Razer is embracing simplicity with the new Blackwidow X series

Razer is going back to the basics with their newest line of keyboards, taking away the bells and whistles that drive up the cost of their normal Blackwidow line with the new Blackwidow X. Simplicity doesn't mean cheap, just less expensive with the same (improved) manufacturing techniques.

The new keyboards are part of a whole new line that's attempting to break into all manner of price points for mechanical keyboards by stripping away the top-plate and the accessory buttons that come with it. The exposed metal plate underneath is actually quite attractive, with a similar look to Corsair's keyboards. This new line is focusing on bringing the cost of Razer's keyboards, with their own designed switch, down to more reasonable levels. This one is full-sized, with numpad, and has Razer's Green switch, with a 50g actuation force requirement and a shorter breaking point. They're durable to up to 80 million clicks and each individual key is individually programmable to show 16.8 million different colors. You can find it for $159.99.

There's always some question of quality surrounding Razer. I myself have had bad luck in regards to Razer products failing, however, they're very adamant about increasing their quality control and making sure their manufacturing processes are far better than they were in the past. They're recognizing the shortcomings from the past. At E3 last year, I was able to see some of the different mechanisms they use to test their new switches, and they certainly put them through a torture test to ensure they work far more reliably than in the past. I'm currently investigating the durability of the Razer Blackwidow Chroma Tournament (tenkeyless) edition by not holding back on my clicking.