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Lez talk mechanical keyboards
- Thread starter Scuba Steve
- Start date
Super layout specific. Would need to know what kind of shortcuts you are trained in and expect to be in certain positions.
For generally extreme switch usage I recommend Topre switches over any type of Cherry switch but unfortunately they are significantly more expensive.
Just a random feedback post...
I bought a Rosewill 9000I in November and was mostly happy with it until it recently started acting up. First, win7 started throwing "A USB device has malfunctioned..." errors, but wiggling the cable could get it to come back. Sometimes a reboot would fix it. Then a few days later it couldn't be fixed and rebooting with it plugged in caused my BIOS to reboot at POST over and over.
Gonna try an RMA but since i got it so long ago I don't have high hopes.
I bought a Rosewill 9000I in November and was mostly happy with it until it recently started acting up. First, win7 started throwing "A USB device has malfunctioned..." errors, but wiggling the cable could get it to come back. Sometimes a reboot would fix it. Then a few days later it couldn't be fixed and rebooting with it plugged in caused my BIOS to reboot at POST over and over.
Gonna try an RMA but since i got it so long ago I don't have high hopes.
They're Newegg's store brand, so that's not surprising. If the customer service stank people wouldn't buy Rosewill gear from Newegg (the only place you can get it as far as I know), which would defeat the object of establishing a store brand in the first place, as it helps generate sales of other items too.
Buying a Rosewill case? May as well grab the RAM, mobo and CPU while you're there on Newegg.com, especially as they're often bundled at reduced prices, courtesy of the SuperCombo system.
I'm thinking about getting one mechanical keyboard too for programming, and have no clue where to start looking.
I'm not so attached to very specific shortcuts that I'd need a special layout.
I like the small size of the numpad-less keyboards.
And I'd rather have it with the Spanish qwerty layout.
Are there wireless mechanical keyboards?
All I see seem to have a cable, and I don't really understand why, since everything seems to be wireless nowadays.
I'm also kinda worried about the noise.
I work in an office and I wouldn't want to be "the guy with the noisy keyboard".
Is noise really an issue?
ComputerMKII
Banned
What are some good mechanical keyboards with the following options:
I've been thinking about buying this one http://www.duckychannel.com.tw/en/DK9087_shine2.html but I don't know where to buy it from Europe though.
- Tenkeyless
- Backlit
- Cherry MX Blue
- QWERTY layout
I've been thinking about buying this one http://www.duckychannel.com.tw/en/DK9087_shine2.html but I don't know where to buy it from Europe though.
Koroviev
Member
Blue switches are obnoxiously loud. Browns and reds are almost silent if you don't bottom out the keys.
At home I use a keyboard with MX Blues.
At work I use a keyboard with MX Browns + Dampener rings installed. Even then it is not silent like the previous poster said, but it's not bad. No one has complained yet.
Koroviev
Member
I was introduced to mechanical keyboards in early 2011 by the StarCraft II streamer Destiny. Bought a Das Keyboard Professional and then accidentally spilled soda into it after about six months. I then decided to buy a Razer Black Widow Ultimate. Loved that one, the backlighting was especially useful for nighttime gaming. A can of Red Bull did that one in after about a year. So I bought another Das Keyboard, silent this time instead of the clickity-clackity and I will keep it until it breaks, eventually. I think the Das Keyboard is my favorite keyboard, been using this new second one for about six months now and I have no interest in replacing it.
I no longer drink anything anywhere near my keyboards.
I no longer drink anything anywhere near my keyboards.
unpurposed
Member
I have it, it's fantastic. Cherry Reds, customizable backlighting, and dedicated media controls which are impossible to find on mechanical keyboards.
I want it so bad. My wife would kill me after just getting the cm quick fire pro earlier this year.
Koroviev
Member
But it's the perfect excuse to try new models!
I'm in the market for a 'cute' board. I have been drawn to the Noppoo Choc for a while. Anything else worthwhile in that vein?
Currently using a CM Rapid with blues, and while it feels great, I'd like something that also looks great (I have the 'branded' version :'( ). But I'll still keep this one to mess around with ;-)
metalshade
Member
I have a question for you guys.
I have a KBT Pure, and I love it, no problems whatsoever, but I do have to wonder, what on earth are the switches underneath it for? I have no idea, and no documentation to explain them, or ANY of my boards other functions either.
If anyone here actually knows, I would really appreciate it.
Thankies.
I have a KBT Pure, and I love it, no problems whatsoever, but I do have to wonder, what on earth are the switches underneath it for? I have no idea, and no documentation to explain them, or ANY of my boards other functions either.
If anyone here actually knows, I would really appreciate it.
Thankies.
They're DIP switches that change the functionality of the 'board. Use this picture as a reference:
metalshade
Member
Excellent, thanks very much, will certainly make a few things a bit more efficient! Thanks for the guide. Will save that somewhere.
No problem. My advice: swap L Ctrl and Caps Lock. Why this isn't the standard on every keyboard I will never understand.
They are technically silent. Any sound you get is the keys touching down
No, they make a sound that is not bottoming out. It's a little hard to describe, like the sound of air being forced through an aperture, kind of like the sound of something getting sucked into a pneumatic tube. Like I said, it's not terribly objectionable, but it is louder than a typical membrane keyboard.
metalshade
Member
I would, but I also use the backlighting, and having the caps lock engaged led blinking would really aggravate me.
If it is like my KBC Poker it will change the LED switch when swapping the keys.
Yep, dedicated media controls are the main reason I want it. When I looked at what features I actually use in my keyboard it wasn't macro keys or some other shit it was the media controls. Unfortunately the K70 costs almost twice as much as the old K60 right now. I'd get the K60 but I want the black version which only the K70 has.
Don't get the K60, they never addressed a firmware bug it has in which keys will randomly (though rarely) repeat indefinitely until you press them again, you shouldn't be getting those kinds of bugs in a $100 keyboard.
They didn't?
Also I have a K90 and I've only noticed the issue a few times mostly in my space key while playing BF3 or the like. The firmware update fixed the issue however.
Oh, I'm glad to be wrong about that. I gave up hope after they let the problem sit for over a year without addressing it
Koroviev
Member
CM Quick Fire Rapid Stealth released:
Looks like they're married to that unfortunate font. I would love a true otaku version of this.
Yeah, Leopold makes blank tenkeyless in all switch varieties, and Filco has both blank and "ninja" 'boards that look like the Stealth (Filco actually did this style of keycap first). Elitekeyboards usually has a bunch of the Leopolds in stock, and Amazon carries the Filcos.
Keyboard Co UK seems to be out of them so only the higher resellers have them available, yeah.
Elitekeyboards doesn't have stock on the Leopold blank tenkeyless in browns, either. Says ETA on the 25th. Personally I'd save the money and go with that unless you really want the sideprinting.
hippobloated
Banned
I use Das Keyboard Model S Ultimate (no key labels)
scottzorus
Neo Member
I've been wanting to test a bunch of the different switches, but don't know a store that carries all of them/let's you test. I tried one at bestbuy, I think a razer blackwidow ultimate, didn't really like how it felt though. It'd be mostly for gaming, I've read about different brands, just didn't want to buy blind.
Yeah, this is still a pretty big issue for first time buyers. Unfortunately I don't have any great advice for you to solve it on the cheap. You should be able to at least try browns at some Best Buy stores since there's a version of the Black Widow that uses browns (the Tournament Edition). Reds and blacks feel slightly different to the browns since they're fully linear but if you can get your fingers on a 'board with browns I think you'll have a pretty good idea of whether you'd prefer those to something with reds.
scottzorus
Neo Member
Thanks, I'll check out bestbuy this weekend to see if they have the tournament edition, and maybe my local tigerdirect/compusa
you could always get one of these test sets http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/index.php/wasd-sampler-kit.html, kinda a waste of money, but you can always use the keycaps to give your keyboard a little bit of personality.
scottzorus
Neo Member
Neat! Didn't know you could switch out switch types. So I could have certain keys a Cherry MX Blue and other keys a Cherry MX Red on the same keyboard?
How are their keys/keyboards?
(Can I buy this sampler and test it on a non mechanical keyboard?)
He meant the keycaps and not the actual switches; it's more involved to change the actual switches themselves on a Cherry board.
CM Quick Fire Rapid Stealth released:
Damn... CM have really stepped up their aesthetics. Their old keyboards used to look like ass. Although this is basically a massive Filco Ninja rip that's still pretty slick.
Check out the CM Store.
Technosteve
Banned
why are ducky shine II TKL so hard to find in the US?
If you don't mind paying a little extra and looking for black or red switches, Tankguys still have the Ducky DK 9087 which is a Shine II but made for last years Chinese New Year.
http://www.tankguys.com/mechnical-keyboards/ducky-keyboard-mx-9087-dragon-red-abs.html
http://www.tankguys.com/mechnical-keyboards/ducky-keyboard-mx-9087-dragon-black-abs.html
I personally got the brown switch version and couldn't be more happier with it.
Finally decided to buy a Blackwidow 2013 Ultimate.
Had no problem so far. I'm really liking it.
The large keys are a bit wobbly but doesn't stuck to the other keys.
In fact the spacing between the keys are quite generous. I'm quite surprised that some people had problem with keys sticking to other.
The LEDs are very bright and I like the fonts.
The USB port is a bit recessed so when connecting USB thumbdrives, the keyboard's edge will block the thumbdrives. Not a problem if you use small thumbdrives.
I don't like the location of the USB and Audio/Mic passthrough, which are on the right side of the keyboard, taking mouse space.
Planning to get brown switch to start my collection. Maybe a ducky shine.
Had no problem so far. I'm really liking it.
The large keys are a bit wobbly but doesn't stuck to the other keys.
In fact the spacing between the keys are quite generous. I'm quite surprised that some people had problem with keys sticking to other.
The LEDs are very bright and I like the fonts.
The USB port is a bit recessed so when connecting USB thumbdrives, the keyboard's edge will block the thumbdrives. Not a problem if you use small thumbdrives.
I don't like the location of the USB and Audio/Mic passthrough, which are on the right side of the keyboard, taking mouse space.
Planning to get brown switch to start my collection. Maybe a ducky shine.
Technosteve
Banned
damn no ten key less, thanks for the link tho
Horse Detective
Why the long case?
CM Quick Fire Rapid Stealth released:
Well fuck, thats essentially a ninja tenkeyless.