0 comments

Razer Blackwidow Ultimate Stealth Edition Review

by Calvin Robinson on October 5, 2011

It’s all about mechanical keyboards these days. Like everything that’s popular in the 21st centuary, it started back in the 1980s. In the early 80s, all keyboards used to ‘click’ when you pressed them. Over the years, we developed different methods of capturing key-presses, and the click kind of got lost somewhere along the way. The original IBM Model M keyboard has become an iconic piece of technology, and it’s quite clear that Razer have taken influence from this sturdy 80s keyboard in the production of their latest peripheral.

If you want to get technical about it, the Razer Blackwidow uses Cherry MX Blue Switches, which the keyboard geeks among us will know is the best type of switch to use when it comes to tactile feedback. You just can’t beat the feeling of typing on a proper mechanical keyboard, where every key-press results in a satisfying ‘click’.

Now, the comeback of Mechanical keyboards isn’t news. The Das Keyboard, SteelSeries 7G and Razer Blackwidow have been out for a while. The major difference with the Stealth Edition however, is that you don’t have to hear the clicks.

“Doesn’t that defeat the purpose?”, you might be thinking. Certainly not. With the Razer Blackwidow Stealth Edition, you get that unbeatable tactile feedback of mechanical keyboards, but without the extra noise. Therefore it still feels fantastic to type with, but you’re not waking everyone in the house if you’re playing a spot of Counter-Strike past midnight.

And feel fantastic, it does! It’s unusual to get excited about peripherals, but the Razer Blackwidow Stealth Edition really is something different. It actually makes typing fun, as unbelievable as that may sound. If you’ve never owned a mechanical keyboard, this is certainly the one to go for.

They keys themselves are coated in that soft-to-the-touch textile that Razer are known for, with the addition of their trademark blue back-lighting under every key, which can be turned off or dimmed via the function buttons. There’s also a ‘Gaming Mode’ button, to disable the Windows key. There are a range of multimedia keys too, including volume controls and media playback, which are always a plus. Not to mention the five programmable dedicated macro buttons – perfect for gaming.

Razer have released two versions of the Stealth Edition. The Ultimate version provides additional “anti-ghosting technology”, which allows for six simultaneous key-presses at once.

Will the Blackwidow Stealth Edition increase your Words-Per-Minute? Probably not. Will it make writing that bit more enjoyable? Absolutely.

Product Features: