Razers new Mechanical Switch

[Opsilon]

Um reds are for gamers and so are browns 

Yes, i have browns, and i would not trade them for any of other switches, perfect middle ground .

 

I don't think the QC on razer's side will be any good, i stick with cherry switches till this thing exists for at least 3 years so i can get feedback from people who decided to buy this...

[phillychuck]

All I see is a way for them to charge the same premium price using a cheaper switch, I love mech boards but have avoided Razer due to 'blues' and 'browns' being the only choices, and all the goofy QA things I read back when I was choosing my first.  I went with the Steelseries 6GV2, and I bet it could win a smash battle with a black widow!

 

I had looked at the tech sheets on the Cherry MX awhile back, 50mill are the blacks and reds, 20mill are the blues/browns.  More working parts for the bump/snap action I guess = higher fail rate.

[TheProfosist]

I think Razer just did this so that they wouldn't have to pay licensing fees to cherry for using their switch.  Also wouldn't a higher activation point be worse for double tapping?

no better and the shorter reset is better too but by how much really?

It's like they don't even acknowledge other games exist.

I mean league is pro gaming right

Something tells me you're from geekhack also? If so who are you ?

I guess youll never know

They are the lightest MX keyswitch

too light, you touch it and it bottoms out

There are just a chinese brand (Kailh) and cheaper alternative then Cherry MX Switches and also lower quality...

yep, im kinda surprised that they wouldnt just make their own. Also they better have good QC as those switches arnt known for being good.

The amount of marketing hokum in that video makes my skin crawl. This is why I detest Razer.

What have you no see their new apparel line?

[TheProfosist]

personally I have thought cherries did press to far down

so your going to significantly notice 0.1mm difference?

Yes, i have browns, and i would not trade them for any of other switches, perfect middle ground .

 

I don't think the QC on razer's side will be any good, i stick with cherry switches till this thing exists for at least 3 years so i can get feedback from people who decided to buy this...

browns are no a middle ground in my opinion they are only slighly better than reds but I dislike them more because they are a complete compromise and not in a good way.

All I see is a way for them to charge the same premium price using a cheaper switch, I love mech boards but have avoided Razer due to 'blues' and 'browns' being the only choices, and all the goofy QA things I read back when I was choosing my first.  I went with the Steelseries 6GV2, and I bet it could win a smash battle with a black widow!

 

I had looked at the tech sheets on the Cherry MX awhile back, 50mill are the blacks and reds, 20mill are the blues/browns.  More working parts for the bump/snap action I guess = higher fail rate.

its 35mill for browns and clears and the other tactile non clicky variants. But they are rated for that not up to that like razers from what I recall.

[cinnamoncider]

Branding...

 

 

Marketing...

[GaZinggEr]

i would like a keyboard with analog switches.

[TheProfosist]

i would like a keyboard with analog switches.

You need to explain yourself a bit farther on that, especially the "analog switches" bit.

[Lays]

ok if Slick says its a good product then i might consider getting one... but i still think a ducky or K95 will be better

 

 

I have a razer bw 2013 ultimate stealth right now (mx browns)  I want to get a ducky because I love the look of em, but I'm worried I'd get annoyed of not having a wrist rest, the one built-into the BW is actually like perfect for my hand shape.   I'm not sure if ducky's come with wrist rests, if they do maybe I'll get one someday..  I kinda want red switches w/ red or white LED's

[tryphaa]

I have a razer bw 2013 ultimate stealth right now (mx browns)  I want to get a ducky because I love the look of em, but I'm worried I'd get annoyed of not having a wrist rest, the one built-into the BW is actually like perfect for my hand shape.   I'm not sure if ducky's come with wrist rests, if they do maybe I'll get one someday..  I kinda want red switches w/ red or white LED's

Ducky makes a wrist rest for their boards. And any rest made for full size keyboards will work. I've use the BW2013 and honestly I would take my Ducky over it any day.

 

Anyway, Razer saying they had "the world's first" is like movies calling themselves "THE NUMBER ONE MOVIE IN AMERICA!"

[Lays]

Ducky makes a wrist rest for their boards. And any rest made for full size keyboards will work. I've use the BW2013 and honestly I would take my Ducky over it any day.

 

Anyway, Razer saying they had "the world's first" is like movies calling themselves "THE NUMBER ONE MOVIE IN AMERICA!"

 

 

I meant the one that's built into the bw, not like an attachment one.  I'll check out the ducky one

[tryphaa]

I meant the one that's built into the bw, not like an attachment one.  I'll check out the ducky one

If you cant find the ducky one, as it's quite rare to find in stock, then  I know Max Keyboards make a nice memory foam rest.

[LAwLz]

Kailh switches are known for being pretty low quality knockoffs.

I'm gonna reserve judgement until they have been thoroughly tested. I agree with Slick that they are being dishonest as well. People do look at the switches when they buy mechanical keyboards and if they see "green mechanical switch" they will think it is a Cherry MX Green.

[RatedBlam]

I have a razer bw 2013 ultimate stealth right now (mx browns)  I want to get a ducky because I love the look of em, but I'm worried I'd get annoyed of not having a wrist rest, the one built-into the BW is actually like perfect for my hand shape.   I'm not sure if ducky's come with wrist rests, if they do maybe I'll get one someday..  I kinda want red switches w/ red or white LED's

 

Wait... you can actually use that? The one in my friend's sidewinder x4 looks slightly bigger but it forces my hands about 1,5 inches too close to the kb.

Kailh switches are known for being pretty low quality knockoffs.

I'm gonna reserve judgement until they have been thoroughly tested. I agree with Slick that they are being dishonest as well. People do look at the switches when they buy mechanical keyboards and if they see "green mechanical switch" they will think it is a Cherry MX Green.

That was one of my concers too, people hunting for the apparently rare greens look at this and the picture of the fancy green almost cherry like switch on package and get excited. I even remember there being something ambiguous like "green switch" on there too.

[Starglider]

Got a Razer BWU blue glaring backlit keys with shiny plastic version...

 

My review of the keyboard: great keyboard, types well, could be faster, pain in the ass to get used to the macro keys when working on it and when it gets dirty for cleaning it really is a pain to clean, but nothing I've found not sticking it in the shower and using the washing brush on it doesn't cure, let it dry out for 3 days and it's good to go again (I don't recommend anyone else doing this but it works for me - it's been in the shower for a wash now a good 4 or 5 times). Only pain is that rear left grip pad has gone missing making the thing rotate about it's top right traction pad as a pivot point.

 

I am a gamer but not that much of a gamer, however I do love the macro keys and even bought the naga old version for macroing batches of code snippets to. It's awesome, every program I work in has the same shortcuts for inserting code snippets in whatever language I am working in at the time and really speeds up things. However I threw the naga away, I think it was due to stuttering which gave me bad nerves and I don't have big hands but that mouse was sooo small! Will stick with my Razer Black Widow Ultimate.

 

But what I really want to know is:

1. This keyboard 2014 version vs Corsair k95

and

2. When's the Corsair RGB mechanical coming out?

 

[cinnamoncider]

I'm not sure if it's really a rebranded - Kailh switch(known for its Cherry "clones"). But we'll see once it hits the market.

 

 

Image source: http://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/razer-releases-razer-brand-cherry-switch-clones-t7558.html

[GaZinggEr]

You need to explain yourself a bit farther on that, especially the "analog switches" bit.

i really doubt it exists, and it would probability be a driver mess. i would like a keyboard that does not have a actuation point, it is not simply a on/off button, it would have analog switches that could useful for stuff like throttles, sprint speed, or pitch up/down in jets in games such as battlefield. haptic feedback could also be interesting.

[TheProfosist]

i really doubt it exists, and it would probability be a driver mess. i would like a keyboard that does not have a actuation point, it is not simply a on/off button, it would have analog switches that could useful for stuff like throttles, sprint speed, or pitch up/down in jets in games such as battlefield. haptic feedback could also be interesting.

That exists with hall effect switches but I have only once seen someone actually make what your talking about work though, usually they are just set to activate at a certain point.

[BoardkilL]

 

I'm not sure if it's really a rebranded - Kailh switch(known for its Cherry "clones"). But we'll see once it hits the market.

 

I can confirm that the switches have both logos, as I have the same keyboard myself. As for how it feels, it's a lot like the Cherry MX Blue switches on my Qpad MK80. For my kind of use, which is a lot of writing, MX Blue, and now also Razer Green, are perfect. They're not as good for gaming as the MX Brown I have in my Logitech G710+, which is my favorite of the 5-6 mechanical keyboards I still have, but they work ok. For a gaming keyboard though, and especially for fps, I imagine most people would prefer a linear and slightly softer switch.

Edited March 12, 2014 by BoardkilL

[Opsilon]

browns are no a middle ground in my opinion they are only slighly better than reds but I dislike them more because they are a complete compromise and not in a good way.

Reds are not bad, and the way i have experienced, i don't believe it is a compromise in the bad way, since you did not explain to me why do you believe that.

When i was shopping for a new keyboard i had to wait 2 or 3 months to get a a brown switch in stock. The only reason i have not taken blue is that they are fking loud, i was at the store and tried them out and i could hear it over 5 people walking near me, so in a quiet room i would probably shoot the keyboard after 2 days, if my family members didn't shoot me in the duration. My friend has blues and when he types with teamspeak on, it sounds like someone is scratching my ear drums all the time, that is what made me not give into buying a blue switch keyboard in the first place.

 

The browns feel close to blues and they are not annoying, do a blind test with your ears plugged, you would almost not feel any difference, the actuation point and weight are so close, that i have gotten to the conclusion, that people make shit up about blues being the "best" cherry switch. If i wanted something loud like that i would grab my fathers old typewriter. 

 

I can understand that people that have "heavy" typing hands like blues, but as a gamer that does both browns are amazing, and are worth every penny.

 

I don't hate blues, i don't hate any cherry mx switch, i would take any of them before a membrane switch, every time i am at a friend that still has membrane i get really annoyed, and investing in a mechanical is the right way to go, that is my strong opinion.

 

Back to the topic: Time will tell is the "razer" switch any good, i don't expect them to be anything special, but again i love to see moving forward with this technology, and if ends up being good great! If not we still have Cherry!!!

[BoardkilL]

I published my review of the 2014 Razer Blackwidow Ultimate today. Unfortunately it's in norwegian... If you're interested you can Google translate it and get a pretty good idea of what I though of the new Razer/Kailh switches.

 

http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.idg.no%2Fpcworld%2Ftester%2Fpcogskjerm%2Fmusogtastatur%2Farticle283669.ece

 

Spoiler: It did not do very well.

[TheProfosist]

Reds are not bad, and the way i have experienced, i don't believe it is a compromise in the bad way, since you did not explain to me why do you believe that.

When i was shopping for a new keyboard i had to wait 2 or 3 months to get a a brown switch in stock. The only reason i have not taken blue is that they are fking loud, i was at the store and tried them out and i could hear it over 5 people walking near me, so in a quiet room i would probably shoot the keyboard after 2 days, if my family members didn't shoot me in the duration. My friend has blues and when he types with teamspeak on, it sounds like someone is scratching my ear drums all the time, that is what made me not give into buying a blue switch keyboard in the first place.

 

The browns feel close to blues and they are not annoying, do a blind test with your ears plugged, you would almost not feel any difference, the actuation point and weight are so close, that i have gotten to the conclusion, that people make shit up about blues being the "best" cherry switch. If i wanted something loud like that i would grab my fathers old typewriter. 

 

I can understand that people that have "heavy" typing hands like blues, but as a gamer that does both browns are amazing, and are worth every penny.

 

I don't hate blues, i don't hate any cherry mx switch, i would take any of them before a membrane switch, every time i am at a friend that still has membrane i get really annoyed, and investing in a mechanical is the right way to go, that is my strong opinion.

 

Back to the topic: Time will tell is the "razer" switch any good, i don't expect them to be anything special, but again i love to see moving forward with this technology, and if ends up being good great! If not we still have Cherry!!!

Brows are a compromise between a blue and a black (no not red as it came later). The Brown is supposed to be tactil without click the thing is that without the click the bump need to be bigger yet on the brown its smaller than even the blue. They also use the same spring as the blue which in my eyes is bad because is too light and without say the bump on a clear or the click along with bump of the blue its very hard to not bottom out or even really feel that your actuating the switch. This is especially the case when doing anything at speed a brown just ends up feeling like a scratchy red. If browns were to have a heavier spring like a black after you actuate yo would at least feel increase resistance. A proper version of a brown would likely be a panda clear, which is a clear switch with black spring, that would give you a very noticeable along with some actual resistance from the spring. A Ergo clear, clear switch with blue spring, would also be a decent option but the blue spring is just strong enough to overcome the bump on the clear so the would be a tad laggy compared to using a heavier spring and you wouldnt get that increasing resistance the farther you press down.

Blues and greens are not that loud, they only emit a light click. What yu likely experienced was the sound of bottom out along with the click which does indeed make they quite loud. My suggestion there is either learn to not bottom out r pick up some orings that quiet it down.

You could likely feel a difference due to the slight difference of the bump and the fact that the clicking mechanism in there. Either way it wouldnt matter as unless you deaf you dont have to worry about that. You hearing is part of teh experience and with blues and greens really helps with not bottoming out.

I think the best starter switch of what is available retail is probably blacks, especially if the person games.

I have never heard the heavy hands thing.

These switches have already been around and been reviewed. All rezer really did from what i can tell is change the color and QC them as the company already had knock offs of cherry switches for some time already. And yes I said knock off because they were using them before the patent was expired.

[Faa]

Love to see Razer coming everytime with gimmicks.

[TheProfosist]

Love to see Razer coming everytime with gimmicks.

The thing is that sometimes that have a good product for good reasons and they still try to sell on gimmiks which makes 0 sense to me.

[Ncide]

*is a world of wacraft player*

*has never heard it*

*has a friend whom is a 4channer and has never played WoW*

*He says "top kek" frequently and said he picked it from 4chan*

ok, sure.

google search of "kek" top two results:

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=kek

"Kek literally translates to lol on World of Warcraft. When someone from the Horde side types lol in /say, members of the alliance side see kek instead. Not specific to Orcs."

http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/kek

"“Kek” is a translation of the acronym “LOL” (laugh out loud) when reading text written by members of the Horde faction as an Alliance player in the online multiplayer game World of Warcraft (WoW)."

Just because you havn't heard of something doesn't make it untrue. It makes you ignorant.

also i love how you're lamenting 4chan idioms yet your post was written in exactly the same style as a 4chan >greentext post.

hypocrite. 

[nicehat]

Kailh switches are known for being pretty low quality knockoffs.

I'm gonna reserve judgement until they have been thoroughly tested. I agree with Slick that they are being dishonest as well. People do look at the switches when they buy mechanical keyboards and if they see "green mechanical switch" they will think it is a Cherry MX Green.

 

I'm looking at the box and documentation for the BW 2013 edition and they really dont talk about Cherry Blue switches. They describe the switch's properties (which point to them being Blues) but dont say what they are. There is a small picture on the back of the box where they mention blue switches. My point is, they never really centered their marketing around the switch being a (typist friendly) Cherry Blue. Now that they have made something that they feel will better target gamers, they are centering their marketing around this. Now the only people that are going to be interested in mechanical  keyboards, especially from the likes of game-centric companies like Razer, are probably going to be the same people that thoroughly research and understand the differences between keyboard switches...Which means that they would know about the modified blues...which means there is no deception. This isnt exactly a product mix up that an unenlightened joe sixpack might pick up every friday from his closest 7-11 only to be unpleasantly surprised later on. 

 

I do agree with Linus on this issue. Razer is selling a wholeistic product, and it doesnt matter who manufactures the switch, the metal base plates, or the USB and audio pass throughs. As long as we get an excellent experience, better button mashing, and 40 million more key presses during it's lifetime versus Cherry Blues, Razer is making the right move by differentiating the typist from the gamer in terms of market segment. This is what Apple did, and they clearly have the winning formula.