geekhack

geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: duck on Fri, 06 September 2013, 21:50:29

Title: Recently purchased a second hand BWU 2013, keep or replace?
Post by: duck on Fri, 06 September 2013, 21:50:29: Hi everyone, I am new here and this is my first post, so please be nice :D

So as the title states I have recently purchased a Razer Black Widow Ultimate 2013, and through looking around on these forums I get the general idea that the keyboard just doesn't have a good quality build compared other "proper" mechanical keyboards in the market, like the QFR, Ducky's, and Filcos etc (you get the point)... and I was unsure whether I should keep it or not!

The product is hyped up to be really good, but seem to be a rip off for what you pay for a brand new one. So I didn't buy this keyboard new(£88, good condition), I bought it on ebay and I am still entitled to return it, and the main reason I bought it was because of the backlighting, matte black finish, macro keys and cherry mx blues, and now that I have used it for a few times(6-10 hours, for the last 6 days) I just don't enjoy that much and what I really want is something more compact, as the keyboard is rather large and bulky. I would like something with:
- green LED backlighting
- cherry mx browns (as these blues kinda annoy me because how loud they really are)
- preferably no number pad (I never use it!)

So any advice of what keyboard to get would be much appreciated, please keep in mind that I am located in the UK, so there are only a few online sites that I can buy mech keyboards from and my budget is roughly £100, preferably including shipping, but probably won't be possible D:

(http://i.imgur.com/AOWOvYB.jpg)
sorry for poor quality photo :c

Thanks for reading :)
Title: Re: Recently purchased a second hand BWU 2013, keep or replace?
Post by: Hyde on Fri, 06 September 2013, 22:13:53: I heard Razer actually switched their production factory on their entire new Blackwidow 2013 lineup. I heard the new place actually does a good job on their production.

So don't worry too much just yet, if you're happy with it I'd keep it.

Though if you want a compact backlit board, then maybe wait for Ducky Shine III tenkeyless or wait for backlit Pure Pro or Poker to come out. If you're impatient then maybe you can get a Ducky Shine II tenkeyless and the current gen Pure.

But if I were you I'd probably wait a bit.
Title: Re: Recently purchased a second hand BWU 2013, keep or replace?
Post by: TimIsABat on Fri, 06 September 2013, 22:34:16: Sell it to someone who doesn't know too much about keyboards or on eBay. Use the money acquired to get a better board like a FC660M, Filco MJ2, Poker X or II, or a Topre board.
Title: Re: Recently purchased a second hand BWU 2013, keep or replace?
Post by: terrpn on Fri, 06 September 2013, 22:35:13: go ducky..............

i have a bwu 2012, have had no issues and have heard the bwu 2013's have been improved on

i like mine and plan on keeping it-- of course i am the minority
Title: Re: Recently purchased a second hand BWU 2013, keep or replace?
Post by: terrpn on Fri, 06 September 2013, 22:38:07: forgot to add.............i swapped all the keycaps

didn't much care for the ones that came on it :'(
Title: Re: Recently purchased a second hand BWU 2013, keep or replace?
Post by: tp4tissue on Fri, 06 September 2013, 23:04:29: (http://www.cute-factor.com/images/smilies/onion/d16c4689.gif)

Someone thought "Ergodox"... I felt it... I have special powers
Title: Re: Recently purchased a second hand BWU 2013, keep or replace?
Post by: Air tree on Fri, 06 September 2013, 23:10:51: Quote from: tp4tissue on Fri, 06 September 2013, 23:04:29
Show Image
(http://www.cute-factor.com/images/smilies/onion/d16c4689.gif)

Someone thought "Ergodox"... I felt it... I have special powers

(http://www.cute-factor.com/images/smilies/onion/d16c4689.gif)

(http://ergodox.org/Images/ErgoDox_001_L.png)
Title: Re: Recently purchased a second hand BWU 2013, keep or replace?
Post by: ynrozturk on Sat, 07 September 2013, 05:17:05: It's up to you. If you really don't like it then just return it, and since you're in the UK, get a Filco from The Keyboard Company.
Title: Re: Recently purchased a second hand BWU 2013, keep or replace?
Post by: GeeGee on Sat, 07 September 2013, 05:42:47: Since your budget is about 100 pounds and you are located in the UK, going with a Filco from the keyboard co would be good for you. To be honest you can keep the board if you like it, but from what I've read you don't seem to be too much in love with it.
Title: Re: Recently purchased a second hand BWU 2013, keep or replace?
Post by: terran5992 on Sat, 07 September 2013, 05:44:00: If you dont like it , sell it to me XD
Title: Re: Recently purchased a second hand BWU 2013, keep or replace?
Post by: vun on Sat, 07 September 2013, 05:49:26: Maybe look at a BW Tournament edition? More compact, green backlight and should be available with browns.
It's still a BW, but I can't really think of any others with green backlight. Ducky have all sorts of colours so you could check out their boards, but you'd probably blow your budget.
You could also check out the Pure, 60% and comes in green backlight afaik.
Title: Re: Recently purchased a second hand BWU 2013, keep or replace?
Post by: ynrozturk on Sat, 07 September 2013, 06:18:39: The BW Tournament Edition doesn't have a back light on it. I have one. It's a decent board (much better after I replaced the stock key caps) but no back light here.
Title: Re: Recently purchased a second hand BWU 2013, keep or replace?
Post by: terran5992 on Sat, 07 September 2013, 06:27:44: Tournament edition is too expensive in my opinion
Title: Re: Recently purchased a second hand BWU 2013, keep or replace?
Post by: ynrozturk on Sat, 07 September 2013, 06:40:59: I paid around $160 US for mine. Our government likes to tax the hell out of everything.
Title: Re: Recently purchased a second hand BWU 2013, keep or replace?
Post by: Obakemono on Sat, 07 September 2013, 07:03:46: BWU 2013 is pretty decent quality, better than it used to be, the only thing i don't like is the lack of dummy switches in the space bar (and the crappy abs caps).

Change it if it's too big, change it if you don't like blues, but i would say no need to change it for being a razer anymore. :D
Title: Re: Recently purchased a second hand BWU 2013, keep or replace?
Post by: SeriouSSpotS on Sat, 07 September 2013, 12:32:59: Quote from: TimIsABat on Fri, 06 September 2013, 22:34:16
Sell it to someone who doesn't know too much about keyboards or on eBay. Use the money acquired to get a better board like a FC660M, Filco MJ2, Poker X or II, or a Topre board.
Title: Re: Recently purchased a second hand BWU 2013, keep or replace?
Post by: duck on Sat, 07 September 2013, 13:12:55: Quote from: Hyde on Fri, 06 September 2013, 22:13:53
I heard Razer actually switched their production factory on their entire new Blackwidow 2013 lineup. I heard the new place actually does a good job on their production.

So don't worry too much just yet, if you're happy with it I'd keep it.

Though if you want a compact backlit board, then maybe wait for Ducky Shine III tenkeyless or wait for backlit Pure Pro or Poker to come out. If you're impatient then maybe you can get a Ducky Shine II tenkeyless and the current gen Pure.

But if I were you I'd probably wait a bit.

I see, that's good to hear then. Yeah I don't mind it, it's just a little bulky n loud :P, thanks for the advice!
Title: Re: Recently purchased a second hand BWU 2013, keep or replace?
Post by: duck on Sat, 07 September 2013, 13:13:31: Quote from: TimIsABat on Fri, 06 September 2013, 22:34:16
Sell it to someone who doesn't know too much about keyboards or on eBay. Use the money acquired to get a better board like a FC660M, Filco MJ2, Poker X or II, or a Topre board.

That sounds like a plan :)
Title: Re: Recently purchased a second hand BWU 2013, keep or replace?
Post by: duck on Sat, 07 September 2013, 13:23:56: Quote from: terrpn on Fri, 06 September 2013, 22:35:13
go ducky..............

i have a bwu 2012, have had no issues and have heard the bwu 2013's have been improved on

i like mine and plan on keeping it-- of course i am the minority

Oh right, I just didn't like the glossy finish on the 2012 one :p

Quote from: terrpn on Fri, 06 September 2013, 22:38:07
forgot to add.............i swapped all the keycaps

didn't much care for the ones that came on it :'(

Aha cool, would you happen to remember where you got the keycaps from?

Quote from: ynrozturk on Sat, 07 September 2013, 05:17:05
It's up to you. If you really don't like it then just return it, and since you're in the UK, get a Filco from The Keyboard Company.

Ofcourse it's much nicer to use than a membrane keyboard that I was so used to, but now that I have used it for a bit I feel I should buy something with a much better build quality, but we'll see :D

Quote from: tp4tissue on Fri, 06 September 2013, 23:04:29
Show Image
(http://www.cute-factor.com/images/smilies/onion/d16c4689.gif)

Someone thought "Ergodox"... I felt it... I have special powers

no idea what ergodox is haha

Quote from: GeeGee on Sat, 07 September 2013, 05:42:47
Since your budget is about 100 pounds and you are located in the UK, going with a Filco from the keyboard co would be good for you. To be honest you can keep the board if you like it, but from what I've read you don't seem to be too much in love with it.

Yeah, I did look in to them before, but they are all £120+ new, and that kinda put me off when I thought, "oh I'll just get a bwu2013 for £88" but, I can understand why they are priced like that!

Quote from: vun on Sat, 07 September 2013, 05:49:26
Maybe look at a BW Tournament edition? More compact, green backlight and should be available with browns.
It's still a BW, but I can't really think of any others with green backlight. Ducky have all sorts of colours so you could check out their boards, but you'd probably blow your budget.
You could also check out the Pure, 60% and comes in green backlight afaik.

Hmmm, thats the reason I bought the keyboard, cos of teh lights :D Ducky's are very nice boards too, I did do a small about of research about them as well it's just they're also pricey kinda like filcos :D

Quote from: terran5992 on Sat, 07 September 2013, 05:44:00
If you dont like it , sell it to me XD

aha, offer? :D

Quote from: Obakemono on Sat, 07 September 2013, 07:03:46
BWU 2013 is pretty decent quality, better than it used to be, the only thing i don't like is the lack of dummy switches in the space bar (and the crappy abs caps).

Change it if it's too big, change it if you don't like blues, but i would say no need to change it for being a razer anymore. :D

I see, yeah the space bar is weird. Not sure what abs means btw, sorry kinda new to the technical terms with mech keyboards :P

And yeah, it's kinda clunky, blues are a lil too loud, and it's good to hear that about razer I guess lol :)
Title: Re: Recently purchased a second hand BWU 2013, keep or replace?
Post by: Photekq on Sat, 07 September 2013, 13:27:16: Nothing wrong with a BW. Fairly sturdy boards at a decent price. I just don't like the styling.
Title: Re: Recently purchased a second hand BWU 2013, keep or replace?
Post by: duck on Sat, 07 September 2013, 13:45:57: Quote from: Photekq on Sat, 07 September 2013, 13:27:16
Nothing wrong with a BW. Fairly sturdy boards at a decent price. I just don't like the styling.

Fair enough! Thanks for your feedback.