inordinate number of them still) usually gather dust. IMO the Sidewinders are superior to the Topres (and Cherrys) from an everyday-use perspective but I like changing my hand position on a fairly regular basis to avoid the onset of any repetitive strain, so tend to swap out keyboards on an occasional basis.

 

I thought razer was a pretty solid brand?

 

Not really. I had a DeathAdder that was going out in only a few months and everything they make tend to feel very cheap and plasticky. The brand is not as hyped up as it should be in my honest opinion.

 

So what brand is best?

So confused right now :s

 

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_n...KR,+Linear+Action,+USA+Keyboard+FKBN104ML/EB2

 

I have a black widow ultimate stealth and like i said in my review it isn't as sturdy as it could be, but you don't see it unless you partially disassemble the keyboard. You can also look for black widow stuck keys and you'll see it is a somewhat common problem. I do not have it on mine though. You definitely pay for the razer name so they keyboard isn't really up to par with the competition in the same price range. Not a bad keyboard, but given it's price, razer should have done better.

 

When you say "you pay for the brand", that means you admitted one of their product is terrible or that said product is terrible it should be cheaper than it is?

 

I am not just another poster I am a reviewer. So its natural for me to have an unbiased and well informed opinion on things. Since I have owned and used several products I have a point of reference and based on that data the razer was by far much worse than any of the other keyboards I have used.

The "just another poster" who is getting the BW as a step up from there cheaper keyboard is going to rave about it saying how great it is, they do not have a valid point of reference nor do they review products on a normal bases as a hobby/job like I do so they tend to get too opinionated and lose sight of the facts.

Besides having the sticky key issue which is the cause of me sending mine back for a refund the keys were very loose causing a poor consistency for typing. The keycaps were thin and cheap, it has a strange shift to some of the key locations making it awkward to type with especially the F keys that I use as hotkeys for a lot of programs/games. Also it was much wider than it looked and it noticeably screwed up my ergonomics.

It was a constant battle between scooting the keyboard to the right to get my left hand to feel in place but then having reduced mouse space that resulted in uncomfortable gaming and hitting the side of the keyboard with the mouse, or giving myself enough moue space and then feeling out of tune with my left hand stretched to the left rather than infront of me for typing.

Rather than write all this kind of information each and every time somebody asks about the BW I just say "Its not worth it" its a lot shorter and serves the same purpose.

Most people getting the BW are looking for a gaming keyboard anyways not a typing keyboard and for that the linear cherry switches are a much better fit than the tactile options you have with the razer product. Blues are downright dumb as a standard in a gaming keyboard in my experience, browns are fine but linear is still better. The problem with blues is the sound also if your a spam gamer the tactile/reset point can be an issue.

So point of the matter is razer cost money for name alone, this "razer tax" makes a product like this not equivalent to the build/quality of other keyboards in the same price range and it very clearly shows even after only minutes of use.

This is not to say razer makes bad products, just that they charge more for them. If your buying knowing this upfront and you have a reason for the purchase other than the value then there is nothing wrong with it, but do not be ignorant and assume that they sell things for "good prices".

Its just like designer cloths, exotic cars, etc. They cost more because they can, and because people buy them. In the eye of the beholder it is "worth the money" but in the eyes of the reviewer its always price vs performance ratio and the fluff factor and name does not come into play.

 

With the exception of the DeathAdder, which is priced right for what it is, everything Razer makes should be cheaper. At best, Razer's quality is equal to that of similar products from Logitech, yet Logitech is less expensive and has superior warranty coverage and customer service.

 

On mine:

Sticky key issue: not present
Thin and cheaper keycaps: check
Strange shift to key locations: check, not a problem for me when i type, but can be a problem when i game.
Overly large keyboard: check, you really need a lot of desk space to accommodate the BW.

I also meant that it was too expensive for the quality you get, not that it was a terrible piece of hardware, but still you pay the "razer tax" for it and it shows in the end in overall build quality.