Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Razer Black Widow Keyboards - Anyone Using Them?

F

FluJunkie

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 17, 2007
618
1
So I'm eyeing the purchase of a new system, and more to the point, my pre-chiclet style Apple keyboard is starting to show signs of an impending failure. I'm not a huge fan of the new style Apple keyboards - while I'm using a BlueTooth one for typing on the iPad and the like, I'm not hugely thrilled about the idea of long term, every day writing, gaming and coding using one.

I currently use one of Razer's Death Adder mice and love it, and have been eying their Black Widow gaming keyboard - mechanical, high feedback clicky style keys sound...nice.

But it's not expressly Mac compatible. Sometimes this is a problem, and sometimes it can just be ignore - does anyone have any experience using one on a Mac? What works and what doesn't? I presume the Macro keys don't.
 
I’m eying it too. I’ve just sent an email to their support department to ask, so I’ll let you know when I get an answer. But from the forums it looks like they do plan Mac drivers for the Ultimate version, and that it will probably work as a basic USB keyboard without any of the extra functions. But I have no first-hand knowledge of this, so it might be best to wait until I get a response from them. :)
 
I went ahead and ordered one to find out.

Seems to work fine as a keyboard. I remapped the modifier keys so they work more like an Apple keyboard, and I'm *slightly* irked by the lack of a USB port for a mouse of the like on the keyboard (they're on the ultimate version, but I really didn't want anything else that keyboard has).

Typing on it right now. Keyboard feel is great, and once you reoriented your hands to the new keyboard layout (which is true for any keyboard), I'm really enjoying it. But it is *noisy*.
 
Thanks! I really appreciate knowing that. It sounds good. I really want a mechanical keyboard, and it seems like a really good price compared to the alternatives. I guess a USB hub is in order though! :)
 
So I'm still getting used to the keyboard, but once I got my mind used to the idea that Escape is in slightly the wrong place, I'm loving it. It's vastly more responsive even then my old Apple keyboard before they went with the chiclet style.

Now hopefully, Razer will come out with drivers so the row of macro keys I've just trained myself to ignore will do something.
 
FluJunkie said:
I went ahead and ordered one to find out.

Seems to work fine as a keyboard. I remapped the modifier keys so they work more like an Apple keyboard, and I'm *slightly* irked by the lack of a USB port for a mouse of the like on the keyboard (they're on the ultimate version, but I really didn't want anything else that keyboard has).

Typing on it right now. Keyboard feel is great, and once you reoriented your hands to the new keyboard layout (which is true for any keyboard), I'm really enjoying it. But it is *noisy*.
Click to expand...

I just received my BlackWidow this afternoon. How did you remap the modifier keys?
 
TitanApe said:
I just received my BlackWidow this afternoon. How did you remap the modifier keys?
Click to expand...

System Preferences -> Keyboard -> Click "Modifier Keys"

I have mine set up like so:

razerkeys.png
 
Are you using your blackwidow on your macbook or imacs? o_O

I am thinking of getting the ultimate but it takes 2 usb ports and the extra mic and headphone ports i cant stick those in on a macbook... Does the regular blackwidow take 2 usb ports as well?
 
I just got this keyboard as well. Razer was supposed to release a driver/firmware to update the use of it on Mac's... no sign of it yet and they promised it last year, I e-mailed support and will update when they e-mail me back. I changed the Windows Key and Alt key to a Mac setting --- Option key then Command key right next to it, but it keeps on resetting everytime I use the trackpad or laptop keyboard... quite annoying! Anyone know how to permanently make it recognize it as the BlackWidow and keep the settings?
 
i really love razer keyboards but i dont like the non mac support. im tempted to get this keyboard..if i was still using pcs i would have had it already.. i guess ill hold off until they release mac drivers and firmware
 
Lakers said:
Are you using your blackwidow on your macbook or imacs? o_O

I am thinking of getting the ultimate but it takes 2 usb ports and the extra mic and headphone ports i cant stick those in on a macbook... Does the regular blackwidow take 2 usb ports as well?
Click to expand...

The ultimate actually only requires 1 usb port. The 2nd usb port is only used if you want to plug in a device into the USB port on the actual keyboard itself.
 
the blackwidow ultimate is awesome! best keyboard i've ever used... (besides the non-mac support) it's on sale at Fry's now for $100. I've been looking for this thing since it came out, rarely ever goes on sale
 
I have one, and I think it's great. I don't know if mech keyboards are for everyone though. You may not like the sound when typing but I do.
 
The drivers don't see, to do much on my PC edition version - the key mappings are still to what's printed on the keyboard, rather than what "belongs" there Mac-version wise.

Still, if they now *have* a Mac version, I'll happily be buying it if/when this one wears out. It is noisy, but I couldn't be happier with the typing quality.
 
I just bought mine yesterday. I have been using Logitech G110 and it is very different.
Although it is much heavier (I travel frequently), it feels more solid when you use it - the clicky sound is very obvious but I like that. Will update once I spend some work time on it as well instead of just using it to play Starcraft 2 lol

I bought the standard edition without the mac keys - i have not read the guide but can i still change modify to command key?
 
bontaku said:
I just bought mine yesterday. I have been using Logitech G110 and it is very different.
Although it is much heavier (I travel frequently), it feels more solid when you use it - the clicky sound is very obvious but I like that. Will update once I spend some work time on it as well instead of just using it to play Starcraft 2 lol

I bought the standard edition without the mac keys - i have not read the guide but can i still change modify to command key?
Click to expand...

Yes, you can still modify the keys. The workaround posted above is working as of Lion. It's just the Mac drivers released on the Razer site assume a Mac layout, so what the driver says the keys are mapped to and what happens when you press the buttons are subtly different.
 
FluJunkie said:
Yes, you can still modify the keys. The workaround posted above is working as of Lion. It's just the Mac drivers released on the Razer site assume a Mac layout, so what the driver says the keys are mapped to and what happens when you press the buttons are subtly different.
Click to expand...

I am not sure if others mention this but I noticed that i can use the Windows button as the Command one. Difference is probably the button is smaller than the ALT. But it works alright for me.

The sound is pretty loud but it is very solid and you don't have to press all the way down for it to work :) so far so good!
 
Now that Razer has brought out the mac version, I am more tempted than ever to buy one. My only worry is this: Will I have to pay customs import duties of some kind on it to get it delivered to the UK? The site gives a delivery cost (massive, but probably worth it), but I've also read that I could face further massive charges to import things like this. I've tried to find out but I'm coming up empty. Does anybody know, or even better, has anyone done this?

Thanks :)
 
I've been going back and forth with a G19 on my mac and PC, but I miss all those nice clicking noises and don't really need all these macros. I just decided to go ahead and get the Black Widow Ultimate Edition off Amazon and it should arrive tomorrow. Didn't go with the mac edition because I want to make sure it fully functions on my PC as well. And I saw the workarounds above so I shouldn't miss anything...

BUT I did love the little RSS screen the most, but wonder if there are external RSS screens that I could use, perhaps something like an iPhone size, or if I culd just use my iPhone itself with a special app, that would replicate that same RSS screen colors and flow of the G19 screen. Any ideas?

Depending on how things go, I might have a new baby on my hands, or I might end up using the G19 again...
 
I recently got the mac edition, but I will be returning it. I can imagine my girlfriend will get annoyed by the sound for one thing, but my main issue was that there are no drivers available for it in boot camp. It seems like they have deliberately engineered the mac driver to only work with the mac version and the pc driver to only work with the windows layout. Which to my mind is an incredibly daft thing to do.

Another issue I've had is that you cannot make the F1...F12 keys work by default- you have to use fn+F11 for instance to hide all windows. With the Apple keyboard there is a setting somewhere to switch this behaviour (in boot camp too), but it's not possible with this keyboard.

Finally, the shifted characters are not backlit, and they appear under the normal key. So you have to remember that "%" is shift-5 when using the backlight. Not a huge problem, but worth mentioning.

Other than that the keyboard has a very solid feel about it. It's a shame I will be returning it, especially as it means I now have to get a logitech (ugh) keyboard. Why oh why doesn't apple just make a backlit keyboard with slightly more raised keys..?
 
If you go to "System Preferences" Click "Keyboard Shortcuts", On the left you can select your topic to change and on the right you can change the key mapping. One thing that go me so far is that after going to Lion and doing this is that I can't use my volume buttons. I'm going to update the driver and try again.

If anyone can help me with the the volume button not working let me know...

badsandwich said:
I recently got the mac edition, but I will be returning it. I can imagine my girlfriend will get annoyed by the sound for one thing, but my main issue was that there are no drivers available for it in boot camp. It seems like they have deliberately engineered the mac driver to only work with the mac version and the pc driver to only work with the windows layout. Which to my mind is an incredibly daft thing to do.

Another issue I've had is that you cannot make the F1...F12 keys work by default- you have to use fn+F11 for instance to hide all windows. With the Apple keyboard there is a setting somewhere to switch this behaviour (in boot camp too), but it's not possible with this keyboard.

Finally, the shifted characters are not backlit, and they appear under the normal key. So you have to remember that "%" is shift-5 when using the backlight. Not a huge problem, but worth mentioning.

Other than that the keyboard has a very solid feel about it. It's a shame I will be returning it, especially as it means I now have to get a logitech (ugh) keyboard. Why oh why doesn't apple just make a backlit keyboard with slightly more raised keys..?
Click to expand...
 
i have the razer black widow ultimate edition and i really like how the keys click when you type. it's my first mechanical keyboard and i bought the windows edition as i was thinking of using it on my pc. haven't remapped anything as i'm used to using the windows key button as the apple button. f10 - f12 control volume and f4 shows dashboard. the mac drivers for the keyboard work good, but since it thinks i have the mac edition the macro buttons are off. ie i assign m3 on the setup screen but it's actually m4 on the keyboard. minor tidbits. still a great keyboard. i also have a naga where i macroed some basic apple shortcuts. so with the two in combination, it works well.
 
Quick question for you Black Widow Ultimate users.

I have the PC version hooked up to my mac pro. Running Firmware version 1.0.8 and the mac drivers 1.0.0. I also have bootcamp and the 1.0.4 windows drivers installed.

Here's my predicament. Every time I restart my computer, no matter which os I boot into, my keyboard goes into the pulsating backlight mode. I hate the pulsating light and really wish it would remember which setting I had it at when the computer turned.

Are you having these issues? If so, any ideas on a fix?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back