Yet Another Xarmor Bites The Dust

[Xibal]

get it replaced, its under warranty

@BucklingSpring, I knew it wasn't even worth $135, and only pulled the trigger when there was a further discount on it. Looking at those pictures, pretty obvious its to cut down on costs, decks got dummy switches which makes them more expensive. Decks also use pbt key caps, so pretty much that sums up the difference. Even if you want to compare $ for $, that's fine since in the states you guys are the mothers of all consumers so will get the cheapest goods, people that are live outside won't get that luxury. Since Deck themselves won't sell overseas I would of have gone to a to 3rd part retailer which they will mark up the price for keyboard and then on top of that there is the international shipping. So if you try and take all that account, no $ for $ doesn't mean the deck is better built/$. And in case your wondering, I actually trawled the forums on the deck website to check whether that 3rd party retailer was any good and sad to say they weren't at least for the country that I reside in, so I really didn't have a choice. And like someone said on these forums, no perfect backlit keyboard, a compromise has to be made.

[BucklingSpring]

get it replaced, its under warranty

Oh yes, sooner the better and tell us your customer service story.

Especially if the XArmor folks are nice with you.

[Xibal]

Maybe instead of twittering your thumbs on forums, get together and do something about the way they treat you, you're Americans you guys should love this stuff, class action here, petition there.

[BucklingSpring]

And like someone said on these forums, no perfect backlit keyboard, a compromise has to be made.

Good point. Do your retail stores sell Razer products in your area?
Because if they do, with all these things considered, it makes the Razer Blackwidow Ultimate much more attractive.

Mionix seams to produce both quality products and service. Maybe the Zibal 60 will address Intl shortage.

And if the Solutor's prediction is true. Mechanical backlit will become more mainstream in a near future.

[Zet]

phew... thank God and GHers that I didn't pick the XArmor, I would certainly be pissed off if I had it brought from USA to South America, and I would have to send it back to get a replacement or refund -.-

[BucklingSpring]

phew... thank God and GHers that I didn't pick the XArmor, I would certainly be pissed off if I had it brought from USA to South America, and I would have to send it back to get a replacement or refund -.-

This would have been worst case scenario. To XArmor's credit, they also sell some that works :-)
Solutor's and mine are two of them.

The fact that I think it's only good for a one night stand and Solutor is ready to propose and have babies with it is irrelevant.

[RickyJ]

And not just in PM's or email, but on a public forum dedicated to the niche market they're trying to be a part of.

[BucklingSpring]

It's a common technique by Chinese Clone manufacturers on Chinese Keyboard Forums.

For all I know the "XArmor" user may as well be an Alien dog specialized in probing live stocks. Anyone from anywhere can register with any name as long as it is available.

[The Solutor]

And not just in PM's or email, but on a public forum dedicated to the niche market they're trying to be a part of.

 
If someone put some mud on my name publicly, I reply publicly, or I sue him.

What's wrong in that?

The user with broken keys told an incorrect story (i don't want to use the term lie) they replied. Thats all.

[whocares1195]

I know the trick very well. I'd be curious to see how much the first backlit XArmor were sold at.

I didn't buy mine at 135 because of the discount. I got it because I thought it was a decent price for a "feature rich" backlit clone.

Here's how I see it now U9BL(2010)Pound for pound, $ for $ the Deck is of much better quality.

Although I'm a Razer hater, some of their products tend to improve over time. You call them for a problem and they will deny Razer's responsibility even under torture. Meanwhile, if it is indeed Razer's problem, they will fix it sooner or later by firmware or hardware (Whatever works). The BWU will probably be a much more mature product in 2 more years down the road.

Meanwhile, if the XArmor keys maintain their state (do not get wobbly to the point they fail when pressed off center) then it is still a decent product for the price (135).

When I get bored of a keyboard, I usually put it back in its box and shelf it. For the XArmor, I think I'm going to lend it to a gamer friend just to see how reliable this thing is.

 
I got the Blackwidow Ultimate around December 2010.  My first mechanical keyboard.  I would say it was one of the first ones that started shipping here in the USA.  The only issue I had was that the center mount (which goes on the cherry switch) of the "0" key on the tenkey broke recently with normal use.  I was able to do a ghetto fix with some superglue but now it's a smidge crooked when mounted.  I must admit that I use the key a lot since it is used as a "Play" button in Pro Tools (music daw software) but I don't bang on my ****.  

I contacted Razer about it and they had me email my invoice and even asked for some pictures of the broken key which I provided.  They shipped me a new "0" key complete with metal bar and plastic stabilizers.  They told me though that they didn't really have replacements and that they had to pull it off a RMA'ed board which I was fine with (the key looked brand new when I got it).  Whole process took about five days which I consider good; then again I live in California and their office is located in Carlsbad, CA so it didn't take too long to get to me.  It's the first time I ever dealt with Razer so it was a good experience.  The only other Razer product I have is a 3.5 DeathAdder mouse which has been good.  I'm not really a hardcore gamer and I only play a game here and there so my stuff tends to last a while.    

I just got a U9BL-S board recently and it has been running fine.  I would say I've had it for a little over a week.  I type a lot at night with my girl sleeping in the room but she never complains, so I convinced myself that the chery mx blues were bothering her so I bought it lol.  The board has been running fine and the build looks great.  It was this or the Das S Ultimate Silent but I like the backlighting since I like to mix music at night and actually use media keys.  The website seems sketchy but I figured if this board messes up somehow, it'll be a good excuse to buy another mechanical keyboard which would be the DAS.

So far, the BWU is in my closet waiting to come out next month.  I'm gonna switch back and forth between the two every month and see which one I like.  The U9BL-S has been holding it's own and I just redid the "TypingMaster Pro" program with the board and it held up.  I ordered 3 sets of colored blanks from TaoBao using an agent from taobaospree.  It's my first time ordering from TaoBao so I'll see if this pans out.  I've been eyeing some Filco Reds but I can't bring myself to spend that much dough yet.

[BucklingSpring]

Whole process took about five days which I consider good; then again I live in California and their office is located in Carlsbad, CA so it didn't take too long to get to me.  It's the first time I ever dealt with Razer so it was a good experience.

 
This is a refreshing story. Thanks for sharing.

Do you still have the pictures of your broken

• . I'd like to see what kind of stabilizer Razer uses in the BWU?

[whocares1195]

This is a refreshing story. Thanks for sharing.

Do you still have the pictures of your broken

• . I'd like to see what kind of stabilizer Razer uses in the BWU?

The stabilizers I would say are an exact match to the pics of the U9BL-S keys you posted earlier in the thread.  

[BucklingSpring]

The stabilizers I would say are an exact match to the pics of the U9BL-S keys you posted earlier in the thread.

Thanks

I can also see  from your pic that the clips looks identical as well.

How about the little inserts?

Now I'm starting to wonder what Solutor was talking about when he said the BWU stabilizers were worst than the XArmor's.

See the R1 on both pictures. The Left shift (on my picture) is a bit whider than my

• on the XArmor 10key. Which make me think the
• of the XArmor is identical to the BWU's. These two boards seams to have much more in common than what I beleived at first.

[The Solutor]

Thanks

I can also see  from your pic that the clips looks identical as well.

How about the little inserts?

Now I'm starting to wonder what Solutor was talking about when he said the BWU stabilizers were worst that the XArmor's.

The setup seams to be identical.

Keycaps are clearly made by the same company (the board,likely not), as I wrote in my  minireview, one month ago.




what changes is the placement of the hinges on the metal plate,where the holes are larger on BW, the switches are also placed weaker, with the result of more wobbly keys and large keys.

[Xibal]

Good point. Do your retail stores sell Razer products in your area?
Because if they do, with all these things considered, it makes the Razer Blackwidow Ultimate much more attractive.

Mionix seams to produce both quality products and service. Maybe the Zibal 60 will address Intl shortage.

And if the Solutor's prediction is true. Mechanical backlit will become more mainstream in a near future.

I do have Razers being sold in retail sotres, but at the time of purchase they were too expensive, more expensive than the Xarmors. I do look forward to the Zibal and hopefully leads the way in quality and service for mech keyboards. On a side note, I've had my Xarmor for about month and it's still going strong

[whocares1195]

Thanks

I can also see  from your pic that the clips looks identical as well.

How about the little inserts?

Now I'm starting to wonder what Solutor was talking about when he said the BWU stabilizers were worst than the XArmor's.

See the R1 on both pictures. The Left shift (on my picture) is a bit whider than my

• on the XArmor 10key. Which make me think the
• of the XArmor is identical to the BWU's. These two boards seams to have much more in common than what I beleived at first.

Sorry I don't have any pics of the little plastic inserts since they were still in working condition and Razer didn't need to see pics of them. I can say for sure though that they look exactly like the Xarmor ones.

With the quality of the keycaps aside; I still think both boards are decent up to this point in time if you're the type that wants a backlit mechanical. We'll see how long their quality will last for the rest of the year.

[BucklingSpring]

Here's another thread at OCN that looks like it's not going well.

Bashing Xarmor with Thor's Hammer  is as easy as shooting Duckys in a swimming pool.

I'm hoping Mionix finally breaks this Gobi desert of decent backlit mechanicals.

Actually that OCN thread is not that bad.

Now can you explain to me how this works?

I'm having issues to post pictures of attachements without the redondant thumbnail under the post.

[The Solutor]

Here's another thread at OCN that looks like it's not going well.

Bashing Xarmor with Thor's Hammer  is as easy as shooting Duckys in a swimming pool.

 
Hahah, poor guy...

Another bright mind ruined by your treadcrapping....

[The Solutor]

I don't think you understand that threadcrapping is being rude in a Ebay/Classifieds/GreatFinds listing.

Seriously, i think that disagreeing is a bit different than spend the whole day seeking about news that would help in bashing a product.

So I call putting crap on a thread "treadcrapping" until someone will suggest a better word.

[Xibal]

Might as well change the thread title to "News to dish out Xarmors", seriously, its like you got a personal crusade against the xarmors, duckys and any other keyboard thats had serious faults even though you haven't owned any of them.

[BucklingSpring]

I don't think "News to dish out Xarmors" is a very good thread title.

How about, "Why are Xarmor LEDS burning out faster than Lindsay Lohan's career?".

RoFL... Ripster and Solutor represent the universal balance of the Universe.

You add Solutor's aka Yoda unconditional love for the XArmor with Ripster's hatred aka Darth Vader and you get something pretty much close reality.

My objective conclusion follows:

Both XArmor and Blackwidow are built with low tolerance, cheap/weak plastic keycaps and extremely weak stabilizer system.
Razer is widely available and besides the deny problems at all cost, they do consider "pictures" of offenders seriously and will send replacing parts taken from the BlackWidow already well populated cemetery.

XArmor lack of presence and "in your face attitude" might please some hard core punk but probably not the average customer.

For the moment and until new competition shows up (ie Zibal 60) the Mechanical backlit market goes as this: You can get a cheaper BWU knowing the above or go with a more expensive butt ugly Deck with proven, reliable and a bit outdated technology.

The XArmor is bound to win a Darwin Award within a year or two. Buy them if you are a collector. Mine will soon sit on my wall of shame, right next to my TVS Gold(*).

(*) To the TVS Gold credit, it is dirt cheap and worth more than what it cost.

[noodles256]

why bash blackwidow as well?

xarmor sucks !

[BucklingSpring]

why bash blackwidow as well?

Take out service and availibility, add couples of features, quality wise they're on the same line.

[BucklingSpring]

Actually if you take out service, availability, quality, and durability they still look like a 1980's Answering Machine.

Sorry for asking but who's "they"?

[noodles256]

my blackwidow was fine for the 3 months i owned it.

derp

[The Solutor]

Both XArmor and Blackwidow are built with low tolerance, cheap/weak plastic keycaps and extremely weak stabilizer system.

 

Do you really think that I bought the xarmor after the bad experience with the poor blackwidow just to made myself the evil fighter ?

Do you really think that after 15 years spent in electronics repair and another 15 spent as IT technician I'm not able to distinguish a crap product from a good one, especially having both side by side on my desk ?

Xarmor is far from perfect: should have a couple of knobs for volume and backlit control.

Should have a red/yellow/amber backlit.

Should be available with the good ISO enter as the BW, instead of that stupid ANSI one.

BUT that said, is well built, is reasonably priced (ask yourself when filco will exit from the stone age, how  much will cost a backlit majestouch) and feels solid with a pleasant sound when typing, and this is the main difference you can see between xarmor and BW aside the stabler keys.

That said I can perfectly understand why ripster (and not just ripster) hate it, it the usual hate by someone who spent a lot of money for a supposedly elitary product, when he see a better product sold for less money.

In that case a member of such supposed elitary club can't do a lot to made himself feel better, so manages to bash the enemy "proletary" product, spreading a bit of urban legends about it.

Funny reading for experienced users, misleading reading for the newcomers.

That's all

[noodles256]

chea ay

I am misleading the troops

chea ay

[BucklingSpring]

Do you really think that after 15 years spent in electronics repair and another 15 spent as IT technician I'm not able to distinguish a crap product from a good one, especially having both side by side on my desk ?

Let me make sure I get this right. Are you telling me there is a world of difference between the XArmor and the BWU quality?
XArmor good vs BWU crap. If yes, I demand supporting pictures.
 
Sorry I didn't spent 15 years peeping at a Blackwidow. To my humble eyes, they are both comparable.

[Xibal]

elitists

[The Solutor]

I demand supporting pictures.

 

BW, i presume, is easy to touch, so you have already touched the xarmor, go in a store and touch a BW and try the difference yourself.

I don't have a good photograph machine to capture the typing pleasure

[BucklingSpring]

That's why we buy EliteKeyboards.

Well, that's Solutor's point. The XArmor is as good as it gets for poor men budget.
I tell him, well if this is the case, better get a BWU for the same money. Because nobody from the service department will spit in your face if your keyboard breaks.

We are just numb brained elites with way too much cash on our hands.

[The Solutor]

Well, that's Solutor's point.

We, in Italy call this "rivoltare la frittata" feel free to find a good English replacement.

We are just numb brained elites with way too much cash on our hands.

You said it

[BucklingSpring]

I don't have a good photograph machine to capture the typing pleasure

MX Blue vs MX Brown is another discussion.

But you're right on this, so far the XArmor is pleasant to type on it.

I don't have other MX Brown based keyboard to compare.

As I said... the XArmor is good for a one night stand.

[BucklingSpring]

We, in Italy call this "rivoltare la frittata" feel free to find a good English replacement.

You said it

 
Man I respect your passion.

You still haven't told me where you are going to get replacement teeth when our lovely **** is going to lose them after a blow job or two.

I'm the king of vulgar elitism.

[The Solutor]

You still haven't told me where you are going to get replacement teeth when our lovely **** is going to lose them after a blow job or two.

 

I assume your skill with google translation is not so good

Rivoltare la frittata means, litterally, to flip an omelet, you can translate as "to twist an argument"

BTW, if you don't like the xarmor, why not sell it to someone can appreciate it ?

[BucklingSpring]

Please.  No vulgarity in my thread.  The topic is vulgar enough as it is.

I accept the warning... Do you want me to soften(edit) the wordage?

[noodles256]

this reminds of a yellow submarine.

cherry mx yellow

[BucklingSpring]

I assume your skill with google translation is not so good

Rivoltare la frittata means, litterally, to flip an omelet, you can translate as "to flip an argument"

LoL I was not referring to your eggs. I was referring to your post where you said you don't care if your XArmor breaks because you will then replace the broken parts. ie the beauty of all mechanical keyboards.

You didn't tell me where you were going to get your replacement parts.
I already started another thread about this. Ripster suggested a place, but I haven't got any response from them yet.

[BucklingSpring]

LoL I was not referring to your eggs. I was referring to your post where you said you don't care if your XArmor breaks because you will then replace the broken parts. ie the beauty of all mechanical keyboards.

You didn't tell me where you were going to get your replacement parts.
I already started another thread about this. Ripster suggested a place, but I haven't got any response from them yet.

(Oh my god, I think I know... That's why you are keeping the Blackwidow... To scavenger the parts for your XArmor.)

[Xibal]

that's craptastic

[noodles256]

i just got a blackwidow for 65

[The Solutor]

(Oh my god, I think I know... That's why you are keeping the Blackwidow... To scavenger the parts for your XArmor.)

 

It's an option, another one is make it backlit a third is simply ebay it.

All are  better options than spend 32 euro to return or repair a (broken) product payed 80.

BTW I have to thank the crap razer support, if they were kind enough to swap my keyboard I likely had purchased a BWU, instead they ended with an user that will never buy another razer product.

[noodles256]

i never had problem with their products so can't say much about support

talking about razer

[BucklingSpring]

instead they ended with an user that will never buy another razer product.

I hear you... That's why I'm a Razer hater and ended up buying a XArmor LoL.

I've also heared nice ending stories with Razer. I don't know about Italy. But here, the major retail stores will replace deffective products (short 1 month, average 3 months and some will even push it to 3 years if you pay for the extended warranty). Since Razer's product are sold in those retail stores, you can get that kind of service for the Blackwidow. But If I knew from the get go that the XArmor was similar to the BWU, I wouldn't have buy one period. I was hopping for better quality.

[The Solutor]

I hear you... That's why I'm a Razer hater and ended up buying a XArmor LoL.

I've also heared nice ending stories with Razer. I don't know about Italy. But here, the major retail stores will replace deffective products (short 1 month, average 3 months and some will even push it to 3 years if you pay for the extended warranty). Since Razer's product are sold in those retail stores, you can get that kind of service for the Blackwidow. But If I knew from the get go that the XArmor was similar to the BWU, I wouldn't have buy one period. I was hopping for better quality.

 
Also in italy razer products are sold in retail stores, but I had the bright idea to buy directly from razer store (which has the Italian section anyway), I did it because this solution is usually a better solution.

All the mainstream brands, usually, will send the courier to home to take the broken product. Those jenius, instead will pretend an international traceable shipment to their center in Germany, which translates in 32€ as the cheapest option.

At least when one buy from US already knows that warranty is more or less toilet paper. Because of this, initially, I discarded both Xarmor and Deck. Was a mistake, and I payed it

[noodles256]

Usually, the people with problems are the only ones posting.

The people who have the product and it runs fine don't post.

[BucklingSpring]

Usually, the people with problems are the only ones posting.

The people who have the product and it runs fine don't post.

The people who are very pleased with their product will also share the joy.
 
The forums only represent a tiny tiny share of the user population. Some will hang around just for the fun of it. Other will visit expecting educated advices or seeking solutions for problems.

[BucklingSpring]

I recommend Xarmor for people who enjoy riskier >1% failure rates.  Do the numbers and you'll see that failure rates are unusually high and customer support statistically bad.
Razer Ultimate for everybody else.  Or wait for Mionix.  Mionix looks HAWT!!!

You don't see any niche for the good old Deck?

[BucklingSpring]

It's OK.  Having a nonsculpted key profile is kinda weird - the only mechanical keyboard AFAIK with that.  Like a lot of Rubber Dome keyboards.

It's kind of sculpted.

[BucklingSpring]

See the All About Keys wiki.

Ok... I just did and what am I supposed to look at?
(Is it the flat key alignment or the shape of the key itself?)

Nice shot of the Deck keycap parts btw.