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Razer Lycosa Gaming Keyboard  (Source: Razer)

Razer Piranha Gaming Headset  (Source: Razer)
Razer announces new Lycosa keyboard and Piranha gaming headset at $79.99 each

Many ardent PC gamers will agree that one of the best gaming keyboards to come to market in the last few years is the Razer Tarantula. Today Razer announced its newest gaming keyboard called the Razer Lycosa.

Unlike the old Tarantula keyboard that lacked backlighting on all the keys, the new Lycosa gaming keyboard is fully backlit similarly to the backlighting on the Razer powered Microsoft Reclusa keyboard. Razer provides functionality to allow gamers to choose full backlighting on the Lycosa or to simply backlight the WASD keys used for movement control.

The key tops are rubber coated for non-slip grip and use Hyperesponse technology. Like the Tarantula, the Lycosa has mic and headphone jacks built-in as well as a USB port for powering other USB peripherals.

Razer uses the same 1000 Hz Ultrapolling technology on the Lycosa as they do on the recently announced Razer Lachesis gaming mouse for lag free play. The wrist rest on the keyboard is removable and the keyboard features 10 customizable software profiles that allow for on-the-fly switching.

Onboard memory allows for storage of the profiles and allows the Lycosa to be used on computers without software while still giving gamers access to their profiles. The dimensions of the keyboard are 469 mm L x 221 mm W x 15 mm H with the wrist rest on.

In addition to the Lycosa keyboard, Razer introduced a new stable mate to the Barracuda gaming headphones called the Piranha gaming headset. While the Barracuda headset uses surround sound technology, the Piranha makes due with simple stereo sound.

In-line controls allow for adjusting the volume and a mute button for the mic is available as well. The headset has a frequency response of 18 – 22,000 Hz, and impedance of 32 ohms and a 3-meter cable. The headphones connect via a standard 3.5mm headphone jack rather than the DVI connector used by the Barracuda headphones.

The Lycosa keyboard is scheduled fro availability in November for $79.99 and the Piranha headset is slated for October at the same $79.99 price.

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79 $ no thanks.
By intelcpu on 10/4/2007 4:03:16 PM , Rating: 2
79 $ for a keyboard!!! My Logitech looks as good as these Razor. Way too much for me thanks.




RE: 79 $ no thanks.
By MatthewAC on 10/4/07, Rating: 0
RE: 79 $ no thanks.
By Tiamat on 10/4/2007 4:35:09 PM , Rating: 5
I'm afraid your 25 bucks was wasted as your headphones are extremely frequency bandwidth limited. My 25$ got me headphones that are 10-22000hz.


RE: 79 $ no thanks.
By Trippytiger on 10/4/2007 5:26:49 PM , Rating: 3
I can assure that your $25 headphones are incapable of producing sounds anywhere near the extremes of that claimed frequency range at a remotely audible volume. Headphone manufacturers are notorious for printing frequency response ratings that are completely out to lunch, and clearly Razer is no exception.

Besides, it's not like you can hear 10Hz or 18Hz or 22000Hz anyways.


RE: 79 $ no thanks.
By GoodBytes on 10/4/2007 7:21:59 PM , Rating: 2
quote:

Besides, it's not like you can hear 10Hz or 18Hz or 22000Hz anyways.

Right, but for some reason test shows that people prefer them (in sound quality). What I'm trying to say is, even thus we can't technically hear those frequencies, we well "feel" them.

If you compare 2 identical headphones with the same song and setup, you will see that the one that can reach the 10Hz and 18Hz and 220000Hz sound magically better.

So benchmarks and specs doesn't win for humans. Specially that we are all different. (like people that are born with a better than 20/20 vision)


RE: 79 $ no thanks.
By EarthsDM on 10/4/2007 11:28:03 PM , Rating: 3
quote:
If you compare 2 identical headphones with the same song and setup, you will see that the one that can reach the 10Hz and 18Hz and 220000Hz sound magically better.


It's not magic, it has to do with aliasing, meaning that a 10Hz or 22KHz note that you "can't" hear can confuse your ear into hearing a note of a different frequency, esp. when combined with other frequencies (beat notes.)


RE: 79 $ no thanks.
By PrinceGaz on 10/5/2007 3:03:04 PM , Rating: 2
His reply was intended as a sarcastic comment to the mistake the previous poster made

quote:
I have 10-22hz headphones...

wwhich would mean they can only playback very low frequency bass (it should have been 10hz-22khz, or 10-22000hz). Frequency response ranges are meaningless in any case though, without the decibel difference from peak response throughout (usually at either end of) the stated range.


RE: 79 $ no thanks.
By Trippytiger on 10/5/2007 3:10:53 PM , Rating: 2
No, really? That was sarcasm? I had no idea!

I'm well aware of what the poster was getting at, thanks. I simply felt that, from what I read, he had the impression that that such a frequency response rating was actually meaningful, and I wanted to correct that.

I suppose I would have been better off replying to the original post, though, since that poster clearly does believe that a wider frequency response range makes headphones better.


RE: 79 $ no thanks.
By MatthewAC on 10/5/2007 4:32:01 PM , Rating: 2
Yea it was sarcasm, had no idea it would spark a mini debate XD.

On a small note, that is the setup I have and it is pretty decent, but then again those are probably much better,even out of my sarcasm I think they're a bit overpriced though ;).


RE: 79 $ no thanks.
By 3kliksphilip on 10/4/2007 5:59:47 PM , Rating: 2
I know somebody who spent £79 on the Barracuda ($160)... and I thought that my Saitek Eclipse was expensive (£20 / $40). One advantage with those Razer keyboards is that you can press 10 keys at once. No, it isn't usually useful, but if you're playing 2 player (Or even 4) on a single keyboard it makes a difference. Plus you can mash the buttons and it takes you seriously.


RE: 79 $ no thanks.
By ZaethDekar on 10/4/2007 6:58:17 PM , Rating: 2
Holding all those keys may seem messed up... but my brother and I game on our home lan quite often and he has an edge I definatly don't have.

We play a lot of FPS and I can only run forward when I sprint and left, but I can't turn right with my keyboard. However my brother has the Tarantula that works wonders when it comes to being able to do multiple things at once on the keyboard.


RE: 79 $ no thanks.
By 3kliksphilip on 10/5/2007 11:49:13 AM , Rating: 3
Very few people know about PC Games here, so Gamers needs are misunderstood.

I hold crouch, left and forward, as well as checking the score whilst changing weapons. If you've ever played one of those party games (create-games.com style) you'll realize how hard it is with 3 keys maximum.

Though I think the headsets are a rip off.


RE: 79 $ no thanks.
By Ard on 10/4/2007 8:39:53 PM , Rating: 2
You know, I've never understood the concept of a gaming keyboard. Mice, I can understand because you start getting into things like weights, DPI, button customization, etc. But wtf is a gaming keyboard really going to offer you to improve your skills?


RE: 79 $ no thanks.
By bunnyfubbles on 10/4/2007 10:33:50 PM , Rating: 2
Well you're probably right. Most gaming keyboards really only offer backlit keys, but that doesn't really make them gaming keyboards, it just makes them keyboards good for use by people who can't touch type and play in the dark. Well that's not fair, it is true that key backlighting can look very cool, so there is an aesthetic advantage.

However these Razer keyboards supposedly offer ultrapolling (very fast key response, you make a key stroke and that keystroke is registered ASAP) and antighosting (ability to push multiple keys, Razer claims 10, at the same time and get each key pressed to respond as you would expect. I actually have an older IBM USB keyboard that won't allow me to press more than 3 keys at once...which has often resulted in problems when gaming.

Last is the programmability, I'm not sure how different this new keyboard will be from the Tarantula, but the Tarantula really lets you have some pretty significant freedom with key reprogramming along with some macros. Of course certain gamers aren't going to care too much for these features if the game(s) they play can't really take advantage of them.


RE: 79 $ no thanks.
By 1078feba on 10/9/2007 10:09:37 AM , Rating: 2
Well, I use the Ideazon ZBoard, and the button layout along with enlarged primary movement buttons helps a ton. The keys aren't offset slightly like on a normal qwerty.

I need to check on that ultra-quick response thing though. I have a feeling that the ZBoard doesn't move as fast, nor more than the normal 3 buttons mashed at a time.


USB Ports on the Keyboard
By Etsp on 10/4/2007 4:31:49 PM , Rating: 2
Are these the USB 1.1 ports implemented to simply say "We have USB support!" but can't even power my thumbdrive? or are these actually usable USB 2.0 ports...




RE: USB Ports on the Keyboard
By shabby on 10/4/2007 4:40:58 PM , Rating: 2
How many keyboards have usb2 ports on them? They're mostly usb1, even my g15 is usb1.


RE: USB Ports on the Keyboard
By Haltech on 10/4/2007 5:26:01 PM , Rating: 2
odds are its usb 1.1 compatible. USB 2.0 came out in 2000 so I would hope that its mainstream unless I forgot something.


RE: USB Ports on the Keyboard
By Etsp on 10/4/2007 5:28:11 PM , Rating: 2
So is mine, and I find it ridiculous that it cannot meet the power demands required to power my thumbdrives. I cannot see a reason, other than power constraints that would prevent them from having a USB 2.0 on the keyboard. Even including these power constraints, there are methods to work around it, maybe by requiring the use of two USB ports, which would be worth it because we have too many as it is, just not that many that are easily accessible.


RE: USB Ports on the Keyboard
By Hellburn on 10/4/2007 6:09:00 PM , Rating: 3
The keyboard itself is powered from the USB 2.0 port it is connected to. Since it is already drawing power from that port, it can not provide another USB 2.0 port on itself as there is not enough power left to meet the specification requirements. Not without adding an external power supply. If I'm not mistaken you will find that any hub that is bus powered (i.e. from the USB port it's connected to) only has USB 1.1 ports on it.

"Bonding" two ports for extra power is an interesting idea, but until a device registers on the bus/port, it's limited to a fraction of the power available. What would it register as? Registering as the same device will probably cause confusion in an area that was not designed for that use case.


RE: USB Ports on the Keyboard
By ZaethDekar on 10/4/2007 6:38:30 PM , Rating: 2
You could just have the second USB connection say its part of the keyboard but in alll reality it would just connect from the USB on the keyboard to the USB port. Basically an extension. That way you have a 2.0 and a 1.1 at least on the board.


Would probably still get one anyway....
By Thalyn on 10/7/2007 12:18:22 AM , Rating: 2
The only real curiosity I have for this keyboard is about the cluster backlighting. Like a lot of touch-typist gamers, I use EDSF instead of WSAD for my default movement controls, so lighting up WSAD would be somewhat moot (and not even impressive aesthetically for someone watching).

All I want to know is if the cluster backlighting is customisable. That way I could light up my EDSF configuration, or other users with different controls could light the arrow keys, number pad, or even something more exotic like IKJL or P;L' for lefties. Perhaps even choose to highlight movement and number keys, so we can switch weapons/perform actions with precision in the dark?

I'll still wind up with one anyway - especially if it has the 10-keys-at-once thing. Just thinking out loud (kinda).

(And yes, lighting up EDSF for the reason of finding the keys is also somewhat moot given I already use the little bumps like a touch-typist should. But at least it would look better than having the lights offset by one!)




By afkrotch on 10/8/2007 3:54:37 AM , Rating: 2
It looks like it's all just lit, without any differentiation between the keys.

I'm a touch typist and I use WASD for gaming, simply cause that's the standard setup for majority of games. Also setting it for EDSF would be a pain, cause the shift, ctrl, tab, and alt keys would be further away. Remapping it for majority of games would suck.


Error
By uglyone888 on 10/4/2007 7:15:25 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
The Lycosa keyboard is scheduled fro availability in November for $79.99 and the Piranha headset is slated for October at the same $79.99 price.




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