What does the best esports store in Ukraine offer? Review of the Razer BlackWidow Ultimate keyboard General information about the configurator.

Razer's line of gaming peripherals includes a keyboard called the Blackwidow X Tournament Edition, the key features of which are: compact dimensions and original mechanical switches. Next, we will consider in detail all the features of the miniature version of the famous “black widow”.

Specifications of Razer Blackwidow X Tournament Edition (RZ03-01770400-R3R1)

• Interface: USB 2.0
• Keyboard type: mechanical, wired
• Number of keys: 96
• Switches: mechanical Razer Green/Orange
• Switch resource: 60 million clicks
• Backlight: No
• Number of simultaneous clicks: 10
• Port polling rate: 1000 Hz
• Wire length: 1.8 m
• Dimensions (width × depth × height): 366 × 154 × 30 mm
• Weight: 1100 grams
• Recommended retail price: 90 USD

Equipment

The Razer Blackwidow X Tournament Edition comes in a black and green box with an image of the device itself on the front, and on the back there is brief information about the features of the keyboard. When you open the package, inside on one side there is a text message “Welcome to the cult of Razer” - very cute. In addition to the keyboard itself, the set includes a card with its image and user instructions.

Design

The design of the Razer Blackwidow X Tournament Edition keyboard is dominated by strict lines and black color. The keys are raised above the metal plate - this is the so-called skeletal design. The absence of a number pad on the right is immediately noticeable, thanks to which the device takes up less space on the desk. The compact size makes it easy to transport in a bag or backpack, although the keyboard is massive: it weighs 1.1 kg. However, this should provide good stability on the table.

The keyboard has standard set keys Latin characters have a larger font size than Cyrillic characters. All characters are engraved with an offset to the top of the keycaps, while the Cyrillic characters are located strictly below the Latin characters. Quite an unusual solution. In general, the symbols are easy to read in any lighting, especially if you get used to their location on the keys.

Above the arrows are indicators for CapsLock, ScrollLock, WinLock and M mode, which allows you to record macros on the fly. The indicators are highlighted in green. To start the macro recording process, you need to press the key combination Fn+F9, after which the M indicator will turn red. Then you need to select and press the key that will launch the new macro, and press Fn+F9 again, after which the M indicator will start flashing green. This means that the recording of a sequence of commands has begun and you need to type it. To complete recording, you must press Fn+F9 again.

To the left and right of the Spacebar are the Alt keys. Enter key one-story. The Fn+F10 combination disables the Win key. Combinations of the Fn modifier and function keys F1-F3 allow you to control the sound level in the system, and Fn and F5-F7 control the system multimedia player.

On the side closest to the user, the Razer logo in the form of a three-headed snake is located in the center. Actually, when connecting the keyboard to USB port Only this logo is highlighted in green.

If you turn the keyboard over and look at its base, you can easily notice five rubberized plates that provide good grip on the surface, and two folding support legs that allow you to lift the keyboard above the table and change the tilt angle by 10-15 degrees.

Please note that Razer engineers have thought out a channel for laying the interface cable - it can be conveniently routed from the left or right side of the keyboard and thereby rationally organize the space on the table.

The interface cable is protected by a textile braid, and the plug is equipped with the Razer inscription, which allows it to be identified among others of a similar shape. The cable is not removable.

The Blackwidow X Tournament Edition keyboard uses Razer's proprietary mechanical switches in two types - Green and Orange. Razer switches claim a lifespan of 60 million clicks, which is high. Both types of switches have a short travel before actuation, an average of 1.9 mm, and the user tactilely feels the moment of actuation, overcoming slight resistance. The force required to press a key with a Green switch corresponds to a value of 50 cN, and for Orange - 45 cN. Unlike Green switches, the Orange version does not have a special sound when a press is detected, the so-called click. Therefore, if you require lower noise levels, you should choose a keyboard with Orange switches.

The height of the keys corresponds to 13 mm, and the full travel is 4 mm. Additional information You can read about Razer switches on the company website. All caps have cylindrical depressions for finger pads.

The Blackwidow X Tournament Edition keyboard has a twin sister, Blackwidow X Tournament Edition Chroma, which, as can be seen from the prefix in the name, is equipped with RGB backlighting. It’s true that this keyboard option is more expensive.

The Blackwidow X Tournament Edition keyboard comes with a proprietary software Synapse, which can be downloaded from the official Razer website.

Razer Synapse proprietary utility

If you already have the Synapse utility installed on your system, you will need to stop it completely using the task manager so that the keyboard is correctly identified as a new Razer device. After restarting the utility, it will check for the presence of fresh firmware and install it if necessary.

If the Synapse utility is not installed on the system, then a mini-utility is loaded from the keyboard’s built-in memory, offering to download and install a proprietary application, as well as briefly describing its capabilities.

Synapse is a universal application for all Razer gaming peripherals. The utility allows you to create and configure macros, assign them to the desired keys, configure the color and mode of the backlight, if available, and track various statistics.

The application has three main sections: “Keyboard”, “Macros” and “Statistics”.

In the section called “Keyboard” there are two subsections “Customize” and “Game Mode”. In the first subsection you can define the meanings of all keys, in the second you can configure which hot keys will be turned off during game mode.

The settings you make can be saved as different profiles, and then switched between them as needed.

The Macros section provides the ability to create and edit new command sequences. The interface is clear and does not require time to master.

The “Statistics” section displays all the data collected by Synapse on games installed on your PC that have been recognized. The number of keystrokes on certain keys, the average frequency of keystrokes per minute and other vital information.

Practice

We've tested the Razer Blackwidow X Tournament Edition keyboard in games like CS:GO, Dota 2, Dead by Daylight, osu! and Civilization V. During games, we noticed that there was not enough backlighting of the keys, or rather this: you can play and type texts is not a problem, but with backlighting it would be more comfortable. This cannot be considered a minus, because... There is a compact model with backlight. Therefore, if you need backlighting, you should choose the appropriate keyboard model. But if you like a compact, simple design without frills and generally black color fits well into the interior, then the Blackwidow X Tournament Edition keyboard is your choice.

If you have previously actively used a number pad and decide to switch to using a keyboard without one, it may take some time to get used to it. Probably, everything is individual here. Typically, the number pad is used extremely rarely in games, and if necessary, assigning actions to other keys is no problem. Most of the time is required to get used to the fact that the usual keys are in other places. It took us five minutes of active use.

The shortened key travel is not easy to notice, especially if you don’t know about this feature. However, if your speed in the game was limited by the key switches, then a shorter stroke might come in handy. This can be noticeable, for example, in fighting games, when you need to quickly type commands, or in games where you need to frequently and quickly press just a couple of keys (for example, in osu! you sometimes need to make up to 200 keystrokes per minute).

The tactile switches provide moderate resistance, and subjectively they seem to be stiffer than the similar Cherry MX Red and Silver switches. Before choosing, we recommend trying out the keys in a store to form your own opinion. We have no complaints about the precise operation of the key switch mechanisms; all presses are recorded without errors. The click is clearly visible and convenient when typing texts. If you want less noise when using the keyboard, then you can choose the option with Rzer Orange switches: they are click-free, so they are less noisy.

The Blackwidow X Tournament Edition keyboard is massive with small dimensions and lies firmly on the table without moving during games. If you plan to take the keyboard with you when transporting, then you should consider its weight of 1.1 kg.

Diagnosis

The Razer Blackwidow X Tournament Edition gaming keyboard has a sleek design and compact size. It conveniently implements interface cable output options. The keyboard is not backlit, but it allows you to record macros on the fly and assign them to selected keys. In our opinion, macro support is a necessary attribute of a gaming keyboard. Proprietary Synapse software allows you not only to configure macros and disable everything unnecessary in game mode, but also to view various statistics that may be useful. Despite its compact size, the model is stable and does not move accidentally during play. The keys use Razer Green mechanical switches with shorter actuation, so you may notice an increase in command speed in some games.

• Compact design
• Convenient organization of interface cable output
• Convenient Synapse utility

Contra:

• No significant

Two small speakers in the shape of a truncated cone - besides them, the box contains only a wire and a cover. They play 360 degrees around themselves, that is, the sound is not as directional as that of “traditional” speakers. This is convenient - you can play around with the placement of the speakers without compromising the sound quality.

If you press on the top plane of the column, it will rise about a centimeter - a decorative mesh will be visible under the metal “roof”. That's it, the speaker is turned on and ready to work - we “raise” the second one and we can start listening. Accordingly, when you press the speakers, the sound disappears - a kind of Mute (much more convenient than looking for the desired button on the keyboard. A side effect is that everyone tries to come up and press the speakers :) Unfortunately, there is no volume control.

Although they are small and in 2.0 format (that is, without a separate subwoofer), the bass is also present - as the company claims, due to an expandable resonance chamber: the result is something like 2.1, only without a subwoofer =)

Another advantage of the speakers is that they have a built-in battery that lasts for 12 hours battery life(you can take speakers with you and listen to music far from civilization). The speakers have a functional backlight - it lights up in blue, but if the battery suddenly runs out, it changes to red. When operating from a USB port, it mysteriously pulsates - not that it is a truly mesmerizing sight, as they say in press releases, but it looks nice. At least in others inexpensive speakers there is no such beauty.

The wire from the sound source to the speakers is H-shaped. On one side there are two miniUSB connectors for connecting to speakers, on the other side - USB (for charging, if necessary) and a minijack (for connecting to a sound source). The letters L and R are marked on the miniUSB connectors (to distinguish the speakers), but they are visible only until the wires are inserted into the connectors - accordingly, after plugging in the wires, it is no longer clear where the right speaker is and where the left one is (only if by sound). But the biggest drawback of the wire is its length - it’s clear that they were fighting for portable properties and all that... but it turned out that I don’t have enough wire to the system unit, which is on the table, and it’s not possible to simply “extend” it with improvised means - You need to extend two wires at once. At least they included a couple of wires in the kit.

The only unpleasant aftertaste from use (maybe this is a feature of my copy) is that when you connect the speakers directly to the keyboard (into the USB port and mini-jack), the speakers begin to produce noise, but only at some levels of the backlight on (with it off and at maximum they do not produce noise). This was confirmed by the pulsating key backlight mode, due to which the artifacts pulsated in the same way. I came to this by experience and so far I preferred the convenient location of the speakers to the backlight.

Otherwise, if we ignore these two found shortcomings, the speakers are damn good for their size. The box bears the slogan “Tiny but mighty”, which can be interpreted as “small but distant” - Ferox really play very loudly and beautifully, without unnecessary “babble” and other artifacts typical of inexpensive devices. I haven’t taken it with me on the road yet - I use it at work to get good sound without extra costs.

Razer Ferox Specifications

Specifications

Instead of output

As for the speakers, in addition to the advantages, there are also some shortcomings, but they are easy to put up with. So far I’m happy too, but how long they will work and how they will work - time will tell =)

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A space is the space between letters that marks word boundaries in many writing systems. Functionally, the space belongs to punctuation marks.

GOST defines a space as follows: “a letter reproduced by the absence of a typeface.”

The space bar is a relatively late invention. Phoenician and the original Hebrew and Aramaic scripts did not use the space. It has been used in Greek writing for over a thousand years. In Latin, a gap sometimes occurred in ancient times, then disappeared and also returned about a thousand years ago. In the oldest Slavic monuments there is also no space (both in the Glagolitic alphabet and in the Cyrillic alphabet); It has been used regularly and in its current sense in the Cyrillic alphabet only since the 17th century. It was practically not used in Arabic writing until the 20th century. In modern Chinese and Japanese, the space may also not be used.

In addition to all of the above, the space is absolutely indispensable in all computer games. If you don't write course work Because a lost/broken unfortunate button will be a trivial matter, then a hero who does not jump in time can lead not only to uprooted hair and dead nerves, but even to a broken screen.

The other day they brought me this cool gaming keyboard Razer rz03-0018 with the spacebar missing without a trace. They assured that the dog had nothing to do with it and had an ironclad alibi)

We carefully examine the crime scene in search of a solution to this problem.

It turned out that out of as many as 6 buttons, only one (third from the left) is functional. All buttons are attached in the same way and therefore you need to tear out one intact one to dissect, study and clone it.

Printing: PLA, 194C, layer 0.15, nozzle 0.3

Since the word “engineer” does not appear in my diploma, and my hands grow with a slight deviation from the normal, it was decided to print many versions of such buttons to carry out the scientific poking method. There were so many of them that they didn’t fit into the frame. But I can say for sure that a viable button was born at approximately 40.4% of the average heavyweight boxer’s capacity.

These are just the buttons themselves that fit into the slots on the keyboard. On top, they should be united together by a large key. We draw it and send it to print:

You may ask: isn’t it easier to print everything together, both the top and them in a single monolithic design? Answer: no, at least for me and my hands, which would waste hundreds of grams of plastic until the perfect result came out. It would turn out something like this:

Therefore, it makes more sense to print everything separately and glue it together. Like this:

After some waving of the scalpel and the skin, everything fell into place perfectly.

The next big problem I encountered: under each space, at its birth, a metal bracket is placed, which acts as a kind of compensator - if you press the button in the left corner, the entire button will be pressed, and not just one corner (you can check it right now). Since there was only one working button under the spacebar, the working area of ​​operation was just above it and did not extend beyond a couple of millimeters. To solve this problem, a second keyboard was used on donor parts, but steel wire with a diameter of about 1 mm can also be used. It is important that this wire is rigid and does not bend even under high moral pressure. It should look like this:

Here, during the setup process, one of the buttons escaped, but was caught and punished with a large dose of superglue. Three small L-shaped stops were printed to secure the bracket.

We try on the bracket on the keyboard, type and glue two larger L-shaped stops:

In the last photo you can see a small piece of plastic on the button - the key was triggered by a strong, deep press. Therefore, I had to build up a cross that presses on the silicone pimp inside the keyboard.

We carefully collect the whole thing:

Make sure that the bracket fits into the mounts on the keyboard and snap it into place. We return all buttons to initial state and check the work in some text editor.

The button came out like original. It's a little tight to press, but people were happy with it.

Of course, in a printing salon (in my city) they would ask for $30 for this key (about 4 cm3, minimum order $30), which is comparable in cost to the keyboard itself. So this is a great incentive to purchase a home 3D printer.

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A good gaming store is still a rarity in the electronic space of our country. Therefore, esports players have already appreciated the convenient portal with an impressive catalog of gaming devices and accessories for professionals in FPS, RPG, MOBA, RVEM and other genres.

Features of the range of goods for video games and e-sports in “Zone 51”

Armchairs

The best esports store in Ukraine offers real gaming chairs from the world's leading manufacturers. A gamer sitting on an ordinary stool or chair is the same as a Formula 1 racer who risked rolling a broken-down Zaporozhets onto the track. Firstly, it is unsafe and terribly inconvenient. Secondly, the chances of winning are zero. No eSports player has ever won a competition on a stool. Take pity on your health - give yourself a gift, after which you will say thank you to yourself every day.

Keyboard

Want to level up your game? Visit an online esports store to purchase a gaming keyboard. Only in it you will find the necessary additional keys and functions that are so lacking in cheap peripherals not suitable for gaming. Feel comfortable during long gaming battles. Customize the controls to your liking and forget about minor mechanical damage. Additional iron fasteners and elements increase the resistance of the professional device to wear.

Headphones

One of the main tasks of an eSports player is to hear everything that happens in the gaming space. For this purpose, the gamer store sells headphones for professional players of different genres. For a high price, you will get impeccable sound quality, a device that will serve you well for many years and will not have a damaging effect on your hearing, even if you turn up the music at full volume.

Mice

The mouse is the main weapon of a gamer. Therefore, every self-respecting esports online store sells these babies, which are a little bit expensive and impressive technical capabilities. Not a single ordinary mouse has ever saved a single virtual life. And if you want to be ahead of your opponent by a split second, perform unique tricks and combinations, you cannot do without a professional manipulator.

Rugs

A good gaming surface is just as important as a professional mouse. In our eSports store you will find specialized mats designed for a specific type of game and manipulator. Easy sliding or a rough surface for precise cursor guidance - the choice is yours. The world's leading manufacturers took care of everything else.

Our representative offices are in Kyiv, Kharkov, Odessa and Lvov. But you will only need them if you have time to break away from your favorite game and personally honor us with your presence. Well, if you pass by, of course, it would be a shame not to stop by to see the magnificent technological masterpieces that thousands of the best gamers in the Solar System arm themselves with every day.

For all other cases, we have prompt delivery to any location in Ukraine. The hardest thing is to make a choice. But we are confident that with the help of free consultations from our experienced sellers, you will find a solution to this difficult task.

Systematic development and refinement of our own models is an effective and correct vector in device development. This approach Razer has long used it in the production of gaming peripherals, including the BlackWidow series of mechanical gaming keyboards.

The review will look at the latest modification of the Ultimate model, which is called BlackWidow Ultimate 2016.

General and technical data

General information

• Manufacturer: Razer
• Model name: BlackWidow Ultimate 2016
• Product code: RZ03-0170
• Country of origin: China
• Warranty: 2 years

• Number of keys: 104 pcs.
• Mechanical Switches: Razer Green (or Razer Orange)
• Number of clicks: at least 60 million
• Interface: USB
• Polling rate: 1000 Hz
• Cable length: 223 cm
• Case material: plastic
• Backlight: one color (green)

• Length: 472 mm
• Width: 171 mm
• Height: 20 mm
• Weight (net): 1.38 kg

• Length: 480 mm
• Width: 260 mm
• Height: 60 mm

Packaging and accessories

In addition, there is a window above the cursor keys that allows you to evaluate the travel and response of the mechanical switches.

The back side highlights the keyboard's key features, briefly describes Razer's mechanical switches, and introduces technical specifications devices in 11 languages, including Russian.

Inside the box, the keyboard is sandwiched between two foam rubber dampers and covered with a hard plastic mold. In addition to the device itself, the package includes:

• User's Guide (24-page booklet translated into 11 languages)
• Card with an address and congratulations from the executive director of the manufacturing company
• Two Razer branding stickers (size 6 x 6 cm)

Appearance and design

This simplification of the design is largely the result feedback manufacturer from gaming community. The fact is that mechanical keyboards with a standard layout are a rare occurrence in the Razer range. Almost all full-length versions (with a number pad) are equipped with macro keys, which are not necessary for every user and, of course, take time to get used to.

The BlackWidow Ultimate 2016 keyboard has a standard 104-key American layout: left Shift is long, Enter is single-level.

The location of the top row of function keys was revised; in the 2014 version, due to the increased distance between the Esc and F1 keys, the F-key blocks were located close to each other, which affected the accuracy of habitual and practiced keystrokes.

In the current modification, the F1 key is located above the 2 button: the gap to Esc is 26 mm, the F-key blocks are separated by a 16 mm space (measurements taken along the top of the keycaps).

The design of the device remains the same. In the center is an illuminated Razer logo, framed by a glossy insert. The edges of the case are beveled, only the design of the upper surface has changed - a easily soiled soft touch, which was used in previous version, replaced with regular plastic for practicality reasons.

Indicators

The top row is the standard Caps Lock indicators, Num Lock and Scroll Lock. The bottom row is represented by two elements: record a macro on the fly (M) and game mode(G) in which it is blocked Windows keys(Also Alt + Tab and Alt + F4 if you specify the appropriate options in the Razer Synapse program).

Compared to the previous model, in the 2016 version the M and G indicators have been swapped, apparently because the keys responsible for these functions are located in this order.

All indicators are illuminated with green diodes, except for the macro recording icon - red is used here (demonstrated in the section on backlighting).

Keyboard base

There are five rubber feet around the perimeter: four of which are located in the corners, and one in the center of the bottom edge. In addition, there are two folding legs, the base of which is also rubberized.

Their unfolding and folding is accompanied by a rather sharp sound from the contact of the plastic stopper with the body of the device, which is alarming at first.

It is worth noting that the folding legs do not have the expected rigidity and sag (deviate) a little when pressure is applied to the surface of the keyboard. According to the author, they may not be able to withstand the release of a gamer’s negative emotions in the form of physical release (after an unsuccessful gaming session).

In general, the keyboard has a quite comfortable tilt angle (5.1 degrees) and few will need to increase it by another 5.5 degrees, but despite this, a gaming keyboard should still not have any design weaknesses, which is why this design of retractable legs can be considered a disadvantage.

Device without retractable legs (height from the placement surface):

• Case at its highest point - 33.6 mm
• Case at the lowest point - 20.7 mm
• 1st row buttons - 28.4 mm
• Buttons of the 6th row - 40 mm
• Tilt angle: 5.1°

• Case at its highest point - 47.6 mm
• Case at the lowest point - 21 mm
• Buttons 1st row - 30 mm
• Buttons of the 6th row - 51 mm
• Tilt angle: 10.6°

Expansion ports and connection wire

The connection wire has a total length of 223 cm and is reinforced at the base for bending with a rubber insert 14 mm long. The cable connection on the rear end is framed in glossy plastic, similar to the Razer logo on the front panel.

A rubberized branching block is located 178 cm from the base of the wire. At its output there are three 40 cm cables ending in one gold-plated 4-pin 3.5 mm plug and two gold-plated USB connectors for connecting the keyboard and powering the USB port (the plug labeled PORT). Thickness USB wires and headsets are different - 3.8 and 3.3 mm, respectively.

Only the keyboard cable (with the Razer logo on the connector) is required for connection; if there is no need to use expansion ports, the remaining wires do not need to be connected.

Key mechanism

Razer Green features mechanical switches with a clicky feel and tactile feedback. They are closest in their operation to Blue type switches, requiring the same pressing force (50 g), but in comparison with the Kailh and Cherry brands they have an earlier actuation point, located at a distance of 1.9 mm, and a shorter travel to the deactivation point ( 0.4 mm).

Razer Orange are silent mechanical switches that are positioned for relatively quiet operation. The actuation force is 45 g, the actuation stroke is similar to the Razer Green, but the return stroke to the deactivation point is only 0.05 mm. The version of the keyboard on these switches is called with the Stealth prefix (BlackWidow Ultimate Stealth 2016).

The production of Razer switches was initially established at the facilities of the Kaihua (Kailh) company, but at the moment, according to Razer's specifications, they are also produced by Greetech, the switches of which are installed in the BlackWidow Ultimate 2016.

The declared resource of Razer mechanical switches is 60 million clicks, which is slightly higher than the characteristics of Cherry and Kailh; this data is present both on the packaging and on the Russian version of the official Razer website. At the same time, on the English-language version of Razer, the switch resource increased to 80 million clicks - the discrepancies are significant, which looks somewhat strange.

The keyboard reviewed in this review is built on Razer Green switches. LEDs are installed in the upper part, the body is opaque.

Simultaneous key presses

But to confidently say that the keyboard supports 14KRO is not entirely correct, since the wording #KRO means processing simultaneous presses of any keys, and perhaps there are combinations that will be limited to processing only ten keystrokes, which is why, in the author’s opinion, the manufacturer claims support exactly 10KRO, and not a higher value.

Caps and symbols

The long keys have Costar stabilizers, but the space bar bracket is different in design - it is straight. The connection points with the holders are lubricated.

On the outer upper end face of some caps one can note the presence of plastic residues resulting from their casting. The flaw is not critical, but I would like to see a cleaner execution.

The surface of the keycaps is smooth, without texture; after some time of use on the keys at a certain angle and lighting, you can see shiny stains from your fingers, which are easily removed.

The letters of the Latin alphabet are printed in Razer's signature font and are located in the upper left part of the cap. The letters of the Russian alphabet are to the right and below.

The Latin layout font is larger and has richer strokes, so it draws a little more attention to itself, but despite this, it is convenient to work with both layouts. Due to the contrast obtained due to differences in style, it is easy to visually isolate the desired alphabet when typing.

Symbols are applied in two ways: laser engraving was used for both layouts and basic symbols, and additional symbols on some keys are painted in white; there are 32 buttons with this design.

The author has no arguments to justify the feasibility of this approach. This is a drawback that was also present in the previous version of the device. It can be assumed that the developers, when designing the keyboard in question, did not touch upon the issue of keycaps and simply repeated the implementation of the 2014 version, but this is not entirely true.

Upon careful study of the layout, the author noted that on the Fn key in the previous model the symbol was painted, and in the current one - engraved, that is, they worked with the layout and application of symbols, but the changes affected only one key out of 33. We can awkwardly joke that the designers still have enough work to do for at least the next 32 modifications of this keyboard, but let’s return to determining the reasons for this design. Why is this so?

When examining the keys, you can trace a pattern - all non-illuminated symbols and pictograms are located in the lower part of the cap, which, as is known, is much less illuminated than its upper part. This is true for all Cherry-like mechanical switches, including those with a transparent housing, since the LED is still located at the top of the switch.

That is, the characters on the bottom of the cap will be illuminated worse and unevenly. There are quite a few mechanical keyboards with this problem, and apparently, the Razer developers did not want the phrase “uneven backlighting” to somehow relate to their products, so they decided to paint symbols on poorly lit areas. Continuation of the discussion on this issue further in the section on lighting.

Backlight

The brightness is adjusted by combinations Fn + F11 (decrease) and Fn + F12 (increase), a total of 19 brightness levels and a position to turn off the backlight.

The letters of the Russian alphabet in the lower part lose a little in illumination, but this aspect does not affect the comfort of work.

The photos below show the backlight with and without a light source. It is easy to notice that additional markings applied with paint are no longer visible without external lighting, which causes discomfort in work.

All symbols should be highlighted. The unevenness of the backlight primarily negatively affects the ease of working with alphabets when typing, and BlackWidow Ultimate 2016 has this in order. The fact that the additional symbols on the 32 keys would be less illuminated than the main symbols would not be significant, since these are minor functions and their number is small. In general, Razer needs to be a little bolder in this matter when developing the next modification of the keyboard.

The symbols themselves are highlighted on the indicator panel - this is a completely logical and convenient design that is not always implemented by keyboard manufacturers. The macro recording indicator is highlighted in red, the rest are green, adjusting the brightness of the keyboard illumination has no effect on the indicator panel.

The keyboard is based on the controller used in BlackWidow Chroma, so the options for controlling the backlight are varied. There are 6 illumination effects available, which can be applied to all keyboard LEDs, or separately to each backlight element.

Control is done through the Razer Synapse program. Simplified settings are carried out in the “Backlight” tab; the selected effect is applied to the entire keyboard illumination.

If more is needed fine tuning, then you need to go to the “Effects Configurator”. In this editor, you can customize each of the 105 backlight elements individually (104 keys and logo).

The editor is convenient to use, the desired effect can be applied directly to a group of keys, which speeds up the setup process, there are layout templates for different types games.

When studying the program, one flaw was noted. Although the logo is separate element and it is configurable, but neither the selected effects nor turning off the backlight changed its state. It all looked strange; out of 105 LEDs on the keyboard, the one that is responsible for the only decorative element cannot be controlled. Thoughts about a conspiracy on a universal scale had to be dispelled, and after checking everyone possible combinations the author found out that the logo illumination is tied to right button Alt. Whatever effect is assigned to the key, the same effect is on the Razer logo. Do you want to turn off the logo illumination? Disable Right Alt.

Profiles and key remapping

102 out of 104 keys are available for editing (the functions of the Fn and Win keys cannot be changed). All settings are linked to the selected profile. The list of features consists of the following items:

• Bind keyboard functions.
• Bind mouse functions.
• Switching devices.
• Assign a macro.
• Launch the program.
• Link multimedia functions.
• Snap Windows features(copy, paste, etc.).
• Disable the selected button.

Macros

The keyboard supports the ability to record macros on the fly using the Fn + F9 combination. A macro created in this way can be adjusted if necessary, just like a macro typed through an editor.

Function keys

• Adjusting the volume and muting the sound (marked in purple):
  Fn + F1 - mute sound
  Fn + F2 - volume down
  Fn + F3 - increase volume
• Multimedia keys (marked in green):
  Fn + F5 - previous track
  Fn + F6 - start (pause)
  Fn + F7 - next track
• Record a macro on the fly (marked in red):
  Fn+F9
• Locking (unlocking) the Windows key(and combinations Alt + Tab, Alt + F4) (marked in orange):
  Fn+F10
• Adjusting the backlight (marked in blue):
  Fn + F11 - decrease brightness
  Fn + F12 - increase brightness
• Activating sleep mode (marked in brown):
  Fn + Pause Break
• Switch between profiles (marked in blue):
  Fn + 0 to Fn + 9 (profiles are created and linked in the Razer Synapse program)

Impressions from work

As noted above, Razer Green switches are close in design to Blue switches, so it is appropriate to compare them with them. The comparison was made with Kailh Blue switches on a new keyboard, which, like the BlackWidow Ultimate 2016, was not used.

The switches are similar in click and behavior, but with prolonged use you notice that the Razer Green is less rigid. Despite the fact that the pressing force for both switches is identical, the barrier before operation on the Razer Green requires a little less effort. It is extremely difficult to determine this with single presses, but when working with the keyboard for a long time, you notice this, as you feel less tension in your fingers.

The backlight is pleasant, the color saturation is good, without external lighting the symbols are clearly legible, of course, except for those painted on.

As for the location of expansion ports, there are questions here. If we take into account that the wire of the headsets is mainly connected to the left cup, then the convenience of the location of the connector with right side keyboards can be challenged. In addition, when connecting, for example, a mouse to a USB port, the plug and wire will occupy its own working area, since the mouse is usually located on the right side.

The most logical solution would be to move the expansion ports to the rear end side closer to the keyboard cable, so that the cables of connected devices do not overlap the working area, and the location close to the keyboard cable would allow them to be more accurately placed on the working surface.

Conclusion

By replacing the easily soiled soft touch with regular plastic, leveling the distance between the blocks of F-keys, removing a row of macro keys, without losing functionality, Razer has released a versatile, practical gaming mechanical keyboard with a classic design that was missing in model range periphery of the company. With the release of BlackWidow Ultimate 2016, this issue is closed (it is worth noting that the classic layout is available in the BlackWidow X series of frameless keyboards, but this is still a somewhat non-standard format).

The main differences between BlackWidow Ultimate version 2016 and version 2014:

• The five macro keys that were located to the left of the standard layout have been removed.
• The distances between the F-key and Esc key blocks have been aligned.
• Two mini-jacks for headphones and microphone were replaced with one 4-pin 3.5 mm combo jack.
• Expanded lighting effects.
• The soiled soft touch coating was replaced with ordinary plastic.
• The indicator panel is made in the form of a glossy insert.
• Indicators G and M have been swapped.
• The Fn key is now backlit.

• Move the USB hub to the back side, preferably closer to the connection cable, so that when connecting other peripherals, the wires do not occupy the mouse’s working area to the right of the keyboard and are located nearby, which would simplify their location.
• Rework the mechanism for folding out the legs and make them stronger.
• Neutralize non-illuminated symbols; all symbols must be illuminated.
• The logo highlight should not be tied to the right Alt key.
• I would like to see caps made without plastic residue on the edges after casting.