Skip to main content

Razer's updated BlackWidow Chroma keyboard gets yellow and a comfy wrist rest

After launching the original BlackWidow mechanical keyboard in 2010, Razer now adds another version to its huge arsenal with the launch of the BlackWidow Chroma V2. It builds upon the previous Chroma-based model by adding a third key switch option and a magnetically attached wrist rest that can be easily removed when it’s not needed.

The first version of Razer’s BlackWidow Chroma keyboard is sold with the company’s in-house-developed Green or Orange mechanical switches. The Green version is what Razer calls its “best in class” for PC gaming performance, providing a distinctive click, a fast actuation, and a fast response. The Orange version is similar in performance, only it aims to be silent. Both are validated for esports and have a durability of up to 80 million keystrokes.

New to the switch series is the Razer Yellow model. It’s designed for FPS and MOBA gamers who are frantically pounding on keyboard keys thousands of times per session. It’s “linear and silent,” enabling keys to be pressed faster than those using the Green and Orange switches. It also promises a lifespan of up to 80 million keystrokes, 30 million more than the average mechanical keyboard switch offered in other non-Razer solutions.

“We’ve made improvements across the board and are still the only company designing keyboard switches made specifically for gaming,” Min-Liang Tan, Razer co-founder and CEO, said in a statement. “This is the best mechanical keyboard we’ve ever produced.”

Like the first BlackWidow Chroma model, the new V2 unit features keys that are individually backlit and support 16.8 million colors. This lighting system is powered by the company’s proprietary Chroma platform that is customizable through Razer’s free Synapse software. There are lighting effects to spice up PC gaming too such as wave, spectrum cycling, reactive, and more. Templates can be made and uploaded for others to use through the Razer Chroma Workshop.

The new Chroma V2 model includes a USB passthrough port for connecting a gaming mouse or other peripherals directly to the keyboard. It also provides 3.5mm four-pole audio passthrough jacks so that headphone and microphone cables aren’t draped across the desktop space. The keyboard’s multi-cord cable is covered in braided fiber to prevent wear and tear, and accidental nicks that could cause connectivity issues.

Here are a few additional hardware tidbits:

  • 50g actuation force using Razer Green switches
  • 45g actuation force using Razer Orange or Yellow switches
  • 10 key rollover anti-ghosting
  • Fully programmable keys
  • On-the-fly macro recording
  • Five dedicated macro keys (left)
  • 1,000Hz ultra polling
  • Size: 18.72 x 6.74 x 1.54 inches
  • Weight: 3.31 pounds

The new Chroma V2 unit marks Razer’s ninth BlackWidow mechanical keyboard currently sold on the company’s website. This PC arsenal includes two Tournament Edition models without lighting, two Ultimate models with green backlighting, two Tournament Edition Chroma models supporting 16.8 million colors, and two larger Chroma units. Each pair consists of an ‘X’ model that includes cable management for $10 less.

Here they all are:

As the table shows, the new BlackWidow Chroma V2 mechanical keyboard costs $170 despite whatever switch customers choose (Green, Orange, or Yellow). It’s available through Razer’s online shop now and will appear on store shelves across the globe later in January.

Editors' Recommendations

Kevin Parrish
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kevin started taking PCs apart in the 90s when Quake was on the way and his PC lacked the required components. Since then…
Best OLED monitor deals: Get an OLED screen from just $450
Marvel's Spider-Man running on the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8.

Shopping some of the best monitor deals is a good way to save on some extra screen real estate, but if you’re looking for something that can produce a stunning image you should turn your shopping cart toward the OLED monitors. OLED is one of the best picture technologies currently available, and it can create a lifelike image that makes interacting with games, presentations, and creative work much more immersive. The best OLED monitors can run pretty expensive, but that’s what OLED monitor deals are for. If you’re looking for superior picture quality and some ways to save, read onward for more details on the best OLED monitor deals taking place right now.
ViewSonic 15.6-inch VX1655 4K OLED portable monitor — $450, was $500

Getting into the OLED game can be both affordable and portable with the ViewSonic VX1655. It’s a 4K OLED display that’s made to function as either a laptop extension or something to pair with a tablet. It comes in at a super sharp 4K resolution and a refresh rate of 60Hz. This isn’t something you’d want to pair with a gaming PC, but it’s a great little display to keep with you if you do creative work on the run or want some extra screen real estate while working on a tablet at your desk.

Read more
Best monitor deals: Gaming, office, curved, OLED and more
Dell UltraSharp 27 4K PremierColor Monitor

Whether you prefer to work at one of the best desktop computers, the best laptops, or anything in between, an external monitor can be helpful to add some extra screen real estate. One of the best monitors can even go a long way toward reducing eye strain and creating an immersive digital or gaming experience. While high end monitors can get quite expensive, there are always some impressive monitor deals to shop, and we’ve tracked them all down. Reading onward you’ll find what we feel are the best monitor deals, whether you’re shopping for 4K monitors, gaming monitors, ultrawide monitors, or more general monitors meant for all-purpose users.
Best monitor deals

The following deals represent a best-of of the deals below. They're selected to give a mixture of prices, styles, and levels of discount. If you don't see something you like, don't worry, as the following sections will have plenty more deals for you to choose from. However, this is a highly recommended place to start:

Read more
7 best Chromebooks for 2024: the best for every budget
Close up of the Chrome logo on the top of a Chromebook.

Chromebooks might have a hard time competing with Windows laptops and MacBooks, but that doesn't mean they don't have their place. We've reviewed hundreds of laptops over the years, testing for important qualities like performance, battery life, and display quality — and we've found that Chromebooks consistently excel at performance and reliability.

You can find Chromebooks from Google, HP, Lenovo, Acer, and many others, and we've dug through them to put together this roundup of the best Chromebooks on the market. They're incredibly accessible devices, and for the right person, a Chromebook can be the best laptop in terms of value.

Read more