Counter Logic Gaming (CLG) and Razer have teamed up to offer a themed version of the latter company's popular mechanical keyboard, the Razer BlackWidow Ultimate Stealth. The keyboard follows the CLG-labeled DeathAdder mouse released back in October 2013, which had an exclusive black and white finish, an illuminated scroll wheel and the CLG logo.
Like the DeathAdder mouse, the new CLG version of Razer's keyboard sports a black and white metal design, a white printed CLG logo and keys that are illuminated with white. This keyboard also features Razer's special mechanical switches, which were built from the ground up specifically for gaming (rather than using standard switches used for typing). These switches were tested by CLG pros and Razer's own team of eSports athletes, who apparently have given a thumbs up.
According to Razer, the keys have an actuation force of 45g, (how hard you need to press in order for the keyboard to recognize the key). Many keyboards have an actuation force of 55g to 60g.
"Razer's multi-award winning engineers identified the optimal actuation distance for a gaming switch to a fraction of a millimeter and reduced the distance between the actuation and reset point by almost half to allow for faster, more precise gaming commands when compared to standard mechanical switches," Razer's press release said.
The list of specifications also show that the keys have a 60 million keystroke lifespan, they're individually lit in white (the original keyboard is Razer green), and supports 10 key roll-over anti-ghosting. The keys are also fully programmable and allow the gamer to create macros in an instant. Other features include five additional macro keys, a gaming mode option, 1,000 Hz ultrapolling, audio and microphone jacks and a USB pass-through port.
For gamers looking for a new mechanical keyboard, the Razer BlackWidow Ultimate Stealth is a good choice. The peripheral feels solid, willing to take the abuse during heated gameplay, although mashing each key is unnecessary thanks to Razer's new switches. It's an attractive keyboard, as will be the special edition CLG-themed model, which is available now for $149.99 in the USA and €149.99 in Europe.
Follow Kevin Parrish @exfileme. Follow us @tomshardware, on Facebook and on Google+.