Help me get pick my new keyboard!

[Keytrun]

Hey folks - I'm super new to mechanical keyboards but I've been trying to do as much research as I can over the last few days. I currently have a Razer Blackwidow Ultimate. I've been told by mechanical keyboard enthusiasts that these Razer keyboards aren't great - and I somewhat agree. This keyboard feels fine to type on but when I travel with it (to the LAN center and such) the plastic feels "cheap". Also its really bulky and I'd like something with a smaller form factor. What I really love is the form factor of the ducky shine 3 TKL, the CM storm Quick Fire Rapid, or the Filco Majestouch 2 TKL. The three keyboards I just mentioned all have nearly the exact same form factor and I really like it. The problem I'm having now is I can't figure out which keyboard to get. I really like the aforementioned form factor, and I want a really solid, clean, black TKL board. I really like mx blue switches. I love the loud, clickyness to them. I don't want it silent - I like the noise! In addition, I think the removable cable may be nice to have, but its not mandatory. My computer is on the floor below me and my keyboard cable does need to stretch a little ways (the razer cable is just fine) so a tiny cable isn't an option. I'm pretty sure my razer uses the costar stabilizers given the fact that there are metal clip things holding the larger keys from being removed without first disconnecting the metal clips. I've heard bad things about the cherry mx stabilizers and given how often I use the space bar (double tapping it a lot in sc2) I want really good stabilizers. Also I've read about certain keyboards having a different switch under the space bar and that its more difficult to deal with. I'd prefer to avoid that. I'd also really like the ability to raise and lower volume from the keyboard (not mandatory but it would be nice). I'd love an audio / usb jack - but I don't think any of the really good keyboards have those. Backlighting would be great (hence my interest in the ducky shine 3 TKL) but I'm intending to replace the keycaps and I'm not sure if backlighting will work with pbt caps. I've been looking at the Shine 3 TKL, the Leopold FC700R and the Filco Majestouch 2. Those are just some of the boards I'm aware of that I may like. I've heard mixed things about the ducky. I know the shine 2 used mx stabilizers but some people on the forums talk about a modified mx stabilizer on the new shine 3. Can someone comment on this? I had also been really interested in the ducky year of the dragon board but I can't get much information on it. Is there any difference between the YOTD and the shine 3 tkl? What's the difference between the shine 2 and the shine 3?

I also want to change out the keycaps. I've heard great things about the heavy PBT keycaps, so whatever keyboard I get I'd like to put those caps on. Can you put PBT caps on a backlit keyboard and actually see the light shine through? I'm actually super overwhelmed with trying to find the correct caps, too. I've been to keycapsdirect.com and all the terms are extremely confusing. DSA, NDY, ISO - I'm completely lost and could use any help you all would be willing to give me. My fingers fit well with the shape of the keycaps on my Razer Blackwidow (they're not completely flat. They have a little indent for my fingers to sit in which I really like) and I really like having the little lines that stick out on my F and J key (as they do on most keyboards). Also I don't want blank keycaps - I really would like to have them labeled. I'm not sure if my razer uses doubleshot (can someone tell me a little about doubleshot?) caps or not, but I've heard that doubleshot are better than standard abs caps, which according to what i've read seem crappy. I figured that the heavy PBT caps would be the best because they would never wear down and I would have good consistent usage. Again, any help with finding some colored sets of great heavy pbt caps would be great. 

Hopefully this wasn't too incoherent and you guys will be able to help me figure out the right combination of board / caps that will work for me. Can you all tell me a little about whether or not you feel that replacing the keycaps is important? I'm just assuming that the PBT / PBT heavy caps are better because every time I've seen someone comment about them its been within the context of "once you type on heavy pbt you'll never go back". I really wish I could just get a shine 3 with costar stabilizers and pbt heavy caps that allow the light to pass through them, but I'm not sure if something like that exists. I really want a solidly built board too - nothing that feels cheep and creaks / flexes just from being held normally. I'm not worried about the price, so just help me figure out whats best - not whats best budget wise. Thanks in advance for any help you guys provide me with. I look forward to the recommendations you guys give me. If possible, when referencing the products to buy if you can provide a link or a way for me to buy them that would be great (especially with the caps because that's the hard part).

[rowdy]

Welcome to Geekhack!

First up, have a read here.  That might answer many if not most of your questions.

Post back with anything else you would like to know.

Of the three TKL boards you first listed, go Ducky if you want backlighting (and don't mind Cherry stabilisers), go Filco if you have a bit extra cash to spare (and don't mind fixed cable), or go QFR for a good compromise (Costar stabilisers, removable cable, but no backlighting).

BTW Cherry stabilisers are said to feel slightly mushier, which they do, but not that much that it bothers me (I have various keyboards including Ducky and QFR).

And thick keycaps will not show backlighting as well as the stock keycaps - there are very few replacement sets that will.  The best you will get is a faint glow near the top of the keycap.

[tp4tissue]

Welcome to Geekhack!

First up, have a read here.  That might answer many if not most of your questions.

Post back with anything else you would like to know.

Of the three TKL boards you first listed, go Ducky if you want backlighting (and don't mind Cherry stabilisers), go Filco if you have a bit extra cash to spare (and don't mind fixed cable), or go QFR for a good compromise (Costar stabilisers, removable cable, but no backlighting).

BTW Cherry stabilisers are said to feel slightly mushier, which they do, but not that much that it bothers me (I have various keyboards including Ducky and QFR).

And thick keycaps will not show backlighting as well as the stock keycaps - there are very few replacement sets that will.  The best you will get is a faint glow near the top of the keycap.

Costar Stabilizers are more tolerant of mild mis-molding of space bars.. they are ALL mildly mismolded.. 

Cherry Stabilizers require a near perfect spacebar, otherwise it will feel "mushy" because the warp-age will cause the stabilizer inserts to grind against the insert shaft on the two sides.

[rowdy]

Welcome to Geekhack!

First up, have a read here.  That might answer many if not most of your questions.

Post back with anything else you would like to know.

Of the three TKL boards you first listed, go Ducky if you want backlighting (and don't mind Cherry stabilisers), go Filco if you have a bit extra cash to spare (and don't mind fixed cable), or go QFR for a good compromise (Costar stabilisers, removable cable, but no backlighting).

BTW Cherry stabilisers are said to feel slightly mushier, which they do, but not that much that it bothers me (I have various keyboards including Ducky and QFR).

And thick keycaps will not show backlighting as well as the stock keycaps - there are very few replacement sets that will.  The best you will get is a faint glow near the top of the keycap.

Costar Stabilizers are more tolerant of mild mis-molding of space bars.. they are ALL mildly mismolded.. 

Cherry Stabilizers require a near perfect spacebar, otherwise it will feel "mushy" because the warp-age will cause the stabilizer inserts to grind against the insert shaft on the two sides.

Although Cherry stabilisers make it somewhat easier to swap keycaps than Costar.

[terran5992]

Welcome to Geekhack!

First up, have a read here.  That might answer many if not most of your questions.

Post back with anything else you would like to know.

Of the three TKL boards you first listed, go Ducky if you want backlighting (and don't mind Cherry stabilisers), go Filco if you have a bit extra cash to spare (and don't mind fixed cable), or go QFR for a good compromise (Costar stabilisers, removable cable, but no backlighting).

BTW Cherry stabilisers are said to feel slightly mushier, which they do, but not that much that it bothers me (I have various keyboards including Ducky and QFR).

And thick keycaps will not show backlighting as well as the stock keycaps - there are very few replacement sets that will.  The best you will get is a faint glow near the top of the keycap.

Costar Stabilizers are more tolerant of mild mis-molding of space bars.. they are ALL mildly mismolded.. 

Cherry Stabilizers require a near perfect spacebar, otherwise it will feel "mushy" because the warp-age will cause the stabilizer inserts to grind against the insert shaft on the two sides.

Although Cherry stabilisers make it somewhat easier to swap keycaps than Costar.

But they dont feel as good as costar stabs

[tp4tissue]

Welcome to Geekhack!

First up, have a read here.  That might answer many if not most of your questions.

Post back with anything else you would like to know.

Of the three TKL boards you first listed, go Ducky if you want backlighting (and don't mind Cherry stabilisers), go Filco if you have a bit extra cash to spare (and don't mind fixed cable), or go QFR for a good compromise (Costar stabilisers, removable cable, but no backlighting).

BTW Cherry stabilisers are said to feel slightly mushier, which they do, but not that much that it bothers me (I have various keyboards including Ducky and QFR).

And thick keycaps will not show backlighting as well as the stock keycaps - there are very few replacement sets that will.  The best you will get is a faint glow near the top of the keycap.

Costar Stabilizers are more tolerant of mild mis-molding of space bars.. they are ALL mildly mismolded.. 

Cherry Stabilizers require a near perfect spacebar, otherwise it will feel "mushy" because the warp-age will cause the stabilizer inserts to grind against the insert shaft on the two sides.

Although Cherry stabilisers make it somewhat easier to swap keycaps than Costar.

But they dont feel as good as costar stabs

feel as good...  That's subjective...

We should try to be more accurate in our description....  the Costar stabilizer "usually" feels smoother, having less friction causing surfaces..

In the case where the Space bar plastic is VERY straight..  The feel should be indistinguishable without test-instruments.

[Keytrun]

Can anyone address some of the other points in my post? Thanks !

[terran5992]

Well keycap material is really up to you to decide, and you wil have to try out for yourself before you should make a decision

[rowdy]

Can anyone address some of the other points in my post? Thanks !

Anything in particular that you did not pick up from the "simple questions" thread?

My Ducky with MX blues has a MX green under the space bar.  I did not even notice until someone said something here about a different switch under the space bar, so I removed my space bar to see and ... green!  I didn't feel any difference, but tbh I prefer the slightly stronger green because the space bar is heavier, and I also tend to push it with my thumbs which are inherently stronger than my fingers.

[Tony]

If you don't have to worry about money, get a Filco. If you need something ok and reasonable, then grab a Quickfire Rapid/Pro.

Do that first. After that, you can post about your keycap concern in keycap part of the forum.