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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Gee on Thu, 11 October 2012, 05:19:00

Title: Blackwidow Ult Stealth vs. Blackwidow Ult 2013
Post by: Gee on Thu, 11 October 2012, 05:19:00
I'm looking to buy either one of these two keyboards.

From what I can see the differences are:

So which should I get? The colour of the lights is favoured to blue to match my setup, but that's no deciding factor at all.

The main thing I'm considering is: if the benefits of the 2013 are actually worth getting, over having the 'Stealth' variant of the normal BW Ultimate, meaning the noise will be reduced a fair bit.

Can I have some opinions please? :)
Title: Re: Blackwidow Ult Stealth vs. Blackwidow Ult 2013
Post by: tillertow on Thu, 11 October 2012, 05:26:13
Well, Synapse works with the first revision afaik.

As i see it, unless you want the green light, you get nothing new from the '13 model.
The 10 key anti ghosting is a sales trick, because you'll never go near those boundaries (as you say so yourself).
The old model probably has 6 keys, which is perfectly fine.

I'd go for the cheapest solution.
Title: Re: Blackwidow Ult Stealth vs. Blackwidow Ult 2013
Post by: Hyde on Thu, 11 October 2012, 09:37:23
Stealth is MX Brown, blue LED
2013 is MX Blue, green LED

Depends on which switch and LED color you like, personally I like the blue LED (not a fan of green) and MX Brown so I'd opt in for the Stealth.  But feature wise I'd say they're both almost exactly the same  :P
Title: Re: Blackwidow Ult Stealth vs. Blackwidow Ult 2013
Post by: Gee on Thu, 11 October 2012, 12:18:27
Quote from: Hyde on Thu, 11 October 2012, 09:37:23
Stealth is MX Brown, blue LED
2013 is MX Blue, green LED

Depends on which switch and LED color you like, personally I like the blue LED (not a fan of green) and MX Brown so I'd opt in for the Stealth.  But feature wise I'd say they're both almost exactly the same  :P

I live in the UK and it looks like there's no UK layout for the 2013 yet, nor is there a layout for the BW Ult Stealth. So I may have to get BW Ultimate.
Title: Re: Blackwidow Ult Stealth vs. Blackwidow Ult 2013
Post by: tjcaustin on Thu, 11 October 2012, 12:19:45
Isn't there a version of the ultimate with blue switches, too?

Or is it not available in the UK?
Title: Re: Blackwidow Ult Stealth vs. Blackwidow Ult 2013
Post by: Gee on Thu, 11 October 2012, 19:07:55
Quote from: tjcaustin on Thu, 11 October 2012, 12:19:45
Isn't there a version of the ultimate with blue switches, too?

Or is it not available in the UK?

From what it looks like, the 2013, and the BW Ult Stealth aren't available in UK layout. Anyone know this for sure? Nowhere sells them, literally nowhere.
Title: Re: Blackwidow Ult Stealth vs. Blackwidow Ult 2013
Post by: yjhuoh on Sun, 04 November 2012, 00:04:59
i actually had severe ghosting problems with my original blackwidow ultimate. not just while gaming, but while typing too. when typing too fast, keys wouldn't register, and sometimes it would randomly send the f12 signal.
Title: Re: Blackwidow Ult Stealth vs. Blackwidow Ult 2013
Post by: wetto on Sun, 04 November 2012, 00:18:12
Quote from: yjhuoh on Sun, 04 November 2012, 00:04:59
i actually had severe ghosting problems with my original blackwidow ultimate. not just while gaming, but while typing too. when typing too fast, keys wouldn't register, and sometimes it would randomly send the f12 signal.

The problem with the old Razer Blackwidow Ultimate was being a 2KRO keyboard with just a gaming matrix around the WASD keys, where more than 2 keys could be pressed. Some pretty retarded trick for fooling people, I guess.

Anyways, it seems that problem was solved on the Razer Blackwidow Stealth, where it really became 6KRO and now on the new version it's 10KRO (although it's certainly through driver, since USB doesn't accepts over 6KRO normally).

Though meh, if I had the money to buy a BWU, I'd rather spend on a Cooler Master Trigger without even looking back. They also have Cherry MX Brown (and Reds and Blacks if you look enough for them) and you don't need to worry about getting a faulty unit or about some crappy keycaps. Besides the better overall quality, it even has more features than the BWU does and its software doesn't sucks like Synapse 2.0 does.

But well, I can't deny the Blackwidow BF3 Edition is better looking than any other keyboard in the market, but... Seriously, the right way to buy a keyboard is not by how good it looks, but rather, how good it is. I myself find the IBM Model Ms ugly as ****, but you gotta respect them!
Title: Re: Blackwidow Ult Stealth vs. Blackwidow Ult 2013
Post by: TheQsanity on Sun, 04 November 2012, 01:56:16
Yea, I wouldn't get a bw if I were you. I have owned one. The  software is crap. You should concider another board. For the bwu you could get from 2 to 2 and a half . Cmstorm qfr. The lighting is cool and all but what are you going to spend more time doing on it, typing or looking at it.
Title: Re: Blackwidow Ult Stealth vs. Blackwidow Ult 2013
Post by: Hyde on Sun, 04 November 2012, 18:11:21
Quote
But well, I can't deny the Blackwidow BF3 Edition is better looking than any other keyboard in the market, but... Seriously, the right way to buy a keyboard is not by how good it looks, but rather, how good it is. I myself find the IBM Model Ms ugly as ****, but you gotta respect them!

I have to admit I also think Blackwidow Stealth Edition look really really nice.  I like the matte finish and the blue light.  Aside from the quality control issue, I also hate the macro keys.  Otherwise I was really close from buying it but good thing I end up with a Filco now  :P

Though I start to suspect how good of a keyboard quality is proportional to how ugly it is LOL.

Ugly = Good Quality, Good looking = Crap Quality.
Title: Re: Blackwidow Ult Stealth vs. Blackwidow Ult 2013
Post by: rowdy on Sun, 04 November 2012, 21:43:34
So Gee, after nearly a month, which one did you get?
Title: Re: Blackwidow Ult Stealth vs. Blackwidow Ult 2013
Post by: Bry on Mon, 05 November 2012, 15:20:39
Quote from: Hyde on Sun, 04 November 2012, 18:11:21
Quote
But well, I can't deny the Blackwidow BF3 Edition is better looking than any other keyboard in the market, but... Seriously, the right way to buy a keyboard is not by how good it looks, but rather, how good it is. I myself find the IBM Model Ms ugly as ****, but you gotta respect them!

I have to admit I also think Blackwidow Stealth Edition look really really nice.  I like the matte finish and the blue light.  Aside from the quality control issue, I also hate the macro keys.  Otherwise I was really close from buying it but good thing I end up with a Filco now  :P

Though I start to suspect how good of a keyboard quality is proportional to how ugly it is LOL.

Ugly = Good Quality, Good looking = Crap Quality.

Personally, whenever I buy a new keyboard I have always justified the extra $50-60 for a Filco instead of a DAS/Leo/ducky/SS/etc. based entirely on aesthetics. I actually love the look of the MJ2. I would never buy a black widow, and I think they look tacky as hell.

tl;dr - opinions are a thing
Title: Re: Blackwidow Ult Stealth vs. Blackwidow Ult 2013
Post by: trentva on Tue, 06 November 2012, 08:34:30
all the razer stuff looks tacky imo
Title: Re: Blackwidow Ult Stealth vs. Blackwidow Ult 2013
Post by: wetto on Tue, 06 November 2012, 17:12:45
Quote from: trentva on Tue, 06 November 2012, 08:34:30
all the razer stuff looks tacky imo

Well, tastes are a thing, but I can't deny myself that this thing looks god damn awesome in my opinion:

(http://battlefieldinformer.com/gallery/files/1/bf3-keyboard-2-bf3c_original.png)

But well, shame its looks are far better than its quality.
Title: Re: Blackwidow Ult Stealth vs. Blackwidow Ult 2013
Post by: Bry on Wed, 07 November 2012, 08:11:20
Quote from: wetto on Tue, 06 November 2012, 17:12:45
Quote from: trentva on Tue, 06 November 2012, 08:34:30
all the razer stuff looks tacky imo

Well, tastes are a thing, but I can't deny myself that this thing looks god damn awesome in my opinion:

Show Image
(http://battlefieldinformer.com/gallery/files/1/bf3-keyboard-2-bf3c_original.png)


But well, shame its looks are far better than its quality.

For me it looks cringeworthy ^.^

To each his own haha.
Title: Re: Blackwidow Ult Stealth vs. Blackwidow Ult 2013
Post by: Xplaced on Wed, 07 November 2012, 13:08:51
Personally, I would get the 2012 model. Unless the 2013 model now has a stealth version, the 2012 model feels better to me. I've tried both, and the keys are easier to press and feel better-built on the 2012 model.

Unless you just really like green (I agree, it looks really cool!), I would get the stealth with browns. I am biased towards browns now though. ;) Blues are nice too, but the blues on the 2012 model are better than the ones on the 2013 that I tried.

I really only type, I don't use the Macro features or anything like that. From that standpoint, I would pick 2012 with blues or browns over the 2013, as the keys on two different models I had were stiffer and the larger keys, like the space, shift, etc were harder to press unless they were centered when being pressed. Each batch might be different though.

Quote from: Gee on Thu, 11 October 2012, 05:19:00
I'm looking to buy either one of these two keyboards.

From what I can see the differences are:
  • 2013 has green lights (not really a difference)
  • 2013 has some 10-key anti-ghosting thing, but I never hit more than 4 keys at a time so that won't matter, right?
  • Some Syanpse 2.0 software for transferring your macros and stuff to other PCs, which I'd never do

So which should I get? The colour of the lights is favoured to blue to match my setup, but that's no deciding factor at all.

The main thing I'm considering is: if the benefits of the 2013 are actually worth getting, over having the 'Stealth' variant of the normal BW Ultimate, meaning the noise will be reduced a fair bit.

Can I have some opinions please? :)