Recently, Razer announced its third desktop mechanical keyboard switch, the Yellow linear switch, which was arguably a long overdue addition to its stable. The switches are available on the new Razer BlackWidow Chroma V2, which is under our fingertips right now.
We already wrote about the BlackWidow Chroma V2 (with Razer Orange switches), and everything we said there applies here; the only difference is that we now have a version with the linear Yellow switches. (We noticed that when we first plugged the keyboard in, the LEDs lit up in yellow before gently cycling through the RGB spectrum. Whether Razer intended that as an intentional wink or not, it gave us a chuckle.)
What’s most notable about the Yellow switches is that in terms of specs, they have more in common with the Cherry MX Speed switch than MX Red or Kailh Red switches.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Razer Yellow | Cherry MX Red | Cherry MX Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Linear | ||
| Actuation Point | 1.2mm | 2mm | 1.2mm |
| Total Travel | 3.5mm | 4mm | 3.4mm |
| Actuation Force | 45g | ||
| Lifespan | 80m clicks | 50m clicks |
Subjectively, the Razer Yellow switches feel somewhere in between Speed and Red switches. To me, Red switches feel firmer than Speed switches, and in that regard, the Razer Yellow switch has more in common with the former than the latter--but of course, in terms of actuation and travel, it most closely resembles Speed switches.
We can’t be 100% certain without desoldering a switch, but we’re reasonably certain that the Yellow switches on this particular BlackWidow Chroma V2 are Greetech-made.
In comparing the Razer Green, Orange, and Yellow switches to one another, it struck us that the Orange and Yellow switches sound the same, but at different pitches. You can hear all three Razer switches in the video above--first on three keyboards, and then on a handy little tester plate that Razer sent along.
