A Closer Look
First impressions go a long way, and the new Blackwidow makes an excellent one. The overall appearance is good, and the build quality feels robust. The stealthy black finish on the frame looks nice and sleek, even if this keyboard is pretty massive.
Tucked into the front is a small extension to the chassis, it’s not quite a wrist rest, but you can butt your palms against it comfortably enough while typing. There’s also a small Razer logo tucked into the middle, which looks kind of cool.
Down the left side of the keyboard, you’ll find a bank of dedicated macro keys. These keys can be configured via the downloadable software, and you can have them set as program launches, gaming macros, and anything else you can think of really. Personally, I find them ideal for deploying Photoshop Actions, or repetitive commands when grinding in MMOs.
There are no dedicated multimedia controls (although you could macro them), but you will find Fn-Shift functions for volume on F1-F3.
F5-F7 has more multimedia controls, allowing you to skip through songs, which is handy if you’re listening to music while gaming as it means you don’t have to tab out to change tracks.
Further along, the gaming mode switch and the master lighting brightness control. So far, all pretty self-explanatory.
A full-size number pad on the right, and you can better see the slightly enlarged chassis design too.
Down the right side of the keyboard, you’ll find a headphone jack, as well as the USB pass-through port, which is perfect for hooking up your mouse or headset.
On the base, there are five thick rubber grips, which combined with the bulky design and weight of the keyboard, ensure it stays firmly planted on your desktop; little chance of this one sliding around!
There are two durable kickstands on the base, each has a rubber grip too, so you shouldn’t lose traction when they’re deployed.
Also included with this keyboard, is this comfortable soft padded full-size wrist rest. It’s got a memory foam sponge padding with a soft leather finish, that’s incredibly satisfying to touch and should provide you with exceptional comfort during those long gaming hours.
It attaches to the keyboard magnetically too, so just snap it in place, and you’re ready to go!
