Sure we admit we are a bit late, but as the saying goes better late than never. Last week we had the opportunity to attend the Tokyo Game Show (TGS) and get a sneak peak at the latest in PC periopherals and games for several platforms. Unfortunately, however, only one PC gaming peripheral company showed up: Razer. On the bright side, Razer did not disappointed and wowed the Tokyo public.

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Razer Black Widow: Hands On

We began our day by joining Hatta Aziz at the Razer Booth and got hands-on with their latest keyboard, the Black Widow (Ultimate). Joining the ranks of the Lycosa and Arctosa, the Black Widow brings back a nearly forgotten technology: mechanical keys.

Throughout the past year the popularity of mechanical keyboards has picked up and Razer has joined the race with the Black Widow using Cherry MX Blue switches. Even though the Cherry MX Blue switches are best known for their elite typing comfort and speed and, the Cherry MX Black switches, on the other hand, are thought to be the best for gaming, in the end it is all about personal preference. I see nothing wrong with Razer’s choice as the number of high-end keyboards using mechanical Cherry MX Blue switches have decreased, specifically in new markets such as Japan, and the void needs to be filled.

Turning now to my first impressions of the Black Widow, I have to admit that initially I was rather surprised. To begin with I noticed each key was a vertically long rectangle and not a square as it is common on most other keyboards. Not sure what to expect out of this key shape, I realized after a few minutes that it cradled fingers very well preventing horizontal slippage. Moreover, they keys also impress through other design features. The keys are lathered in a light layer of rubberized finish and are backlight. The backlight not only seeps through the lettering on the keys but gives a glow around each individual key.

Another difference from an average desktop keyboard was the presence and location of the “Fn” Key. On notebook computers, the Fn Key is generally located in the bottom left region, but Razer placed it on the bottom right. As odd as it seems it is ingenious. A major gripe with gaming on a notebook is the fact the “Fn” Key can be mistakenly hit instead of the control key. Razer’s strategic placement, prevents this and I definitely think that it is something that most gamers will enjoy. For those who don’t know, the “Fn” key on the Black Widow is used to switch modes or control the output volume.

As for the palm rest and the surrounding area around the keys, it is a glossy plastic and, therefore, unfortunately a fingerprint magnet, though a simple microfiber cloth should remedy this minor issue.

The only real concern that I had were the two feet intended to prop the keyboard up at a sharper angle. Whenever propped up, the feet fell right back down.

Overall I have to admit that I was quite impressed by the Black Widow. It feels well built, and well thought out for most gamers’ needs.

Razer claims that there is “no true (mechanical) gaming keyboard”, and this is probably true considering that SteelSeries which has mechanical gaming keyboards in its line-up is not as large of a brand as Razer or Logitech. Expect this promising product to hit store shelves sometime in Q4 2010 or Q1 2011.

Razer’s StarCraft II Gear

Razer’s StarCraft II Gear was hidden under a glass frame the best protected amongst all products displayed at TGS. However, Razer was kind enough to lift up the glass and give us an opportunity to get hands on with it. The quality was immediately felt and reminded me of an older Dell Latitude notebook: built with plastic but nonetheless solid.

As for the design what we saw is said to  be the final design after its latest update in August 2010. All that is left is some bug fixing and other tweaks.

Finally, a few thoughts about the Razer Spectre, the SCII Mouse and the one product that I have heard much debate about: with a thinner and untraditional design and appearance of the Spectre appears to be rather uncomfortable. However, I have to say it is not the case. The mouse was surprisingly comfortable and in terms of comfort and pretty similar to most of Razer’s existing lineup.

Once again expect the StartCraft II Gear to be available sometime in Q4 2010 or the latest in Q1 2010.