Razer BlackWidow Ultimate Mechanical PC Gaming Keyboard

It's like typing on a cloud. This is my first mechanical keyboard; I'm currently studying computer science as a sophomore in college and my advisor kept raving about how great mechanical keyboards were, so I thought I'd try one out. I'm a pretty avid gamer (League of Legends, Borderlands, BF3, GW2, etc, several hours a week), so whether or not I'd be getting a gaming-focused keyboard was kind of out of the question. I'd previously owned a Razer Lycosa Mirror, which wasn't a terrible keyboard until the cheap construction caught up to me and keys started sticking. Plastic pieces on some of the bigger keys (spacebar, return, etc) started breaking off which screwed with some of the spring mechanisms of the keys and wouldn't allow me to press some of the keys down unless I did so at a specific position on the key...needless to say, it was time for an upgrade. I did some research regarding the best mechanical "gaming" keyboards (this one was at the top of most of the lists), since I figured whatever keyboard I got for gaming would to the job for programming, so long as it was mechanical. And BOY was I right; my semester-long project was due for CS this week and having neglected to work on it for most of the semester due to laziness, I had quite a bit of code to write. This keyboard performed like a dream, and I could easily notice a significant difference in the speed and precision at which I typed. Pros: - Mechanical advantage: drastically increases (at least for me) the speed and precision of typing - Backlights: backlights are crisp and have very gradual brightness settings, unlike some keyobards with just 2 or 3 - Macro keys: I've never played a game where I've required macros. I can say, however, that the macro keys are placed in a very nice place, just to the left of the WASD cluster. Reachable with pinky (possibly)? Can't speak for the macro-junkies out there since, as I mentioned, I'm not one myself. - Audible clicks, anyone? I'm a huge fan of the Cherry mx blue switches. I love the satisfying feedback you get from not only the tangible click, but also from the crisp, loud click you get from pressing a key down on this keyboard. BUILD QUALITY. And I cannot stress this enough. Whereas my Lycosa felt cheap and fragile, this keyboard feels very sturdy and the construction feels a lot stronger. Keyboard is heavy and I love the rubber-esque finish on the body and the matte finish on the keys. Cons: - None thus far, will have to see if this keyboard can withstand the test of time. Additional things you might want to know. - Audible clicks: not everyone might be a fan of the clicks. Might want to do some research about the different types of switches there are; as far as Cherry switches go, pretty sure the MX Blues are either the loudest or next to the loudest; if you're looking for a quiet, subtle keyboard, the MX Blue switches are NOT for you. - The FN key is in a way different location than anything I've ever seen. Here, it's located next to the right ALT key, whereas on most keyboards I've previously owned with an FN key, the key's been located on the bottom left of the keyboard. I'm not complaining, it actually works out nicely for me, since i would often tend to slip and hit the FN key on my other keyboards. As I do not use the right ALT & CTRL keys, this problem has essentially been eliminated for me. Final thoughts: This keyboard receives a 5/5 rating without a shred of doubt. I am 100% satisfied with my purchase and would recommend this to anyone looking for a new mechanical keyboard or a gaming keyboard.

Now to people considering this keyboard, please disregard all he negative feed back this keyboard has gotten and here me out. over the past month, I discovered what a mechanical keyboard was and instantly wanted one. like you now, I did tons of research looking for the right keys, keyboard layout etc and finally settled on this. In my research, I found that the reason this keyboard has so many negative reviews is because this is one of the most purchased mechanical keyboards on the market. With more customers, there is definitely a higher chance that people will be not satisfied with what they get. Now you can argue that there are better companies out there like Ducky and filco that without a doubt, produce high quality boards but you pay the extra money for them. this board offers 2 things that other companies don't, a backlit keyboard which is a must for me, and a affordable price. Also, I am very picky about the layout of the keyboard and this is one of several keyboards that doesn't do anything stupid with the layout like oversized enter key or short shift key. the only thing different in terms of layout is the location of the F keys; they have been shifted over by half an inch so when gaming, the finger on the W key would b right under theF1 key. Pros: -Matte finish on keyboard -etched keys for long lasting marks -cherry mx key switches (a little loud but I personally like the sound) -endless light settings for brightness -the weight of the keyboard makes it feel like it will last forever Cons: - for people new to mech keys, it may take a while to learn to type again - no dedicated media keys ive been using this keyboard for a month now and I absolutely love it. My first board I had to return because of a faulty enter key however, Amazon made a very quick swap. The tactile feel is for me, great for gaming (StarCraft 2 primarily) and typing is a joy! if youre looking to buy, I would suggest that you go to a best buy or some electronics store to test the keys out because I know the cherry blues are not for everyone and if this doesn't work out, there is one with browns switches out there. I don't have any regrets about this board. the clicking sounds awesome and makes me want to type extra long sentences because I cant get enough of it. its an awesome board and perfect for those who love to type or game late at night.

Ok, so I've used lots of keyboards in my time of typing, and I must say this is seriously the best one I've ever used. I'm a huge fan of Razer's. That is because they make products with great quality. This thing is a beast that will help your gameplay in another way or another. To start out, let's talk about aesthetics. It looks freaking awesome because of it's green LED back lighting for all of the keys. For me personally, I really enjoy this. But for someone who doesn't like bright light, you can dim or completely turn off the LED back lightning off in Razer Synapse 2.0. This is a great feature. Now, this thing has a little bit of weight to it, but that's to be expected. This keyboard also has lots of keys. In Razer Synapse 2.0, you can customize every key to your liking. This is huge if you like to play games in a different manner. Also, It has a thing called Macro keys. These are five extra keys you can customize, so you don't have to go into other keys( It would be a pain going back and fourth between customizing and un-customizing your keys, so that's what the macro keys are for). The macro keys work amazingly. You can program Macro key 1 to be multiple keys at the same time. On the one of the games I play, I have to hit 'Q, E,R," to do an attack formation. I can program any macro so that I can hit it, and it will do the formation. This saves tons of time, and has saved me from losing a game multiple times. You have probably looked at the price and was like " What, why's this so expensive?". That is because of Cherry MX Blue Mechanical Switches. These things are located under EVERY key, so your getting the same experience everywhere. Cherry MX Blues are very clicky. They feel nice and are have a very fast response time of 1ms, but the noise from the keyboard might upset someone on Skype of any other type of app. I don't use Skype at all, so I have no problems. The keys are big. I have big hands and I have had no problems hitting other keys on accident. This keyboard also has a thing called Gaming Mode. Gaming Mode, when activated, turns off all unnecessary keys while your in the middle of a game ( Windows button, Alt+Tab, and Alt+F4). This eliminates all the chances of you accidentally hitting a key that could mess you up. It also has a USB, Mic, and Headphone jack pass through. Just plug in the extra USB, Mic, and Headphone jack to your computer, and you're able to plug in anything that uses those ports into the Black Widow's right side ports, and you can use it as you would on a computer. That is all I have for this review. The Razer Blackwidow is definitely the best keyboard I've ever used, and I would recommend it to anyone. I hope this was helpful to your decision of buying this product. Bye.

I've written a few reviews here and this one is, well, kind of hard to judge. Your going to either love it or hate it. OK, so I'm rating this as "I just like it". It's better then just OK, but inside my real rating is: I'm loving it and I'm hating it (How do I star that?)! It's been a long time since I had a mechanical keyboard (seems like yesterday these were as heavy as an elephants). This is going to take some time to get use to as I have not had one of these since buying my first IBM PC with an 8088 processor (Look it up). I notice right away that this keyboard is very smooth to the touch and a bit heavier then a soft touch keyboard. Now my problem is with work and the years spend on those soft keyboards! My fingers have gotten used to the smaller, much lighter, soft key-stroke keyboards. These soft keyboards seems to have become the normal standard in keyboards when you buy a computer. Change is nice: a really cool, back-lite controllable, macro programmable, click key-stroke keyboard. What made me buy: (1) The back-lite keyboard: Did not know it was controllable-awesome (2) Brand name: Always like the RAZER brand. (3) The Mechanics: Are they better then soft keyboards, now I believe so. (6) USB/Headset plug-ins: Saves having to have extensions on your headset for gaming, there for you access (5) Price: Could have gone for the BF3 one, but I liked this one more. (6) Size: Same size as my prior soft-key keyboard, no additional space required Dislikes: (1) I don't have one at work: No gaming allowed anyway (3) NOISY: Can't hear the mouse with all that Clicking - Headset helps! (3) Stays lite-up when computer is off (This one might be contributed to my ASUS motherboard - I'm not taking it to work to verify!) Additional stuff I Like: (1) The Shift values on the keys are printed below the un-shifted values. (2) Two (separate) USB Plug-in cables: One for Keyboard, one for USB port on Keyboard right-side. Anyway, this truly is a great keyboard. No problems typing this review, just trying to figure out what to type. "How to make a mechanical quite keyboard? I guess all have to wait for that one!

Packaging: Packaging from Razer is phenomenal as always. I had no worries about this in transit. The Box amazon use to ship the keyboard in was the perfect length, not a 100% fit but they added these air packets. Functionality: This being a keyboard aimed at gamers does what it advertises. I can fully programme all the keys to be macros or whatever i like. They added 5 extra keys which comes in handy. The mechanical keys are loud and if your looking for something to play at night with everyone sleeping, not the best choice right here. However, i can recommend the stealth edition. The keys are narrower and will take some getting used to time but once you use it, you will never want to go back to a membrane keyboard. The passthrough USB and audio input and output come very handy for me as i am always taking files in and out of my computer. Cleaning the Blackwidow is so much easier to clean then a membrane keyboard and i had many problems with that. (Taking the keys out to clean the undersection) Design: The design is magnificent. It's slick and an eye-catcher. It fits a gamer's crib perfectly. The LED lights can be blindingly bright and can be pin-point adjusted to suit your environment. The matte finish is great and a huge improvement from the previous versions of the blackwidow. However, i like my equipment in tip-top shape and if you have sweaty hand like i do, it doesn't get fingerprints but more of a dark smudge. I often find myself with a damp cloth wiping away the mess every-now and then. Personally, i don't think it's THAT bad to be a deal-breaker. It is very well built hefty and sturdy. Weighs a decent weight so it won't move around on your table in those desperate moments. Drivers: I think the drivers could be improve, before i installed the drivers i tested its functionality and the backlighting would change in an instant. With the drivers installed the backlighting would take an extra second to change it's profile. Other then that the drivers are very well presented and easy to use. Conclusion: If your looking for an eye-catcher and an upgrade for your cheap membrane keyboard you stole from work. This is the whole package. If you can get this on sale it's a must have and should not be looked past. however i don't recommend you get this at full price, it's just there are so many more functional keyboard out there for a lesser price.

I love mechanical keyboards; I love the feel, I love the sound, I love the accuracy, I love the look, and I love how easy they are to clean. I have had my eye on this keyboard for quite some time, but I have always held back because of the fairly consistent occurrence of manufacturing defects in the reviews. I finally decided to take the plunge when the 2013 model came out, and I can tell you that I am glad I did. The responsiveness is what you would expect from a mechanical keyboard; that is to say perfect. The keys have more travel than many may be used to but once you find the "sweet spot" where the switch is actually activated you will find that you being to type faster and your fingers are less stressed. The green lighting is a cool effect, and it give the keyboard a very high quality look since the lighting is perfectly even. It doesn't serve too much purpose for us touch typists most of the time, but it is nice in the dark for using the uncommon or unique functionality keys. I love the noise. I might be crazy but I really like the way that the keyboard sounds, almost like a typewriter. Keep in mind that this may be a downside for some people because this is by no means a quiet keyboard. If someone is sleeping near to your study you may want to think twice here, because yes it is THAT loud. Overall I love it and since none of the defects from the previous year have reared their ugly head I am giving it a perfect 5 stars.

I have used a ton of keyboards, but this one is awesome. I'm something of a Razer fanboy, but hear me out anyway. I had the Lycosa before this, and it is definitely a good keyboard (my sysadmin friend who hates mechanical keyboards turned me onto it). But after switching to mechanical I can never go back. But don't get me wrong- its not because its mechanical, there are plenty of mechanical keyboards. The functionality is just amazing. Between the macro buittons and the fact that you can remap each and every button, it is fully customizable for any set up. I really wish I could have gotten the blue one to match my whole setup, but meh. Also, the macro recording is amazing. I haven't had the need for any on the fly recording, but i'm sure it's on par. I have a Ghost M8000X mouse that I LOVE, however every time i want to record a macro with the included software, it just seems painful. Yeah I know, i know...The razer synapse software is annoying because it is a tad buggy and all of your funcionality goes out the window if it stops running. But I have only had that happen one time, and All i had to do was restart the software. It wasn't really very bad. On the plus side, Razer Synapse gives you some extremely awesome functions, and if you use multiple razer products (i have the black widow and the naga molten) then it's an easy place to configure them all at the same time. There may well be better keyboards out there. But trust me, if you are a gamer (or even a programmer) you will not be disappointed with this bad@55 piece of hardware.

When I was first building my computer I decided to pick a cheap rubber dome keyboard so that I could spend more on other areas. About 6 months later the keyboard was dead and discontinued. I decided to go all out and buy the best keyboard I could possibly think of and this is what I ended up getting. The first time I pressed a key I was instantly in love with the tactile and typewriter-esque feel of the keyboard. The noise isn't too enjoyable for other people, but I love it and can actually tell when I press a key instead of the dull feedback from a standard rubber dome keyboard. Now whenever someone asks for a recommendation on a mouse I tell them the Razer Deathadder and if they are looking for a mechanical keyboard the Razer Blackwidow is my first choice for Cherry MX Blue. The only problem I have with the keyboard is that the backlighting only has 1 color option, green, which clashes with my non 2013 Deathadder. However, I plan to get a soldering iron and some green leds to fix that up. I have to say that I definitely type much faster with it as opposed to rubber dome keyboards and it definitely is more satisfying to hear each key click when you press it. I the noise is really an issue then you can get noise dampening o rings and put them at the base of the switches. Every key on this keyboard is mechanical

I've bought many products on the internet. The Logitech G9X mouse, Logitech g930 headset, etc. All are stellar products. But this, this is something else. I am reviewing the 2013 version with green backlighting. 1) People complain about the blue version being finger-print prone, but the green 2013 version has a MATTE finish. That's right. Check it out on youtube, it's a matte finish. its gorgeous, and stays clean. 2) People complain about the left alt button getting stuck with the space bar. This problem is clearly fixed in all the 2013 reviews. 3) The previous version had half the anti-ghosting limit. The new version has up to 20 keys anti-ghosting. 4) The previous version had like 5 backlit brightness modes. This new version has like 20 brightness modes, its almost like a gradient. Plus. its GREEN. if green is not your favorite color, don't worry, this is gorgeous. 5) Some reviewers are crying about the need to install synapse for the keyboard to work. This is NOT true, at least not for 2013 version. My windows 7 driver detects it immediately, lights go on, and no software is required (i can do everything including change brightness of keys). I dont trust razer software anyway. However, if you dont install the software, you wont have any functionality for the macro keys on the left. 6) Some unintellectual people argue "real gamers don't need to look at their keyboard" I am pretty sure when you take your eyes off the keyboard in the dark, and you're trying to find your "F" and "J" key with the little indent, you'd be better off with a backlit keyboard. I have a typing speed of 100 words per minute. And I still find a backlit key board extremely helpful in low-light conditions. Why do you think all the mac's have back lighting? What if you are entering a product key for something? People who use this line of argument don't realize how much they look at their keyboard without realizing it. What if you cross your arms in the dark? and you try to type again, you realize you're wasting time trying to find the F and J keys when you could've just looked at a backlit keyboard for half a second. If your accuracy depends on where the F and J keys are, you are using relative accuracy. Perfect pitch is always better than relative pitch. 7)There are many people saying razer is unreliable and makes crappy products for children. That may be true. A lot of razer products are junk (mamba). And I also heard razer has terrible customer support. If u purchase off amazon, amazon will serve u well. If u get a defected 2013 key board (unlikely. VERY unlikely with the 2013 version), send it in and keep doing it until you get the right one. Because it is WORTH it. Don't look at razer as a company, just look at this product. Don't look at the 2012 reviews. Look at the 2013 version reviews. It's backlit, its mechanical. The sound it makes is amazing. Look no further. Summary: Layout is perfect. This is the best piece of technology I have ever bought. Better than any mouse, better than any speaker, any headset.

Had this keyboard for a couple of months. Never wrote a review because who cares what someone on the internet says? I have never had a problem with this keyboard. Driver install was simple, and I didn't even install it on the computer the keyboard is currently used with. This keyboard comes with blue switches, meaning it gives a tactile feedback (you can feel when the keys are pressed) and audio feedback (the keys click like a typewriter). I would recommend doing some research into the type of switches you want. There are many types including my preferences; brown, blue, and red. Brown gives a tactile feedback without the audio. Blue I have already described, Red gives neither, which is nice if you only want the speed boost and reliability of a mechanical keyboard. The most common switch out there is blue, because it is the classic switch, the one that most people s think is the only option. Razer is a great brand for gaming. Getting their ergonomic mouse for Christmas, the one that matches this keyboard. Both of them have the green backlight which really makes people notice your awesome 'board. This keyboard would be great for people who wish they could connect a typewriter to their computer. It comes in a nice, professional box. Would look great for Christmas. I only recommend that you look into the switch types. I believe that this keyboard only comes with blue.

This is a great keyboard! Unpacking it was fairly easy, but when it was out, it was a beautiful thing. The keys sounds wonderful as a mechanical keyboard should, all having a nice *click* to them. Every key has a translucent letter allowing you to see them all even in pitch darkness. The buttons are very receptive to pressure and they feel great. However, the macro buttons on the left are sometimes fairly awkward. I used to place my hand on the keyboard by placing my pinky on the control key and finding all the corresponding keys immediately under my fingers. However, the macro keys will sometimes get in the way and I'll have my hand wrongly set up. It takes a few second to move your hand in the correct position, but it will take a bit to get used to. I have not touched the software yet, it is not needed. Very comfy and great gaming keyboard, I wouldn't have any other one now.

Keyboarad overall is good but my spacebar seems to sound a bit odd compared to other keys. the packaging of the keyboard was nice and i would recommend you buying this keyboard if you want something nice for gaming. the adjustable brightness is good it has like 15 brightness levels. great keyboard and think you guys should consider buying it

This keyboard is good. Build quality is good. Lightning is good. Feels good. Sounds good. However, it will annoy your girlfriend so much when you are playing your game and your girlfriend is trying to watch TV. My girlfriend freaks out and yells at me my keyboard is making way too much noise and she can not watch her TV. Well, this only applies to you if your PC and TV is in the same room. I should just move out or something. Other than that, very good keyboard.