With the colossal growth of hardcore gaming peripherals, it\u2019s only fitting that we stack up SA\u2019s mechanical gaming keyboards against one another.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ve looked at the Cooler Master, SteelSeries and Razer ranges to see what is available and at what price.<\/p>\n
Some of the keyboards, particularly that of the Cooler Master range, feature different mechanical key switch types, namely Black, Brown, Blue, Clear, and Red.<\/p>\n
Black switches are linear, meaning there is no bump or click when pressed. These have a smooth feel with the actuation and release points happening at the exact same time.<\/p>\n
Brown switches are known to allow for quick double-tapping, and have a soft, tactile bump halfway through the key press.<\/p>\n
Blue switches are known to be the \u201cclickiest\u201d of the lot, and have a tactile bump when the activation point is hit.<\/p>\n
Clear switches have a higher actuation force than the brown switches and are often compared to the feel of rubber dome keyboards.<\/p>\n
Red switches are linear, non-tactile, and require a lot less pressure to actuate. The results is a smoother and faster feel, making them ideal for gamers.<\/p>\n
The following table lists the keyboards and respective RRPs (recommended retail prices):<\/p>\n
| Keyboard<\/th>\n | Price<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n |
|---|---|
| CM Storm Quick Fire Rapid<\/td>\n | Black: R949.00 \nBlue: R949.00<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| SteelSeries 6GV2 keyboard<\/td>\n | R999.00 (Cherry Black)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Razer BlackWidow 2013<\/td>\n | R999.99 (Blue)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| CM Storm Quick Fire Pro<\/td>\n | Blue: R1,049.00 \nBlack: R1,049.00 \nBrown: R1,049.00 \nRed: R1,199.00<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| CM Storm Quick Fire TK<\/td>\n | Blue R 1,199.00 \nBrown R 1,199.00 \nRed R 1,199.00<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Razer BlackWidow Ultimate 2013<\/td>\n | R1,399.99 (Cherry MX Blue)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| CM Storm Trigger<\/td>\n | Blue: R1,349.00 \nBlack: R1,349.00 \nRed: R1,449.00<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n The keyboards have various additional features such as\u00a0back-lighting, key sensitivity, additional keys, additional ports, and customisation options. Aside from price, personal preference on features may sell or sway on a particular mechanical keyboard.<\/p>\n Which mechanical keyboard do you recommend? Have you even managed to get hands on such a device? Let us know in the comments below and on the MyGaming forum.<\/p>\n More hardware and gadget news<\/h3>\nRazer StarCraft II peripherals SA pricing<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n New SteelSeries gaming gear: SA pricing<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Nvidia GTX Titan \u201cworld\u2019s fastest GPU\u201d<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n |