Razer DeathStalker Ultimate Gaming Keyboard

NOTE: you can find a picture of how my setup looks with the keyboard under the product images, look for the one that's very blue.my previous review scored this keyboard at a single star.the reasoning was actually quite simple...unlike whatever other troubles various reviewers have encountered with software glitches etc...mine was a straight-up hardware QA problem. my letter key "A" did not work. i don't mean it was stuck or anything, it just didn't respond at all. after that scathing review of mine inciting as far as razer should FIRE the QA'ers of the keyboard...i'd have to say that amazon's replacement keyboard was sent to me in perfect condition...and still works perfectly.by perfect, i mean perfect.i'm usually VERY critical of products, especially so after reading many other scathing commentary on various shortcomings and shortfalls of a product that carries a lot of my interest. this keyboard was especially problematic. given that it's hitting a relatively high price point, i was wary of finding so many people complain about the "endless spinning circle" of doom that awaits users who dared so much as to look at the youtube button wrong....or that some reviewers hit an even better easter-egg that possibly ruined their computers entirely, as their seething anger was not to be calmed by the gentle glow of the blue screen eminating in their face when the device was plugged in. a slightly less annoying complication i've been reading was that people couldn't for the lives of them figure out how to actually make their own, or customize the 10 LCD buttons.i'm here to report that after the initial shock of a keyboard that only worked for typing 25/26 of the time (get it? it was missing a letter? ha...haha...h...ok whatever, be that way)...my keyboard actually does everything razer claimed it would do, except make my morning coffee and light my cigarettes for me (firmware update for this? razer?)1. key responsiveness:unlike the previous keyboard i owned from razer, the anansi, the chiclet keys on this thing are just sexy. they work when i want them to, not when i don't (on the anasi, the B, V and D keys liked to stick a lot and work themselves to exhaustion). it's not as satisfying of a "click" as a mechanical keyboard, but unlike the chiclet keys on my vaio ultrabook, most importantly, for gamers...the space key is used for a lot of jumping in many games...and this space key does not flop around or titter-totter like on so many other keyboards that i've tried. the depression of the key feels entirely uniform. i can actually FEEL my keystrokes on this key and they DO click. just not loudly. i don't like loud keys, so i had to custom-install rubber rings into my das 2 ultimate keyboard...which was still too loud for me. in the end, this keyboard is now sitting on my desk as my main board. can't live without it.2. keymapping/macros:like all keyboards/mice of this kind, there's no failure with this unit. it performs as it should, and is an area that i really don't have much to comment on as my macros usually consist of control+up and control+down for master volumn at all times...but it does perform as it should and keep in mind that ALL keys are bindable...so for example, i actually bound my WASD onto the delete/home/end/pagedwn keys for a while when i was playing around on the touchpad. no problems there.3. backlighting uniformitynone of these keyboards, including the logitech ones, have uniform backlighting. it's simply too expensive to have inidvidual LEDs in the keys, i'd think...that you can color on the fly. pay attention to any razer mice or logitech gaming mice and you'll also notice that the backlighting is in general brighter along several keys. however, much like my new favorite gaming mouse, the logitech g600, the lighting is SIGNIFICANTLY more uniform than others i've tried...thanks to a great light-diffuser built into the lettering of each key. so while it may show up uneven if you scanned your keyboard from left to write with your monocle 1/2 inch away from the surface, it should look great when you sit at your desk like a normal person. the most important part of this review is actually the lighting, at least to me. i've tried many many many many many other LED-backlit keyboards and none of them are bright or accurate enough. this is the brightest of the bunch. it's still not as bright as razer's own epic, or logitech's G600 mice...but among KEYBOARDS...this is the most color-accurate and brightest of the bunch. this alone is a win in my book.4. those expensive LCD-screen keys and touchpad you're paying for.- the LCD screen keys, 10 of them, are also fully bindable to anything you want, including macros etc...and you can EASILY customize what you want on them. the screen is surprisingly sharp and beautiful...i was expecting them to use some cheap LCD screen typically found on chinese ipod nano knock-offs...but no, these key-screens (new word, thanks to razer) are bright as all hell and VERY sharp. it seriously is impressive and i'm a digital artist so i've customzed the keys to my design and i'm constantly mesmerized by how beautiful it all comes together thanks to the beautiful screens in the keys.- the LCD touchscreen can be iffy. it's not a huge deal if you're used to mousing over your tablet screen (ipad/android) but it's not intuitive over an actual mouse. the biggest problem lies in that if you have it mapped on very high sensitivity, EVERY APP that runs there will exhibit extreme, PTSD-like hypersensitivity. for example, without adjusting the sense, the calculator app runs fine. after i knocked up the sense to max, slightly touching the numeric pad on the calculator would cause massive amounts of number-input from that one key. so...i'd suggest that if you're also gaming with another cursor-moving peripheral, leave the sensitivity as normal and get on with it.5. LCD interface app-attackall the apps i tried worked..gmail, facebook, youtube...etc. however, note that for facebook you'll be led to the OLD facebook mobile interface, not the ones optimized for smartphones. look it up and you should see what it looks like. not a huge issue for me, as i pretty much just pay attention to the red ticks for notifications...but if you're into some serious facebooking during your games (i pray to god that you're doing this on your own time in a solo-campaign and not in a multiplaer), you might want to look elsewhere...or just prop up a tablet next to you when you game.i had previously stated that no matter how good this keyboard was...i won't give it higher than 3 stars because of the horrible QA problem. in retrospect...i was too harsh. QA errors happen everywhere and at least razer was immediate in their response. i'll eat my words and up the rating to a 4.5 (rounded to 5 for amazon's sake...their service is as usual...impeccable). still .5 off for the QA problem but overall, this keyboard literally IS everything i wanted and solved many combinations of problems i had when i as looking around for options. it gave me the best of all the worlds that i wanted and i sacrificed nothing. the design is also beautiful and people, that piece of rubber can easily be wiped clean with a wet cloth or anything that doesn't leave more lint/particles on it. if the rubber pad is such a huge hassle for you to keep clean, i must have to question just exactly what you like doing in front of your computer screen that dirties up your keyboard so often :P

-------------------UPDATE - 8 | 28 | 2013It's now (1) Month and (10) days since I've had this keyboard. The finish on the keys I mentioned before has by now evened out and they still look amazing. Now the the keys are broken-in and I'm used to the amount of pressure needed to press them, I'm no longer a ninja-typer. Even so, it's still quieter than any keyboard I've ever heard, which is pretty awesome. I've had ~no~ new technical issues and the performance has been continued to be outstanding.As promised, I do have the answer to the keypad's inability to use Alt+ codes. After a tepid exchange with Razer support, the representative said "the virtual numpad cannot cater to this because it seems that the virtual numpad only emulates the input from the number row instead of the numbers on the num pad". Why they didn't opt to build the 10 key app with the expected functionality of a normal keyboard's 10 key is beyond me. But at least the mystery is solved. While the representatives never directly answered my question as to whether or not that can or will provide a fix to this, I have my fingers crossed that some genius app-developer will create a new 10-key that does support this... because in my opinion it's an absolute necessity.As to the palm rest after a month? I still think the complaining is undue. Yes, it collects dust and lint, but it isn't impossible to clean... you just need spend an extra minute or two longer than a any other keyboard - and for the level of grip and comfort it provides, I'd be disappointed with any other kind of palm rest.I'll do my best to update after more time has passed!-------------------ORIGINAL REVIEW:Prior to my purchase I read through 80% of the Amazon reviews, as well as various Media and Seller reviews on other websites.Things to note about my review:1) I'm not a PC gamer.2) I am a tech and customization junkie.3) I direly needed a new keyboard, and the Razer DeathStalker Ultimate was accessible to me financially.------~ My Razer Deathstalker Ultimate Review ~< Pre-purchase & Unpacking >Honestly, the reviews of this keyboard here pretty much terrified me. While I could afford a nearly three hundred dollar keyboard, the amount of reviews here that claimed their keyboard simply did not work at installation was extremely worrying. But having done so much media research saying the opposite, I decided I would take the chance. My seriously out-dated Logitech G-15 keyboard was nearly out of commission, and I wanted something fun to replace it.It arrived timely, new, and in the typical grandeur of any Razer packaging. Like most Razer products, the physical unit itself was exciting and beautiful. The box contained one solid keyboard (and attached cable), with no separate parts. The normal Razer pamphlets, including stickers, instructions, and user manual were also included.< Installation Process >At first glance, the physical installation looked pretty straightforward. Conferring with the instructions confirmed this.The instructions looked really easy. They clearly said to install the Synapse 2.0 software first, then the physically plug in the keyboard afterward. Terrified from the reviews, I followed them to a Tee. The Synapse 2.0 Software took longer than I expected to install (in part because it needed me to make a User Account to utilize it), but once the entire process, from download to installation to account creation, to software updates, was through it had only been 10mn or so. It prompted me to plug it.The Keyboard unit has one wire, with ( 2 ) USB connectors at the end. One appears to be a main USB connection, with a second dangling off of it. Anyone familiar with USB connections could easily assume the second USB was unnecessary, or may serve an alternate purpose - and the instructions won't say otherwise. In fact, the instructions (including diagram) don't make mention of the second USB whatsoever. It simply says to plug it in.I started with the main USB connection. When I plugged it in and checked, the keyboard was dead. Absolutely nothing. This echoed exactly every review of a "faulty device" I'd read here. I won't lie, I was nervous. I checked the instructions again, and by all appearances I'd done everything right. But as I looked at the lifeless keyboard, it occurred to me that perhaps one USB was for the keyboard functions, and the other was for power.Leaving nothing to chance, I plugged in the dangling second USB. Guess what? This thing lit up like the fourth of July!! While Windows was updating the drivers, the Synapse 2.0 software recognized the keyboard immediately. I was so relieved.I'm now pretty convinced that the negative reviews claiming dead keyboards are user error - they simply didn't plug in both USB connections simultaneously. On that note, you'll want to be sure that you have ( 2 ) USB ports on your unit that are next to one another. While the second USB is certainly separated near the end, it's not terribly long.<Using the Keyboard>The main keyboard is sexy as hell. The Cherry MX mechanical keys are, accurate, ridiculously soft to the touch and extremely quiet. Compared to my old Logitech G-15, I was practically ninja-typing. I have large hands, so for me the key spacing overall is tight, but it still feels generous enough to recover from the physical habits of my previous keyboard. It reminds me distinctly of typing on my laptop, albeit better.While the softness of the keys feels amazing, I noticed right away that whatever was used to coat them was disturbed by the natural oils in my fingers. My first typing experience was great, but looking at the keys afterward wasn't very appealing (especially on the spacebar). However, this review comes to you after two and half weeks of use... and by now the keys are beginning to even out some in appearance. The lesser used keys still show the original black satin look... but the well used keys really don't look as bad as I feared they would. I predict that after another month or so of use, 90% of the keys will look unified.The palm-rest is not detachable, and I really don't mind. This keyboard is fairly compact considering all it can do. However, the softness of the keys is echoed here again by soft finish on the palm-rest. The benefit is clear - there's no way your hands will slip out of place while you're gaming - or any time you're holding your place on a key. The downside is, like others have reviews, that it attracts dust and lint... and due to it's softness is somewhat difficult to clean (compared to hard plastic that only needs a single wipe). I don't find this to be a detractor though. I love how it feels when I put my palm down.The LCD end of the keyboard - probably the heart of this beautiful thing's appeal - is almost as amazing as it appears. It's technically called "Switchblade UI". Other reviewers have nailed it with the positive comments. It's functional, pretty, and responsive. I wouldn't go so far as to say it's perfect though. Switching quickly between apps seems to cause unwanted programming confusion, even if it's slight and easy to remedy. For example, if I go to take a Screencap using the Screencap app, delete a picture from there, and quickly switch to Gmail, there's some stuttering... and the Gmail app appears with the buttons still retaining the controls native to the Screencap app.On one occasion it wouldn't correct itself, so I actually had to kill the Switchblade UI process from windows Task Manager. When I did, the UI turned off completely. No lights, no images. Turns out this was a bad move, because there was no way to get the Switchblade UI back on in any of the Synapse 2.0 software settings, and I couldn't find any .EXE. Likely it's hidden somewhere on my PC, but a reboot was obviously faster than digging. It came back on properly after the reboot.The point is, the Switchblade UI takes "finesse" (or patience is maybe a better word) to get the full experience. Since I'm not a PC gamer I'll likely never take advantage of the built in Apps for gaming. However, I am a power user, as I run a business online... and that business necessitates the use of using Alt+ (Unicode/Hash) symbols in my daily workings.For those who don't know what this is, on any standard keyboard (and in a field meant for typing) you can press Alt+0151 to create and Em Dash, or Alt+0169 to create a copyright symbol, and so on.This is where the Razer DeathStalker loses an entire stars and is reduced to from 5 to 4. So far, there is absolutely no way to use only the keyboard to create Alt+ symbols. I attempted both on the Switchblade's virtual Numberpad, as well as the physical number keys. No go. This is a really huge problem for me because it means I'm going to be wasting a lot of time in having top copy/paste these items in from another document.I've contacted Razer Support, who avoided my question about whether or not the keyboard supports it, and instead sent me through troubleshooting by testing this keyboard and my old one on several different computers. I'm still talking with them as I review, and will update later. As it is, I've found I'm not alone in the Alt+ symbol issue, and now suspect that this is a known issue for this keyboard. We'll see.As an aside: I don't recommend using this keyboard with a laptop. I plugged this into my ASUS G74SX (and powerful desktop replacement laptop made for intense gaming), and the Swictchblade UI appeared as though it wasn't getting enough power. The screen displayed with streaks, slight flicker and graphic artifacts... while it still functioned, it pretty much looked awful.Apart from these issue, I've found that using the virtual number pad to be a mostly positive experience. I've undergone some instances where typing with it has missed some numbers, however I can't confirm this is a software issue. I'm still adjusting to the way I must type on the screen, so it very well could be user error.The touchpad app is the most well done feature of the Switchblade UI. It's tactile response is amazing, with solid buttons and excellent performance. Basically, not unlike a laptop, you can run mouse free and just use the touchpad to navigate your PC. It also supports multi-gesture for panning, scrolling, and zooming.It's extremely handy to have Facebook, Gmail, Youtube and others at hand there without needing to open new tabs or windows. I've already found it increasing my workflow by having these guilty pleasure on hand. As others have said, there's not a great variety of alternate apps as of right now, but I would expect this to grow as time goes on. There's an interesting app available for Photoshop users (of which I'm an intense one), where you can remotely access your layers and history from the Switchblade. At first I thought this was really cool, but the remote connection was rather petrified by either software programming or poor bandwidth from my ISP. I haven't figured out which at this point.While these negative points seem to outweigh the positives in the review, I'm assuming you to understand that these comments are here for your pre-purchase knowledge, and not to knock the product. I'm very happy with it even with them present.<Customization>Along with the Switchblade itself, it's the customization that really drew me into this purchase. The touchpad App I mentioned earlier is where the customization junkies can shine. You can swap out the preinstalled image that shows the touch area and Razer logo with an image of your choosing. Because I'm a conceptual design artist, this appeals to me greatly because I can give my keyboard a little touch of my own... personalizing it to me and my tastes. It seems like a small thing, but doing so really gives me a sense of ownership and care of my product.Likewise the buttons above the screen area can also be customized, though I have yet to make my way to doing this. I do intend to!If this isn't enough, like other reviews have said, the full RGB spectrum for the key illumination is fan-frickn-tasitc! You can choose ~any~ custom color to illuminate the keys... and this make the keyboard hypnotic from anywhere in the room. My fiancee has complimented it several times just in passing by from her PC to mine. I've lately chosen to let the keyboard cycle through the full spectrum automatically. It takes a little getting used to, but it's really fun and relieves me from having to choose on a daily (or shorter) basis.If you're not a customization junkie, this may not be regularly useful to you, but if you've any need for your peripherals to match, at least you have the option to set your illumination color to meet that of your mouse, joystick, PC, or monitor lights/LEDs. I think it's pretty cool.< Overall >As a heavy PC user who doesn't game on PC, I absolutely love this keyboard. It's sleek, it's beautiful, it feels amazing. I don't think it feels cheap, even if it is quite lightweight. In fact, I think that's a bonus. I love the Switchable UI's access to other items I can't get on any other keyboard, and the amount of customization offered is unparalleled.The downsides for me are all easily minor and forgivable, except the inability to use the Alt+ (Unicode/Hash) symbol codes. I absolutely hate that these don't work and it's going to impede my workflow. Even so, I have no intentions to give up these keyboard. In my opinion, it's worth every single penny. My finacee is even considering moving away from her wireless keyboard into the Deathstalker Ultimate, simply on the amount of comfort, flexibility, and access it offers.As well as an in-the-near-future update on my Razer support issue, I will do my best to return to this review after even more time has passed to update on it's wear and tear, improvements or setbacks, and Software improvements.