Razer announces specialized MMO gaming keyboard
by Zach Yonzon 
Oct 27th 2010 at 11:00AM
The difference between this keyboard and other gaming keyboards is simple. There are seven configurable modifier keys below the space bar that can assigned to the common modifiers such as Alt, Ctrl and Shift, making all those keybinds and macros even more accessible. Designed by Razer to be paired with its MMO gaming mouse, the Razer Naga, the Anansi also sports features such as 100 programmable Hyperesponse keys, one-button profile switching (for up to 20 profiles with the built-in software driver), five additional gaming keys, and an option for those multi-colored lights that are becoming in vogue with most gaming peripherals lately.
It also has an optimized key matrix that prevents the ghosting that typically happens when more than two keys are pressed simultaneously. The engineers at Razer have reconfigured the hardware to enable recognition of up to six simultaneous keystrokes, centered around the left-hand cluster generally used for gaming (the W, A, S, D keys). It's a cool feature that most MMO gamers probably won't need, but all you button-mashers can rejoice. There's a nifty gaming mode option that temporarily disables the Windows key so you can stay in the game without having to remap your Windows key for fear of hitting it the chaos of a raid or arena match.
The Razer Anansi is compatible with Windows and Macs and will retail for $99. It is scheduled to ship in December, with pre-orders starting soon.
Filed under: News items
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Sinthar Oct 27th 2010 11:12AM
Personally I hope they DIDNT use goblin engineering with that keyboard- I dont want it to blow up in my face when im gaming!!!! :)
snowleopard233 Oct 27th 2010 12:33PM
Oh come on, friend! The chances of that happening are only 4.235678 to 1! And even if it does spontaneously combust in your face we have the handy dandy Venture Company airbag that will deploy and that only has a 2.34% rate of extensive suffocation! That’s only a 25.92% rate of disaster compared to the 45% discount I’m dropping off the price of these things within the next five minutes! So, you’re breaking more than even in the long run! Buy now!
Cody Oct 27th 2010 11:15AM
Well if this is like the G-15 im sure it will get you banned too LOL fail Blizzard
Finnicks Oct 27th 2010 11:28AM
Program macros with care, and especially don't make any macros with any kind of built-in delay (Like Press 1, wait 1.5s, Press 2) to bypass the global cooldown. Any kind of programmed delay macro is viewed (rightly so) as botting and will get you in serious trouble. If you can't accomplish the feat with the in-game macros, it's probably not a good idea to use a hardware macro to.
The rule of thumb is: One keystroke per GCD ability.
Stoop Oct 27th 2010 11:35AM
I've played WoW with an original G15 since day 1. Never had an issue. Of course, I don't use it to violate any ToS...
Koleckai Oct 27th 2010 11:14AM
Looks nice. I might look into it more after the new year when player reviews become available.
Holgar Oct 27th 2010 11:23AM
Four months ago I woulden't have even considered spending a hundred bucks on a new key board while mine is still working. But I have to say I love my Razer Naga and a few more function keys woulden't be amiss..........
BigBadGooz Oct 27th 2010 11:56AM
Agreed im gunna buy it soon(tm)
jfofla Oct 27th 2010 1:35PM
I have the Naga mouse AND the expensive Razer mousepad.
I wonder what the chances of me buying the keyboard are? Hmmmm
Itanius Oct 27th 2010 11:26AM
I feel so old school; I like my mouse with 5 buttons and a standard keyboard. These gaming peripherals, while very cool in design and function, don't find much use with me.
I actually use a Logitech G15, but I don't use the macro buttons at all and don't really use the display, although it does show vitals in WoW.
For my mouse, I use a Logitech MX518 and absolutely love it. It's about due for a replacement, though, since most of the surface texturing has worn off.
Itanius Oct 27th 2010 11:29AM
By the way, I meant to comment on the design of the Razer Anansi featured in this article. Who decided it was a good idea to put buttons under the space bar? Looking down at my keyboard, I use that space for my thumb to support my left hand while WASDing.
Alexa Oct 27th 2010 11:38AM
Agreed, I can't imagine having buttons under the space bar on a traditional (non-ergo) keyboard because that's where your wrists sit.
Finnicks Oct 27th 2010 11:44AM
The special G keys on the G-15 are completely useless for WoW. There's only 6 of them. That means most of your keybindings will be elsewhere, and reaching over to them will take too long.
I use the old G11, with it's 18 G keys, and I use them for everything. Fingers on G7-G9, thumb resting on control. Easy access to 12 abilities using G7-G12 and CTRL+G7-CTRL+G12, and stuff I use less often on the upper set (G1-G6) and lower set (G13-G18).
I just bound the 18 G keys to number keys 1 through =, and NumPad 1-6, then used Dominos Key Binding to bind the G keys to action bars.
P.S. - That's exactly the point of this keyboard. The keys under the spacebar are modifier keys (SHIFT, CTRL, ALT, CTRL+ALT, CTRL+SHIFT, ALT+SHIFT, and CTRL+ALT+SHIFT). Since your thumb rests down there anyway, you would learn to use your thumb to press those modifier keys, while your fingers are free to press the WASD and number keys, using the new modifier keys to transform 1-5 and WASD into a massive number of different possible combinations. I wouldn't like the idea, since I'm a mouse-mover, but I imagine it would be pretty nice for some people.
Hoffa Oct 27th 2010 11:30AM
I really like the backlit keyboards, I have the Logitech one now,
and I'm too spoiled to go back to normal, lol.
Finnicks Oct 27th 2010 11:40AM
The special G keys on the G-15 are completely useless for WoW. There's only 6 of them. That means most of your keybindings will be elsewhere, and reaching over to them will take too long.
I use the old G11, with it's 18 G keys, and I use them for everything. Fingers on G7-G9, thumb resting on control. Easy access to 12 abilities using G7-G12 and CTRL+G7-CTRL+G12, and stuff I use less often on the upper set (G1-G6) and lower set (G13-G18).
I just bound the 18 G keys to number keys 1 through =, and NumPad 1-6, then used Dominos Key Binding to bind the G keys to action bars.
Finnicks Oct 27th 2010 11:45AM
downrank and delete, please. This was meant as a reply.
Cbeefman Oct 27th 2010 11:44AM
I'm not really a fan of the "gaming keyboard" idea but even if i was, i wouldnt buy this one ONLY because of the name.
I was born and live in the Caribbean, and here, we have some folklore derived from west African stories which speak to a character named Anansi. Anansi is a very very tricky spider. He is always coming up with ways to decieve people, even though his plans end up backfiring.
Here's a Wiki link if you like, i wonder if they knew this before choosing the name.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anansi
Itanius Oct 27th 2010 11:54AM
Judging by the spider graphic in the Razer Anansi logo, I'd say they definitely chose this name on purpose. ;)
All of their products are named after nasty creatures.
Literaltruth Oct 27th 2010 12:00PM
Yeah...I think that the designers of the keyboard were aware of the character from Afro-Carribean mythology. The logo has a spider on it. All the Razer keyboards have spider-related names, (the mice have serpent-related names, the audio devices are named after sea predators etc). I don't really understand why you think that this means that your or others shouldn't buy it....
Fingal Oct 27th 2010 12:01PM
Perhaps reading some Neil Gaiman would change your opinion of Anansi. I'm sure the Razer folks did!