At least the M800 has replaceable rubber feet. There is a cable-routing trench on its underside, but in the box Razer doesn’t include replacement keys or a key-removal tool. Unlike the SteelSeries, it doesn’t offer any USB ports, nor does it have dedicated macro keys the M800 has six. In other areas, however, the Razer’s pared-back body means it’s missing some features. That’s a similar setup to the SteelSeries. The individually programmable RGB LEDs can produce 16.7m different shades, and their effects can be customised via software. There’s plenty to like about that lighting, too. The metal used throughout the keyboard feels stronger than the M800’s plastic, and there’s plenty of appeal to watching the Razer’s extensive backlighting glow from beneath the keys, illuminating the exposed mechanisms beneath each button. It’s far removed from the SteelSeries keyboard, which has more stylistic elements and noticeably shorter keys, but the Razer’s pared-back looks aren’t necessarily a bad thing. The basic base is made from steel, and is topped off by exposed keys. Razer’s no-nonsense approach extends to the BlackWidow’s design. The M800 is specifically built to be lower-profile, and that more modest actuation level is designed to be quieter too. Razer’s device uses the firm’s green switches, which are designed for pure gaming performance. There are several small differences between the two units, then, and they help to emphasise the different objectives of the BlackWidow X Chroma and the SteelSeries Apex M800 keyboards. Razer says this unit has an 80 million keystroke lifespan – 20 million more than the M800 although in real terms you’re likely to spill your Mountain Dew on it before the keys wear out. The BlackWidow X Chroma is packed with its own hardware, and it’s been built to handle plenty of action. That falls between the most common Cherry switches, but it’s 5g more than is required to register a key press on the SteelSeries unit. The Razer’s heavier touch is borne out by its 50g operating force. While this will make the buttons feel shallower than the Razer’s keys, some users may prefer that lighter typing mechanism. Razer has developed these switches to enable keys to be hit with more speed than conventional Cherry keys, but it’s worth bearing in mind that SteelSeries has gone further: the M800’s keys have an actuation point of only 1.5mm. That, again, is a little lower than Cherry’s hardware. The Razer’s keys also have a 0.4mm reset point, so buttons don’t have to bounce back as far to be ready for another input. In practical terms it means buttons don’t need to be pressed down as far to register a click. In plain English, this means that Razer’s keys have a 1.9mm actuation point, which is between 0.1mm and 0.3mm less than conventional Cherry MX keys. Razer’s new mechanical switches are designed to “actuate at an optimal distance”, to provide the best speed and responsiveness for fast-paced gaming. Related: The Best Gaming Headsets Razer BlackWidow X Chroma – Design and Features The SteelSeries Apex M800 also opted for its own switches, and that unit made a good impression. The £125 BlackWidow X Chroma isn’t the only keyboard I’ve seen to eschews Cherry hardware. Razer’s latest gaming keyboard is a intriguing prospect – a high-end mechanical unit that doesn’t use the near-ubiquitous Cherry MX switches.
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