Thursday, August 19th 2010
Razer Announces its First Mechanical Keyboards: BlackWidow and BlackWidow Ultimate
Razer, the world's leading manufacturer of high-end precision gaming and lifestyle peripherals, today announced the Razer BlackWidow mechanical gaming keyboard engineered for gamers who demand superior tactile feedback and comfort while playing. Most mechanical keyboards in the market today are standard mechanical keyboards rebadged as gaming keyboards that feature stiff keys that cause key actuation fatigue. Such keyboards are inherently worse off for gamers as it actually decreases gameplay performance as opposed to enhancing it. As a result, most professional gamers eschew such marketing gimmicks for regular membrane keyboards.
For the past 3 years, Razer's design and engineering teams have been working on a mechanical keyboard - developed for gamers from the ground up, resulting in the Razer BlackWidow. The Razer 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. Coupled with a unique key actuation point halfway through the full travel distance, the optimized mechanical key structure found in each of the Razer BlackWidow's keys provide for greater precision and accuracy versus other traditional mechanical keyboards.
The keys on the Razer BlackWidow also feature one of the lightest actuation forces for all keyboards. The key actuation force has been optimized by the Razer design team from readily available components but sorted with the rigorous quality standards that Razer is known for. As a result, this enhanced key force allows gamers to 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 "Razerguy" 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 Razer BlackWidow is the only mechanical keyboard that features fully programmable keys with on-the-fly macro recording as well as five additional gaming keys, further leaving other mechanical keyboards in the dust when it comes to gaming compatibility and performance.
The revolutionary Razer BlackWidow mechanical gaming keyboard 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.
About the Razer BlackWidow
The Razer BlackWidow's full mechanical key architecture provides a distinctive tactile feedback that simulates the experience and precision of performing a mouse click, giving gamers an entirely new feel with this keyboard. With its optimized actuation force of 50g and an actuation point halfway down the full travel distance of 4mm, the Razer BlackWidow's keys deliver crisp response with exceptional actuation speed. An ultra robust construction, fully programmable keys, 5 additional macro keys, and on-the-fly macro recording round off this revolutionary gaming keyboard.
PRICE: US $79.99 / €79.99
AVAILABILITY: September 2010
Product Features:
The Razer BlackWidow Ultimate is a step up from the original edition with the added feature of individually backlit keys with 5 levels of lighting, so players will never miss a step in the dark while giving them the cutting edge to launch assaults and flank foes even in low light conditions. Its full mechanical key architecture with an actuation point halfway through the full travel distance of 4mm, combined with its distinct tactile feedback that simulates a mouse click, allows the Razer BlackWidow Ultimate to provide gamers a keyboard that responds like no other. The ultra robust construction, fully programmable keys, 5 additional macro keys, and on-the-fly macro recording round off this revolutionary gaming keyboard. The Ultimate keyboard also includes 3.5" audio and microphone out jacks as well as an additional USB port. Now, the fate of your game is all at your fingertips with the BlackWidow Ultimate.
PRICE: US $129.99 / €129.99
AVAILABILITY: September 2010
Product Features:
For the past 3 years, Razer's design and engineering teams have been working on a mechanical keyboard - developed for gamers from the ground up, resulting in the Razer BlackWidow. The Razer 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. Coupled with a unique key actuation point halfway through the full travel distance, the optimized mechanical key structure found in each of the Razer BlackWidow's keys provide for greater precision and accuracy versus other traditional mechanical keyboards.
"The Razer BlackWidow is the world's first mechanical keyboard that has been engineered from ground up for gaming," said Robert "Razerguy" 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 Razer BlackWidow is the only mechanical keyboard that features fully programmable keys with on-the-fly macro recording as well as five additional gaming keys, further leaving other mechanical keyboards in the dust when it comes to gaming compatibility and performance.
The revolutionary Razer BlackWidow mechanical gaming keyboard 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.
About the Razer BlackWidow
The Razer BlackWidow's full mechanical key architecture provides a distinctive tactile feedback that simulates the experience and precision of performing a mouse click, giving gamers an entirely new feel with this keyboard. With its optimized actuation force of 50g and an actuation point halfway down the full travel distance of 4mm, the Razer BlackWidow's keys deliver crisp response with exceptional actuation speed. An ultra robust construction, fully programmable keys, 5 additional macro keys, and on-the-fly macro recording round off this revolutionary gaming keyboard.
PRICE: US $79.99 / €79.99
AVAILABILITY: September 2010
Product Features:
- Mechanical key architecture for faster actuation and extended lifespan
- Fully programmable keys + 5 additional gaming keys with on-the-fly macro recording
- 10 Customizable software profiles with on-the-fly switching
- 1000Hz Ultrapolling for a blistering fast 1ms response time
- Gaming optimized key matrix
- Easy access media keys
- Gaming mode option
- Approx. size in mm: 475(L) x 171(W) x 30(H)
The Razer BlackWidow Ultimate is a step up from the original edition with the added feature of individually backlit keys with 5 levels of lighting, so players will never miss a step in the dark while giving them the cutting edge to launch assaults and flank foes even in low light conditions. Its full mechanical key architecture with an actuation point halfway through the full travel distance of 4mm, combined with its distinct tactile feedback that simulates a mouse click, allows the Razer BlackWidow Ultimate to provide gamers a keyboard that responds like no other. The ultra robust construction, fully programmable keys, 5 additional macro keys, and on-the-fly macro recording round off this revolutionary gaming keyboard. The Ultimate keyboard also includes 3.5" audio and microphone out jacks as well as an additional USB port. Now, the fate of your game is all at your fingertips with the BlackWidow Ultimate.
PRICE: US $129.99 / €129.99
AVAILABILITY: September 2010
Product Features:
- Mechanical key architecture for faster actuation and extended lifespan
- Individually backlit keys with 5 levels of lighting
- Fully programmable keys + 5 additional gaming keys with on-the-fly macro recording
- 10 Customizable software profiles with on-the-fly switching
- 1000Hz Ultrapolling for a blistering fast 1ms response time
- Gaming optimized key matrix
- Easy access media keys
- Gaming mode option
- Audio-out / mic-in jacks
- USB pass-through
- Approx. size in mm: 475(L) x 171(W) x 30(H)
34 Comments on Razer Announces its First Mechanical Keyboards: BlackWidow and BlackWidow Ultimate
Best I remember with an actual stop watch when I was a kid was 8-12 ms. Either I got way slower, or there's something wrong with the script, or I guess regular keyboards really are just that slow. Not sure which.
there was a video posted on tudou a couple days before the unveiling at Gamescom it appears to be someone video taping the Razer Blackwidow Ultimate.
in the tudou video below the red and green indicators don't seem to be turned on. also the keyboard looks a little better in person.
www.tudou.com/programs/view/ogOhm7oPgwA/
Would love to see a mechanical/membrane hybrid keyboard with sidewinder x6 style (though removable numpad should attach much closer to other keys and have a lock). F & media/top function keys could be membrane, for the rest, mechanical keys.
The Ultimate is officially on my wish list, although I'd happily take the regular model if the Mrs threatens to castrate me over a $130 keyboard. lol.
It's finally on Newegg and it's priced at $111.99 + $7.87 shipping. What a disappointment! I would rather dish out $10-$20 more dollars and buy the Razer Black Widow Ultimate with the same switches and backlighting. I was hoping to be able to pick up a (relatively) cheap mechanical keyboard, guess not. :P
Razer Blackwidow Ultimate Review on Youtube.
they remove the L-Windows key and turn it into a Function key that has no scan code. the Function key communicates with the keyboard and not Windows so it can't be remapped. a lot of people complain about not having a L-Windows Key so it's nice Razer chose the R-Windows Key.
$129 for the Razer Blackwidow isn't a lot of money for a mechanical keyboard.
this one here is called the uTron it cost $400-500 from Japan.
Now I'm torn. I don't like clicky, but I like tactile. But it's a darn good price. It hits 2/3 criteria for me. Don't know what I should do now.