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Lez talk mechanical keyboards

Iacobellis said:
Are you sure it's not just a fault with yours specifically?
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I have a K60, does the same thing, usually with ;

Kind of annoying but I still like the keyboard. Very easy to blow out the crap underneath the keys with just a bit of compressed air now and then. Maybe every year or two pull off all the keycaps and give the brushed aluminum a good cleaning. Not a big deal to do with this keyboard, whereas most eventually end up filled with crud that is nigh impossible to entirely remove.

Basically feels like a 1.0 product, next version it could be awesome.

1. Fix the repeating key "bug".
2. Move and or get rid of the USB passthrough.
3. Make all the standard keys mechanical (the function keys are bubble).
4. Make the volume wheel adjustable, and or simply make it have a larger effect per movement. As it stands now it you have to scroll it an awful lot to do very little.
5. Move the media keys so they're above the function keys instead of above the number pad.
 
I just got a Filco Majestouch 2 87-key with cherry browns in the mail today. Feels pretty good to type on so far, but I'll definitely have to get used to the feel and response of the keys (and probably get myself a wrist rest as well, I'm used to using a slim keyboard with a built in rest, so I'm experiencing a bit of fatigue whether I have the keyboard angled up or not). I feel that I can already type faster than on my other keyboards though.

I tried mechanical keyboards before this to figure out which key types I like and I think brown's the best for me. Blacks require way too much pressure to push, and while it's fun typing on the blues, I found the clicking a bit annoying for gaming and I prefer the lower pressure needed to activate the brown keys.

Was also considering Leopold, but shipping to Canada is so expensive that it almost comes out to as much as a Filco anyway and I hear that the Filco has better stabilizers, so I thought I might as well get one of the top tier keyboards with the Filco. The stabilizers concerned me because I tried out one of the Coolermaster Storm cherry browns in store and while it was open box and could have been damaged, the space bar was absolutely abysmal, so I didn't want to risk any problems with the feel of the larger keys.

So enjoying it so far, I think I'll only get more and more comfortable with it as time goes by. I've remapped the scroll lock and pause keys to be volume down and up with SharpKeys, so I don't miss any of the media functions on my old keyboard (unfortunately I can't figure out any way to have the pause key repeat its signal when being held - might be a limitation of the pause key being three-bit as opposed to the usual two-bits that other keys are, as I understand it).

[edit] I moved my keyboard to USB instead of PS/2 since it stopped recognizing it through PS/2 for some reason and the pause key actually now works to increment volume while being held down, so that's nice.
 
I'm typing this on one of those Cooler Master Quick Fire KBs with red switches and loving it. I notice in games it fires, well...quickly, as in if you are playing Diablo 3 as a demon hunter and you press 2 to vault, you may accidentally vault several times due to being a little heavy handed. Once you are totally used to it, it becomes pretty amazing. I will never go back to the other kind.
 
any major retailers around that have demo units for the cherry 'boards? i don't want to buy until i try. i'm in nyc btw.
 
So the keyboard I bought on Ebay (steelseries 7g) more often than not writes mmultiple letters, "eeee" or "ooo" instead of "e" and "o", happens with a bunch of characters, but not all of them i feel.

Right now it's very frustrating to write because of all the backtracking and deleting, and I guess that isn't normal, right? Can I do something about it? Is this thing just completely broken? Google didn't help me at all, so I'm hoping GAF can help :(
 
For any of you who have a Model M keyboard, or are thinking about getting the keyboard, and have issues with the PS/2 connectivity like I did, I ended up finding this eBay seller who makes his own custom SDL to USB cables and sells them online. At $29.99 US + shipping they might seem a bit pricey, but I love the one I bought. I had no issues with the keyboard once I hooked it up through this cable, and the apparent power issues that PS/2 connections have with my motherboard don't seem to be an issue anymore. Windows also detected it without any issues whatsoever. The only "downside" is that when I turn off my PC, the Num key still remains lit, but I can live with that.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-SDL-6-P...del-M-Clicky-Keyboard-Cable-NEW-/270955553909

That's his ebay storepage for anyone that's interested, and here's the original forum post on geekhack that I stumbled advertising the cables:

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=28268.0

When I got my model M, it didn't come with a SDL cable (the computer store I bought it from a few months ago had it in the back of their store for years (still inside the IBM box and everything, EXCEPT the cable), so this cable was a perfect buy for me.
 
I currently use a Ducky DK9008 mechanical keyboard, but I have pretty small hands and I find it too big to comfortably reach across the keys a lot of the time. So I'm looking to replace it. Does anyone know of a mechanical keyboard with smaller key spacing than the Ducky? Or can anyone recommend a high-quality non-mechanical keyboard that would be more suitable? I'd basically be happy with anything similar or better in quality to my Lenovo laptop keyboard, for reference. Was looking at the Sidewinder X4 but not sure if it's much smaller.

(PS: If you're in Australia and want a DK9008 with a spare set of keys for a knock-down price, PM me!)
 
So I recently damaged my Blackwidow and may be in the need of replacing it. I was going to just pick up another one when the CM QuickFire Rapid caught my eye at the same price point ($65). I see a few other posts about it from awhile back but any other thoughts on it? Or anything else in the same price range?

Back to my old Logitech G15. Feels bad man :(
 
Just ordered a Steelseries 6Gv2. It will be my first mechanical keyboard since the early nineties. Looking forward to it!
 
Love my Razer Black Widow Ultimate. Didn't know these keyboards exist. Touched it in the shop, instabuy. Would love to use it at work too, but people would hate me for the volume!
 
It has arrived. Those keys feel sooooo good.

lu3uv.jpg
 
scy said:
So I recently damaged my Blackwidow and may be in the need of replacing it. I was going to just pick up another one when the CM QuickFire Rapid caught my eye at the same price point ($65). I see a few other posts about it from awhile back but any other thoughts on it? Or anything else in the same price range?

Back to my old Logitech G15. Feels bad man :(
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Black Widow is probably one of the worst mechanicals out there, especially when you factor in the price.

CM Quickfire is a really nice board. Rosewill and Steelseries also make some good budget boards.
 
Tried a friend's Deck keyboard with Cherry Blacks.

I don't like it at all. Don't care for the feel of the Black keys, and the space bar is really hard to press and mushy.

I don't care for my Browns all that much either...they feel nice for typing but they're too obnoxious for gaming. That's 0/2 now for me and mechanical keyboards. =\

I wish Topre had a 45g full sized keyboard...I might consider that.
 
TheExodu5 said:
Tried a friend's Deck keyboard with Cherry Blacks.

I don't like it at all. Don't care for the feel of the Black keys, and the space bar is really hard to press and mushy.

I don't care for my Browns all that much either...they feel nice for typing but they're too obnoxious for gaming. That's 0/2 now for me and mechanical keyboards. =\

I wish Topre had a 45g full sized keyboard...I might consider that.
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There's a reason everyone recommends Cherry Reds...
 
I might prefer the feel of Cherry Reds, but they'll still be super loud which is a big annoyance coming from a scissor switch keyboard.

I've tried the Browns with switch dampeners...it's quieter then but it doesn't feel nearly as nice to type with.
 
Orayn said:
Check out semi-custom keyboards from WASD as well. They're aggressively priced, let you choose the color and lettering style of your keycaps, and have every main type of switch available.

EDIT: WASD has every switch mentioned in the post below with the exception of clear.
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Loved my keyboard from http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/. Pricey..but damn it is awesome and I'm pretty sure will last through multiple pc upgrades!

It's super dusty atm...PC hasn't had much love in a while..I almost want to plug it into my laptop..but it looks ridiculous(ly awesome) with my colour scheme already.
 
Are there any keyboards out there that are ergonomic in the style of the MS Natural 4k but use good switches (and/or simply have better build quality)?

I can't use a non ergo keyboard (though oddly, laptop keyboards are ok), and I'm tired of replacing my 4k all the time.
 
What switches are easiest on the fingers? I currently have blue and my fingers start to hurt after I've been typing nonstop for a while or if I play a game like quake.

I have a das but I think it has blue which I believe are the stiffest switches. Wanna go to something much softer and no numberpad.
 
(._.) said:
What switches are easiest on the fingers? I currently have blue and my fingers start to hurt after I've been typing nonstop for a while or if I play a game like quake.

I have a das but I think it has blue which I believe are the stiffest switches. Wanna go to something much softer and no numberpad.
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The reason they hurt is the bottoming out of the keys. Blues aren't very stiff as far as keyboards go...they need less force than a regular membrane keyboard. You're going to have the same issue with all mechanical keyboard, unless you get switch dampeners (WASD keyboards sells them). The problem with switch dampeners on mechanical keyboards though is that the typing action doesn't feel as nice with dampeners. Or you could forego mechanical keyboards and check out other options. I use a Logitech Illuminated which I find fabulous to type/game on. Only problem with that keyboard is that some of them (though they may have fixed the issue now) have weird key blocking combinations. Mine is fine though.

If you wanted to up your budget to $300 you could check out the Topre Realforce 87U Tenkleyless. :P
 
Coldsnap said:
a2445c1d.jpg
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you need to sit a bit more far away I think :p



anyway, what's the verdict on the above Cooler Master Storm Quick Fire vs Razer Black Widow?

only two mechanical keyboards I can find in my area. Both cherry blue if im not mistaken and both around the same price.

The Quick Fire obviously as shown in Coldsnap's pic doesnt come with the numpad but idk if i'd miss it..
 
I wouldn't mind some coloured keys, but my wife flat out rejected the notion and she uses the PC as much or more as I do. She was cranky enough when I got my Meka G1. ;)

I did manage to sneak one key on though, but she wouldn't let me use it as the S.
i9oBhWrkySZql.jpg
 
SalsaShark said:
you need to sit a bit more far away I think :p

anyway, what's the verdict on the above Cooler Master Storm Quick Fire vs Razer Black Widow?

The Quick Fire obviously as shown in Coldsnap's pic doesnt come with the numpad but idk if i'd miss it..
Click to expand...

Hehe, I have a fold out table under my couch that i bust out when I'm playing keyboard/mouse games. I really like this keyboard, not having a numpad was a + for me

TheExodu5 said:
32" HDTV gaming? MY MAN!
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42" :o, it's an LG that AVSForum raves about.. I'm to lazy to calibrate it right (had a LG Plasma perfectly calibrated at one time) but it still looks good.
 
I was at the electronics store and was looking for a keyboard and came across a dozen Filco mechanical keyboards. Had never seen a mechanical keyboard before but fell in love instantly with that solid, old school IBM touch. Now I've got to buy one.

Can't decide between reds or browns. Gaming isn't a concern for me it's just for quality and comfort. Funny I was just thinking about this not 10 minutes ago before this thread got bumped.
 
Bought my SteelSeries 6Gv2 a short while back and I absolutely love it. Other Cherry keys' actuation forces are way too low for my taste and fingers (and I still make plenty of unintentional presses on these blacks) and the click of browns and blues feels cheap to me. I can never go back to membrane boards for the rest of my life. Love the sound of the keys bottoming out. <3

odd_morsel said:
I was at the electronics store and was looking for a keyboard and came across a dozen Filco mechanical keyboards. Had never seen a mechanical keyboard before but fell in love instantly with that solid, old school IBM touch. Now I've got to buy one.

Can't decide between reds or browns. Gaming isn't a concern for me it's just for quality and comfort. Funny I was just thinking about this not 10 minutes ago before this thread got bumped.
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Dislike a tactile "clicky" feel? Need to press keys rapidly? Opt for red.

Want to make less mistakes in typing? Prefer the click? Opt for brown.
 
TheExodu5 said:
Tried a friend's Deck keyboard with Cherry Blacks.

I don't like it at all. Don't care for the feel of the Black keys, and the space bar is really hard to press and mushy.

I don't care for my Browns all that much either...they feel nice for typing but they're too obnoxious for gaming. That's 0/2 now for me and mechanical keyboards. =\

I wish Topre had a 45g full sized keyboard...I might consider that.
Click to expand...

You should see if you can try one of their other full-size boards. Honestly the variable weight isn't as noticeable as you might think. I've heard a few stories about heavy-handed folks aaaaaaa'ing at rest but if you're already the type that prefers light keys, I think you'd take to the variable versions very well.

Edit - If you really think it would throw you off somehow, they do make a non-variable at 55g, which even for a guy like me (who prefers very light keys) feels really nice.
 
Wallach said:
You should see if you can try one of their other full-size boards. Honestly the variable weight isn't as noticeable as you might think. I've heard a few stories about heavy-handed folks aaaaaaa'ing at rest but if you're already the type that prefers light keys, I think you'd take to the variable versions very well.

Edit - If you really think it would throw you off somehow, they do make a non-variable at 55g, which even for a guy like me (who prefers very light keys) feels really nice.
Click to expand...

I'm really unsure about 45g vs 55g. I wish I could try it out before spending that much money on one. =\

edit: looks like the 55g keyboard isn't even in stock. :(
 
SalsaShark said:
you need to sit a bit more far away I think :p



anyway, what's the verdict on the above Cooler Master Storm Quick Fire vs Razer Black Widow?

only two mechanical keyboards I can find in my area. Both cherry blue if im not mistaken and both around the same price.

The Quick Fire obviously as shown in Coldsnap's pic doesnt come with the numpad but idk if i'd miss it..
Click to expand...

CM is the better buy. Generally can be found for the same price or cheaper has NKRO. One of the best budget boards available.
 
SalsaShark said:
anyway, what's the verdict on the above Cooler Master Storm Quick Fire vs Razer Black Widow?

only two mechanical keyboards I can find in my area. Both cherry blue if im not mistaken and both around the same price.

The Quick Fire obviously as shown in Coldsnap's pic doesnt come with the numpad but idk if i'd miss it..
Click to expand...
Depends if you want macro stuff or not. Razer also has the BlackWidow Tournament edition if you want the same factor for $80.
I think the Storm is better if you don't want any macro stuff.
 
I've been eyeing a mechanical keyboard for a while now and I think Id like to get the DAS Keyboard Pro with brown switches, but I've been reading that they changed manufacturers and are now having quality issues. Does anyone know about this? If it's true (hell even if not) is there another brand that is good in this price range (don't need extra buttons/media shortcuts, just a standard 104 key)?
 
Just want to say that I love my Razer Black Widow

Also I have ditched wasd in favor of esdf and I am very happy about it.
 
rbanke said:
I've been eyeing a mechanical keyboard for a while now and I think Id like to get the DAS Keyboard Pro with brown switches, but I've been reading that they changed manufacturers and are now having quality issues. Does anyone know about this? If it's true (hell even if not) is there another brand that is good in this price range (don't need extra buttons/media shortcuts, just a standard 104 key)?
Click to expand...

As far as I know it is true, they switched to iOne which is fuckin' garbage. If you can get a Costar 'board (the ones before this last model, the Ultimate/Professional 'boards) then they are great.

If you want other 'boards in that price range of similar or better quality, my recommendation would either be Filco, Leopold or Rosewill (from most expensive to cheapest).
 
My CMStorm QuickFire is amazing. Some key squeaking but that's to be expected and it's easily fixable with some lube.

Feels like I'm typing on a cloud.
 
After owning about 15 different mechanical keyboards, I finally found my favorite brand. The KBS line is an absolute joy to type and game on. Google KBS 75% keyboard or the smaller 60% model, and grab one of these beautiful boards with red or brown switches. You will never buy another board.
 
Zeal said:
After owning about 15 different mechanical keyboards, I finally found my favorite brand. The KBS line is an absolute joy to type and game on. Google KBS 75% keyboard or the smaller 60% model, and grab one of these beautiful boards with red or brown switches. You will never buy another board.
Click to expand...

Do you mean the KBC? Typing on a Poker w/ reds right now, and even with a bunch of far more expensive 'boards lying around it's been on my desk for a long time. Put some PBT caps on that sucker and it's great. I can't go back to anything larger than a tenkeyless anymore.
 
Got the CM Storm Quickfire Rapid with Cherry MX Blue switches. Knowing nothing about mechanical keyboard preferences at the time, I got to Blues. They're great, but now one of my buddies has a keyboard with Cherry MX Brown and I prefer their feel.

Almost considering dropping another $80 for the Brown switches....

Great keyboard, though. Missed the numpad at first but now it's almost liberating. Such a small piece of equipment.
 
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