A follow up to the BWU 2k13, the BWU 2k14 gives some improvement to overall design and function of both the keyboard and the Razer-designed key switches. A few features of the BWU 2k14 from Razer’s website:
- Clicky key switches (Green) at 50g actuation force or Silent key switches (Orange) at 45g actuation force.
- Green keyboard backlight with various levels of lighting (through Razer Synapse).
- 10-key rollover.
- Gaming mode option (turns off Windows key).
- Braided USB cable.
- 5 macro keys (programmable through Synapse).
- Audio-in and Microphone-out.
- USB passthrough.
Overall, we were both very impressed with the quality of the build. The keyboard felt very premium, and should be for the $100+ price tag. The key switches felt responsive and well-built. They are a great homage to the various key switches out there that have already built quite a name for themselves (i.e. Cherry). They are rather loud (we have the Green key switch) but this is to be expected from a mechanical keyboard. The extra noise is a rather good trade-off for more accurate response from a mechanical key switch.
The built-in backlight was a nice touch for aesthetics. The green is very vibrant and can be as dim as you’d like it or bright enough to see from space. We would have liked to see RGB backlighting; however, Razer has addressed that with the BW Chroma. We also liked the Audio-in and Headphone jacks on the side. They are well placed and out of the way.
Capt_Jock continues to love this keyboard and feels he spent his money well. I know that I’m considering moving from my Logitech G510 over to the BW Chroma. While we understand that there is a “heated” debate over the BWU vs. Corsair K70 vs. Ducky, we feel that this keyboard will serve you well for your gaming needs and the price tag is quite affordable for a mechanical keyboard.
2XP Gaming 