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The design of the BlackWidow is like nothing we've seen before with a mechanical keyboard. We loved the no-frills approach that SteelSeries used with the 7G but there is no denying that the BlackWidow will turn more heads with it's stunning gloss black base and illuminated keys. All that gloss plastic is very impractical though as keyboards will always pick up lots of fingerprints.
The keys themselves do have a slightly rubberised matte coating, though, which is much more more practical. It measures 475 x 171 x 30 mm (WxLxH).
Unlike some other backlit keyboards, there isn't an option with the BlackWidow to change the colour of the LEDs and the small Razer logo. Razer have included a function button to alter their brightness or to turn them off altogether, though.
You can also switch the lights to a ‘breathing' mode where they gradually fade in from nothing and then fade out again. Razer haven't used the standard keyboard font for the keys either, using a more stylish one that will appeal to gamers.
As we've come to expect from Razer, the build quality of the BlackWidow is amazing. The weight of this keyboard is quite substantial at around 1.5 kg but this adds to the quality feeling. We would say that the BlackWidow's build quality is as good as the SteelSeries 7G and that is very impressive considering the 7G is virtually indestructible.
One of the only things we don't like about the BlackWidow is the multimedia buttons. Razer have implemented the multimedia buttons as secondary functions on the F1-F8 keys which is quite a pain when you want to quickly turn the volume up or down or skip through tracks. We would have much preferred a separate row of keys or touch buttons for multimedia, perhaps down one edge of the keyboard.
Razer's choice to use a thick, properly braided cable also enhances the quality feel of the BlackWidow and should drastically improve its durability. Approximately 30 cm from the end of the cable it breaks out into four separate connectors; two USB2.0 and two 3.5mm connectors. The extra USB2.0 connector and two 3.5mm connectors are to feed the hub on the right hand side of the keyboard which will be useful for people with short headphone leads.
