Razer Develops Own Mechanical Switch (Guru3d)

[Skull_Angel]

Mechanical keyboards are mechanical keyboards with everybody using switches from the same small pool of vendors. I got the black widow ultimate because I use a Deathadder and wanted to deal with the same driver suite rather than multiple. No complaints about it at all.

I'd have to disagree here; there are noted quality differences between some board manufacturing plants (Cherry MX switches them selves come from one plant in Bayreuth, Germany, iirc), and while the company that Razer uses to manufacture their boards has come a way in quality gains, they still seem to have more issues with their solder joints than the other big names.

Then there are boards like the TVS Gold and cheapo Chinese boards using Kailh's Cherry MX clones (which are what Razer is planning to use). Mechanical boards inherently have a higher failure rate than standard rubber dome because of the number of connecting points and moving parts; Cherry MX switches were designed with a high build quality in mind so that they would have a low failure rate, but there are still a small few that get past QC that don't work (properly). When you drop the quality of a key component (the switches) on something that's already considered to be of borderline quality, what happens?

 

[acerbic]

I'd have to disagree here; there are noted quality differences between some board manufacturing plants (Cherry MX switches them selves come from one plant in Bayreuth, Germany, iirc), and while the company that Razer uses to manufacture their boards has come a way in quality gains, they still seem to have more issues with their solder joints than the other big names.

Then there are boards like the TVS Gold and cheapo Chinese boards using Kailh's Cherry MX clones (which are what Razer is planning to use). Mechanical boards inherently have a higher failure rate than standard rubber dome because of the number of connecting points and moving parts; Cherry MX switches were designed with a high build quality in mind so that they would have a low failure rate, but there are still a small few that get past QC that don't work (properly). When you drop the quality of a key component (the switches) on something that's already considered to be of borderline quality, what happens?

I think you misunderstood what I was getting at. Outside of visual appeal and driver suite, a cherry mx blue keyboard is a cherry mx blue keyboard. Once you know what sort of switch you want the decision of what keyboard to get largely boils down to dealing with extra driver suites (if any), appearance, ergonomics (though not nearly to the same scale as mice), and brand preference.

Compare this to say mice or non mechanical keyboards which are a hot mess with tons of variety in various areas that have a major impact on it's usability.

 

[_PixelNinja]

I think you misunderstood what I was getting at. Outside of visual appeal and driver suite, a cherry mx blue keyboard is a cherry mx blue keyboard. Once you know what sort of switch you want the decision of what keyboard to get largely boils down to dealing with extra driver suites (if any), appearance, ergonomics (though not nearly to the same scale as mice), and brand preference.

Compare this to say mice or non mechanical keyboards which are a hot mess with tons of variety in various areas that have a major impact on it's usability.

To think so would be a mistake. Interior and exterior quality of mechanical keyboards can greatly vary from one model to another. However, you are correct in your comparison to mice and how much the variations can have consequences on usuability, but that is not the same thing.

 

[acerbic]

To think so would be a mistake. Interior and exterior quality of mechanical keyboards can greatly vary from one model to another. However, you are correct in your comparison to mice and how much the variations can have consequences on usuability, but that is not the same thing.

Razers exteriors are better than the competition. Their internals had a bad run, but so has ASUS ROG or do you not remember the Striker and Crosshair series? Shit happens. Pretending that there is a massive difference is pretty idiotic.

We are dealing with gamer and enthusiast stuff, aka it's all shit low quality bling for morons and people who know nothing about computers and hardware. It's not actually high grade professional, it's just crap for morons.

 

[Sodapopjones]

Razers exteriors are better than the competition. Their internals had a bad run, but so has ASUS ROG or do you not remember the Striker and Crosshair series? Shit happens. Pretending that there is a massive difference is pretty idiotic.

We are dealing with gamer and enthusiast stuff, aka it's all shit low quality bling for morons and people who know nothing about computers and hardware. It's not actually high grade professional, it's just crap for morons.

Shit guess that makes me a moron.

 

[Skull_Angel]

Razers exteriors are better than the competition. Their internals had a bad run, but so has ASUS ROG or do you not remember the Striker and Crosshair series? Shit happens. Pretending that there is a massive difference is pretty idiotic.

We are dealing with gamer and enthusiast stuff, aka it's all shit low quality bling for morons and people who know nothing about computers and hardware. It's not actually high grade professional, it's just crap for morons.

The only Razer product that I'll agree is better then a lot of "Gamer" oriented competitors' options is the Deathadder, aside from that it all seems to be the same level or worse.

Aesthetics is all personal preference, so saying "these products look better than these other ones!" is a personal opinion. I, personally, don't enjoy the way Razer products look.

Gamers can be enthusiasts, but not all enthusiasts are gamers; so lumping them all together is kind of silly. Razer is aimed at marketing towards "gamers", most enthusiasts know that and observe where their products fall short compared to other offerings. I'm not sure where you don't understand how they are knowingly lowering the quality of their product as a whole for profit gains, it's not just an instance of "shit happens", this is an instance of "we're making bullshit happen and we really don't care as long as you still buy it", and there are a lot of uninformed people that will because "it's Razer and they say it's better!".

 

[Pringle]

We are dealing with gamer and enthusiast stuff, aka it's all shit low quality bling for morons and people who know nothing about computers and hardware. It's not actually high grade professional, it's just crap for morons.

Damn, the ego reeks in this post.

 

[runudownquick]

Nice to finally see some real info on the new switches.
I read a review of the 2014 Blackwidow here http://lanoc.org/review/input-devices/6837-razer-blackwidow-ultimate-2014 and they did not really say anything about the switches in the long term or quality wise. Nice to see from us [H]ere that they are el-cheapo Chinese knockoffs & I can steer friends away.

Buying my first mechanical keyboard was easy as I got my BF3 Blackwidow Ultimate for $50 Cdn. Granted it was a demo model, it was flawless. Would I pay full price for most Razer items? Hells no. For that I'll go for DAS, maybe Logitech?

I was at my local Canada Computers this past week & met a guy buying this new Razer Ult 2014. I mentioned that I had the BF3 Ult and was happy with it and heard good things about the 2013 Ult as well if he could find it at a discount.
So he says to me "nah man this is the new 2014 model, it's sooo much quieter than yours and it has Razer's new custom switches. Not Cherry's"
From the opinions and knowledge here I expect him to be using CC's terribad return policy soon or Razer's equally bad service's not too far down the line.

 

[caddys83]

We are dealing with gamer and enthusiast stuff, aka it's all shit low quality bling for morons and people who know nothing about computers and hardware. It's not actually high grade professional, it's just crap for morons.

Who you calling a moron? You won't get far here on the forums with attitude like that.

 

[Ebernanut]

Who you calling a moron? You won't get far here on the forums with attitude like that.

At least they have a fitting user name.

 

[missalaire]

Anandtech has a pretty good review on this.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/7911/razer-blackwidow-ultimate-mechanical-gaming-keyboard-review

 

[raynman68]

I picked up a Black Widow Ultimate using a birthday gift card last month and have been putting it through it paces. Overall, it is not a bad keyboard. Not worth the price and not as good as my Corsair K70, but still a pretty solid keyboard thus far.

 

[Bobalias_LeShay]

I picked up a Black Widow Ultimate using a birthday gift card last month and have been putting it through it paces. Overall, it is not a bad keyboard. Not worth the price and not as good as my Corsair K70, but still a pretty solid keyboard thus far.

Out of curiosity, which switches does your K70 have? Care to compare the keypress feeling?

 

[sok0]

All I gotta say is that I cannot believe how much they are charging for this keyboard with knockoff cherry switches on it... Those switches are like a 3rd of the cost of cherry switches yet the price didnt change at all?

For roughly the same price, you could get a Ducky in any LED color, any Cherry switch, tenkeyless or not.

 

[Venomous]

All I gotta say is that I cannot believe how much they are charging for this keyboard with knockoff cherry switches on it... Those switches are like a 3rd of the cost of cherry switches yet the price didnt change at all?

For roughly the same price, you could get a Ducky in any LED color, any Cherry switch, tenkeyless or not.

Yup absolutely... They are just hipsters looking for mass profit off cheap knock offs while trying to pull the wool over customers eyes... Sadly the group of people purchasing such hardware have no idea.

 

[Q-BZ]

All I gotta say is that I cannot believe how much they are charging for this keyboard with knockoff cherry switches on it... Those switches are like a 3rd of the cost of cherry switches yet the price didnt change at all?

For roughly the same price, you could get a Ducky in any LED color, any Cherry switch, tenkeyless or not.

Ducky Shine 3 has my attention in a big way.

 

[rudy]

You guys had to know sooner or later this would happen. In any product development cycle people get to a glass ceiling and their is only one way to take an advantage. That is to lower the price of the BOM. We are now starting to witness the demise of the mechanical keyboard as a nearly sure bet for a reliable product. Wont surprise me one bit at all if these things don't even have NKRO. The whole point here is that big companies like razer are going to be preying on people who are not aware of these changes in the market. They are just going to say, oh heres a mechanical keyboard with blue switches. The price isn't that far off a ducky.

The lesson is simple. Know the keyboard before you purchase it inside and out. The best part that I have yet to see, is soon we will see someone who establishes a brand name based on cherry switches and does a OCZ style flip out of the switches to a cheaper switch without changing the model of the keyboard.

I actually feel the keyboards I own so far should last me nearly forever so hopefully I wont even need to buy anything as this market becomes far more complex.