Mechanical keyboards are pretty awesome, but they have never been quite this awesome. Behold the Razer Mechanical Switch, the first keyboard switch designed specifically for explosive CG debut videos. Or gaming. Probably gaming.
That will show those old geezers at Germany’s ZF Electronics, makers of the Cherry MX keyboard switches that make most of today’s finer mechanical keyboards so fine. Razer decided a mechanical keyboard switch designed for typing was not good enough, and we needed a mechanical keyboard switch designed for gaming. So they made one.
Razer gathered together its top scientists and engineers to build a new keyboard switch from the ground up with gamers in mind. There result, via official announcement:
After extensive research, Razer’s multi-award winning engineers identified the optimal actuation distance for a gaming switch to a fraction of a millimetre and reduced the distance between the actuation and reset point by almost half to allow for faster, more precise gaming commands when compared to standard mechanical switches. Furthermore, the all-new Razer Mechanical Switches are made using an ultra-precise manufacturing technique that, along with gold plated contact points, result in a lifespan of up to 60 million key strokes.
I love a good mechanical gaming keyboard, but I’m sceptical that I’d be able to tell the difference made by what seems like such a small distance. Razer tested the keyboards with top eSports pros, who seemed impressed, but I am not a top eSports pro. I am not even a middling eSports pro. I am bad at eSports.
But if speed, accuracy and quick response is your ultimate goal, then these may be the keyboard switches you were waiting for. You were waiting for keyboard switches, right? Of course you were.
This is a picture of a keyboard.
The new switches are making their debut in the popular BlackWidow line of Razer gaming keyboards. They come in two flavours, clickety-clackety Razer Green and the soft and subtle Razer Orange.
Comments
16 responses to “The Most Dramatic Mechanical Keyboard Switch Reveal Ever”
If that gif had annotated sound effects, it would be ‘Foommmm… PSHOOOMMMM!’
http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/FCSBoOcGFFE/0.jpg
Ummm… so what makes these switches different from the equivalent Cherry MX range?
Razer Green – 50cN Clicky – Cherry Blue
Razer Orange – 45cN Tactile – Cherry Brown
Well if you watched it you’d know.
I thought the Cherry Red (which I prefer) was made for gaming?
Yeah Cherry Red and Cherry Black are both the best for gaming, yet with older Razer keyboards they used Cherry Blue, which are made for typing. Instead of making their own switches they should have just used the right ones.
Not sure if it was “made” for gaming, but it’s “preferred”, being a lighter (45cN vs 60cN) variant of the MX Black. And possibly with less travel to activation (I seem to recall 2mm vs 4mm?) but I can’t find a citation for that.
Pressure graph or GTFO
DAS for life
Eh, my last keyboard was a Razer and I’d never buy one again. Build quality was abysmal. Got a Ducky with Red’s now and I love it.
Not to mention, it was significantly cheaper than the Razer too.
Ahhh Razer. Shitty peripherals, brilliant marketing.
I’ve been thinking about getting a mechanical keyboard, what’s the difference to a normal one?
Tactility. When you hit a mechanical keyboard, there’s instant feedback because the physical actuation registers 1:1 with input. Because you know exactly how much force is required to input a key, it increases typing consistency vs rubber domed keyboard. Also, many people such as myself just prefer the ‘feel’ of mechanical keyboards.
Am I the only person here who has never had an issue with the build quality of their razer keyboard? My blackwidow is almost 3 yrs old now and feels solid enough that I could use it to beat an intruder to death with it in a pinch.
Yeahhhh, no. I think I’ll just stick with my Filco.
Ill stick with cherry red, I prefer it over every other mechanical switch, especially with osu!
Yeah… I don’t think so. Even if the switches were good, the difference between this and any other mechanical keyboard would be largely inconsequential for most people. Most Korean SC2/BW pros still use el cheap rubber-domed keyboards. Plus I think Razer gear just looks bad and over-designed, with green LEDs everywhere. It’s like ricer mods for nerds.