Ducky 1087 XM w/ Green ALPS type switch

[reaper]

PC Home delivers it again, from Taiwan to L.A. took them exactly 2 days (I bet it would've been faster if it didn't get stuck at U.S. Customs lol).  Anyway, the materials used and the fittings seem much better than the original 1087 series.  The green ALPS type switch I suppose is their Chinese clone version which seems pretty clicky (ie. loud).  It feels like a cheaper version of Filco Zero.

Link to PC Home's product page

The keycaps legends are dark brown/gold (I guess they take cue from their Year of the Tiger Edition which is a lot nicer than just plain white on black) and they gave me something extra which is a Ducky switch keychain.  You can see the pictures below.

Spec from PC Home page with the help of Google Translation:

Model: DK 1087 XM
with bearings: XM shaft
key configuration: US ASCII 87 key
connection interface: USB & PS / 2
Cap Material: ABS
Printing: laser engraving
Size: 353X135X40 (mm)
Weight: 1.0kg
Warranty: one-year warranty

The newly redesigned box looks much more modern, gone are those cryptic Chinese characters which is good since I can't read Chinese. =P



You can see the new keycaps from the pictures below





ABS keycap



Green ALPS switch



And here is the included freebie...



Bottom of the darn thing



Last, with GH ALPS keycap



The whole thing costs me around $50 something shipped (including the freebie you see above) so that wasn't too bad.  Any question please let me know. =)

Oh, forgot to add...  it doesn't come with any extra keycaps, key puller or that velvet carrying case like their previous 1087 series.  Just the keyboard, a USB cord and that was it.

[flyball]

linear switches?

[reaper]

Clicky and tactile, non-linear.

[Hak Foo]

My 1008 with greens showed up today (ordered Sunday), and I notice that the switches don't sound like old ALPS-- the entire room doesn't shake when you type.

[reaper]

the entire room doesn't shake when you type.

Haha.. I know what you mean. =P  I still pound on the keybaord pretty hard so it's still loud for me. =D

[SmallFry]

I really am considering getting one of these, would you recommend it Hak Foo? I'll be modding it to most likely real greens (linears). But dont want a cheap feeling board.

[REVENGE]

Nice to see ALPS alive and well.

[jpm804]

Thanks reaper for doing this review... I was looking to pick up this board since it was so cheap to try some alps tenkeyless love... I still want the filco zero though.

I just wish it came in the 1008 model which is non-clicky came in tenkeyless also.

One question, how clicky is it compared to blues?

[flyball]

Thanks reaper for doing this review... I was looking to pick up this board since it was so cheap to try some alps tenkeyless love... I still want the filco zero though.

I just wish it came in the 1008 model which is non-clicky came in tenkeyless also.

One question, how clicky is it compared to blues?

http://global.pchome.com.tw/?mod=item&func=exhibit&IT_NO=DCAH0X-A59130655&SR_NO=DCAH0X&ROWNO=39&tm=u

[jpm804]

http://global.pchome.com.tw/?mod=item&func=exhibit&IT_NO=DCAH0X-A59130655&SR_NO=DCAH0X&ROWNO=39&tm=u

Thanks Flyball... I missed that.

[reaper]

Thanks reaper for doing this review... I was looking to pick up this board since it was so cheap to try some alps tenkeyless love... I still want the filco zero though.

I just wish it came in the 1008 model which is non-clicky came in tenkeyless also.

One question, how clicky is it compared to blues?

You're welcome and I wouldn't say it's as noisey as the blues.  The sound I hear mostly comes from bottoming out the switch.  It's definitely tactile though.  I can feel the bump when I slowly pressing the key.

[flyball]

i bought one. glad to see a tenkeyless still rockin the num lock and alps as well

[laffindude]

It's a wobbly goblin. The switches are pretty wobbly.

[itlnstln]

It's a wobbly goblin. The switches are pretty wobbly.

Well, they got that part of the ALPS switch right.

[Grimey]

Thanks for the review, went ahead and ordered one myself. ~$53 isn't bad for a tenkeyless board shipped from Taiwan.

[magey]

How does this compare to the one with the black switches? how much force for the greens vs. the blacks, what kind of noise do they make and are they linear/tactile? I can't make much sense out the engrish Google Translate spits out when I visit PCHOME.

[reaper]

Thanks for the review, went ahead and ordered one myself. ~$53 isn't bad for a tenkeyless board shipped from Taiwan.

You're welcome.  Glad the review has helped someone. =)

How does this compare to the one with the black switches? how much force for the greens vs. the blacks, what kind of noise do they make and are they linear/tactile? I can't make much sense out the engrish Google Translate spits out when I visit PCHOME.

Sorry but I don't have a board with black ALPS to compare.  The only other ALPS I have is Filco Zero and I can tell you that the tactile on this one is more pronounced.  I can definitely feel it in each keystroke.  As for the sound, it's pretty similar to Filco Zero.

[leotnnz]

great review , reaper. how is the activation force? do not need the precise measure like ripster's method. just compare with mx switches.

[reaper]

Thanks and someone has already done that on my other thread over at OCN (link).  I was gonna test it with some nickles but there's no point since he has already done it. lol

[Grimey]

Trip report.

I received my Ducky 1087 with XM greens this morning.  That makes it a 1 week turn around including the weekend to ship to the middle of the US.

The switches are really quite nice to type on.  The ALPS rattle is there that my at101w exhibits, but nothing that would cause me any annoyance (if I shared an office with someone maybe as this is reasonably loud, like blues with some extra rattle).  The key travel is shorter than my Cherry MX boards, but still within reason as the actuation point is nice and high.

I am glad I ordered the tactile version instead of the linear one.  The CAPSLOCK and NUMLOCK keys are the linear variety and they feel rather mushy in comparison.  I much prefer my Cherry MX Reds to the linear keys on this board, but as I only use CAPS as a second backspace and will rarely hit the NUMLOCK key this is acceptable (also integrated numlock like my old choc mini is cool).

So in the end I will recommend this to anyone wanted to tread water in the mechanical keyboard world.  The price is excellent and the board is a adequate quality.

** I was attempting to transfer my at101w keycaps to this board but the spacebars are not compatible without producing a new stabilizer wire.  I ended up just transferring my non-modifier keys over from the dell, and it looks quite nice.

[curro123083]

Just wondering if anyone who has one of those freebie key switch key chains is willing to let it go for a small fee? Pm me with a price and shipping to Nixa Missouri USA. Thanks

[elbowglue]

Thanks for the review- how does the clicky switches compare with XMs (say, siig minitouch?) and fukkas?  If you hit a key off center does it bind a little like XM's do?  Thanks again!

[reaper]

** I was attempting to transfer my at101w keycaps to this board but the spacebars are not compatible without producing a new stabilizer wire.  I ended up just transferring my non-modifier keys over from the dell, and it looks quite nice.

Pics or it didn't happen! =P

Just wondering if anyone who has one of those freebie key switch key chains is willing to let it go for a small fee? Pm me with a price and shipping to Nixa Missouri USA. Thanks

Good luck with your search.  I have a Topre one coming in.

Thanks for the review- how does the clicky switches compare with XMs (say, siig minitouch?) and fukkas?  If you hit a key off center does it bind a little like XM's do?  Thanks again!

I'll check on it later tonight or sometime tomorrow and will report back.

[curro123083]

Is there a place online to get a keyswitch keychain? or is it gonna be a scavenger hunt? lol

[Grimey]

Is there a place online to get a keyswitch keychain? or is it gonna be a scavenger hunt? lol

Do you want it for the ducky keycap or for the switch thing itself?  I have no particular connection to the device itself, but the wife grabbed the keycap already.  If you are just in the market for the key ring without a keycap (I guess I could provide one if you really wanted), send me a PM and we can talk about it.

Also the keyswitch chain thing is a cherry blue switch, not a XM as I expected it to be.

[elbowglue]

Pulled the trigger, got the last two Chinese text ones.  Thanks reaper for posting this review, hope they come back in stock soon..

[curro123083]

Sent you a PM, although I have a feeling ripster has a btter chance than me, I no have double shot novelties? :sad: Anyways if you are still willing let me know!

[magey]

I got my 1008 XM with green switches yesterday, a few impressions (my basis for comparison is my 6Gv2 with cherry blacks):

- The keys are really wobbly
- The space bar is misaligned and makes a loud metallic noise when you hit it
- Build quality is mediocre at best; plastic feels flimsy, the corners of the keyboard are really sharp and could injure you if you brush against them the wrong way
- It's EXTREMELY loud, even louder than cherry blues (like my friend's Das)

Despite all these shortcomings the keys feel really good, I like the tactile feedback more than my linear blacks (although for gaming I might still prefer the blacks), and the noise is pretty awesome. I originally planned to use this at work but after testing it out yesterday it is way too loud for the office or for home, my girlfriend threatened my life if I kept it at home, so now I'm not sure what I'll do with it.

[rich0d]

Is it easy to get replacement caps for ALPS keys? Can't seem to find them anywhere (obvious) on the net.

[reaper]

Imy girlfriend threatened my life if I kept it at home, so now I'm not sure what I'll do with it.

Sell it in the Classifieds section.  I'm sure someone will wanna take it off your hands.  And also if you find it's too loud, might wanna get some o-rings from WASD.

Is it easy to get replacement caps for ALPS keys? Can't seem to find them anywhere (obvious) on the net.

There are a thread in Classifieds and another thread in Group Buy for APLS keycaps.