Keyboards just aren't what they used to be. Those who know computers and care about how their keyboards feel will know that getting one with mechanical switches is preferable.
Those who have been in pursuit of such a keyboard know that there are multiple sellers who offer mechanical switches, but now a big peripheral maker is jumping into the fray. That company is Razer.
Razer announced at GamesCom the BlackWidow mechanical gaming keyboard, which the company said that it has been working on for the past 3 years. Like the other Razer keyboards, the BlackWidow features fully programmable keys with on-the-fly macro recording as well as five additional gaming keys.
Razer claims that most mechanical keyboards in the market today are standard mechanical keyboards rebadged as gaming keyboards that feature stiff keys that cause key actuation fatigue, but that the BlackWidow features a "uniquely tactile mechanical key architecture that provides each key on the keyboard with a crisp response and tactile feedback similar to a mouse click."
The key actuation point is actually halfway through the full travel distance, rather than near the bottom on traditional mechanical keyboards. Razer also says that the keys have one of the lightest actuation forces for all keyboards making it type and click much faster than other mechanical keyboards in the industry.
"The Razer BlackWidow is the world's first mechanical keyboard that has been engineered from ground up for gaming," said Robert Krakoff, president, Razer. "Imagine every single key on the keyboard with the precision of a mouse click – no more pressing of keys without knowing for certain if they have been actuated. Precision clicking coupled with an optimized lighter key actuation force, this changes the way gamers will play from now on."
The BlackWidow will be available in September 2010. Also available in the same month is the Razer BlackWidow Ultimate, a step up from the original edition with the added features of individually backlit keys with 5 levels of lighting, 3.5" audio and microphone out jacks as well as an additional USB port.
The regular version will retail for US $79.99/€79.99 and the Ultimate will be $129.99/€129.99.
