Razer catches up a bit for 2013

[jellowiggler]

Got a notice that there are some new Razer keyboard products in the pipe.

The Black Widow 2013 and BWU 2013 kept the blue switches but now have green back lighting, 10kro, and matte shell.  Good for them, they have eliminated almost everything that ticked me off about the BWU.

As another thread noted they also have a new model, the BW Tournament Edition.  This is a tenkeyless model with the features of the regular 2013 BW model.  No BWU Tournament yet.

They didn't mention a BWU 2013 Stealth either.  So no brown switches with green back lighting. The stealth already had matte finish and 6 or 10kro.

I consider this a pretty good move for Razer.  Keeping up with keyboard trends and facing the new comers in the mechanical gaming keyboard game head on.  Razer, Thermal Take, Corsair, Gigabyte (new mechanical board just announced), Cooler Master, Azio, Steel Series are all in the game now along with Razer.  Plus all of the keyboard companies that we know makes a pretty competitive market.  (Filco, Ducky, KBT designs, Keycool, PLU, WASD, DAS, Cherry, Nopoo, Rosewill, Leopold, etc)

I wonder how long until Logitech or Microsoft jump in and make a HUGE splash?  Probably not MS, they just shuttered the Sidewinder division last year.  I don't think Logitech can ignore the mechanical market forever.  They have a big hole in their product line, and no boards with any good level of kro.  People blowing $100+ on a gaming keyboard aren't going to be chosing Logitech unless they keep up.

[nar]

I don't know about Logitech getting in on the mechanical market. At least according to their annual report they are focusing more on expanding their business and emerging markets (aka more budget keyboards) and their tone seems to indicate their focusing their high end less on gamers and more on artsy type people who seem to really like the super thin scissor switch keyboards.

Personally I'm fine with Logitech ignoring the mechanical market altogether and focusing on scissor switches, we need at least some alternative for people who want short throw keyboards and can't find those rare ML or Topre Short Throw keyboards.

[Rafen]

I read somewhere on here or deskthority that they put in an order for like 10 million cherry mx switches.

[derb2k2]

i abandoned Logitech years ago. Their products just don't cut it for me anymore. THere are better gaming alternatives elsewhere. But I would be interested in seeing what they'd do wiht a mechboard

[Zykos]

Logitech does have the best customer support.

[Kuroneko]

Only things I like from Logitech are their mice.

Everything else is just "ok".

[Hyde]

I don't think they'd jump in anytime soon.  I mean look at this http://www.logitech.com/en-us/keyboards/keyboards/g19-keyboard-for-gaming

If they can sell rubber dome for $200 I kind of don't see why they'd want to sell mechanical in the range of $80-$120.  It's just more profitable for them to sell rubber dome at high price (lower production cost higher profit)

Which is a shame because I think Logitech should be able to make a good keyboard.  I really like their Illuminated Keyboard.  If I didn't go mechanical that's the keyboard I would get

[Hyde]

Oh and to answer the original post, yeah I do admit I was losing faith in Razer.  Then suddenly they're pumping out lots of cool products again this year.  I can't wait to see what they'll have for the new lower tier mice.  Deathadder and Abyssus need a refresh bad, it's been the same design forever.

[ShakeR2]

RUMOR has it Logitech caused the switch shortage and wanted to release an MK in Q4 2012.

This seems very unlikely, however, as that time frame is rapidly approaching and still nothing confirmed.

[mkawa]

both you and qtan have mentioned this rumor, so it sounds pretty reliable to me (except maybe for the timing). the cherry UK rep who posted briefly before the crash mentioned a french company, but i don't know of any french peripherals company large enough to eat up that much capacity..

[False_Dmitry_II]

I know a guy who has that stupid rubber-dome-with-a-screen keyboard. I still don't get it.

[1391406]

I do wish Razer would abandon the Blackwidow's futuristic keyboard font for a more traditional style(a la IBM Model M, Dell, etc.), but that's me.

[Christown]

Just looks the same as the 2012 model with green lighting instead... they only way they can catch up is if they improve on quality, which i doubt.

But then again people will still buy this gamer-targeted stuff because they think it will give them some sort of an "edge".

[Djuzuh]

I do wish Razer would abandon the Blackwidow's futuristic keyboard font for a more traditional style(a la IBM Model M, Dell, etc.), but that's me.

A lot more people dig the futuristic look.

Mainly the people who have a computer related materiel rollover of less than 3 years. You'll find few of them on here.

I myself do like it, but as this design is for some sort of short term solution, I don't want it.

[1391406]

I do wish Razer would abandon the Blackwidow's futuristic keyboard font for a more traditional style(a la IBM Model M, Dell, etc.), but that's me.

A lot more people dig the futuristic look.

Mainly the people who have a computer related materiel rollover of less than 3 years. You'll find few of them on here.

I myself do like it, but as this design is for some sort of short term solution, I don't want it.

I typically don't need to look at the keys when I type, but when I do (I'm not a traditional touch typist) I found the choice of font somewhat confusing(eg. R's look very similar to T's in low light conditions).

[davkol]

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