The Razer BlackWidow Essential mechanical gaming keyboard (opens in new tab) is down to only $49.99 at Amazon. Before today, we had seen it drop as low as $55 in one-day deals though it usually jumped back up to its retail price of $99.99. On average, it sells for around $82 and today's price marks a new all-time low for it. We don't know how long this discount will last, though.
Some keyboards get rid of the numpad and only have about 87 keys. Some full-size keyboards have around 101 keys or more. This Razer keyboard uses Hyper Shift, which allows you to give every key a second function, providing you with more than 200 possible keys. With macros and shortcuts, the functionality jumps even further. You can do so much with so little using the BlackWidow Essential because every individual key, Hyper shift or not, can be re-programmed to suit your needs.
Not only that, but it's built with Razer's mechanical switches. These optimize actuation and speed up responsiveness. Plus, the keyboard is engineered to last a long time. Since you have so many more functions, you need a keyboard that has a life span of 80 million keystrokes. Each switch is specifically structured to meet Razer's strict requirements. You'll also get 10 key roll-over so you can push those keys as fast as possible without losing any commands.
The BlackWidow Essential is well-rated (opens in new tab) by existing users with an average review score of 4.4 stars out of 5. If it's not for you, we have a list of the best gaming keyboards in 2020 with a number of alternatives.
