I have been using the Razer DeathStalker Expert keyboard for a week now, and I am really starting to enjoy and appreciate it. My previous keyboard of 6 years is the Logitech G11, which I bought twice after a nasty liquid-related accident with the first one. I wanted a replacement after the blue backlight began to dim on the G11 (use at night was a major driver for me) and was consistently directed to the Razer by searches and the reviews I read, which speaks volumes about the company and this product. Users of the keyboard clearly love it, their happy reviews swayed me to buy it on Amazon and it is a great piece of kit to own! I love the backlighting, it is bright green and stands out like a sore thumb - which is awesome in the dark, and has application even during the day to highlight keys just that faint amount. My typing accuracy and speed has improved over the G11 mechanical keys. I am still getting used to applying the right amount of pressure when typing, it clearly takes time to adjust to the chiclet style keys. However, the rebound after depressing the key seems to cue me to type the next letter and by "bouncing" my finger off. This speeds up typing noticeably, while the clear lettering and key spacing makes for confident key presses. Less hunt, more peck. It's a solid, sleek-looking high quality item, it feels less plasticky than my G11. The way it's designed gives me better tactile feedback about the key location and where my fingers are - very useful for productivity while typing, and while gaming. The time saved = more bullets on target if you're a regular gamer. I feel the benefit in Star Citizen with better control of my ship functions through quicker response. (I recognised it all lit up on Chris Roberts' desk during "10 For The Chairman", it looks awesome!) It's surprisingly small and low profile, pleasingly attractive and awesomely eye catching when it's lit up. I haven't used the Synapse software yet, but look forward to giving it a try - as well as the on-the-fly macro feature. The audio and media functions are easily accessible and due to it's design simplicity the functions are a snap to find and operate. I'm pleased so far with this keyboard, and recommend it to anyone on the fence about a new keyboard. It's an excellent upgrade. Read more
This is my daily driver at work (software development), and I am very particular about keyboards. Let me start with the cons, the move into the pros: Cons: - Wrist rest is glossy, it's got some textured plastic which is nice, but it's still glossy, kinda disappointing - No braided cable, though this hasn't been a huge issue for me - You need to keep your hands clean when using this keyboard because it picks up grease easily, for me this is not an issue but for some it could be - The logo is just a static image, no lights. This isn't really a con but something to be aware of. Pros: - Key spacing is absolutely perfect for me, I think that is the best part. - Chicklet membrane keys are very comfortable to type with - Quiet, so you can use it in any situation be it work, around people, etc. - The wrist rest is super nice and its got lots of space - LED's are pretty bright, even in fully lit rooms, and there are several levels of brightness you can choose from (I think it's like 10 or something) - Great response times, it's good for gaming - The low profile seems like it wouldn't be very comfortable but it is incredibly comfy - Build quality (for me anyway) was awesome, simply awesome. Good luck breaking this thing in day to day use. - Almost zero flex in this keyboard (The only reason I say it has any at all is because you can sort of flex it if you really try, but day to day use will be zero flex) - The look is very nice - It's fairly light but still anchors nicely with rubber on the bottom - The spacing on the sides, this sounds weight but on elevated keys with no spacing on the edges your pinky will sometimes fall of (such as the keyboard I'm typing this with), but the subtle spacing on the sides is great. - It can lay very flat or raise with the legs about an inch Overall, this is a solid keyboard even before the fact that the price is great, I have the backlit non chroma edition, I wouldn't go with the ultimate as it's a bit...pointless...but standard, backlit or chroma are all great choices. The fact that it is highly affordable just makes it that much better. I would say this is probably in the top 5 flat key keyboards period, and for me it is probably my favorite keyboard. Absolutely great purchase. Read more
This keyboard is fantastic, light years better than the standard apple keyboard. What I Like: 1. Chicklet key type, I love this, although was concerned that they won't give a confident click back like a mechanical keyboard. 2. Key feedback, the keys aren't quite as pronounced in their click feel as they would on a mechanical, however, it's a twice as powerful as the Apple keyboards. 3. Mac compatibility, it works fine with osx Mavericks, although there is some difficulty remapping the scroll and numlock keys, but if you don't use these, it's not a problem. On that note, remapping keys otherwise is remarkably easy, swapped the cmd and alt keys with ease. 4. Appearance, must I say more? It looks sick, the light is bright but not blinding, and has adjustable brightness with a plethora of levels in case 47.2% is too dark and 47.4% is too bright. 5. Key spacing, there is a little more space between keys, so it works great with my giant hands. What I don't Like: (nothing worth removing the 5 star rating) 1. Finish, the plastic material is certainly the kind that will start to get stains over time from natural body oils. 2. The size, keep in mind this is a full size keyboard with numpad, but there is a bit of wasted space that could shave a couple inches off. 3. Synapse 2.0 registration, you have to make multiple accounts, and verify your email before using it. But it won't tell you to verify, it's just going to assume you know that... Overall, it's a great keyboard and I'm more than willing to make a rating on the first day I've had it. It feels great, looks great and works great. I guess this means I'm part of the Razer cult now :) Read more
