Gaming Weapons

Razer BlackWidow Ultimate Adds Backlighting

Chris — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 08:36:26 +0000

So Razer have just announced their first mechanical gaming keyboard, the Razer BlackWidow, but that’s the cheaper version that doesn’t offer any backlighting. If you want a mechanical keyboard that offers backlit keys (and you would, wouldn’t you) then you’ll be wanting the Razer BlackWidow Ultimate edition.

Note the use of the word Ultimate - oh yes, this is the better of the two BlackWidow keyboards. Every key is backlit in typical Razer style with five levels of intensity to choose from.

Anything else on the Ultimate edition? Yes, you get passthrough sockets for microphone and headphones and an additional USB port.

Retailing at $129 and arriving in September, the BlackWidow Ultimate is $50 more than the standard edition. For that you only get backlighting, audio sockets and a USB port, so you’ve got to ask yourself – is the Ultimate edition really worth the extra cash?

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Razer BlackWidow Ultimate Adds Backlighting is a post from Gaming Weapons. Why not check out our list of the best gaming keyboards?

Mechanical Action With Razer BlackWidow Keyboard

Chris — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 08:31:12 +0000

It’s not very often that hardware manufacturers surprise you, but I wasn’t expecting this from Razer. They’ve just announced their latest product, the Razer Black Widow mechanical keyboard.

The clue as to what makes this keyboard so special is in the last sentence – mechanical keyboard. Most keyboards, and just about all gaming keyboards, use a rubber dome that sits underneath each key, under which is a plastic membrane. When a key is pressed the rubber dome pushes onto the membrane, closes a circuit and triggers a signal to tell the computer which key was pressed.

On mechanical keyboards this is quite different. Under each key sits a mechanical switch and a spring. The switch gives a very definite action and an audible click when you press the key, so you know exactly when the key is triggered (like clicking a mouse button). the spring then pushes the key back up so that it’s ready for the next key press more quickly – important in gaming if you’re repeatedly hammering the same button.

Another advantage of mechanical keys is that the button press is registered more quickly – roughly halfway into the movement of the key, rather than on a standard keyboard where the key has to be fully pressed to register. The movement also requires less force from your finger, so the typing experience is easier on your hands.

Mechanical keyboards are nothing new – you’ve probably heard of Cherry keyboards and Das Keyboard, the only keyboard I know that can be ordered with blank keys in an attempt to improve touch-typing skills. But the Razer BlackWidow is the first mechanical keyboard specifically aimed at the gaming market.

The BlackWidow keyboard offers the usual gaming features. There are five additional gaming keys, that can be reprogrammed on-the-fly using two special buttons to start and stop recording. There are also up to ten keyboard profiles available, so you can configure the keyboard for your favourite games.

Like other Razer keyboards the key polling is done at 1000Hz (1 millisecond response time). There are also multimedia keys as well as a gaming mode switch to disable the Windows keys.

The Razer BlackWidow will retail at $79.99 and will be available in September, but if you want the first back-lit mechanical keyboard you’re going to have to shell out more and buy yourself the BlackWidow Ultimate edition.

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Mechanical Action With Razer BlackWidow Keyboard is a post from Gaming Weapons. Why not check out our list of the best gaming keyboards?

Razer Lachesis Is Dead, Long Live The Lachesis

Chris — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 08:23:30 +0000

When the Razer Lachesis was first released it was King of the Hill – with a 4,000dpi laser sensor and 9 programmable buttons it had a high specification that redefined what we expected from gaming mice. But nowadays it’s nothing special, which is why a new Razer Lachesis V2 has just been revealed.

Like they did with the revamped Deathadder, Razer have taken the original Lachesis design and tweaked it slightly to bring it into line with the competition. So the ambidextrous shape remains the same (good news for lefties) but the sensor is replaced with Razer’s 3.5G 5,600dpi laser that features in a lot of it’s current range. The sensor offers the same refresh rate of 1000Hz with adjustable sensitivity in steps of 125dpi.

There’s the same number of buttons – nine in total, all programmable (as before) using the Razer Synapse onboard memory system that allows up to five profiles to be programmed into the mouse.

Apart from the sensor the only other new feature is the ability to change the colour of the scrollwheel. Whereas the old mouse was available with one fixed colour (you could buy it in Wraith Red, Phantom White or Banshee Blue) the new mouse allows you to choose from up to 16 million colours thanks to some new LED lighting.

This subtly modified Lachesis will be available later in the month at a retail of $79.99.

Razer Lachesis Is Dead, Long Live The Lachesis is a post from Gaming Weapons. Why not check out our list of the best gaming keyboards?

Logitech G700 Wireless Mouse

Chris — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 13:40:10 +0000

For Logitech fans they’ve been a bit short of a decent wireless gaming mouse since the old G7 went out of production, but that’s set to end with the introduction of the spangly new Logitech G700 wireless mouse. In much the same was as the excellent G500 was a revamp of the old G5, the G700 takes the best bits of the G7 and revamps it with new technology.

So what’s under the hood? The G700 is powered by a 5,700dpi laser sensor, the same one used in the G500. Running at a refresh rate of 1000Hz, the sensor can cope with up to 30G of acceleration and has a maxiumum tracking speed of 165 inches/second. As you’d expect there’s adjustable sensitivity, from as low as 200dpi all the way up to 5,700dpi.

I was expecting the G700 to be a G500 without the cables, but the shape and button layout of the new mouse is quite different. As well as a more curvy, ergonomic shape there are thirteen programmable buttons (ten on the G500). Three new ‘G’ buttons on the top are sculpted for more comfortable use, as well as making them more easily identifiable through your fingertips. You also get the same four-way scrollwheel that can toggle between clicky or free-wheeling modes.

The wireless receiver is a tiny little USB attachment (the sort of thing that’s easy to lose!) and if you’re suffering from interference you can switch to a cable connection. The cable also acts as the battery charger, and three LEDs on the side of the G700 give you an indication of the state of the battery.

The Logitech G700 looks like another winner from Logitech and I’ll be keen to get my hands on one. Retail price is $99.99, undercutting the wireless Razer Mamba by $20, and it should be hitting the shops soon.

Logitech G700 Wireless Mouse is a post from Gaming Weapons. Why not check out our list of the best gaming keyboards?

Starcraft 2 Keyset For Zboard

Chris — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 16:11:24 +0000

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SteelSeries StarCraft II ZBoard Limited Edition Keyset (Electronics)

List Price:	$24.99 USD
New From:	$23.43 In Stock

Starcraft 2 has just been released and riding the waves of hype are Steelseries with a range of Starcraft-themed goodies, and one of the first to hit the stores is the Starcraft 2 keyset for the Zboard gaming keyboard.

The Starcraft 2 Zboard keyset uses exactly the same formula as the other keysets on offer – there’s a scattering of artwork from the game on the right hand side of the keyset along with various game-specific buttons in an ‘intuitive layout’. On the left there’s a standard QWERTY keyboard with more labels around the keys for the rest of the in-game commands. Like other keysets you will have the option to reprogram every key and you’ll be able to add macros using the Zboard software.

You can grab a Starcraft 2 Zboard keyset now for a retail price of around 25 dollars, although you should be able to find it for less than that. If you want the game to go with your Zboard you can pick up Starcraft 2 online for less than the retail price of $59.99.

If you’ve been living under a rock and didn’t know there was a sequel coming to the hugely popular StarCraft: Brood War, StarCraft II picks up from the end of the first game and gives you a cast of new heroes and familiar faces to face more alien-invasion based real-time strategy.

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Starcraft 2 Keyset For Zboard is a post from Gaming Weapons. Why not check out our list of the best gaming keyboards?

Razer Banshee Headset For Starcraft II

Chris — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 08:43:21 +0000

The final piece of Razer’s Starcraft II jigsaw is the Banshee headset, and if you liked the Spectre mouse and Marauder keyboard then chances are you’ll love this.

Following the same design as the other two Starcraft accessories, the Razer Banshee headset is designed to provide maximum sound isolation, comfort and portability. The earcups are circumaural in design, so they fully enclose your ear and will shut out distractions from the outside. A configuration utility allows you to adjust the equalizer, pitch and volume or you can pick one of the eight default setups.

The microphone boom can be detached to make it easier to pack up the headphones into your bag inbetween tournaments.

Like the Spectre mouse and Marauder keyboard the Banshee features LED lighting that monitors your actions-per-minute rate, although in this case it’ll tell anyone watching you how fast you’re issuing commands as you won’t be able to see them when the phones are on your head.

The Razer Banshee Starcraft 2 gaming headset will retail for $119.99 and should be in the shops soon.

Razer Banshee Specifications

Gaming-Optimized Performance & Comfort
StarCraft-inspired Design
Backlit Headset with APM (Actions-Per-Minute) Lighting System
Circumaural Design with 50mm Driver Units
Built-in Volume & Mic Control Buttons
Detachable Microphone Boom
Hardware Configuration Utility

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Razer Banshee Headset For Starcraft II is a post from Gaming Weapons. Why not check out our list of the best gaming keyboards?

Razer Marauder Keyboard For Starcraft II

Chris — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 08:04:35 +0000

The second part of Razer’s lineup for Starcraft II players is the Marauder keyboard (alongside the Spectre mouse and Banshee headset).

The Razer Marauder is a compact design that’s intended to be easily carried to tournaments. The key design is different to Razer’s other keyboards as they are more elevated, with Razer claiming that they are ‘perfected for rapid commands and improved gaming performance’. The elevated keys have an ‘optimized key travel distance’ so you should be able to repss the buttons more quickly and at the same time avoid accidental key presses. So if this new key design is so good, does that mean the flat keys of the Lycosa are no good for gaming?

Like the Spectre mouse the Marauder features an active lighting system that provides feedback on how rapidly you’re issuing commands to your forces, based on the number of actions per minute (APM) that you are performing.

The Marauder allows you to program macros on the fly, an essential feature for RTS games like Starcraft.There are unlimited macros available and they can be stored across ten different profiles.

Expect the Razer Marauder Starcraft 2 gaming keyboard to arrive in stores soon at a retail price of $119.99.

Razer Marauder Specifications

StarCraft-inspired Design
Optimized Key Travel Distance
Backlit Keyboard with APM (Actions-Per-Minute) Lighting System
Optimized Spacing with Laser-etched Keys
Razer Hyperesponse technology
1000Hz Ultrapolling /1ms response
Hardware Configuration Utility

Razer Marauder Keyboard For Starcraft II is a post from Gaming Weapons. Why not check out our list of the best gaming keyboards?

Razer Spectre Mouse For Starcraft II

Chris — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 07:50:10 +0000

Razer are set to cash in on the release of Starcraft II with their lineup of new licensed gaming accessories. There’s the new Marauder keyboard, a headset called the Banshee and this new mouse, The Razer Spectre.

The Spectre is a lightweight, five button mouse with a distinctive design that is inspired by StarCraft II (or Starcraft II:Wings of Liberty, to give it it’s full title).

Its main features are obviously aimed at the RTS market and are heavily biased towards improving actions per minute (APM), which is the speed at which RTS gamers can fire off instructions to their in-game units. Apparently newbies typically generate 40-60 actions per minute, but the best pro-gamers can be running at over 300APM at the most frantic points in the game.

One key aspect to improving APM is the ability to vary the force required to activate the left-click button, allowing the player to tailor the feel between speed (light response) or control (a firmer click) . The affect on APM can then be monitored by the newly developed multi-colour APM Lighting System, which varies its shades depending on the current APM rate.

Underneath the shell of the Spectre is is Razer’s excellent 5,600dpi 3.5G laser sensor with its 1000Hz polling rate (meaning a response time of 1 millisecond).

The Razer Spectre Starcraft II mouse will be retailing for $79.99 when it hits the stores next month.

Razer Spectre Specifications

Lightweight, Fingertip-Grip 5 Button Mouse
5600 DPI Razer Precision 3.5G Laser sensor
Backlit Mouse with APM (Actions-Per-Minute) Lighting System
Mouse Click Button Force Adjustment
1000Hz Ultrapolling/1ms response
Hardware Configuration Utility

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Razer Spectre Mouse For Starcraft II is a post from Gaming Weapons. Why not check out our list of the best gaming keyboards?

Corepad Targets Laptop Gamers With Mobilion Mousepad

Chris — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 20:02:35 +0000

The Corepad Mobilion is another mousepad aimed at mobile gamers, being thin enough to fit between a laptop’s keyboard and screen to act as a screen protector.

The Mobilion is available in five different sizes (10, 12 and 15-inches as well as 15 and 17-inch widescreen) to suit the most comon screen sizes on laptops.

The cloth surface of the Mobilion is made of compressed fibres that it give a unique rough glide and feeling. The surface is also waterproof so should be more than capable of handling any drink spills, while the non-slip rubber base prevents the pad from sliding around on the desk surface.

Corepad Targets Laptop Gamers With Mobilion Mousepad is a post from Gaming Weapons. Why not check out our list of the best gaming keyboards?

Mad Catz Eclipse Litetouch Keyboard Offers Wireless Freedom

Chris — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 19:43:40 +0000

If you’re the sort of person who likes to relax back in your chair, sofa or bed and browse the internet then the new Mad Catz Eclipse Litetouch keyboard could be perfect.

OK, so it’s not really a gaming keyboard, but it is perfect for relaxed browsing sessions. For a start it’s wireless so you can easily move away from your desk, but it also includes a tiny trackball built into the keyboard below the number pad so you don’t need to take your mouse with you. This means you really can sit back and control your computer with just the keyboard on your knee.

Another nice touch is the touch sensitive LCD display that replaces the number pad – it can be switched between three different modes including number pad, multimedia controls and a programmable MyEclipse mode. The rest of the keys feature backlighting so you can also use the keyboard at night.

You might expect that battery life would suffer with all of this backlighting and the LCD panel, but the lithium-ion batteries are good for twenty hours use between charges, which isn’t too bad really.

While Mad Catz are known for some cut-price accessories, this keyboard is actually released under their Eclipse badge at a retail price of $129. Check out the preview below:

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Eclipse Litetouch Keyboard (Electronics)

List Price:	$99.99 USD
New From:	$68.99 In Stock
Used from:	$65.99 In Stock

Mad Catz Eclipse Litetouch Keyboard Offers Wireless Freedom is a post from Gaming Weapons. Why not check out our list of the best gaming keyboards?