Razer has become one of the premier PC peripheral makers in the last decade and a half — an accomplishment that would be unobtainable unless the company produced excellent products. Razer’s tagline is “for gamers by gamers,” but does the DeathStalker keyboard stand to the task of defending that tagline?
Yes.
When it comes to a good keyboard you should look for comfort, ease of use, and size. You don’t want something that’s uncomfortable on the wrist or difficult to set up, and you certainly don’t want to eat away at your valuable desk space (unless you don’t value space.) The DeathStalker provides all of the above while remaining versatile and full-sized (unlike some gaming keyboards, this one doesn’t do away with the number pad to save space). It’s also both thin and lightweight so you can take on the go for LAN parties or visits to PC gaming lounges.
The DeathStalker is also pleasant on the eyes with its low profile black keyboard and built-in carbon wrist rest. It also features Razer’s trademark green backlighting that gives keys a beautiful green hue in a dark room. However, its Chiclet-like key design will likely turn away many gamers — me too, initially. I’m used to protruding keys much like those found on the Mad Catz S.T.R.I.K.E 3 and like those found on mechanical keyboards. But after extended use, I found the quitter keys were as responsive and comfortable to use as protruding keys.
Razer designed the keyboard in a way that it rests at an angle that puts the keys at a comfortable height while keeping your wrists comfortable on the integrated rest. It takes a minimum of pressure to push down on the keys, but it’s responsive enough that you won’t accidentally press keys just by resting your fingers on them. It’s durable, too. Being a big, heavy-handed guy I can attest that I’ve been through many a keyboard just from typing too hard or delivering the occasional frustrated smack.
Like most gaming keyboards, the DeathStalker is programmable. You can assign macros to certain keys and not worry about ghosting (multiple key presses can be recorded for future use). This is quite helpful when playing MOBA games like League of Legends or DOTA 2 as they allow for easy combos with skills. I also noticed that Star Craft 2 was a bit easier to play with my base relays set up to a single key. I don’t believe these features are tournament-friendly, but for casual or online play any advantage is a welcome one. What hurts the DeathStalker, however, is the lack of extra, dedicated programmable keys — something you’d find on most other gaming keyboards. You’ll have to give up some of your function keys if you want the added macros functionality.
The downloadable Synapse 2.0 software makes setting up macros and key combinations simple. It displays a graphical keyboard and helps you easily configure the keys and different characteristics. You can also change the intensity of the green backlighting on your keyboard and even switch it so that it pulses.
The DeathStalker is an excellent affordable keyboard that displays Razer’s PC peripheral mastery with its sleek design and excellent feature set, and at only $59.99 it’s an easy choice.
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You can buy the Razer DeathStalker at Amazon for $59.99.