Razer BlackWidow X Chroma
Definitely in need of a Cherry-flavoured infusion
PRICE $ 195 www.razerzone.com
Given that Razer pretty much singlehandedly kickstarted the mechanical switch craze in the broader gaming market with its first BlackWidow, it’s kind of a shame to see the latest iteration of the brand come to so little. The new BlackWidow X Chroma is a striking keyboard, with a very solid chassis, and some versatile lighting – if that’s your thing – but its keys are a massive disappointment.
The Razer Mechanical Switches which are meant to be a big draw for the keyboard – and that no doubt keep prices down compared to the limited output from Cherry itself – feel muddy and in-exact, with a travel that seems like it’s always about to get stuck. In fact, the backspace key does that, and more than once a quick succession of key-strokes either failed to register, or then registered moments later all at once. On top of that, Razer’s gone for a non-standard, very fine font on the keys themselves, which can get in the way of fast, fluid typing by eye. So, whether you’re a touch typer or a hunt-and-pecker, the Chroma lets you down, while the keyboard’s tendency to miss keystrokes makes it a hard unit to recommend for any gaming genre.
It’d be bad enough in an FPS – in a MOBA or RTS, it’s downright lethal. And let us not talk about the left cursor key actually coming off during normal use. Any one of these issues, taken in isolation, could be chalked up to a one-off fault, but all together, in the one unit it suggests some serious issues with Razer’s quality control.
VERDICT:
Great design, but squandered on a keyboard that fails at its most important job – reliable typing in and out of game.