{"id":768,"date":"2016-01-09T20:39:41","date_gmt":"2016-01-10T02:39:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thechristiangeek.net\/wp\/?p=768"},"modified":"2016-01-09T22:27:19","modified_gmt":"2016-01-10T04:27:19","slug":"tech-review-razer-blackwidow-chroma","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/thechristiangeek.net\/wp\/?p=768","title":{"rendered":"Tech Review: Razer Blackwidow Chroma"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Razer<\/a>When it comes to keyboards, I am picky. \u00a0Very picky. \u00a0I learned to type on an IBM Selectric 2 in high school and that left me rather spoiled. \u00a0I also have had some wrist injuries, including some issues with repetitive strain. \u00a0When my old keyboard of nearly 8 years gave up the ghost, I decided to take a huge chance and go with the Razer BlackWidow Chroma<\/a>. \u00a0After a week typing on it, I have been extremely pleased with the result. \u00a0This review is going to be a surprise to those that know me…\u00a0<\/p>\n

I’ll be completely honest here, I am an IBM Model M snob. \u00a0I’m not ashamed of it, either. \u00a0The buckling spring keyboard was created to duplicate the feel and response of the Selectric. \u00a0It was and remains on of the best keyboards on the market. \u00a0Yes, I\u00a0did<\/em> say “remains.” \u00a0Many people may not realize it, but the original Model M is still made by a company called Unicomp<\/a>. \u00a0They were spun off by Lexmark which was spun off from IBM. \u00a0This keyboard\u00a0is<\/em> the gold standard, as far as I’m concerned. \u00a0What makes a mechanical keyboard special is in how the keystroke activates.<\/p>\n

Most contemporary keyboards use a rubber membrane dome to activate the keystroke. \u00a0When you press the key, the membrane is pressed down and closes a contact, registering the key. \u00a0In a full stroke keyboard, this means that the finger moves down 4mm and thumps the bottom of the key travel for every letter you type. \u00a0This is not only a lot of wear and tear on the fragile rubber but also on your hand. \u00a0These accumulated tiny impacts are a big part of the repetitive strain injuries associated with computer keyboards. \u00a0Another, less commonly considered aspect is that by rebounding off the bottom of the stroke, the antagonistic muscles in the wrists\/arms do not have to pull the fingers up. \u00a0The result is uneven development of the muscles and a “crunching” of the carpal tunnel.<\/p>\n

A mechanical keyboard, by contrast, has the same 4mm of travel. \u00a0However, the mechanical switch in the key activates at about 2mm of that travel. \u00a0In the case of the typical Cherry switch, it activates at 2.2mm. \u00a0Once you have adjusted to a mechanical keyboard, you find that you are not hitting bottom on your keypresses. \u00a0You also find that the muscles in the top of the forearm are now being used to pull the finger up. \u00a0The net effect of this is that you have eliminated the impact injury and also – by having to pull up again – helped open the carpal tunnel.<\/p>\n

Not only is the injury\u00a0eliminated, but I have found that I can typically type 10-15 words per minute faster on a mechanical keyboard. \u00a0It also promotes the good hand position we were taught in typing class but promptly forgot when we starting programming. \u00a0Finally, I have found I can type longer and with far less fatigue than even on an ergonomic keyboard. \u00a0It was the buckling springs of the original IBM Model M that brought all this to the computer world.<\/p>\n

So why am I writing this if I think the buckling spring is so good? \u00a0And why did I switch?<\/p>\n

First of all, understand that there are a variety of other mechanical switch keyboards that are quite good. \u00a0The one most familiar to people are the Cherry MX switches. \u00a0These keys are coded by color. \u00a0Blue is a\u00a0“clicky” key with the tactile bump and click similar to the\u00a0Model M. \u00a0Reds lack\u00a0any\u00a0click and are silent. \u00a0Browns will give you the “bump” that the finger can feel but are very quiet. \u00a0They fall in between the Reds and Blues. \u00a0Frankly, I do no like Cherry Reds at all. \u00a0I expect to feel something when I type. \u00a0Cherry MX Blues, are an acceptable second place alternative to the buckling springs. \u00a0My biggest complaint is the slight\u00a0delay between\u00a0the click and when the key registers. \u00a0Also, I tend to prefer the action of the Model M slightly better than the Cherry, in particular I like the reset of the buckling spring a bit better.<\/p>\n

Understand, Cherry Blues are great. \u00a0I\u00a0do<\/em> like them. \u00a0Cherry Browns are acceptable, as well. \u00a0However, I think the buckling spring keyboards are still better.<\/p>\n

This finally brings me to the whole point of the review: the Razer BlackWidow.<\/p>\n

After years of Model M\u00a0snobbery, I think I have finally found a keyboard that, in my opinion, can beat buckling springs. \u00a0(I’ll give a moment for those that know me to recover…)<\/p>\n

First, there are actually several\u00a0versions of the keyboard based on the absence or presence of three features. \u00a0These are:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Inclusion or exclusion of the numeric keypad,<\/li>\n
  2. Multicolor, green or no backlighting,<\/li>\n
  3. The keyswitch used.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    To take these in order, ditching the numeric keypad is not just about cutting costs. \u00a0It is an option that a lot of gamers like. \u00a0It reducing the size and weight of your keyboard and eliminates keys that you generally do not use. \u00a0This makes the keyboard lighter and easier to transport when you take it to a tournament. \u00a0For this reason, a Razer keyboard without the numeric keypad is called a Tournament edition, or T.E. keyboard.<\/p>\n

    \"Razer<\/a>Razer also provides a variety of options on backlighting. \u00a0The most basic keyboards have no backlight. \u00a0The Ultimate edition keyboards have a green backlight and in the 2016 version, key lighting is individually programmable (earlier versions, you could just set the intensity level). \u00a0This costs a bit more than the non-backlit part, of course. \u00a0At the top of the food chain is the Chroma edition keyboards. \u00a0These keyboards have fully programmable multicolor individual backlights. \u00a0 People seem to like to play around with clever effects in backlighting, but in my opinion that’s a waste of time and money. \u00a0There are<\/i>\u00a0however, some\u00a0very practical uses for backlights. \u00a0If you’re a gamer, you are often playing in the dark or in reduced lighting. \u00a0In these conditions backlights provide obvious help in seeing the keyboard. \u00a0I don’t do that kind of gaming, so it’s not much of an influence. \u00a0Backlights do, however, have a use that I do<\/em> appreciate: \u00a0keyboard templates. \u00a0The Razer Synapse software allows me to quickly put together a template for the keys I use in any particular program. \u00a0For example, I use Audacity for podcast editing (I actually prefer it over Pro Tools for this task, but that’s another article…). \u00a0 The picture to the right shows my most frequently used keys mapped to color groups based on related function. \u00a0This might sound silly, but I found that in practice it really\u00a0does<\/em> speed up the editing process.<\/p>\n

    Of course, the real purpose of the a keyboard is to allow you to type. \u00a0Until a couple years ago, Razer used Cherry MX switches. \u00a0Then in 2014, Razer released their keyboards using their own switches. \u00a0Their claim is that these keyswitches are designed specifically for gaming. \u00a0The key feature of them is that they have a faster actuation and reset. \u00a0As I said earlier, Cherry switches activate at 2.2mm. \u00a0Buckling springs actuate at 2.4mm, by the way. \u00a0The Razer switch activates at 1.9mm, 0.3mm faster. \u00a0Likewise, once actuated, they key can reset correspondingly faster. \u00a00.3mm may sound like a very small distance but you can actually feel it in use, especially if you are already used to a specific switch on a mechanical keyboard. \u00a0There is also more of a tactile feel compared to the Cherry switches. \u00a0Finally, like the Cherry Blue, it has a 50g activation force. \u00a0This is a bit lighter than my old Unicomp, but when taken as a whole with all the other technical aspects provides a superior experience.<\/p>\n

    My particular switch is the Razer Green. \u00a0This is the loud, clicky switch comparable to the Cherry Blue. \u00a0There is also a Razer Orange switch. \u00a0This alternative is similar to the Cherry Brown. \u00a0It has a slightly lower force required, 45g, and while it still has the “bump” feel, it is doesn’t have the loud click. \u00a0This latter is available in the “Stealth” version of the BlackWidow models.<\/p>\n

    So how does all of this translate into typing? \u00a0Don’t be fooled. \u00a0This keyboard is not simply for playing games. \u00a0First of all, this keyboard is smooth<\/strong><\/em>. \u00a0It’s the smoothest, most fluid typing experience I’ve had on a keyboard. \u00a0More important, even with the significantly earlier actuation it responds almost like the Unicomp. \u00a0I think this may be due to the way the slight difference between click and registering balances out on this switches key travel. \u00a0I’m a touch typist. \u00a0When in practice, I’m around 70wpm. \u00a0Not “pro” speeds, but far, far faster than the typical hunt-and-peck. \u00a0A good keyboard supports your typing. \u00a0It doesn’t hinder it. \u00a0That is exactly what the BlackWidow does. \u00a0When I’m typing slower than normal or when I make errors, the problem is\u00a0me<\/em> and not the keyboard. \u00a0I have typed on Das, Filco and other high end keyboards and this keyboard is not only cost competitive (and rather cheaper than a Das), but also a better typing experience.<\/p>\n

    Quite simply this is the best typing computer keyboard I have used since 1977.<\/p>\n

    \"Razer<\/a>Let me also add a few comments about the form factor. \u00a0First, while this keyboard is plastic in construction, it is\u00a0solid<\/strong> and it is\u00a0heavy<\/strong>. \u00a0It clocks in at over 3 lbs, putting it in the same weight range as the old Unicomp. \u00a0For me, this is a good thing as I prefer a weightier, more stable keyboard. \u00a0The USB cable is braided, heavy and has a quality feel. \u00a0Finally, this keyboard does not have a lot of frills. \u00a0There is a vertical row of 5 macro keys on the left. \u00a0Some of the function keys have\u00a0secondary<\/em> multimedia uses. \u00a0That’s pretty much it. \u00a0It does support a gamer mode as well as macro recording, but those are also mapped to the function keys. \u00a0It also does not have an extended palm rest. \u00a0Again, that is a good thing for me, good hand position means\u00a0a palm rest is useless. \u00a0It does have a USB port and audio input\/output on the side, which can be convenient. \u00a0I have the USB connected for a convenient port, but haven’t bothered with the audio. \u00a0I’m already surrounded by mixers, rack gear and mics, so that feature is pretty pointless for me. \u00a0It gives me the tools I need\u00a0as a keyboard<\/em>, does that job excellently and does little\u00a0else and those few things are well thought out.<\/p>\n

    One final physical aspect of this keyboard does need to be mentioned. \u00a0Just like a buckling spring or Cherry Blue keyboard, the BlackWidow is loud<\/strong>. \u00a0I like hearing that chainsaw buzz when I’m flying along in the groove with a new blog post pouring out of my fingers. \u00a0It gives me comfort. \u00a0It is a part of the zen of writing. \u00a0If the noise bothers you or if you need to work\u00a0in a quieter environment, then go with the Stealth models using the Razer Orange switches.<\/p>\n

    I’ll close with some practical considerations.<\/p>\n

    I’ve only been typing on this keyboard for 9 days, as of this writing. \u00a0I don’t know what it will be like in a few years. \u00a0That said, the BlackWidow Chroma\u00a0does come with a one year warranty rather than 90 days like most keyboards. \u00a0More telling, in the 2016 Ultimate, which is using the exact same switches, Razer has just upped the warranty to two years. \u00a0That shows a good track record and manufacturer confidence. \u00a0Buckling springs keys are rated for a 25 million keystroke lifecycle. \u00a0Cherry switches are rated 50 million. \u00a0These Razers are rated for 60 million keystrokes. \u00a0In short, I’m expecting a very long life from this keyboard.<\/p>\n

    The other consideration is cost. \u00a0I’ll be honest, there was a time when I wouldn’t touch anything Razer. \u00a0The gear was reasonable quality, but in my opinion far overpriced. \u00a0That’s changed. \u00a0Prices have become much more competitive. \u00a0In fact, for a similar Das keyboard, I would likely have to pay more. \u00a0Speaking of “pay,” what do these Razer’s cost? \u00a0Depending on the model\/features, the MSRP is between $99.99 and $169.00. \u00a0Street prices are commonly $20-25 less. \u00a0This puts one right in the sweet spot for a top notch keyboard. \u00a0If you value your wrists, need to type reliably and accurately and want a durable and long lasting product, that is an excellent price.<\/p>\n

    Yes, I still consider the Model M buckling spring keyboard the gold standard. \u00a0I do so because these keyboards set<\/i> the standard back in 1983. \u00a0However, if you want a keyboard that\u00a0exceeds<\/strong><\/em> that standard, then take a serious look at the Razer BlackWidow keyboards using Razer (not Cherry) switches.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    When it comes to keyboards, I am picky. \u00a0Very picky. \u00a0I learned to type on an IBM Selectric 2 in high school and that left me rather spoiled. \u00a0I also have had some wrist injuries, including some issues with repetitive strain. \u00a0When my old keyboard of nearly 8 years gave up the ghost, I decided […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"Tech Review: Razer BlackWidow Chroma. Best in class mechanical keyboard that's worth every penny.","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[10,1],"tags":[115,113,114,116,35,111,112,117,48],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5ymfK-co","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/thechristiangeek.net\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/768"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/thechristiangeek.net\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/thechristiangeek.net\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thechristiangeek.net\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thechristiangeek.net\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=768"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"http:\/\/thechristiangeek.net\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/768\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":784,"href":"http:\/\/thechristiangeek.net\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/768\/revisions\/784"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/thechristiangeek.net\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=768"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thechristiangeek.net\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=768"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thechristiangeek.net\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=768"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}