Razer BlackWidow Elite Review

Why I replaced my old keyboard

This was the replacement for the keyboard I had been using since I reviewed it back in 2019. My Cooler Master Devastator 2 had been a loyal companion, but it had seen better days and I wanted something more. I found it in the Razer BlackWidow Elite, my first true mechanical keyboard.

What I wanted in a mechanical keyboard

A few things about the Devastator 2 had become habits, so when I started shopping I had a short list. First and most important, it had to be a full mechanical keyboard. The mem-chanical feel of the Devastator 2 was nicer than a plain membrane, but it does not compare to the real thing, so that was a must.

Second, I rest my fingers on the keys, so the switches needed a decent actuation force to avoid accidental keystrokes. Third, a quieter switch would be ideal, since the board lives in an office setting and the clacky hallmark of mechanical switches is not always welcome. Last, a backlight would be nice, nothing elaborate, just enough light for the occasional glance at a function shortcut. I am more of a typist than a gamer, though I still game fairly often, and anything beyond that list was a bonus.

Why the BlackWidow Elite

As my first mechanical keyboard, and without a way to try one in a store, I did a lot of online research into boards, switches, and what to expect from each. I looked at name brands, off brands, and everything in between. The BlackWidow was on the list from the start, but at its original price it was more than I wanted to spend on a first mechanical board, so I kept it on my wishlist and kept researching. Then the price dropped far enough that it felt like a no-brainer. Here is why it earned the spot.

How do the Razer yellow switches feel to type on?

First and most obvious, the BlackWidow Elite is a full mechanical keyboard that can be fitted with one of Razer's three switches. I went with the yellows, which Razer describes as linear and silent. By silent they mean quieter than most, not truly silent, but if you type at a reasonable pace they are genuinely pleasant and unobtrusive. The linear action means there is no feedback bump telling you that you have hit the actuation point, but since the key only has to travel 1.2mm to register, I never found I needed it.

The best way to see what is happening inside is the cross-section animations below. The yellow switch travels in one smooth motion between the keycap, slider, and contact leaves. The other Razer and MX-style switches split the slider in two for a tactile bump, or add a notch for the clicky noise. Different designs give different feedback and sound, which is why there are hundreds of switches to choose from. All I know is that I love these yellows.

The keycap stabilization is phenomenal. The space bar feels solid no matter where you strike it, and unlike nearly every keyboard I have used, the individual caps do not wobble in place. That steadiness is a big part of why it feels so good to type on. I can even quantify it: on membrane and mem-chanical boards I maxed out around 60 to 65 words per minute, but on the BlackWidow I consistently clear 75 at about 95 percent accuracy. That is a real jump just from changing keyboards. It is subjective, and your mileage may vary, but if you type a lot I am fairly confident you will love this board. I go out of my way to type because it feels that good.

What else does the BlackWidow Elite offer?

The switches and typing feel are the best part, but a handful of extras are the icing on the cake. I did not buy this keyboard for RGB, yet I have to admit I enjoy tinkering with the Razer Synapse lighting. Every key has its own addressable LED, so in Chroma Studio you can layer effects: I built one with a base wave of blues plus a reactive ripple, so pressing a key sends out a small ripple like tapping the surface of a slow stream. At home the board rolls under my desk so the lighting is wasted, but on my desk at work it is genuinely lovely. Yes, I bought a second one.

Some people take issue with where the media buttons sit, but they work well for me since I can move straight from the mouse to the volume dial, which I much prefer to up and down buttons. The buttons themselves are not mechanical and feel a little mushy and hard to press, but I only use the dial anyway. More interesting are the audio and USB passthroughs on the left side. The braided cable is thick because it actually bundles three cables that split near the end for their respective ports. At home I keep a card reader plugged in, and at work I run my headphones through the audio passthrough.

The audio passthrough works, though I had to finagle the connector to get both channels at full volume. With my Sennheiser CX 100s the plug looks only partly inserted, but that is where it has to sit to work right. Since they stay plugged in it is not an issue, but constant plugging and unplugging would get annoying fast. It likely comes down to the port supporting both output and input. The board also ships with a firm, magnetically attached wrist rest that is a great option if you do not already have one, though I use my own. It also sits right beside my Elgato Stream Deck MK.2, which handles the one-press macros the keyboard does not.

A few smaller touches round it out. The keycaps come off without tools, so cleaning is easy, and because the switches sit level with the deck there is no open cavity underneath for gunk to collect the way there is on a membrane board. The bottom has channels to route the cable multiple ways and two-height pop-out feet. It is a hefty boy at 3.7 pounds, or 1.7 kilos, thanks to the mechanical hardware and an aluminum chassis, and it comes with a two-year warranty.

What are the downsides of the BlackWidow Elite?

I have been gushing, so let me be fair about the rough edges. I wish you could change the indicator light colors. I keep num lock on, and that one pure-white light in a sea of calm color is genuinely annoying. I also noticed a faint metallic twang, as if the switches are tapping the metal chassis, and it echoes a little around the middle of the board where there is more empty space inside. It is not always obvious and probably depends on your desk and surroundings.

The one that bugs me most is software. You have to keep the Razer app open for custom lighting effects to stay active, even though I understood the profiles were saved to the board itself. On top of that, if you sign into Razer's app with an alternate login you have to re-authenticate every time the computer boots. I ended up making a direct Razer account so I could enable automatic login. None of these are dealbreakers, but they are worth knowing going in.

Is the BlackWidow Elite worth it?

Even with those few negatives, I highly recommend this keyboard, especially to anyone who types all day. It turned a lifelong membrane user into someone who looks forward to typing, and years later it is still my daily driver.

If you are shopping today, the Elite has been discontinued, so its successor the BlackWidow V4 Pro is the one to look at. But if you can still find an Elite, it remains a fantastic board.