« previous next »
Pages:  [1]     Go Down

Author Topic: Confused non-gamer lusting for a mechanical keyboard  (Read 1758 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline malnwas

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 2
  • Location: Atlanta, GA
Confused non-gamer lusting for a mechanical keyboard
« on: Fri, 29 August 2014, 13:13:59 »
Hello everyone!

I am so happy to have found this forum! I am currently shopping for a mechanical keyboard since I'm bored with buying non-mechs and having all the letters on keycaps disappear within 90 or so days.  While this doesn't bother me much, it drives my local tech insane as he doesn't know the keyboard. :)   

I do put a lot of wear on a keyboard -- 10, 12, or more hours per day, 7 days/week/365.  I discovered early on that mech. keyboards seem to have a different Enter key than I'm used to.  I'm addicted to the backwards L Enter key.

I have found a couple of models that use this type Enter key, but I'm now stuck trying to shake out which Cherry MX switch would be best for me -- don't want keys that are too hard/stiff -- and the more reviews I read/watch on the differences still leaves me a bit confused.

Can anyone suggest a good mechanical keyboard (would love "my" Enter key but not mandatory I suppose) that won't make me take out a loan to purchase?  :) 

Appreciate any help you may offer me.  If this should be in a different category, tell me that, too.  I'm a serious newbie.  :)

Thanks,

Tess
Logged

Offline FrostyToast

  • Litshoard
  • * Exquisite Elder
  • Posts: 2368
  • Location: Canada
Re: Confused non-gamer lusting for a mechanical keyboard
« Reply #1 on: Fri, 29 August 2014, 13:18:08 »
The layout you are looking for that has your big ass enter key is called "ISO"
The keyboard that I would recommend would be a UK Model M if you want clicky switches.
Cherry boards also have doubleshot caps a lot of the time. Doubleshot caps are the most durable and the legends will last literally forever.

EDIT: It would also be a good idea to have this posted in the "Keyboards" sub forum. If this gets enough attention, then maybe a mod could move this for you.
Logged
Quote from: elton5354
I don't need anymore keyboards

Offline fohat.digs

  • * Elevated Elder
  • Posts: 6470
  • Location: 35°55'N, 83°53'W
  • weird funny old guy
Re: Confused non-gamer lusting for a mechanical keyboard
« Reply #2 on: Fri, 29 August 2014, 13:54:02 »
"Bigass" enter key:





ISO enter key:

75907-1
« Last Edit: Fri, 29 August 2014, 14:05:03 by fohat.digs »
Logged
"The Trump campaign announced in a letter that Republican candidates and committees are now expected to pay “a minimum of 5% of all fundraising solicitations to Trump National Committee JFC” for using his “name, image, and likeness in fundraising solicitations.”
“Any split that is higher than 5%,” the letter states, “will be seen favorably by the RNC and President Trump's campaign and is routinely reported to the highest levels of leadership within both organizations.”"

Offline rowdy

  • HHKB Hapster
  • * Erudite Elder
  • Posts: 21175
  • Location: melbourne.vic.au
  • Missed another sale.
Re: Confused non-gamer lusting for a mechanical keyboard
« Reply #3 on: Sat, 30 August 2014, 03:32:15 »
Welcome to Geekhack!

If you don't get many responses here, feel free to create a thread in the keyboards section.
Logged
"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

NEC APC-H4100E | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED red | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED green | Link 900243-08 | CM QFR MX black | KeyCool 87 white MX reds | HHKB 2 Pro | Model M 02-Mar-1993 | Model M 29-Nov-1995 | CM Trigger (broken) | CM QFS MX green | Ducky DK9087 Shine 3 TKL Yellow Edition MX black | Lexmark SSK 21-Apr-1994 | IBM SSK 13-Oct-1987 | CODE TKL MX clear | Model M 122 01-Jun-1988

Ị̸͚̯̲́ͤ̃͑̇̑ͯ̊̂͟ͅs̞͚̩͉̝̪̲͗͊ͪ̽̚̚ ̭̦͖͕̑́͌ͬͩ͟t̷̻͔̙̑͟h̹̠̼͋ͤ͋i̤̜̣̦̱̫͈͔̞ͭ͑ͥ̌̔s̬͔͎̍̈ͥͫ̐̾ͣ̔̇͘ͅ ̩̘̼͆̐̕e̞̰͓̲̺̎͐̏ͬ̓̅̾͠͝ͅv̶̰͕̱̞̥̍ͣ̄̕e͕͙͖̬̜͓͎̤̊ͭ͐͝ṇ̰͎̱̤̟̭ͫ͌̌͢͠ͅ ̳̥̦ͮ̐ͤ̎̊ͣ͡͡n̤̜̙̺̪̒͜e̶̻̦̿ͮ̂̀c̝̘̝͖̠̖͐ͨͪ̈̐͌ͩ̀e̷̥͇̋ͦs̢̡̤ͤͤͯ͜s͈̠̉̑͘a̱͕̗͖̳̥̺ͬͦͧ͆̌̑͡r̶̟̖̈͘ỷ̮̦̩͙͔ͫ̾ͬ̔ͬͮ̌?̵̘͇͔͙ͥͪ͞ͅ

Offline Altis

  • Posts: 974
  • Location: Canada
Re: Confused non-gamer lusting for a mechanical keyboard
« Reply #4 on: Sun, 31 August 2014, 15:17:32 »
Hello Tess and welcome,

Other than a preference for ISO, what else are you looking for in a mechanical keyboard? Would you prefer a layout without the numberpad (tenkeyless), backlighting, clickly vs silent?

There are a ton of options out there and you'll no doubt enjoying exploring them!

For a light keyswitch, I'd say to first try MX Blue/Brown/Red as a decent starting point.
Logged
WhiteFox (Gateron Brown) -- Realforce 87U 45g -- Realforce 104UG (Hi Pro 45g) -- Realforce 108US 30g JIS -- HHKB Pro 2 -- IBM Model M ('90) -- IBM Model M SSK ('87) -- NMB RT-101 & RT-8255C+ (Hi-Tek Space Invaders) -- Chicony KB-5181 (Monterey Blue Alps) -- KPT-102 (KPT Alps) -- KUL ES-87 (62/65g Purple Zealios) -- CM QFR (MX Red) -- Apple Aluminum BT -- Realforce 23u Numpad -- Logitech K740 -- QSENN DT-35 -- Zenith Z-150 (Green Alps)

Offline malnwas

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 2
  • Location: Atlanta, GA
Re: Confused non-gamer lusting for a mechanical keyboard
« Reply #5 on: Sun, 31 August 2014, 15:41:23 »
I don't think it's ISO, it's the big-ass enter key, aka Amiga, maybe.  That being my strong preference, if a perfect keyboard -- all other attributes -- I will somehow force myself to dealing with a smaller-*ss Enter key. ;D   And what are gold switches?  I do realize companies other than Cherry are trading in on whatever gimmicky name they can in order to compete, I guess.  I take it gold switches are another company's version of switches?

I do require numeric keypad.  No preference on backlighting -- and no preference on clicky or non-clicky.  I work for myself at home, no one to disturb and if you understood what I listen to in order to do my job, clicky is an improvement over most of my jobs.  I edit court transcripts and depositions -- lots of lawyers, lots of witnesses who'd rather be anywhere else on the planet than giving testimony.   :))

I'm having difficulty finding my big *ss Enter key WITH brown or blue MX switches.  Apparently, I'm not looking in the right places.  Any suggestions on good keyboard sites?

Thanks so much for the reply!

Logged

Offline rowdy

  • HHKB Hapster
  • * Erudite Elder
  • Posts: 21175
  • Location: melbourne.vic.au
  • Missed another sale.
Re: Confused non-gamer lusting for a mechanical keyboard
« Reply #6 on: Sun, 31 August 2014, 17:40:21 »
Be aware that as big-ass Enter key will severely limit your options for replacement keycaps.

If you can convert to a conventional ANSI layout, that would open up a whole new world of possibilities for you :D

No idea what gold switches are, but you can get gold springs to go into Cherry MX switches.
Logged
"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

NEC APC-H4100E | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED red | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED green | Link 900243-08 | CM QFR MX black | KeyCool 87 white MX reds | HHKB 2 Pro | Model M 02-Mar-1993 | Model M 29-Nov-1995 | CM Trigger (broken) | CM QFS MX green | Ducky DK9087 Shine 3 TKL Yellow Edition MX black | Lexmark SSK 21-Apr-1994 | IBM SSK 13-Oct-1987 | CODE TKL MX clear | Model M 122 01-Jun-1988

Ị̸͚̯̲́ͤ̃͑̇̑ͯ̊̂͟ͅs̞͚̩͉̝̪̲͗͊ͪ̽̚̚ ̭̦͖͕̑́͌ͬͩ͟t̷̻͔̙̑͟h̹̠̼͋ͤ͋i̤̜̣̦̱̫͈͔̞ͭ͑ͥ̌̔s̬͔͎̍̈ͥͫ̐̾ͣ̔̇͘ͅ ̩̘̼͆̐̕e̞̰͓̲̺̎͐̏ͬ̓̅̾͠͝ͅv̶̰͕̱̞̥̍ͣ̄̕e͕͙͖̬̜͓͎̤̊ͭ͐͝ṇ̰͎̱̤̟̭ͫ͌̌͢͠ͅ ̳̥̦ͮ̐ͤ̎̊ͣ͡͡n̤̜̙̺̪̒͜e̶̻̦̿ͮ̂̀c̝̘̝͖̠̖͐ͨͪ̈̐͌ͩ̀e̷̥͇̋ͦs̢̡̤ͤͤͯ͜s͈̠̉̑͘a̱͕̗͖̳̥̺ͬͦͧ͆̌̑͡r̶̟̖̈͘ỷ̮̦̩͙͔ͫ̾ͬ̔ͬͮ̌?̵̘͇͔͙ͥͪ͞ͅ

Offline eth0s

  • Posts: 1137
  • Location: New York City
  • Peace & Love
Re: Confused non-gamer lusting for a mechanical keyboard
« Reply #7 on: Tue, 02 September 2014, 22:34:39 »
I thought it was "BOLD" switches? 
Logged
I ♥ Click Clack.  I ♥♥♥ Bro Caps.

Offline malnwas

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 2
  • Location: Atlanta, GA
Re: Confused non-gamer bought a Ducky
« Reply #8 on: Sat, 27 September 2014, 19:42:32 »
I just wanted to stop by and thank everyone for all the great advice!  I am now typing on a Ducky Zero with blue switches and I am thrilled!  Why did I wait so long to discover mechanical keyboards!!!

Oh, for those of you who recommended I should wean myself from the big-ass Enter key -- done!  I think it took me about 3.5 seconds to get over that phobia - my new Enter key works just fine.  I can't imagine why I had such a hard time years back when I got my first non-big-ass Enter key.  Must have been drinking.  LOL

I really am grateful to all who replied and to this forum and its administrator(s) for providing such a great opportunity for me to educate myself!  Who knows, I may be back looking for more information as time goes on. I can say this:  I will never use a membrane keyboard again in this lifetime!

Again, thanks to all of you!!   :thumb:

Tess
Logged

Offline rowdy

  • HHKB Hapster
  • * Erudite Elder
  • Posts: 21175
  • Location: melbourne.vic.au
  • Missed another sale.
Re: Confused non-gamer lusting for a mechanical keyboard
« Reply #9 on: Mon, 29 September 2014, 05:40:23 »
Thanks for the update!

You'll have a much, much easier time finding replacement keycaps for a more conventionally sized Enter key ;)  Once you get over the new keyboard thrill, that is :))
Logged
"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

NEC APC-H4100E | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED red | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED green | Link 900243-08 | CM QFR MX black | KeyCool 87 white MX reds | HHKB 2 Pro | Model M 02-Mar-1993 | Model M 29-Nov-1995 | CM Trigger (broken) | CM QFS MX green | Ducky DK9087 Shine 3 TKL Yellow Edition MX black | Lexmark SSK 21-Apr-1994 | IBM SSK 13-Oct-1987 | CODE TKL MX clear | Model M 122 01-Jun-1988

Ị̸͚̯̲́ͤ̃͑̇̑ͯ̊̂͟ͅs̞͚̩͉̝̪̲͗͊ͪ̽̚̚ ̭̦͖͕̑́͌ͬͩ͟t̷̻͔̙̑͟h̹̠̼͋ͤ͋i̤̜̣̦̱̫͈͔̞ͭ͑ͥ̌̔s̬͔͎̍̈ͥͫ̐̾ͣ̔̇͘ͅ ̩̘̼͆̐̕e̞̰͓̲̺̎͐̏ͬ̓̅̾͠͝ͅv̶̰͕̱̞̥̍ͣ̄̕e͕͙͖̬̜͓͎̤̊ͭ͐͝ṇ̰͎̱̤̟̭ͫ͌̌͢͠ͅ ̳̥̦ͮ̐ͤ̎̊ͣ͡͡n̤̜̙̺̪̒͜e̶̻̦̿ͮ̂̀c̝̘̝͖̠̖͐ͨͪ̈̐͌ͩ̀e̷̥͇̋ͦs̢̡̤ͤͤͯ͜s͈̠̉̑͘a̱͕̗͖̳̥̺ͬͦͧ͆̌̑͡r̶̟̖̈͘ỷ̮̦̩͙͔ͫ̾ͬ̔ͬͮ̌?̵̘͇͔͙ͥͪ͞ͅ
Pages:  [1]     Go Up
« previous next »