Razer BlackWidow Mechanical Gaming Keyboard - Full Retail US Layout Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased this keyboard direct from Razer since you can't seem to get it anywhere else at the moment.

The Razer Blackwidow is definitely quite different from any standard keyboard I had previously used. The keyboard I was using previously was the Razer Tarantula, which is Razer's first gaming keyboard. Compared to the Tarantula, the keys are much more tactile and make a significant noise when pressed, but quite honestly I enjoy it. Overall, it is a breeze to type on as long as you are not coming from a laptop. In that case, you may need some time to adjust to the way the keys feel when depressed.

Things I enjoy:
-Tactile feel
-Keyboard is hefty and feels like it will never break.
-Keys are easy to depress and really prevents mistypes.
-Keyboard size is much more portable for LAN's than other gaming keyboards i've seen.
-On-the-fly macros could come in handy, I just don't have a use for them yet.

My only gripes with the keyboard so far are:
-Compared to the Razer Tarantula, this keyboard has much smaller keys. This is more of an adjustment I must make on my part though.
-Razer advertised the MX Blue keyswitches as having a very small actuation distance which is true. But seeing as I depress the key all the way down in most cases, this doesn't make me any faster while gaming. If fact I almost seem slower, since I cannot press the keys as fast since it travels. I'm told thought that with practice you can learn to double tab keys without the need to fully reset the key, so I may just need a new technique.

Overall, I am rating this a 4 out of 5 with some room to grow. The keyboard feels great albeit different, there are no accidental button presses like some mechanicals, and Razer did a nice job building this product. It may just take a little time to adjust to the feel of the keys before i'm back to my A-game. For the price though, I highly recommend this for anyone looking to delve into mechanical keyboards.

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Product Description:
Mechanical Key Architecture - For superior tactility and faster response. 10 Customizable software profiles - With On-The-Fly switching

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Steelseries 6Gv2 Gaming Keyboard Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I want to make it clear that I narrowed virtually every "gaming" keyboard and most popular mechanical keyboards on the market down to this and the 7G. The reason I went with the 6Gv2 is because of the familiar key layout. As appealing as the 7G was, I had no interest in relearning how to type using its awkward key layout (small backspace key, small right shift, etc.). That being said, I am happy with this purchase for several reasons which I will list in pro/con format.

Pro:
- MX Cherry Blacks (widely considered the best switches for gaming, along with MX Reds, which I believe are only available in China).
- Solid construction (fortunately, I did not have any problem with the keys being loose in any way. My keyboard is solid through and through perhaps due to successful shipping and handling).
- Full NKRO
- Relatively inexpensive for a mechanical keyboard
- Familiar key layout and key size
- It works flawlessly with Windows 7 64bit. You simply plug it in BEFORE turning on the PC, then turn on the PC to enjoy your new keyboard.

Cons:
- Very minor flaw, but the PS/2 converter isn't the most snug-fitting connector. However, it works and does enable full NKRO, so I'd highly recommend using it.
- I can confirm what other users have written about dulling of printed letters on the keys. No exaggeration, after only a few DAYS of use, the WASD (my most used keys) keys have faded considerably. I should note that I'm impeccably hygienic and wash my hands thoroughly before each session at my PC. That being said, it's not dirt that's obscuring the letters; the letters themselves are literally rubbing off the keys. I don't see this as a glaring issue, but if you desire immaculate aesthetics, this could irritate you.
- Angle of keyboard is non-adjustable. (Not an issue for me since, if anything, I prefer a flat keyboard)

Other thoughts:
I can attest that typing on MX Cherry blacks isn't as laborious or disastrous as some people make it out to be. They're certainly still considerably more suitable for typing than rubber dome membrane keyboards. At first you might make more typing-errors because the keys actuate about half-way through the stroke, meaning if you're not a confident typist some of your thoughtless keystrokes will register as well.

Summary: if your main interest in keyboards is multimedia utility or having dozens of extra keys, then look elsewhere. This keyboard is minimalistic, highly durable and functional, and could easily be the last keyboard you ever purchase (I've read numerous claims of mechanical keyboards lasting 15-20 years with almost no loss of functionality).

For the record, I tried many different products across multiple manufacturers and ended up coincidentally settling with almost all SteelSeries peripherals. I don't have much experience with this company, but from all my impression with their products, I am very satisfied and will continue to try their merchandise.

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Product Description:
The SteelSeries 6Gv2, modeled after the award winning SteelSeries 7G keyboard, is the lower priced mechanical keyboard that improves the user's ability to obtain more actions per minute than any other keyboard on the market. The SteelSeries G Series Keyboards redefine "anti-ghosting" features by supporting as many simultaneous key presses as there are keys on the keyboard. The SteelSeries 6Gv2 features both PS/2 and gold-plated USB connectors as well as 18K gold-plated mechanical switches. Its increased response times and extreme durability make the SteelSeries 6Gv2 the ultimate keyboard option for gamers.

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