Introduction and externals

Looking for a new keyboard to pair with your gaming machine? Check out the Razer BlackWidow Ultimate!

Razer maintains a distinct sense of style across their product line. Over the past decade and a half, Razer has carved a spot in the peripherals market catering to competitive gamers as well as developing wholly novel products for the gaming market. Razer has a catalog including standard peripherals and more arcane things such as mice with telephone-style keypads geared toward MMORPG players as well as motion sensing controllers employing magnetic fields to detect controller position.

The Razer BlackWidow Ultimate Stealth 2013 Edition comes out of the box ready for use without additional software provided or assembly required.  The keyboard uses a standard layout with five macro keys attached in a column on the left of the board. Rather than dedicated media buttons, media and keyboard specific functions are accessed by pressing a combination of a function key located to the right of right alt and the function keys on the top row.

The headphone and microphone jack are present on the side of the keyboard.

One USB port as well as two audio passthrough ports are present on the right side of the board. The keyboard’s cable includes two USB connectors as well as the audio cables, fed out of the center of the keyboard and braided together. The bottom of the keyboard has five rubber feet. The stands are rubberized as well.

The bottom of the keyboard holds no surprises.

While the Razer BlackWidow 2013 uses Cherry MX Blue switches. The Razer BlackWidow Ultimate Stealth 2013 Edition uses the quieter, smoother Cherry MX Brown switches. Cherry MX Blue switches can be noisy and the high level of feedback they provide may not always be desired. Cherry MX Brown switches have a small bump when actuated while being less audible than the Cherry MX Blue switches.

Razer BlackWidow Ultimate Stealth 2013 Edition Keyboard Review - General Tech 4

The Cherry MX Brown has some feedback during a key press, but less than the MX Blue’s much more distinct drop.

Razer BlackWidow Ultimate Stealth 2013 Edition Keyboard Review - General Tech 5

 

Razer provides two case stickers and a manual with the keyboard but does not include a software CD. While the keyboard has its base functionality without additional software, gamers will have to pay a visit Razer’s website for the drivers.

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