-
Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!
Lez talk mechanical keyboards
- Thread starter Scuba Steve
- Start date
Given the choice, I generally prefer Filco over Ducky. Still, PBT keycaps are nicer than Filco's stock set. I don't remember if Ducky uses wire or Cherry stabilizers on their large keys.
I'd probably go Filco and upgrade the keycaps later. I'd also go tenkeyless but YMMV on numpad usage.
Edit - That is assuming you are getting Reds on either 'board and are just using the Black version of the Ninja for a link. Definitely recommend Reds over Blacks for switches, if you have to get Blacks on the Ninja for stock reasons or something get the Ducky instead.
Rickenslacker
Banned
I'd second the Filco, got a Majestouch 2 with browns and it's a dream. Although yes, the stock ABS keys on the Filco will shine pretty quickly.
Horse Detective
Why the long case?
Wait, so do all blank cherry caps fit on Filcos? I feel like I am ready to graduate to an Otaku layout.
Does anyone have any recommendations for a sub $100~ keyboard with brown switches? Having a number pad is not important to me so I've been looking into the CM Storm QuickFire Stealth which seems like it would be be a great fit. However, second opinions are always nice so it would be great if you guys could suggest some alternatives.
My criteria is the following: sub $100, cherry MX brown switches and preferably something that does not take up too much desk space (no unnecessary macros, etc). I'd also like something closer to a matte finish than something incredibly glossy, however I'm flexible on this one.
I should also mention it doesn't need to be specifically oriented for gaming. Thank you to any and all that help!
My criteria is the following: sub $100, cherry MX brown switches and preferably something that does not take up too much desk space (no unnecessary macros, etc). I'd also like something closer to a matte finish than something incredibly glossy, however I'm flexible on this one.
I should also mention it doesn't need to be specifically oriented for gaming. Thank you to any and all that help!
Pretty much, yeah.
Well, it's up to you. Even as a very experienced typist I don't find much value in blank or side-printed keycap sets. The dye-subliminated PBT caps on the Ducky are going to be much better quality. As a standalone package the Ducky would be my pick; with new keycaps I'd take the Filco.
With those criteria, I would get a Leopold board. IMO, they look ever so slightly better than Filcos in addition to being cheaper.
http://elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=leopold
I don't think they have any value besides looking good, which is of course subjective. To me, pretty much all stock keycaps look worse than blanks, except Topre caps which I regard as about equal to blanks. I have seen custom printed keysets that I'd like, but they cost a fortune. So I've swapped blanks on my Filco and kept the dark gray printed stock keys on my Topre.
Try and find a video on Youtube regarding removing Cherry MX keycaps (there are numerous vids on this). The tough part with the space bar is the stabilizers. Just take your time and it should be easy.
EdwardTivrusky
Member
My Ducky Shine 3 turned up this morning and i'd forgotten how good it is to use a mechanical keyboard rather than the cheap rubber dome keyboards we have hundreds of.
I went for Brown switches and "Magenta" LEDs which are actually "Hot Pink" but i don't care as it amuses me and i love 80's retro stuff. The black base and pink neon lighting reminds me of Blood Dragon anyway so it's all good. I've updated the firmware already, i haven't had to update firmware on a keyboard for years!
I thought at first that it was broken but it seems windows takes a moment to install device drivers and then it's a few minutes before all the swanky features seemed ot respond properly. The keyboard itself was fine as soon as windows found it.
Now i want a No-Numpad/Tenkeyless board with maybe red switches for work.
This weekend? Saints Row 4 and a new keyboard - bliss.
I went for Brown switches and "Magenta" LEDs which are actually "Hot Pink" but i don't care as it amuses me and i love 80's retro stuff. The black base and pink neon lighting reminds me of Blood Dragon anyway so it's all good. I've updated the firmware already, i haven't had to update firmware on a keyboard for years!
I thought at first that it was broken but it seems windows takes a moment to install device drivers and then it's a few minutes before all the swanky features seemed ot respond properly. The keyboard itself was fine as soon as windows found it.
Now i want a No-Numpad/Tenkeyless board with maybe red switches for work.
This weekend? Saints Row 4 and a new keyboard - bliss.
Duxxy3
Member
Just picked a mechanical keyboard for my dad's birthday. His wasd keys are all worn out and I wanted to get him something that will last years instead of months.
Unlike me he actually uses a number pad, so I went with a steelseries 6Gv2 with red cherry switches.
Boring gift, but hopefully he likes the keyboard as much as I love my mechanical keyboard.
Unlike me he actually uses a number pad, so I went with a steelseries 6Gv2 with red cherry switches.
Boring gift, but hopefully he likes the keyboard as much as I love my mechanical keyboard.
What swanky features didn't work? I have thought Shine's features are all in the firmware.
VanquishUK
Member
Got my Blackwidow Ultimate 2013 a while back for free, and I'm loving it so far. There's no turning back now.
NervousXtian
Thought Emoji Movie was good. Take that as you will.
Just got a CM Storm QuickFire Pro with browns.
Needed the TK, wanted the Ultimate.. but sketchy on when they release. I liked the K70 better, except for the red's.. and again.. sketchy on when it's releasing the browns.
Liking it so far.. also grabbed a CM Storm Recon mouse.. which is working fine for the bit I used it.. wanted a Deathadder.. but didn't want to drop the extra $30.. but kind of wishing I did.
Needed the TK, wanted the Ultimate.. but sketchy on when they release. I liked the K70 better, except for the red's.. and again.. sketchy on when it's releasing the browns.
Liking it so far.. also grabbed a CM Storm Recon mouse.. which is working fine for the bit I used it.. wanted a Deathadder.. but didn't want to drop the extra $30.. but kind of wishing I did.
EdwardTivrusky
Member
I wanna see that Shine 3, bro. Pics?
Here you go, it's a quick and horrible photo taken in the office on my phone the other morning. You can see my "work" keyboard in the background an HP Rubber Dome jobbie. It's horrid but does the job and it's also next in line for replacement. Heh.
God, my wrist-rest needs replacing too!
It was strange, The LED Backlighting didn't respond quickly or at all, it seemed to take a little while to settle down when first powered on. I was probably excitable and impatient though
It's all fine now, absolutely spot on and i really like the MX Browns for both gaming and typing.
Now to find a nice MX Brown TKL keyboard in UK ISO with the lovely big Return key.
EdwardTivrusky
Member
I've just ordered a Cooler Master Storm QuickFire TK with rubberized ABS keys and Cherry MX Brown switches to use at work.
It's shorter than a full size keyboard as it doesn't have the cursor & 6 key block but it does have a numpad which i need more than the cursors. I had to take the plunge as this rubber dome keyboard i'm using is really horrible now i've the Shine 3 at home.
It should turn up tomorrow, i can't wait. Vertical Mouse and Mechanical Keyboard will hopefully do wonders for fending off RSI etc. I also get my Wacom Bamboo Pad back for a few weeks which i found helped greatly with hand aches from using badly designed mice all day.
It's shorter than a full size keyboard as it doesn't have the cursor & 6 key block but it does have a numpad which i need more than the cursors. I had to take the plunge as this rubber dome keyboard i'm using is really horrible now i've the Shine 3 at home.
It should turn up tomorrow, i can't wait. Vertical Mouse and Mechanical Keyboard will hopefully do wonders for fending off RSI etc. I also get my Wacom Bamboo Pad back for a few weeks which i found helped greatly with hand aches from using badly designed mice all day.
AmaterasuOkami076
Member
Does anyone here who plays stepmania have any good recommendations for mechanical keyboards? I play regularly and build up to 18 taps per second so I need one that is responsive, good for quick successive hits. Read the OP and I'm looking into a few, just wondering if anyone who plays already has a specific model that works for them, thanks.
Duxxy3
Member
Really nice deal on a Das Keyboard from woot.com
http://tech.woot.com/offers/profess...485850&utm_medium=affiliate+-+Product+Catalog
http://tech.woot.com/offers/profess...485850&utm_medium=affiliate+-+Product+Catalog
diggmcbadass
Member
What keys are in the black widow?
Black Widows only come in browns and blues. For what it's worth, I also don't like gaming on blues.
EdwardTivrusky
Member
I don't play stepmania or any games which require super fast reflexes but the two Cherry MX switches that i would suggest you try are Brown or Red.
Browns are light to press compared to the others and the 'bump' gives you feedback on the keypress aside from the bottoming out most of us respond to.
Red switches are 'linear' so do not have the bump, the only feedback is when the key bottoms out. However at 45g they are as light as Browns and very quick but you can get frequent double presses until you are used to them.
I've also heard that the Topre switches between 35g to 45g are good for rapid input and feel nice. They are expensive though.
This will sound silly but look closely at keyboards you like to use and note things like key sizes, keycap height, spacing and the keycap shape ie rounded edges, flattened tops, contoured or smooth. Also look at the spacing and sizes of the Control, Alt, Space keys. There are subtle differences that can drive you insane if they're not to your taste.
You'll want to look for a board with NKRO which will register your keypresses more accurately and consistently too. Which is most of them to be honest but it's worth bearing in mind.
AmaterasuOkami076
Member
RapidCancel
Member
Looking to get my first mechanical keyboard and I'm wondering if GAF can give me some ideas of what to purchase.
I got a sampler kit from maxkeyboard and I'm really liking the blue switches. Can anyone suggest me a keyboard that is 60% and has dedicated arrow keys? So far the one I'm thinking about going with is the KBT Pure Pro.
I got a sampler kit from maxkeyboard and I'm really liking the blue switches. Can anyone suggest me a keyboard that is 60% and has dedicated arrow keys? So far the one I'm thinking about going with is the KBT Pure Pro.
What Vertical Mouse did you get?
I've used the before Microsoft Ergonomic Desktop 7000 mouse and sadly it didn't make a difference in my RSI.
scottzorus
Neo Member
Plan on getting a new keyboard soon. Thinking about reds, blacks, or browns, will be used mainly for gaming - any genre other than RTS. Was planning on getting a WASD v2 with brown switches, but now I'm on the fence about which board/switch to get.
rykomatsu
Member
man...I was told a while back that there were no "clicky" keyboards made any longer since IBM owned the patent or some BS like that, so never bothered to even look...
Ended up with a Razer Black Widow and loving it A little different from what I liked about the IBM M, but far far better than the cheap Dell keyboards I've been using for the last decade or so...definitely worth the cost.
I think I might get a Das Keyboard for work as well...
Ended up with a Razer Black Widow and loving it
A little different from what I liked about the IBM M, but far far better than the cheap Dell keyboards I've been using for the last decade or so...definitely worth the cost.I think I might get a Das Keyboard for work as well...
I gave my opinion on that a few posts back. Basically, blank key models look nice and they'll keep looking nice with no print to wear off. There's no functional benefit. There isn't really a functional downside either if you touch type well enough. The keyboard layout I'm using wouldn't match the printing on keys anyway - might as well have blanks.
ChronotriggerJM
Member
Just got the CM quickfire pro with the mx brown switches. Holy crap is this thing a revelation. You guys are telling me it's going to keep feeling like this? This is a change that I can be more than happy with, and man o' man this thing makes sweet music when typing, the spacebar could use some auditory adjustment though that's for sure 
tap tap tap THUD tap tap tap
tap tap tap THUD tap tap tapOh i found this thread finally!! None are safe
So i use a Leopold Tenkeyless with Blues for my desktop at home.
I am going to pickup a KBC/Vortex Poker 2 for work. Being in an environment with other human beings the stock blues are obviously too loud. Work is purely typing code and ruling the spreadsheet dimension with VBA macros. I also want this to sit in front of my laptop so the 60% layout was attractive. But I needs the feedback keys, i cant get on board with the linear switches
I already have a sampler set from WASD on order, mostly to show off to friends that want to convert to the one true keyswitch, but I want to mess with the silencers that are included.
Q1: Anyone here using Blues + orings safely in an office environment?
Q2: If Blue + Silencer is too loud, then same question as above for Browns.
I must be freed from this chiclet hell.
So i use a Leopold Tenkeyless with Blues for my desktop at home.
I am going to pickup a KBC/Vortex Poker 2 for work. Being in an environment with other human beings the stock blues are obviously too loud. Work is purely typing code and ruling the spreadsheet dimension with VBA macros. I also want this to sit in front of my laptop so the 60% layout was attractive. But I needs the feedback keys, i cant get on board with the linear switches
I already have a sampler set from WASD on order, mostly to show off to friends that want to convert to the one true keyswitch, but I want to mess with the silencers that are included.
Q1: Anyone here using Blues + orings safely in an office environment?
Q2: If Blue + Silencer is too loud, then same question as above for Browns.
I must be freed from this chiclet hell.
I use browns + o-rings at work. I have gotten one semi-complaint (the person mentioned that my typing was louder than normal, but said it wasn't a big deal and she could live with it). Most of the noise in this setup still comes from the keys bottoming out, even though I use extra thick o-rings. If you are a more gentle typist than I am, then I think the setup should be fine for most workplaces.
I use blues at home. Blues are loud regardless of your typing style. Although I prefer the feel of blues, I would never bring that keyboard to work.
ChronotriggerJM
Member
So a question technigaf might be able to answer. Why do they have a setting on this keyboard that allows me to adjust the polling rate? Why would I ever want to use a slower one? I should just set it at max and not bother no?
In theory, excessively polling an I/O device could waste energy or slow down the rest of your computer, since the CPU or I/O controller must spend time polling the device even if it doesn't have any new data. However depending on how frequently it is polled and whether there is a dedicated controller doing the polling, it may not make any practical difference.
The switches can develop a behavior called chattering where they register multiple times per actuation. You fix thos with adjusted poll rate. You can have it from the getgo usb controllers are different and so are os'es.
Thanks. Easy decision for me then!
ChronotriggerJM
Member
Ahhh okay that makes sense. Just seems like a goofy feature lol.
EdwardTivrusky
Member
As tokkun said, excessive polling can be detrimental to system performance and i can't think of being able to type faster than the system myself. Sure lowering latency can help but there is a balance to maintain and i think changing the keyboard response and polling might not be the biggest gain you can get. Off the top of my head though i don't think you can 'harm' anything by requesting more polling but unless you're playing Stepmania at insane bps i can't really see the point.
I vaguely remember fiddling with the USB polling rate in Windows 95/98SE for a mouse but that was because i had old hardware.
If you want better response then i'd suggest connecting the keyboard via the PS/2 interface as that sends an interrupt on keypress rather than being polled at intervals by the system.
Edit: I'd forgotten about possible USB controller issues or different devices.
ChronotriggerJM
Member
Well my new beauty is currently hooked up to my netbook lol, so no chance on that unfortunately
I'll probably just lower the poll rate as I don't even think it would make much of a difference. I'll go fiddle lol.I'm getting tired of blue switches and am having a bitch of a time trying to figure out if I want to transition to Browns or Reds. I've tried both out extensively and they both have their perks. I feel like if I got used to Reds they could be better...or Browns could be a less obnoxious middle ground.
I'd love to try Topre but they're just too damn expensive. I like tenkeyless so I'm looking at the Quickfire Rapid TKs (what I have now), Quickfire Stealth or Noppoo Choc Mini 84.
I'd love one of those unlabeled WASD 84s but they're pricey.
RED OR BROWN?!
I'd love to try Topre but they're just too damn expensive. I like tenkeyless so I'm looking at the Quickfire Rapid TKs (what I have now), Quickfire Stealth or Noppoo Choc Mini 84.
I'd love one of those unlabeled WASD 84s but they're pricey.
RED OR BROWN?!
Reds aren't tactile at all. If you want tactile, go for Browns. It's light enough it doesn't get in the way when you don't need it, but it's there if you do.
Tactile was the wrong word. I'm not sure if the Reds will be too light of a touch for me. I've got a friend that swears by them for typing now that he's adjusted but others lament typos and other difficulties of having them be so light.
Browns are a middle ground.
Not sure whether I want to commit to learning to type on air or go for the middle ground.