The Razer Stormtrooper game equipment is a mixture of awesome and terrible

I'm not Star wars fan, but when Razer issued a press release a week ago announcing his keyboard, mouse and carpet, Stormtrooper edition, I could not resist them. This timeless aesthetic in black and white speaks to me, so I had to see and try the trifecta for myself. It includes the $ 99.99 BlackWidow Lite Silent Mechanical Keyboard, the $ 59.99 Atheris Wireless Mouse and the $ 34.99 Goliathus Extended Gaming Mouse Pad. The keyboard and mouse cost $ 10 more than their generic Razer counterparts, while the Goliathus pad is priced at the same price as other extended mats.

Let's talk about aesthetic appearance first, because that's why you would like to pay the extra cost of these Stormtrooper editions. I think the whole thing looks fantastic. Graduated tapes on the carpet and keyboard complement each other perfectly when they are together and they always look great when they are separated. Razer even has a black and white braided cable for the keyboard. If you get a set of Focal Clear earphones and a snow-white PC case (mine is a Lian-Li PC-011), you can create a visual synergy. On reflection, my monitor LG 4K is also white, so maybe I already have a weakness for the (lack of) color.

The Atheris mouse is likely to become polarized. I like the fact that it has a cup of stormtrooper dominating its tiny dimensions, and I imagine a majority of Star wars the fans will feel the same. For anyone in your neighborhood, however, it might be a bit too popular. I'm not a fan of Lucasfilm's useless copyright and trademark credits either: you can find them in prominent places on the mouse, carpet and keyboard. They are really a spoiler.

As for the features, it's really a story of two devices: the keyboard is great; the mouse is awful.

Start by solving the problem: the pocket-sized Atheris is too small to use comfortably on a desktop computer and is only really suitable for mobile use, but its biggest problem is that its wireless performance is mediocre. Using the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi Dongle included with my Windows PC, I've stuttered a lot and jumped out of the mouse pointer. Given the embarrassment felt by the brevity of the mouse in my hand, I quickly returned to my trusty Kone Pure.

The BlackWidow Lite Silent, by contrast, is probably my favorite keyboard yet. Razer has for some time been building its own custom mechanical switches. This keyboard is equipped with the company's "silent" orange switches. By default, they are far from silent, but Razer provides orange rubber dampers that you can attach to each key to muffle its sound. My preference goes to the keyboard without rubber rings because it establishes the right balance between the snap and responsiveness of a mechanical keyboard and the discretion of a membrane keyboard.

With or without attenuators, the BlackWidow Lite Silent click is considerably lessened compared to the usual sound of a mechanical keyboard in action. When I press a key, there is a resistance along the way of the key, as if you are sinking it into a liquid. There is a less defined "bottom" for a key press, definitely no rebound, and I really like it for the keystroke. This is not the best choice for games, but I think with a little practice, everything will be fine.

In addition to its beautiful appearance and the pleasant feel of typing on it, this keyboard has charmed me by its backlight. It's white with the Stormtrooper theme, and it goes super bright at such a low level that the keyboard does not seem at all enlightened. I have the impression of waiting for a keyboard backlight subtle enough to sound like it was not there. Each key is backlit individually and the set looks ridiculously chic.

The Goliathus carpet is 90 centimeters in diameter and it's the only size I use anymore. With a keypad without keyboard such as BlackWidow Lite, this mat is perfect for my keyboard, my mouse and my smartphone. It has a soft and pleasant fabric surface, a non-slip rubber bottom and a stitched periphery to prevent chafing. It's a good carpet. If I could change anything about it, I would get rid of the big lettering "STORM TROOPER" at the bottom of the screen, whether I like it or not, I have to read it several times a day. It's just not useless when the five uniformed soldiers who are above his appearance are quite undeniable.

My recommendation with this Stormtrooper Razer set should be obvious. The BlackWidow Lite Silent is definitely worth it, and I would pay the $ 10 premium over the generic black version for its cosmetics. The Atheris mouse is to be avoided. (You can simply replace it with another Razer mouse in white, such as the Lancehead.) The Goliathus playmat is priceless, so if you need it Star wars edition, go ahead.

Photograph of Vlad Savov / The Verge