Best Keyboard Ever and Cheap too

[BoredSysAdmin]

Newegg.com - Cooler Master CM Storm QuickFire Rapid SGK-4000-GKCL1-US USB or PS/2 Wired Gaming Mechanical Cherry Blue Switches Keyboard

I got it for myself few months ago - My first mechanical keyboard and I'm afraid the last keyboard I'll ever have - It's a tank. Tenkeyless design was a requirement for me not a con

 

[agarwalro]

+1.

Once you go mechanical you don't go back!

 

[adwilk]

Alright, I feel out of the loop.. whats a Mechanical Keyboard? What makes it so special? I want one, just help me figure out why I want it...

 

[hizzaah]

Alright, I feel out of the loop.. whats a Mechanical Keyboard? What makes it so special? I want one, just help me figure out why I want it...

Here's a decent description of what is physically different. It's best to feel for yourself though!

A mechanical keyboard uses actual, physical switches underneath the keys to determine when the user has pushed a key. Press a key, and you press its switch down. Press the switch down, and the keyboard sends a signal to the PC telling it that you pressed that key.

At first, this design doesn't sound so remarkable. After all, you already have a keyboard, and you can tell when you've pressed a key: You push one down, and a letter pops up on the screen. Take a second, however, to think about how you know you've pressed a key--it's probably because you've pushed the key down as far as it will go, only after which do you see something happen on your PC.

Most keyboards are composed of a set of three plastic membranes, with rubber dome-shaped switches underneath each key. Press a key, and the rubber switch pushes through a hole in the middle membrane to connect the top and bottom membranes, which creates an electrical circuit that causes the keyboard to send the input to your PC. This keyboard design is inexpensive and spill-resistant, but it doesn't give you as much tactile or audible feedback when you press a key, which can change the way you type.

 

[jostenmeat]

Newegg.com - Cooler Master CM Storm QuickFire Rapid SGK-4000-GKCL1-US USB or PS/2 Wired Gaming Mechanical Cherry Blue Switches Keyboard

I got it for myself few months ago - My first mechanical keyboard and I'm afraid the last keyboard I'll ever have - It's a tank. Tenkeyless design was a requirement for me not a con

+1.

Once you go mechanical you don't go back!

Someone please recommend me a good value on a mechanical, but with the tenkey, please, thank you.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Alright, I feel out of the loop.. whats a Mechanical Keyboard? What makes it so special? I want one, just help me figure out why I want it...

Did you ever see (or importantly hear) original IBM PC keyboards? The loud click-clack sound they made? These what mech keyboards do. But this is the only "con" - they are super reliable, fixable and much better user feedback

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Someone please recommend me a good value on a mechanical, but with the tenkey, please, thank you.

Newegg.com - Cooler Master CM Storm Quick Fire Pro SGK-4010-GKCR1-US USB 2.0 Wired Gaming Mechanical Cherry Red Switches Keyboard

or this is you want it illuminated even more:

Newegg.com - Cooler Master CM Storm Trigger SGK-6000-GKCM1-US Black USB Gaming Cherry MX Brown Keyboard

There are cheaper Cherry MX switches keyboards, but according to dedicated mech keyboards forum (yes, there is one ) they are garbage. CM Keyboard are good value, despite higher than regular keyboard price.

 

[its phillip]

Did you ever see (or importantly hear) original IBM PC keyboards? The loud click-clack sound they made? These what mech keyboards do. But this is the only "con" - they are super reliable, fixable and much better user feedback

The old IBM boards were buckling spring keyboards (Unicomp offers buckling spring boards nowadays).

I do like mech boards too - I have five filcos. Two full size (mx black and mx brown), and three tenkeyless (mx blue, mx brown, and mx red).

I've never used the CM boards but I've not heard anything bad about them. If I was going to buy another cherry mx board I'd probably buy from wasd keyboard:
WASD Keyboards: Custom Mechanical Keyboards

 

[treve01]

out of stock

 

[jostenmeat]

The old IBM boards were buckling spring keyboards (Unicomp offers buckling spring boards nowadays).

I do like mech boards too - I have five filcos. Two full size (mx black and mx brown), and three tenkeyless (mx blue, mx brown, and mx red).

I've never used the CM boards but I've not heard anything bad about them. If I was going to buy another cherry mx board I'd probably buy from wasd keyboard:
WASD Keyboards: Custom Mechanical Keyboards

Hi Phillip (5 Filcos!), and BSA, I just spent a little time investigating this thing again. According to my my research and guesses (and no I won't be surprised if I'm incorrect on a number of counts), I'd probably like the MX red cherry switches the best (and blue the least), for the least amount of noise, and perhaps least resistance(?). They are supposedly the most expensive as well simply because they cost more to produce, if I believe everything I read.

Why would you lean towards buying a WASD board over a CM board for a first try, may I ask?

I REALLY prefer completely backlit, and I realize that the CM boards only backlight half the key (lights the number, but not the symbol above for instance), and that is a compromise I think I can probably swallow.

Anyway, I think the cherry red full backlight 6000 model is sold out at Newegg, but I think there is one for $10 more through Amazon right now, but then with an available $20 mail in rebate to mftr good to around the end of this month, for about $110 in the end. Or something like that.

One reason I wish I didn't prefer backlit is because I really beat the heck out of my keys, it doesn't take long for to go right through the paint on my Razer keyboards (I'm either on my 2nd or 3rd btw between a couple of computers), whereas many keys don't even have legible letters anymore. (But I do wish they were still legible.) So part of me thinks maybe I should very reluctantly give up backlighting to try the etched keys from WASD. Thanks for listening to me blabber.

 

[its phillip]

I primarily use a 10keyless board with red switches at home and a fullsize with browns at work. I think either would be fine for you.

I've got no personal experience with the CM boards or the wasd boards, but I like the customization options with wasd and I've only heard great things about them.

I usually wear the printing off of my keys as well, but that doesn't really bother me. If you want, you can buy laser etched keycaps or PBT keycaps (or other types) that will be much more durable.

If you are set on backlit boards, the Ducky Shine II is available in multiple colors and multiple switches. Here's an OOS board with red switches and blue leds:
Ducky Shine II DK9008S2 - Blue LED Mechanical Keyboard (Red Cherry MX)

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I gotta find that forum which specializes in keyboards... I'm also quite surprised how much knowledge about mech keyboard is already here
My next pc accessory will be CM mouse. Performance MX wheel click button got worn off after rare/occasional use in less than 2 years... Never going back to anything logitech again...
I have an Logitech G9x gaming mouse at work - it's ok but a bit on smaller side, but I think CM would be a better choice.

 

[its phillip]

geekhack.org is a keyboard forum that you might want to look at. i haven't really gone there in awhile though

 

[jostenmeat]

If you are set on backlit boards, the Ducky Shine II is available in multiple colors and multiple switches. Here's an OOS board with red switches and blue leds:
Ducky Shine II DK9008S2 - Blue LED Mechanical Keyboard (Red Cherry MX)

The CM board I mentioned is already backlit, and available with with red switches, so I'd like to know what advantages there are with your recommendation. (It's not in stock there, not even available for backorder, and even if it was, it's certainly more expensive.)

While only half the keys are backlit with the CMs, I do like that there seems to be a number of "dimmer" settings, I do like that.

At first glance I didn't see any full sets of replacement keys at the CM site, but that the complete sets at WASD were like $40ish. I didn't see how much a smaller set would cost, but if say I could replace 10 keys for say I dunno $20ish, then I could replace the worst keys once a year, without having to drop $120ish for a brand new looking board each time. However, I didn't immediately notice any that were of the backlit type anyway. Oh well, thanks for the discussion, if I had to buy one right now I'd probably get that red-switched CM 6000 (I think that's the model) from Amazon with $20 mail in rebate.

BTW, I've no idea what an OOS board is, and after a few variations of keyword searches, I keep getting "occupational overuse syndrome".

 

[its phillip]

OOS = out of stock.

I only linked that board since you had mentioned that the CM board was only partially backlit and the Ducky is fully backlit.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

geekhack.org is a keyboard forum that you might want to look at. i haven't really gone there in awhile though

Yes, Yes it is !! Thank you
Need help for Keyboard newbie

 

[jonnythan]

Nice compact keyboard, but the lack of a number pad is kinda stinky for a desktop.

If someone made a Microsoft Natural style keyboard with mechanical backlit keys, I would buy 10 of them. They don't even make the Natural Elite anymore, which is IMO the best keyboard design ever.

 

[jostenmeat]

So I'm trying my best to go away from backlighting for two reasons: longevity of whatever is etched on the keycap by going with an engraving (I assume it would last longer), and that with the WASD brand I can replace the keycaps when that day comes. So, holy crap I am LOLing at the amount of options, even with just the most basic 104 key set available, it's still 10 available options! I configured: 104 key V1, Cherry MX Red (Linear) switches, Engraved, Classic (biggest font), White keys (stupid guess as to legibility), White escape key, White WASD keys, Windows 7, and . . . wait for it . . . the 40A-R o-ring modification for both a 0.40mm travel reduction, and softer landing for better shock absorption! $152 sitting in my cart right now, hmmmmmmmm.

 

[jostenmeat]

I just did a bit more google searching to find comparisons with Filco (as I've decided to give up on backlighting, might as well check them out), and WASD seems to do very well according to the opinions I found. So I just sent an email over to WASD asking some questions regarding etched vs engraved, and color scheme. Once I get those answers, I might have to pull the trigger on one.

 

[jostenmeat]

So I just sent an email over to WASD asking some questions regarding etched vs engraved, and color scheme.

I got a couple of email responses over the last several days. Things I learned:

1. Engraved lasts longer.
2. Etching on black keys doesn't last as long as any of the others; I wondered why, and then realized it's the only* color that would use white etching instead of black; I assume* this is the real reason, see below.
3. After studying the photos, my suspicions were confirmed that specifically with engraved keys, black provides the most contrast/legibility, and white the worst. See below.

With the "semi-custom" route that I'll be going, there are only two choices I think for the size/location of the font, and here is the smaller one I will choose as the keys should last longer, it's called "modern". I am now deciding between this black modern engraved, or an etched modern with something other than black. Hey, at least I'm narrowing it down, haha.