razer deathstalker ultimate gaming keyboard with lcd panel factory

How many different products can modern manufacturers incorporate a touch screen? You know, with that question now out in the open air, I’m not sure I want the answer. Touch screens are popping up like mad. I have one on my phone, of course, a digital video recorder, a fan controller for my PC, and now I have one on two different keyboards. If you want more epic gaming products, take a look at our best gaming keyboards list.

The main feature list is nothing particularly noteworthy until you get to the touch screen. The chiclet-style keys are fully programmable, the backlighting is tri-color, and can be customized via Synapse 2.0 software. We have 1000Hz ultra polling with a 1ms response time. A dedicated game mode can be set so you can disable certain keys, which tend to get accidentally pressed while gaming. These include Alt, the Windows key, and others. Also, while in Gaming mode or logged in to Synapse 2.0, users get a 10-key rollover, where 10 keys can be pressed simultaneously, and all are recognized. Yet the features that set the Deathstalker Ultimate apart from the rabble are the aforementioned multi-touch LCD track-panel and the sophisticated 10 dynamic display keys (80Hz response time)

How about “elegance” is that for you? Because this one radiates it like a high fashion GQ model. From the solid, less-modular look to the lowered chiclet-style keys to the 800×600 capacitive multi-touch screen interface. The Razer Deathstalker Ultimate is a showstopper! You can even display your favorite images on the touch screen for a more tailored appeal. These can be pulled right from your computer directories. I should note this feature is untested as I could not get my images to appear on-screen. But that’s a minor crumb from a very rich table.

It’s a nuisance for sure, but Synapse 2.0 seems “…better. Stonger. Faster”. In the past, it was plagued with freezing and crashing. There is no sign of that. Bravo Razer! Moreover, it’s intuitive and makes creating and editing macros just as easy as the Smart Technology used by Mad Catz. I did run into a couple of issues. One is mentioned above–the wallpaper problem. The other… The LCD touch screen replaces a traditional Numpad. You can pull up a virtual Numpad, which looks very similar to what you see on your touch screen smartphone when looking at the dial pad. But sometimes, when I hit a series of numbers, only the first digit appears and removes the cursor from whatever field or file I was working in. I have to manually move the mouse cursor back to the file and then punch in the numbers using the garden variety keys found at the top of the keyboard. I’m sure this can be fixed, but currently, it makes the Numpad app quite unreliable.

Again, this is a full capacitive touch screen. It supports gestures such as two-finger scrolling up, down, or sideways. You can also use 3-fingers to single-swipe left and access the game profiles(3-finger swipe right to return), the screenshot app, and a title-specific set of timers. The timers are more fluff. But the game profiles…? There are profiles tailored to Team Fortress 2, Battlefield 3, Counter-Strike: GO, and SWTOR. Choose one of these profiles, and a nice corresponding game title image will appear on the touch screen. For instance, if you select BF3, then you must choose which class you plan to play (Recon, Assault, etc.) right from the touch screen. The 10 display keys then show an image that corresponds to one of the in-game actions. Go prone, switch to your pistol, or specialty item, are but a few of the baked-in options. You can even customize and edit this further. Or go and create a completely different profile. You can also have the display keys show your custom-created button images. It’s kind of neat but not really what I want from a touch screen-on-a-keyboard solution.

I wish there was something here more compelling regarding the apps. Both the S.T.R.I.K.E. 7 and Deathstalker fall short of a game-changing killer app. The best each offers is the screenshot dealy on the Deathstalker Ultimate, and the Team Speak integration on the S.T.R.I.K.E. 7. Razer, like Mad Catz, is aware that gamers want more from their screens. So hopefully, we will see more apps in the future.

But I can’t complain a lick about the general keyboard performance. The Deathstalker Ultimate is not a mechanical keyboard by any means. Yet I really like typing on it–a lot!! I thought I preferred the mock-mechanical feel of the S.T.R.I.K.E. 7 over the Deathstalker Ultimate. But I can type so much faster on these lowered chiclet-style keys. There is no lag, and everything seems very responsive. The flat keys have a bit more surface area and are easy to reach all around. I have no issues with typing or gaming.

There you have it–a big complicated review for an equally sophisticated product. The Razer Deathstalker Ultimate is an impressive board that needs a bit more time to realize its full potential. Only a couple of apps are majorly useful to gamers. I am confident more sought LCD functions will trickle down eventually. Let’s not forget Razer now has its own GameBooster client that does video capture, among many other things. Theoretically, this could be tacked on to work with the Deathstalker Ultimate multi-touch LCD screen. Until then, you get an obscenely stylish all-black keyboard, a large cache of fun but not particularly useful applications, and general-use performance that is as handsome as the aesthetics.

Bottom Line: The Deathstalker Ultimate is unlike any keyboard we’ve seen thus far. The full capacitive keyboard will turn many heads. Plus, general keyboard performance is excellent. I can easily recommend this one as I know Razer is committed to enhancing the longevity of that touch screen with more gamer-targeted applications.

Razer has announced the DeathStalker Ultimate, a gaming keyboard equipped with a 4-inch integrated touchpad that doubles as an auxiliary LCD display. The peripheral was announced at Gamescom 2012, and it"ll cost $249.99 when it ships in September. You"ll likely note that the gaming peripheral bears a striking resemblance to the RazerStar Wars: The Old Republic branded keyboard — the design is identical, and while the DeathStalker lacks a cheery color palette and strips of LED lighting, it bears the same 10 customizable LCD keys and integrated touchpad.

The DeathStalker Ultimate joins a long line of keyboards with integrated LCD displays — the most recent addition beingMad Catz"s Strike 7. But Razer is attempting to build out a selection of touchscreen apps with its Switchblade UI, coupling its ability to display critical character and game data with tools to take screenshots or check email and browse YouTube while you game. We got an early glimpse of the Switchblade UI on a keyboard with the Razer Blade laptop where it proved to be a so-so touchpad, but promised to make for an awesome independent peripheral — it isn"t quite there yet, but putting it on a keyboard remains a step in the right direction. If the $250 price tag doesn"t give you pause, the DeathStalker Ultimate will begin shipping in September. A $79.99 variant is available for the rest of us, but it scraps the auxiliary display in favor of a traditional number pad, and offers fewer backlighting options.

Designed with Razer’s award-winning Switchblade User Interface – with ten tactile keys and an LCD panel – the Razer DeathStalker Ultimate gaming keyboard allows you to experience a new level of game interaction and control. With customizable iconography to match your personalized control layout, you’re getting the most immersive gaming experience from your keyboard.

It"s now (1) Month and (10) days since I"ve had this keyboard. The finish on the keys I mentioned before has by now evened out and they still look amazing. Now the the keys are broken-in and I"m used to the amount of pressure needed to press them, I"m no longer a ninja-typer. Even so, it"s still quieter than any keyboard I"ve ever heard, which is pretty awesome. I"ve had ~no~ new technical issues and the performance has been continued to be outstanding.

As promised, I do have the answer to the keypad"s inability to use Alt+ codes. After a tepid exchange with Razer support, the representative said "the virtual numpad cannot cater to this because it seems that the virtual numpad only emulates the input from the number row instead of the numbers on the num pad". Why they didn"t opt to build the 10 key app with the expected functionality of a normal keyboard"s 10 key is beyond me. But at least the mystery is solved. While the representatives never directly answered my question as to whether or not that can or will provide a fix to this, I have my fingers crossed that some genius app-developer will create a new 10-key that does support this... because in my opinion it"s an absolute necessity.

As to the palm rest after a month? I still think the complaining is undue. Yes, it collects dust and lint, but it isn"t impossible to clean... you just need spend an extra minute or two longer than a any other keyboard - and for the level of grip and comfort it provides, I"d be disappointed with any other kind of palm rest.

Honestly, the reviews of this keyboard here pretty much terrified me. While I could afford a nearly three hundred dollar keyboard, the amount of reviews here that claimed their keyboard simply did not work at installation was extremely worrying. But having done so much media research saying the opposite, I decided I would take the chance. My seriously out-dated Logitech G-15 keyboard was nearly out of commission, and I wanted something fun to replace it.

It arrived timely, new, and in the typical grandeur of any Razer packaging. Like most Razer products, the physical unit itself was exciting and beautiful. The box contained one solid keyboard (and attached cable), with no separate parts. The normal Razer pamphlets, including stickers, instructions, and user manual were also included.

The instructions looked really easy. They clearly said to install the Synapse 2.0 software first, then the physically plug in the keyboard afterward. Terrified from the reviews, I followed them to a Tee. The Synapse 2.0 Software took longer than I expected to install (in part because it needed me to make a User Account to utilize it), but once the entire process, from download to installation to account creation, to software updates, was through it had only been 10mn or so. It prompted me to plug it.

The Keyboard unit has one wire, with ( 2 ) USB connectors at the end. One appears to be a main USB connection, with a second dangling off of it. Anyone familiar with USB connections could easily assume the second USB was unnecessary, or may serve an alternate purpose - and the instructions won"t say otherwise. In fact, the instructions (including diagram) don"t make mention of the second USB whatsoever. It simply says to plug it in.

I started with the main USB connection. When I plugged it in and checked, the keyboard was dead. Absolutely nothing. This echoed exactly every review of a "faulty device" I"d read here. I won"t lie, I was nervous. I checked the instructions again, and by all appearances I"d done everything right. But as I looked at the lifeless keyboard, it occurred to me that perhaps one USB was for the keyboard functions, and the other was for power.

Leaving nothing to chance, I plugged in the dangling second USB. Guess what? This thing lit up like the fourth of July!! While Windows was updating the drivers, the Synapse 2.0 software recognized the keyboard immediately. I was so relieved.

I"m now pretty convinced that the negative reviews claiming dead keyboards are user error - they simply didn"t plug in both USB connections simultaneously. On that note, you"ll want to be sure that you have ( 2 ) USB ports on your unit that are next to one another. While the second USB is certainly separated near the end, it"s not terribly long.

The main keyboard is sexy as hell. The Cherry MX mechanical keys are, accurate, ridiculously soft to the touch and extremely quiet. Compared to my old Logitech G-15, I was practically ninja-typing. I have large hands, so for me the key spacing overall is tight, but it still feels generous enough to recover from the physical habits of my previous keyboard. It reminds me distinctly of typing on my laptop, albeit better.

The palm-rest is not detachable, and I really don"t mind. This keyboard is fairly compact considering all it can do. However, the softness of the keys is echoed here again by soft finish on the palm-rest. The benefit is clear - there"s no way your hands will slip out of place while you"re gaming - or any time you"re holding your place on a key. The downside is, like others have reviews, that it attracts dust and lint... and due to it"s softness is somewhat difficult to clean (compared to hard plastic that only needs a single wipe). I don"t find this to be a detractor though. I love how it feels when I put my palm down.

The LCD end of the keyboard - probably the heart of this beautiful thing"s appeal - is almost as amazing as it appears. It"s technically called "Switchblade UI". Other reviewers have nailed it with the positive comments. It"s functional, pretty, and responsive. I wouldn"t go so far as to say it"s perfect though. Switching quickly between apps seems to cause unwanted programming confusion, even if it"s slight and easy to remedy. For example, if I go to take a Screencap using the Screencap app, delete a picture from there, and quickly switch to Gmail, there"s some stuttering... and the Gmail app appears with the buttons still retaining the controls native to the Screencap app.

The point is, the Switchblade UI takes "finesse" (or patience is maybe a better word) to get the full experience. Since I"m not a PC gamer I"ll likely never take advantage of the built in Apps for gaming. However, I am a power user, as I run a business online... and that business necessitates the use of using Alt+ (Unicode/Hash) symbols in my daily workings.

For those who don"t know what this is, on any standard keyboard (and in a field meant for typing) you can press Alt+0151 to create and Em Dash, or Alt+0169 to create a copyright symbol, and so on.

This is where the Razer DeathStalker loses an entire stars and is reduced to from 5 to 4. So far, there is absolutely no way to use only the keyboard to create Alt+ symbols. I attempted both on the Switchblade"s virtual Numberpad, as well as the physical number keys. No go. This is a really huge problem for me because it means I"m going to be wasting a lot of time in having top copy/paste these items in from another document.

I"ve contacted Razer Support, who avoided my question about whether or not the keyboard supports it, and instead sent me through troubleshooting by testing this keyboard and my old one on several different computers. I"m still talking with them as I review, and will update later. As it is, I"ve found I"m not alone in the Alt+ symbol issue, and now suspect that this is a known issue for this keyboard. We"ll see.

As an aside: I don"t recommend using this keyboard with a laptop. I plugged this into my ASUS G74SX (and powerful desktop replacement laptop made for intense gaming), and the Swictchblade UI appeared as though it wasn"t getting enough power. The screen displayed with streaks, slight flicker and graphic artifacts... while it still functioned, it pretty much looked awful.

Apart from these issue, I"ve found that using the virtual number pad to be a mostly positive experience. I"ve undergone some instances where typing with it has missed some numbers, however I can"t confirm this is a software issue. I"m still adjusting to the way I must type on the screen, so it very well could be user error.

The touchpad app is the most well done feature of the Switchblade UI. It"s tactile response is amazing, with solid buttons and excellent performance. Basically, not unlike a laptop, you can run mouse free and just use the touchpad to navigate your PC. It also supports multi-gesture for panning, scrolling, and zooming.

It"s extremely handy to have Facebook, Gmail, Youtube and others at hand there without needing to open new tabs or windows. I"ve already found it increasing my workflow by having these guilty pleasure on hand. As others have said, there"s not a great variety of alternate apps as of right now, but I would expect this to grow as time goes on. There"s an interesting app available for Photoshop users (of which I"m an intense one), where you can remotely access your layers and history from the Switchblade. At first I thought this was really cool, but the remote connection was rather petrified by either software programming or poor bandwidth from my ISP. I haven"t figured out which at this point.

While these negative points seem to outweigh the positives in the review, I"m assuming you to understand that these comments are here for your pre-purchase knowledge, and not to knock the product. I"m very happy with it even with them present.

Along with the Switchblade itself, it"s the customization that really drew me into this purchase. The touchpad App I mentioned earlier is where the customization junkies can shine. You can swap out the preinstalled image that shows the touch area and Razer logo with an image of your choosing. Because I"m a conceptual design artist, this appeals to me greatly because I can give my keyboard a little touch of my own... personalizing it to me and my tastes. It seems like a small thing, but doing so really gives me a sense of ownership and care of my product.

If this isn"t enough, like other reviews have said, the full RGB spectrum for the key illumination is fan-frickn-tasitc! You can choose ~any~ custom color to illuminate the keys... and this make the keyboard hypnotic from anywhere in the room. My fiancee has complimented it several times just in passing by from her PC to mine. I"ve lately chosen to let the keyboard cycle through the full spectrum automatically. It takes a little getting used to, but it"s really fun and relieves me from having to choose on a daily (or shorter) basis.

As a heavy PC user who doesn"t game on PC, I absolutely love this keyboard. It"s sleek, it"s beautiful, it feels amazing. I don"t think it feels cheap, even if it is quite lightweight. In fact, I think that"s a bonus. I love the Switchable UI"s access to other items I can"t get on any other keyboard, and the amount of customization offered is unparalleled.

The downsides for me are all easily minor and forgivable, except the inability to use the Alt+ (Unicode/Hash) symbol codes. I absolutely hate that these don"t work and it"s going to impede my workflow. Even so, I have no intentions to give up these keyboard. In my opinion, it"s worth every single penny. My finacee is even considering moving away from her wireless keyboard into the Deathstalker Ultimate, simply on the amount of comfort, flexibility, and access it offers.

As well as an in-the-near-future update on my Razer support issue, I will do my best to return to this review after even more time has passed to update on it"s wear and tear, improvements or setbacks, and Software improvements.

Designed with Razer’s award-winning Switchblade User Interface – with ten tactile keys and an LCD panel – the Razer DeathStalker Ultimate gaming keyboard allows you to experience a new level of game interaction and control. With customizable iconography to match your personalized control layout, you’re getting the most immersive gaming experience from your keyboard.

Razer"s award-winning, proprietary Switchblade User Interface puts more control in your hands with ten dynamic adaptive tactile keys and an LCD panel. Bind an unlimited number of commands, macros, skills, spells, and any other control you need to ten tactile keys that dynamically change to suit the in-game situation. The LCD panel functions as a separate screen which displays in-game information or application widgets in full vibrant color, allowing you to stay ahead of the competition; or as a secondary mouse input device with new gesture controls.

Actuate as many keys as you have fingers, and have all of them register accurately and quickly in game. With the Razer DeathStalker Ultimate"s anti-ghosting capabilities, you can deliver overwhelming destruction to your opponents, and ensure that every command is registered and executed perfectly.

Razer Synapse 2.0 is cutting-edge, intuitive software that functions as the Razer DeathStalker Ultimate"s brain, automatically syncing the gaming keyboard to a cloud server to download driver and firmware updates, while saving your individual settings. Sync your custom settings and macros automatically with this unified configurator, allowing customization of all your Razer products with a single login.

All new Products will have the Warranty Periods listed above, subject to applicable local law. Certain "end of life", sell out or discontinued Products may have a shorter Warranty Period; this will be clearly marked at the time of purchase and the given Warranty Period will be stated at that time. Refurbished Products purchased from Razer.com will have the lesser of a 1 year warranty period or the warranty period as stated above. Refurbished products not purchased from Razer.com will have a 90 day warranty period. If you are uncertain whether your Product is eligible for Limited Warranty support, please contact our support team for clarification.

Please note that third-party products may be covered by the product manufacturer"s warranty and these warranty terms are exclusively provided by the product manufacturer. Razer does not offer a warranty for third-party products. If you need product or warranty support with your third-party product, please contact the product manufacturer. Please consult the product documentation provided by the product manufacturer for details.

[a] If you are a customer outside of the U.S. and have validly purchased a Razer Extended Warranty for your product, the Warranty Period shall be extended for another one (1) year period, to be a total of two (2) years commencing upon the date of retail purchase of your Razer Product. The Razer Extended Warranty does not apply to batteries. Aside from the change to Warranty Period, the Razer Extended Warranty does not alter any other terms and conditions of the Limited Warranty.

[b] Products purchased prior to October 1st, 2018 maintain the original 1 year warranty (keyboards with mechanical switches maintain original 2 year warranty).

[e] Limited Warranty: The Razer Iskur is free from defects in workmanship, materials and construction for three years from the date of purchase. In the event that a defect is found, the manufacturer will either repair or replace the defective item, at its discretion. Exclusions and Limitations: This Limited Warranty does not cover cosmetic damage, minor cosmetic abnormalities and normal wear and tear, including without limitation scratches, dents, discoloration and tears in the head pillow, seat cushion, PU leather, Armrest and stiches of the upholstery.

What would be the ultimate keyboard for PC gaming? No, bigger. Like,ultimate ultimate. Holograms and laserbeams and sh*t? That stuff is not possible yet, but how about a multitouch screen display and 10 programmable buttons with their own dedicated backdisplays? Crazy enough for you? How about backlit keys that you can assign any color to?

There are lots of keyboards out there, but no one has gone balls-out crazy and made something that would give us true accessory lust yet. Maybe this new keyboard from Razer, the Deathstalker Ultimate, might be that for you.

Razer took the Switchblade UI from its lovely gaming laptop and stuck it in a keyboard. You can’t not see this thing when first looking at the keyboard, especially when there’s something running on its little LCD screen. What’s crazy is that you can touch (multitouch, with full support for gestures) this screen, using it like a notebook’s touchpad. Or, you can set it to be more virtual buttons, or even a secondary screen. I did everything from checking my email to watching YouTube videos on this little screen. Everyone that has entered my office this last week has been forced to watch a tiny 4″ corgi music video on it.

But how useful is this Switchblade UI beyond the novelty of tweeting on a little screen built into a keyboard? Ideally, you’d use the touchscreen and the programmable 10 display keys to their fullest potential with games that fully support it as a device. For example,Battlefield 3 has you accessing supplies and switching weapons using dedicated keys. Or in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, you can diffuse bombs or swap gear with a button press. These functions come by way of a dedicated app, and Razer says that more of these will be available for the keyboard soon.

Outside of these dedicated apps, you can self-configure the keys with your own associations, macros, or whatever else you might need, in any game. You can even customize the key displays and touchpad to match your assigned function, dropping in images from any source. For me, that was corgi blogs and videos. For you, it could be porn. Whatever’s game.

The Deathstalker Ultimate’s keys are high quality and impressively responsive, but they’re the low-height notebook style keys, which might bum out fans of mechanical keys (like those of Razer’s BlackWidow Ultimate). In extended play sessions of games like Batman: Arkahm City and Dishonored, the keyboard keys performed so nicely that I hated disconnecting this loaner unit to plug my previous board back in.

Every one of the keyboard’s keys are backlight, and you can use the included Synapse software to tweak the color of that backlight to any shade you wish. Or, for that lava lamp kind of feeling, set it to spectrum cycling to have the keys rotate through many colors.

There are some standard keys that do special things, too. A dedicated Razer key turns on the app side of the Switchblade, letting you pick which app you’d like to run. The recording key lets you record macros, while the dedicated gaming key lets you disable the Windows key.

It’s all very nice, but $250 is a lot to drop on a keyboard with a built-in touchscreen and display buttons that you may not use that often. While the Switchblade side of the keyboard speaks to my technolust, my right hand was always on my gaming mouse during play, making me feel a bit guilty for not using the main draw of this accessory. I loved checking Facebook and watching YouTube videos on it, but that charm will probably wear off soon, and I’ll be back to using a proper-sized monitor to do those things.

Maybe the Switchblade side would be more useful if I played MMO or strategy games; I could definitely see assignable keys being useful in those cases. But even then, you’d have to take your hand off your mouse to access the Switchblade screen and buttons, as they’re fixed on the right side of the keyboard.

Is the Razer Deathstalker Ultimate the ultimate PC gaming keyboard? Maybe for you. For me, the best gaming keyboard is one with dependable WASD keys and a space bar that isn’t bouncy or noisy. I love the Switchblade trackpad and assignable buttons, but they’re a luxury that I can’t see myself using often enough for the outlay.

The Razer Huntsman V2 Analog is the best Razer keyboard we"ve tested. This flagship model comes fully loaded with features designed to elevate your gaming experience. The most notable of these features is the proprietary Optical Analog switches. These switches allow you to adjust the pre-travel distance on a per-key basis, giving you control over the sensitivity of your keypresses. The switches also support an "Analog Mode." With this mode enabled, the more pressure you apply to your keypress, the more you move in-game, like a joystick on a gamepad controller. This feature is excellent for racing games, flight simulators, or for having finer movements in FPS games. And with its split millisecond latency, the in-game experience feels very fluid and responsive.

Every key has a stabilizer underneath it, so there"s no wobble whatsoever, which is great as this reduces the chance of accidentally nicking a nearby key and messing up your shot. Plus, the keycaps are double-shot PBT, meaning they won"t get slick over time from the build-up of finger oil. Overall, it"s an incredibly high-performing keyboard right out of the box, sure to satisfy gamers of any skill level.

At its core, the Razer Pro Type Ultra is a gaming keyboard dressed up for an office job. The design has a nice, office-friendly aesthetic, similar to the silver and chrome style of Apple peripherals, with white-only instead of RGB backlighting. But, under the hood lies a gaming powerhouse offering exceptionally low latency that delivers a responsive in-game experience. This versatile unit also comes equipped with three different connection styles, so you can use it wired while it charges, with up to three devices using Bluetooth, or use the specialized USB receiver, which pairs with some other Razer office products. Razer advertises a battery life of over 200 hours when used wirelessly, so it"s sure to last you through the work week and beyond on a fresh charge.

Overall, it feels incredibly comfortable and pleasant to type on since the linear Razer Yellow switches are super light to actuate and have little resistance. Plus, there"s a cushioned wrist rest to support your wrists throughout your day. The keycaps feel great on your fingertips thanks to the soft-touch coating, and this coating adds a bit of extra grip, which is helpful if you"re prone to sweaty hands.

While the Razer BlackWidow V3 may be one of Razer"s older models, it"s still one of the best Razer gaming keyboards in their lineup. This wired-only model offers exceptionally low latency that"s perfect for competitive and reaction-based games where every second counts. And, thanks to its incredibly light switches, your keypresses feel very fluid. As a bonus, there"s a volume knob and dedicated media keys along the top of the keyboard, so you can easily control your media directly from the keyboard. The RGB backlighting is great for enthusiasts as it"s bright, and the colors are mixed very well. Plus, you can customize the backlighting on a per-key basis using Synapse 3 to display tons of cool lighting effects.

Though its full size takes up a lot of space on a desk, it"s still a solid choice for a permanent gaming setup. It also has a detachable wrist rest for extra support during those long gaming sessions. You also have the choice to get this keyboard with linear Yellow switches or clicky Green switches, which offer a loud, but satisfying click.

If the premium options are a bit out of your price range, don"t worry, there"s always the Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition. Since this is an older version of their flagship Huntsman lineup, it"s available much cheaper than it was at launch, making it the best Razer gaming keyboard you can find for its price point. It uses Razer"s premium Optical switches instead of standard mechanical ones. These feel like a linear mechanical switch, but they use a beam of light to register inputs, meaning they feel much more responsive. They"re also incredibly light to actuate, so you won"t have to press too deeply on your keys to get your shots in.

It comes in a gaming-friendly TenKeyLess size that gives you easy access to your WASD keys, dedicated arrow keys, and extra space on your desk for dynamic mouse movements. And, you get all the customization features that come standard with Synapse 3, like macro-programming and per-key RGB lighting effects.

Razer produces different proprietary switches, meaning you can find a keyboard with your preferred option. They make standard mechanical switches, optical ones, or even hybrid switches, which are rubber dome switches meant to feel like mechanical switches.

The Synapse 3 software isn"t compatible with macOS. Some of their lower-end keyboards don"t have onboard memory, so you can"t customize it on Windows and use those same settings on a Mac.

Razer keyboards are a bit pricey for their quality and aren"t necessarily the best gaming keyboards. A brand like SteelSeries has more features on its models for about the same price.

Compared to Corsair, Razer models tend to use fewer premium materials. Corsair keyboards often have aluminum top plates, PBT keycaps, and Cherry MX switches inside the boards. Razer models tend to have a sleeker aesthetic, with less noise, bells, and whistles. Also, Razer"s higher-end models use optical-mechanical switches, which have an adjustable pre-travel distance feature and a light actuation force. Essentially, you won"t go wrong with a model from either lineup, so it comes down to personal preference and the features you want.

Compared to SteelSeries, Razer offers a much wider range of options and models, with units like the Pro Type Ultra filling the productivity niche. That said, the flagship SteelSeries lineup, the Apex Pro series, is meant to compete with Razer"s flagship Huntsman lineup. Both of these lineups feature boards with an adjustable pre-travel distance feature and multi-input customization, though there are notable differences. The SteelSeries boards have a more consistent and accurate implementation of these features, while the Razer Huntsman Analog boards have an "Analog Mode" that gives you finer control over your in-game movements as the keyboards can emulate joystick controls.

Compared to Logitech, Razer has quite a narrow range of products. Logitech is a major manufacturer of keyboards for both gaming and office use, and their products come in a wide range of switch types, like membrane, scissor, and mechanical, while Razer units use membrane or mechanical switches. Razer does have a leg-up in that they use optical-mechanical switches, which have a greater range of customization over standard mechanical switches. As Razer products are designed for gaming use, they often have better latency, RGB implementation, and customization over Logitech.

Razer makes a good range of wired and wireless models designed mostly for gaming use. Their models are well-built and offer extremely low latency for a responsive in-game performance, but they often don"t have as many extra hardware features to make it worth their premium price tag. As a plus, they make their own in-house switches, which are optimized for gaming, and most of their keyboards come with a variety of switch types, so you can find a configuration that suits your needs right out of the box.

We already reported on a brand new gaming headset coming out of this year"s GamesCom but a headset isn"t complete without an awesome keyboard and mouse attachment. So Razer, being the good peripheral manufacturer that they are, announced a brand new die-hard gaming keyboard called the Razer DeathStalker.

The keyboard sports some awesome features despite being named after a cheesy-as-a-Ritz factory movie from the 80s also called DeathStalker. Even though that movie was crappy there were a few good parts in there worth watching and it wasn"t the bad dialogue, horrible fight scenes or cliched plot. Anyway, the DeathStalker keyboard features 10 dynamic, tactile keys for custom binds or macros, an information based LCD panel and even cloud-based saves, which is perfect for tournament play.

“With the Switchblade UI on the Razer DeathStalker Ultimate, we wanted to offer gamers an enriching and intuitive gaming experience built for total game control,” ... “We continue to work closely with independent software vendors to integrate the API of their games on the Switchblade UI, so that you can see more of the game as you play. I’m excited that we are making such cutting-edge technology available to gamers everywhere, and look forward to bringing more game-specific apps.”

The keyboard"s Switchblade UI capabilities are already fine-tuned for Star Wars: The Old Republic, so for those of you who haven"t bailed on the game already, you can get DPS counters, heal-rates, and more statistics using the display panel.

There"s also a 10-key anti-ghosting feature that enables you to smash and press in as many keys as your fingers can reach across the keyboard without worrying about the buttons not registering. 10-key ghosting also makes a lot of sense considering that if there were anymore than 10 then it means you"re probably playing with both hands and a few of your toes, too.

You can check out a complete list of the keyboard"s capabilities below or look for it to launch at the $79.99 price tag at the end of the year, which is definitely a heck of a lot cheaper than the Mad Catz S.T.R.I.K.E. 7 gaming board. There"s also a few screenshots for your perusal below so you have an idea of what the DeathStalker looks like at all angles. For more info feel free to visit the Official Razer Website.

Designed with Razer’s award-winning Switchblade User Interface – with ten tactile keys and an LCD panel – the Razer DeathStalker Ultimate gaming keyboard allows you to experience a new level of game interaction and control. With customizable iconography to match your personalized control layout, you’re getting the most immersive gaming experience from your keyboard.

The Switchblade UI on the Razer DeathStalker Ultimate is the same acclaimed, customizable LCD trackpad and LED keypad combo introduced on the Razer Switchblade concept, which can currently be found in production on the Razer Blade gaming laptop and the Star Wars™: The Old Republic™gaming keyboard. This unique interface transforms gaming keyboard functionality into a customizable control panel with 10 dynamic, adaptive tactile keys that can be used to bind commands, macros, skills and spells for an unparalleled in-game competitive advantage. Each key can display any image by using Razer’s Synapse 2.0 software, offering gamers the smartest keyboard on the market.

The LCD panel below the keys is capable of two modes. The first setting displays critical in-game information, such as damage dealt and heals-per-second on the new Star Wars™:The Old Republic™Battle Logger application, or countdown timers that keep track of in-game events with the Razer Gamer Timer application. This display also allows for intuitive multitasking, running external applications like YouTube and most social media platforms, which allows gamers to stay connected to the world by instantly updating their status for friends and followers to see, all on the LCD panel.

The second mode of the panel functions as a highly sensitive, multi-touch trackpad with intuitive gestures built-in, offering an alternative method of navigating games or PC desktops.

The Razer DeathStalker Ultimate features an anti-ghosting infrastructure of up to 10 keys in game mode. Users may actuate as many keys as they have fingers, and have them all register accurately and swiftly in-game.

Powered by Razer Synapse 2.0, the world’s first cloud-based storage software, the Razer DeathStalker Ultimate automatically saves all of a user’s custom settings and profiles for the gaming keyboard on a cloud server. These settings can then be accessed from any computer, with any Razer DeathStalker Ultimate, to ensure the keyboard is instantly ready for use.

“With the Switchblade UI on the Razer DeathStalker Ultimate, we wanted to offer gamers an enriching and intuitive gaming experience built for total game control,” said Robert “RazerGuy” Krakoff, president of Razer USA. “We continue to work closely with independent software vendors to integrate the API of their games on the Switchblade UI, so that you can see more of the game as you play. I’m excited that we are making such cutting-edge technology available to gamers everywhere, and look forward to bringing more game-specific apps.”

In addition to the revolutionary Razer DeathStalker Ultimate, Razer also introduced the Razer Deathstalker gaming keyboard. The Razer DeathStalker maintains a standard keyboard layout, replacing the Switchblade UI with a numpad instead. The Razer DeathStalker features the same unique design and features of the Razer DeathStalker Ultimate – a 10-key anti-ghosting infrastructure, chiclet-style keycaps, and Synapse 2.0 support.

Experience a revolutionary and innovative level of gaming immersion and control with the Razer Deathstalker Ultimate gaming keyboard, designed with Razer’s award-winning Switchblade User Interface. It features 10 fully programmable dynamic, adaptive tactile keys and an LCD panel capable of two modes: one for displaying critical in-game information, and another that serves as a highly sensitive trackpad with natural gesture recognition built-in, making the Razer DeathStealker Ultimate the world’s smartest gaming keyboard.

An anti-ghosting infrastructure of up to 10 keys over the entire keyboard ensures no key is left behind as you orchestrate your multi-key press of destruction. The Razer Deathstalker Ultimate is also Razer Synapse 2.0-enabled, and has customizable multi-colored backlit keys to give this hardcore gaming keyboard a personalized look.

Take full command of your games with the Razer Deathstalker gaming keyboard. Its superior anti-ghosting technology allows up to 10 simultaneous key presses to help you effortlessly execute complex combat maneuvers with swift dexterity.

It also features fully programmable slim Chiclet keycaps, is Razer Synapse 2.0-enabled, and has vibrant green backlit keys, giving this hardcore gaming keyboard a highly stylish look.