In an ideal world, we’d all be able to afford the most expensive gaming gear, but that’s not always possible.
Razer has announced a new budget-friendly line of mechanical gaming keyboards based on the Razer BlackWidow.
The new series is called Razer BlackWidow X, and it’s basically a “stripped down” version of the existing BlackWidow keyboard, as Nick Haywood, Razer PR specialist, tells us.
Haywood adds that this is “the most affordable premium mechanical keyboard ever made by Razer”.
Check out the launch video:
Razer has basically removed the top cover, exposing the metal top plate construction that already exists inside the Razer BlackWidow, which was first launched in 2010.
The result of this means Razer can offer the device at a lower price point. The Razer BlackWidow X Chroma, for instance, costs $159.99.
Then there’s the smaller BlackWidow X Tournament Edition Chroma, which marks up at $129.99. And then there’s the ultra-frugal – and Chroma-free – BlackWidow X Ultimate, which costs a lowly $99.99.
What’s more, you can also bag the latter keyboard with Cherry MX switches instead of Razer’s custom-built keys at a cheaper price of $89.99.
Finally, the cheapest device is the smaller BlackWidow X Tournament Edition, which costs $69.99 (or $59.99 with Cherry MX keys).
“The Razer BlackWidow X builds on our massive success with gaming keyboards and broadens the choice of keyboard design for gamers,” says Min-Liang Tan, Razer’s co-founder and CEO.
Tan continues: “By removing the protective top cover and exposing the inner metal top chassis of the current BlackWidow, I’m pleased that we’re able to establish a new low price point for a premium, metal-chassis mechanical keyboard with the new BlackWidow X.”
Related: Best Gaming Mouse 2016
The Razer BlackWidow X Chroma, which is the flagship device of the new series, boasts an impressiong 80-million keystroke lifespan.
It’s Chroma customizable, which means you can set the individually backlit keys to any one of 16.8 million colour options.
And all of the keyboards are compatible with Razer’s Synapse software suite.
What’s your favourite gaming peripheral? Let us know in the comments.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.