Bloody seems to be selling its switches as much as it is its keyboards, although you can’t have one without the other anyway. The only devices that offer the company’s new LK Libra optical switches (its third-gen switches) are its own planks (at least for now). There are tactile and linear versions of the new Libra switches, but in a confusing break with conventional switch naming, the LK Libra Brown switch is linear, and the Libra Orange switch is tactile.
You can see the evolution of Bloody’s three optical switches (oldest to newest, left to right) in this handy little tester below, along with some other shots of the new switches:
The most obvious change in the new LK Libra switch is a curious stabilizer bar. We haven’t been able to spend enough time with these switches to ascertain fully whether that’s a help or a hindrance, but anecdotally, with our eyes closed we wouldn’t notice any difference in sound or feel compared to a more standard switch design. (If you’re wondering whether those LK Libra switches are the same ones in Razer’s upcoming Purple “optomechanical”switch, they are.)
Bloody has a refreshed trio of new keyboards--the B975, B945, and B930--and although the company hasn’t stated so explicitly, we believe you’ll be able to get either the linear or the tactile Libra switches on all models.
The B975 seems to be the new flagship. It’s a full-size keyboard that offers a large, detachable wrist rest and RGB backlighting. It’s already listed on both Bloody’s official site and on Amazon (for $150).
The B945 “Hybrid Left” replaces the existing B845R; both are full-size but flip the numpad to the left side of the keyboard--a nod both to lefties and to those who sometimes use the numpad but also prefer to have less space between their mouse and the keyboard.
Because there simply must be a TKL option in the mix, Bloody has the new B930, which--you guessed it--replaces the B830.
It's unclear when the B945 and B930 will be available and what they'll cost, although one can presume that they'll be priced less than the $150 flagship, at least.
MORE: What Are Optical Keyboard Switches, And How Do They Work?
