Backlighting on keyboards is nothing new, but the sensation around RGB-backlighting, especially on mechanical keyboards, continues to grow. Razer has its own RGB-backlighting software called Chroma installed on the appropriately-named BlackWidow Chroma and BlackWidow Chroma Stealth.
Both models include the numpad, yet Razer didn't have a tenkeyless keyboard with Chroma. The company is changing that with the release of the BlackWidow Tournament Edition Chroma, the first tenkeyless mechanical keyboard with Chroma backlighting.
This new keyboard should sound familiar to Razer fans. It's pretty much a Chroma version of the original BlackWidow Tournament Edition keyboard that now includes a carrying case. The original model didn't include backlighting at all, so the addition of Chroma is quite the upgrade.
As is the standard with the BlackWidow lineup, the BlackWidow Tournament Edition Chroma comes with Razer's own mechanical switches, which are designed by the company and then sent to third-party manufacturers for production. The new keyboard will feature the green, or "Clicky," mechanical switches. Those who prefer the orange, or "Silent," switches might have to wait a little longer until Razer makes a Stealth edition of the keyboard.
The BlackWidow Tournament Edition Chroma costs $139.99, and that includes the previously-mentioned carrying case. That's $10 less than Corsair's K65 RGB keyboard, and the case is a nice addition for the price.
More importantly, the new keyboard shows that RGB mechanical keyboards are becoming slightly more affordable. It could be a while until we see an RGB keyboard for less than $100, but it's good to know that there are a growing number of options when choosing an RGB-backlit keyboard.
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