Anyone have the XArmor U9BL?

Looking to purchase this probably on monday and would like to see if anyone can tell me what they think about it.

Thanks

Looks like a direct competitor to the Deck keyboards and specifically the Razer Blackwidow, which offers a similar feature set for a lower price ($130 versus $150 for the U9BL).

I don't have this exact keyboard, but I have one with the same types of keyswitches (Cherry MX Blues). They're less stiff than what you would feel from standard rubber dome keyboards, and they have a nice tactile keystroke. The main issue is the clicking noise produced by the keystrokes, which some people actually prefer but can be a hindrance when gaming. (They can also annoy the heck out of other people as well, so be wary if you have a roommate.) Also, some people claim that the Cherry MX Blue switches aren't good for gaming; I've personally had no problem with them whatsoever. For typing, however, they're very nice because of the reduced amount of force required on the keys.

Another feature is 6KRO, which allows you to press 6 buttons simultaneously (plus modifier keys like ctrl or alt) with all of them registering. I've had many frustrations on older keyboards where I've had to change key mapping because certain combinations wouldn't work in games, so this is a plus. The U9BL comes with a USB-to-PS/2 adapter, which allows the ability to press as many buttons as possible without any of the keys dropping. Honestly, I don't see hardly any situations where you would ever need to press more than 4 or 5 keys at once, but it's still a nice feature to have. Plus, you can type THE QUICK BROWN FOX JUMPS OVER THE LAZY DOG while holding both shift keys if you really wanted to show off, though it's a poor test for NKRO despite what many people would have you believe. :P

As for the features, if you want the extra ports and backlighting and whatnot, that's your decision. I don't see the point in having the extra ports for myself, and being a touch typist I'm not a fan of backlighting either. From my experience, rubber-coated keys tend to wear out very quickly, though the ones on the U9BL might be different. Like I said, though, it's what you want and what you think is necessary that ultimately matters.

Comparing the U9BL and the BlackWidow side by side, both keyboards have the same type of keyswitch. The U9BL has two USB ports while the BW has just one. Both have backlighting with changeable brightness levels. The U9BL comes with a keycap puller and extra keys for WASD (why orange, though?). Both have media keys. The BW has several programmable keys and excellent software, while the U9BL has neither (you could make your own customizable macros in AutoHotkey if you really wanted to, but then again, you could do that with any keyboard). The BW is $20 cheaper than the U9BL. Decisions, decisions...

That's my input, anyway. I'm not gonna be one of the people that tell you that paying that much for a keyboard is dumb, because I've paid more than that for a single keyboard on more than one occasion. :D I'm one of those people who just enjoys the feel of different keyboards and different switches. If you're really willing to pay for this keyboard and the numerous features it has, then I'm not one to stop you.