Ducky DK1087XM (Black Alps)

[Photoelectric]

Been looking through GH for more information on the Alps series of Ducky keyboards.  I know they are supposed to be lower quality, as reflected by their price, and I've seen people mention "issues", but I can't find anything specific.

What "issues" are there with Ducky DK1087XM, and how decent are they for Alps keyboards?  (Vs like Matias, which costs 3-4x more--other than switch colors)

Also, Black Alps in Ducky, which are supposed to be linear--they would be sort of like Cherry linear switches?  Or not quite?  I generally see Black Alps categorized as "tactile", and I've read someone comparing them to Browns, sort of, but for some reason the ones in Ducky are referred to as "linear"

http://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=89

Finally, these are PCB-mounted?  I know it says so on the MechanicalKeyboards listing, but sometimes they have that entry incorrect.  Judging by its weight, it seems to not have a plate.
----

So the reason I'm looking at it is I need a cheapo mechanical keyboard for work that will look fairly unremarkable and will be an upgrade over the HORRID Dell I have there now.  And perhaps in the future, I'd swap switches to something else.

[CPTBadAss]

The case is by far the cheapest case I've ever had. It's horribly light, low quality, and just plain ugly. They are Linear Black Alps XM clones, so not actual Alps switches. There are Tactile Black and Linear Black Alps switches. More info on switches can be found in the Complete Switch Review thing in my Wiki and on DT. The Matias switches are both tactile so they don't feel anything alike. I also hesitate to compare Alps to MX since Alps have a high actuation point and I feel that there are so many more variants of tactility versus MX.

The board is Plate mounted. If you want pictures, look at the Tofu101 board in my signature for a complete teardown.

Edit: Matias switches are based on Alps switches but they are not true Alps switches. The tactiles/clicky (found in the Tactile Pro) are based on the Grey Alps switch according to Mr. Interface. The Quiet switch was a Clicky White that was modified to have a dampener inside. They don't feel like Clicky Whites and are the quietest stock mechanical switch I've ever tried.

If you want a nice Alps board for a low price, get a Dell AT101W.

[Photoelectric]

Awesome--thanks for the detailed reply!

I didn't know they were Alps clones!  The reason I was looking for a comparison to MX is I figured since they are "linear", they would just feel the same as MX Red or Black (just varying the spring or what not).

[CPTBadAss]

They do not feel the same as Red and Blacks. The switch is a little wobblier IMO and has a different actuation point. Check my ninja edit as well as my tear down pictures and thoughts in my Wiki. Feel free to PM me to chat about my thoughts on Alps too. I really love them.

[Photoelectric]

Ok, so the casing is so-so... but maybe could be improved somehow.  The PCB looks very basic, but couldn't quite tell.  The Alps clones could possibly be eventually replaced with Matias' Quiet switch pack (sold on MechanicalKeyboards).  Still not worth it?  The Ducky is $33 + $10 shipping from Global PCHome.

And even if that Dell is good, I absolutely hate large old-school cases.

[alaricljs]

The PCB is a single sided plane jane PCB, the soldering job is crap as the switches are not always solidly against the PCB.  This can effect feel and noise.  The plate itself is cheap steel that has no issue bending if you yell at it.  The key caps feel pretty decent but you can snap the stems off just pulling them off the switches.  The case is also brittle and one good bang on a corner can toast the whole board.  I received my first board with every standoff sheared and the corner of the case shattered.

I swapped the green XMs for Matias Quiets, and spring swapped them as well.  I like the lighter spring in the green XMs.  The Matias switches are really nice this way imho.  Next step is a full custom using these switches because really... this board feels so cheap.

[CPTBadAss]

You can hunt a Filco Zero but I promise you I'll snipe that faster than you can say Filco.

[Photoelectric]

Thanks!  Sounds like I'll avoid this one for now.  Need more small Alps boards like Matias' Laptop series.

[Techno Trousers]

What's the link on Global PC home for this board? Do they have any without the Chinese lettering?

My first modding project is going to be a "Back to the Future" Alps board.  I found an ABS M1 for sale, and I'll be swapping in some old school complicated white alps harvested from an old Focus FK-2001.

Reason for this project is like you said--I want a modern board,  without the big ass enter key and with win keys,  but nothing beats the feel of those clicky tactile alps for me.

One thing to keep in mind coming from Cherry is that alps switches have noticeably less travel,  so it will take some adjusting for you.

[alaricljs]

You notice .5mm less travel as being significant?  Impressive.

[CPTBadAss]

You notice .5mm less travel as being significant?  Impressive.

Yeah this....it's not that much difference on travel.

[Techno Trousers]

You notice .5mm less travel as being significant?  Impressive.

Not significant, but noticeable to me. .5 / 3.6 is a 14% difference in distance to bottom-out.

[Dubsgalore]

dat .5mm travel distance

CPT is the man to go to for ALPS questions

[CPTBadAss]

You can feel a difference in .019 inches? I doubt that very much. But ok.

Edit: And Akimbro is the guy to talk about Alps boards, not me

[Puddsy]

I have the green ALPS version. It's the most awful, wobbly thing ever, and I can't type properly on it. It looks awful, and the ink is already wearing off the keys after a month.

It's my favorite, though. I absolutely love typing on it, no matter how wobbly.

[rootwyrm]

You can feel a difference in .019 inches? I doubt that very much. But ok.

Edit: And Akimbro is the guy to talk about Alps boards, not me

Confirm!

But, I've had my hands on a 1087XM - the clicky one - and I'll tell you straight up it's not comparable to the real deal. They're closer to the non-Fuhua clones Focus used for some of their boards. Which is to say: very low quality, very high wobble. I'm not sure who makes them but either way it felt like crap. Matias uses the genuine article (Fuhua is not technically a clone - they bought the Alps tooling. Same as IBM Model M <-> Unicomp.)

It's certainly not uncorrectable. But it'd cost a lot to correct. Basically looking at: chassis requires reinforcement, plate requires remanufacturing in better material, keycaps require replacement, switches likely require replacement. So the only usable part in the end is the PCB.
There's an idea. Maybe get raw unfinished PCBs with controllers - there's nothing actually wrong with the PCB or controller itself by any stretch of the imagination - and build your own 1087XM.

[jkercado]

I know the Ducky 1087XMs are kinda cheap, but I like them. I'm not bothered at all by the wobbliness in the switches, and I actually find them good looking and simple in their design. I have both green and black XM units. I prefer the blacks--they feel more refined and I found out I can "float" my fingers easier when typing--the switch feels a bit more cushiony than the green.

My Ducky spends the day in the same spot in the office, I'm a coder, so my typing is not like a constant flurry of characters. I do use it for writing up documentation, and I like the response I get from them, definitely easier on my fingers than the Unicomp I had before. About durability, it doesn't get toted around or swapped constantly in my case. If you're like me in that sense, I wouldn't worry about the long-term quality, plus is a relatively cheap way to experiment with different switches.

So far, I'd recommend the 1087XM units, especially considering the price.