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Lez talk mechanical keyboards

S

stb

Member
K70 RGB with browns came in today.

Feels great to type on, but I'm still adjusting to the slightly different height from my last (crappy) keyboard.

It's definitely "thock"-ier than I anticipated. I find it satisfying, but it's pretty loud; I need to train myself to not bottom them out, but I'm fighing 25 years of rubber dome mashing. I'm also planning on installing rings, so that should help a bit.
 
A

AsianOni

Member
Default DOS said:
I sold off my novatouch with dolch caps and bought an FC660C with grey dye subs.

Not my picture:

hU0bo2z.jpg


I'll be sticking with this one for a good long while.
Click to expand...

Good choice, got the same.
 
B

Blitzhex

Member
I would so love a 60% keyboard with the fn key on the left side instead of the windows key. It would make it 100% more usable for gaming so you could quickly fn+4 for f4, just another modifier key to add to ctrl, alt and shift.
An RGB pok3r with left fn would be the perfect keyboard.
 
W

Wallach

Member
Blitzhex said:
I would so love a 60% keyboard with the fn key on the left side instead of the windows key. It would make it 100% more usable for gaming so you could quickly fn+4 for f4, just another modifier key to add to ctrl, alt and shift.
An RGB pok3r with left fn would be the perfect keyboard.
Click to expand...

I know the Poker 2 had a DIP switch on the bottom of the keyboard that did exactly that (switched Left Win to Left FN). From what I remember the Pok3r was supposed to have a DIP switch that allowed you to swap FN position with any other key on the board somehow.
 
B

Blitzhex

Member
Wallach said:
I know the Poker 2 had a DIP switch on the bottom of the keyboard that did exactly that (switched Left Win to Left FN). From what I remember the Pok3r was supposed to have a DIP switch that allowed you to swap FN position with any other key on the board somehow.
Click to expand...

Woah, thanks for the info. Yeah, just looked up the DIP switch functionality. Super excited for the RGB pok3rs dropping later this year now.
 
F

Flipside

Member
I am looking to replace my old Logitech G15 keyboard with a new mechanical one.

The keyboard will be used primarily for typing/programming and sometimes for gaming (mostly a console gamer). I did some research and both the DAS Professional 4 and Corsair K95 RGB looked like good buys (both Cherry MX brown switches).

The K95 looks great but I am not sure about the durability of the LEDs and I was reading some posts about the keyboards being phased out. The K95 costs around €200.- here and the DAS around €170.-, still pretty expensive for keyboards that have been out for quite a while.

Would you recommend waiting a bit for new keyboards to be released or are these keyboards still good value for their money?

Also, is the Strafe RGB a good (better) alternative for the K95?
 
B

BlueLiquid

Member
Flipside said:
I am looking to replace my old Logitech G15 keyboard with a new mechanical one.

The keyboard will be used primarily for typing/programming and sometimes for gaming (mostly a console gamer). I did some research and both the DAS Professional 4 and Corsair K95 RGB looked like good buys (both Cherry MX brown switches).

The K95 looks great but I am not sure about the durability of the LEDs and I was reading some posts about the keyboards being phased out. The K95 costs around €200.- here and the DAS around €170.-, still pretty expensive for keyboards that have been out for quite a while.

Would you recommend waiting a bit for new keyboards to be released or are these keyboards still good value for their money?

Also, is the Strafe RGB a good (better) alternative for the K95?
Click to expand...

I have a K95 RGB and had some issues with an LED for one of the buttons on the top row. Giving the keyboard a tap usually gets it working again but it's still annoying. I also have a K70 RGB and it's fantastic. No problems with it so far and it feels great typing on it. It's a dream. Both have Brown switches. Also the keys on the K95 just feel... I don't know, off somehow. Smaller maybe? It's more difficult for me to type on. The layout seems more cramped. Unless you really need all of those G keys, either get a K70 or wait for the new silent Cherry switches with the Strafe line.

I don't have any experience with the Das keyboards but I've heard nothing but good things.
 
R

Reckoner

Member
How is the build quality of the K70? I was thinking on getting the Das Keyboard 4 Ultimate, but I'm really keen on good build quality. Right now I use a CM Quickfire, and what I don't really like about it is that the quality and finish is really cheap.
 
S

Shiina

Member
Reckoner said:
How is the build quality of the K70? I was thinking on getting the Das Keyboard 4 Ultimate, but I'm really keen on good build quality. Right now I use a CM Quickfire, and what I don't really like about it is that the quality and finish is really cheap.
Click to expand...

I see people complaining about failing LEDs all the time. Doesn't seem to be exclusive to the K70 but a general problem with backlit keyboards.
 
R

Reckoner

Member
Shiina said:
I see people complaining about failing LEDs all the time. Doesn't seem to be exclusive to the K70 but a general problem with backlit keyboards.
Click to expand...

My CM has that problem too.

I should probably refrain from getting another backlit kb since it annoys a bit to have such an expensive piece of hardware with these kind of issues. If anyone can give some input on the Das, I would really appreciate it. Mainly how the metal/plastic construction feels, etc. I'm open to any more suggestions too.

Edit: Now I'm leaning towards the Ducky Shine 5. Or the Ducky Legend, which is really sexy with that aluminum board, and is probably just what I'm looking for - a nicely and solid built kb. People say that it is really solid. Also, are red switches that bad for typing? I would like to make a change from Browns. I game a lot on Dota, but I also type a lot. I remember trying blacks at an event and I could type nicely, IIRC. Is there some better buy at my budget?
 
M

MNC

Member
Want to get some backlit keycaps, colored preferably. Anyone have an idea which sets are on the market?

I already have the vortex pbt backlit keycaps
 
I

itchy. tasty

Member
BlueLiquid said:
I have a K95 RGB and had some issues with an LED for one of the buttons on the top row. Giving the keyboard a tap usually gets it working again but it's still annoying. I also have a K70 RGB and it's fantastic. No problems with it so far and it feels great typing on it. It's a dream. Both have Brown switches. Also the keys on the K95 just feel... I don't know, off somehow. Smaller maybe? It's more difficult for me to type on. The layout seems more cramped. Unless you really need all of those G keys, either get a K70 or wait for the new silent Cherry switches with the Strafe line.

I don't have any experience with the Das keyboards but I've heard nothing but good things.
Click to expand...

Good break down, I'm also interested in the K95 as it is available with the blue switches... Could you elaborate on the G keys a little? I'm not into PC gaming at all, so could these buttons serve as quick keys to say... code snippets for programming / web development? How robust is the functionality on these??

Trying to work out how much use they would be over the K70 RGB (which I think is no longer available in blue switches???)
 
B

BlueLiquid

Member
itchy said:
Good break down, I'm also interested in the K95 as it is available with the blue switches... Could you elaborate on the G keys a little? I'm not into PC gaming at all, so could these buttons serve as quick keys to say... code snippets for programming / web development? How robust is the functionality on these??

Trying to work out how much use they would be over the K70 RGB (which I think is no longer available in blue switches???)
Click to expand...

Sorry for the late response. Yes, you can program blocks of text in for the G keys. They're just general purpose programmable keys. Admittedly I haven't done much with them but here's a screenshot of one of the remapping assignment windows:

jtFXeGN.png
Click to expand...

There are many options there and it looks like there's quite a bit of room for text there. They've really improved the software over the last few updates, too with lots of new features.
 
D

danthefan

Member
I'm going to invest in a mechanical keyboard next payday I think.

Anyone throw out a recommendation? I know nothing about the brands out there really.
 
D

DouglasteR

Member
Deleteeeeee said:
The G910 Orion Spark, has a slide out phone/tablet holder at the top of it. The idea is you install their software on your computer and your tablet/phone and then use that as a touchscreen to display stats and other functions. Of course you don't need that specific keyboard to try the software, so you could even adapt it to your current setup and give it a go. As far as a keyboard with a dedicated lcd display, I personally am not aware of any announcement about such a product.
Click to expand...

Thanks for answering.

I´ll wait more then.
 
S

SigSig

Member
Ergonomics GAF, assemble!
I'm in the market for an ergonomic keyboard, preferably superduper ergonomic. So far I've been looking at Kinesis Advantage, Matias Ergo Pro and Ergodox.
Can anyone share their experiences with these, maybe even compare?
 
P

POWERSPHERE

Banned
danthefan said:
I'm going to invest in a mechanical keyboard next payday I think.

Anyone throw out a recommendation? I know nothing about the brands out there really.
Click to expand...

I came into this totally clueless and walked out with a Das Professional 4 for mac with Browns. It's one of the more expensive units, and I need a number pad so it works for me, but it's glorious. Solid build, great controls (mute, sleep, volume wheel & play/ff/rew transport are really useful), 2xUSB 3 outs the Browns makes typing enjoyable again after years on shallow Mac membrane keyboards. The only drawback is an overly thick connection cable, but who cares.

daskeyboard-4-professional-for-mac-front-view.jpg
 
Quote

Quote

Member
I've got more than a month into my CM Storm with browns. Whenever I use my Mac keyboards I can't help but notice how I prefer typing on them compared to this mechanical keyboard. Oh well.
 
D

danthefan

Member
So have done some research and I'm between Das Keyboard 4 Pro and Roccat Ryos MK Pro.

Any thoughts on which is better?

Edit, thanks to Powersphere for the comments above on Das Keyboard.
 
lmimmfn

lmimmfn

Member
Bought a K70 Red 2 weeks ago, absolutely loving it, reminds me of a C64 keyboard lol

I had been using a crappy 10euro HP kb for the past 18 months after i killed my G15 with wine, cant believe i didnt sort it sooner.
 
Z

Zabojnik

Member
Has anyone switched from a god-given EU layout / big Enter key keyboad to a blasphemous small Enter / US one and survived to tell about it?

The Azio MGK1-K has everything I want in a mechanical keyboard ... but as far as I can tell it only comes in the small Enter variety.
 
D

Deleted member 1235

Unconfirmed Member
POWERSPHERE said:
I came into this totally clueless and walked out with a Das Professional 4 for mac with Browns. It's one of the more expensive units, and I need a number pad so it works for me, but it's glorious. Solid build, great controls (mute, sleep, volume wheel & play/ff/rew transport are really useful), 2xUSB 3 outs the Browns makes typing enjoyable again after years on shallow Mac membrane keyboards. The only drawback is an overly thick connection cable, but who cares.

daskeyboard-4-professional-for-mac-front-view.jpg
Click to expand...
i got this one as well but the really loud clacky one with blue switches. i LOVE it
 
T

TheLegendOfMart

Banned
I had a cheap £12 keyboard called the I-Rocks K10 which is a membrane keyboard which mimicks the 'feel' of a mechanical keyboard.
i-rocks-k10-keyboard.jpg


Then I bought a refurbished Corsair K65 Mechanical keyboard and apart from the clacking noise I really cannot tell the difference apart from the point where the key activates.

K65_A.png


Was I expecting too much from all the hype around people saying mechanical is better and once you use one you'll never go back?
 
L

laxu

Member
TheLegendOfMart said:
I had a cheap £12 keyboard called the I-Rocks K10 which is a membrane keyboard which mimicks the 'feel' of a mechanical keyboard.

Then I bought a refurbished Corsair K65 Mechanical keyboard and apart from the clacking noise I really cannot tell the difference apart from the point where the key activates.

Was I expecting too much from all the hype around people saying mechanical is better and once you use one you'll never go back?
Click to expand...

Depends a lot on the type of switch the mechanical has. I program all day on an Apple chiclet keyboard and the main reason I have a mechanical (with Cherry MX Reds) at home is because nobody makes a chiclet with NKRO (or even 6KRO). It's entirely preference and lots of thing can change the feel.

To me the best I've tried are Topre keyboards but they are really expensive, the models out there are a bit annoying (barely visible text on keys, replacement keycaps hard to find etc) and their backlit model won't be out until sometime next year.
 
A

AsianOni

Member
Zabojnik said:
Has anyone switched from a god-given EU layout / big Enter key keyboad to a blasphemous small Enter / US one and survived to tell about it?

The Azio MGK1-K has everything I want in a mechanical keyboard ... but as far as I can tell it only comes in the small Enter variety.
Click to expand...

I needed a couple of weeks to adjust to the ANSI layout (coming from ISO FR).
 
C

Citadelofmythoughts

Banned
I'm on a limited budget and wound up with a Sentey Gho5t (Black MX) and it's been a good keyboard. For my system in the garage I need to pick up an adapter so I can use my Dell AT101W.
 
B

Baconsaurus Rex

Member
Zabojnik said:
I don't trust you, Bacon.
<3

How was the adjustment period? I'm seriously debating getting a super cheap used small Enter key keyboard to see how it feels before commiting to the Azio, lol.
Click to expand...

Took me a little while, two weeks maybe? You'll get used to it. A bigger sin are the keyboards with the tiny backspace button. Fuck those.
 
Z

Zel3

Member
Looking for recommendations.

I'm going to school for computer science so I feel it's time to upgrade.

There are so many options I don't even know where to start.

- Price is not an issue
- I don't like 'software' with my keyboards but I suppose If I want back lighting there's not much of an option
- White LEDs? I don't see many keyboards with white backlights..

Any suggestions? Ducky seems like a good option though I could do without the bad looking space bar
 
B

Blitzhex

Member
Just got my NPKC switch tester and holy hell Gateron switchs are buttery smooth, it's like they're greased or something. Gateron blacks for instance are smoother than my 2 year used cherry mx black switches and brand new cherry mx blacks feel almost sandy compared to them. Really liking cherry mx greens though, as I prefer heavier switches.

MD-9581_20150717175925_19bce4aa1c88878d.jpg
Click to expand...
 
O

Orayn

Member
a very cute dog said:
Any idea what's quieter than reds? I have a basic Rosewill mechanical keyboard and I love it, but the typing drives my significant other up a wall.
Click to expand...

You should probably just get O-rings or learn to type without bottoming out. Basically any Cherry-type mechanical switch is going to make as much or more noise due to the keycap hitting the backplate.
 
Buggy Loop

Buggy Loop

Member
Hey guys. I've got a CM Quickfire stealth here that has the backspace key now working maybe 5% of the time. I thought these things were built for millions of presses so im a bit shocked that its already out.

What could cause this? I dont think the key is sticky or stuck as it moves quite freely. I removed the cap and it does not have abnormal dirt around it.

Now its plate mounted. I know how to weld/unweld, but its my first experience with the possibility of removing a cherry switch. I see many videos on youtube with peoples just removing the top, changing the spring and the switch color but i dont think that would be my problem?

Is it even unweldable with a plate mount? Isnt the metal plate stopping me from removing it completely? And if so that means im fucked?
 
MisterNoisy

MisterNoisy

Member
Anyone have experience with Noppoo boards and/or Kailh switches? I'm looking for a change of pace from my existing mechanicals (Unicomp Customizer, Rosewill RK9000, CM Quickfire Rapid) and I dig the 'floating key' look of the Lolita Spyder 87, but was wondering if there's any reason I shouldn't just bite on this fairly cheap mechanical.
 
H

Hellish

Member
Anyone know where I can re-buy these exact keycaps they have gotten pretty disgusting over the years and the current ebay offerings are lacking

w3rpVob.jpg
 
MisterNoisy

MisterNoisy

Member
Hellish said:
Anyone know where I can re-buy these exact keycaps they have gotten pretty disgusting over the years and the current ebay offerings are lacking

w3rpVob.jpg
Click to expand...

Found something similar here for $47. They're out of stock, but you could probably hit them up to find out when they'll get more.
 
D

Deleteeeeee

Member
wow nice, I would love to one day experience typing on buckling springs.
_____________

Some people in the office have ordered a K70 and a K70 RGB (i'm using a CM STORM XT stealth), they are definitely one of the better looking keyboards out there, few nit picks:

Exposed screw on k70 and RGB version:
8MFL3VP.jpg

IMO if you are paying $170 - $230 AUD for a keyboard you shouldn't have an exposed screw like this.

K70 Spacebar:
UntBgpd.jpg

Obviously this is a personal preference, but they should have included a non textured space bar in the package so people could choose for themselves. Also the space bar only has one LED, unlike something like a Ducky Shine which have three. I should mention that the RGB version does not have a textured spacebar.

The keycaps are shaped a little odd they are a bit narrower at the top but that may something to simply get used to.

K70 RGB:
Loses a USB passthrough port for some reason compared to the standard K70, an odd decision.


Also on both the keycaps are a little thin, and again for something that cost so much I expect more.
That said if I was provided with one at work I would take it gladly if I didn't have my CMSXTS keyboard already.
 
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