geekhack

geekhack Community => Keyboard Keycaps => Topic started by: dman777 on Wed, 31 May 2017, 14:19:57

Title: Benefits or cons to floating keys?
Post by: dman777 on Wed, 31 May 2017, 14:19:57
Do floating key kaps feel different when typing when compared to non floating key caps? Are there benefits? Are there cons? I am trying to decide between the Ducky Shine 6 Special Edition(I love the lights and floating keys although they are ABS) or the Cooler Master MasterKeys Pro L(I love the minimal body and I would put on my own full length PBT keys).
Title: Re: Benefits or cons to floating keys?
Post by: nya on Wed, 31 May 2017, 14:25:53
pro: looks pretty
con: amasses a tonne of cat hair
Title: Re: Benefits or cons to floating keys?
Post by: kmba on Wed, 31 May 2017, 14:36:56
Pro: ugly
Cons: see pros

Personally can't stand low profile cases. Hide yo switches.
Title: Re: Benefits or cons to floating keys?
Post by: jcc04 on Wed, 31 May 2017, 16:30:41
I think floating keys belong on 60% or less but otherwise I can't stand them.
Title: Re: Benefits or cons to floating keys?
Post by: gnmar2723 on Wed, 31 May 2017, 22:22:10
pro: easy to clean hairs out of.
con: looks ugly to most people.
Title: Re: Benefits or cons to floating keys?
Post by: dman777 on Thu, 01 June 2017, 02:41:22
Is it easy to press a key down with your finger, and as your finger comes up, your finger hits the underneath edge of the key next to it?

 With full sized keys, I take all the keys off once a year and clean them...they will have dust and oil all the way to the base of the key cap. Does this mean I will have to take a q-tip and clean every switch since it will be exposed and will collect dust and oil?
Title: Re: Benefits or cons to floating keys?
Post by: Findecanor on Thu, 01 June 2017, 05:32:17
Borderless keyboards can look good if they are truly borderless: where the edges of the keyboard are aligned with the edges of the keys. The point of not having a border would be to save space.
Wide borders with exposed bolt-heads are ugly but a simple way to make DIY keyboards.

A half-high border around the keys and keycaps with miniskirts (like the Ducky Shine 6) are nothing but disgusting.
The point of having skirts on keys is to prevent dust and debris from falling in-between the keys.
Keycap skirts were introduced when typewriters started to have a bottom under the keys. Most other typewriters were often open under the key arms, allowing dust and debris falling between the keys to fall through down onto the desk (or typist's lap) below. There were also typewriters with chiclet-style keyboards at least as far back as 1954.
Title: Re: Benefits or cons to floating keys?
Post by: pr0ximity on Thu, 01 June 2017, 05:38:44
Quote from: dman777 on Thu, 01 June 2017, 02:41:22
Is it easy to press a key down with your finger, and as your finger comes up, your finger hits the underneath edge of the key next to it?

It will work the exact same as any other MX keyboard, keyspacing and height is the same.
Title: Re: Benefits or cons to floating keys?
Post by: Findecanor on Thu, 01 June 2017, 07:08:51
Quote from: dman777 on Thu, 01 June 2017, 02:41:22
Is it easy to press a key down with your finger, and as your finger comes up, your finger hits the underneath edge of the key next to it?
Keycap skirts are traditionally slick, so that is not a problem. I could see a problem if the skirts are shorter than the key travel but that is very rare. There are some crappy low-profile chiclet keyboards that don't have skirts on the keys where you could get your nail underneath a keycap.
Title: Re: Benefits or cons to floating keys?
Post by: xantiema on Thu, 01 June 2017, 11:16:24
What is floating keys exactly? An image?
Title: Re: Benefits or cons to floating keys?
Post by: Robotical on Fri, 02 June 2017, 07:14:10
Quote from: xantiema on Thu, 01 June 2017, 11:16:24
What is floating keys exactly? An image?

Basically referring to when the switch itself is exposed underneath the keycap.

Can be achieved through a low profile case or keycaps like ducky's new floating keycaps:
(http://i.imgur.com/cmlcp2U.png)
Title: Re: Benefits or cons to floating keys?
Post by: ideus on Fri, 02 June 2017, 07:29:34
I like them in general; but, sometimes, the standard height of a case that actually cover the switch is better.
Title: Re: Benefits or cons to floating keys?
Post by: AMongoose on Fri, 02 June 2017, 07:48:17
Quote from: Robotical on Fri, 02 June 2017, 07:14:10
Quote from: xantiema on Thu, 01 June 2017, 11:16:24
What is floating keys exactly? An image?

Basically referring to when the switch itself is exposed underneath the keycap.

Can be achieved through a low profile case or keycaps like ducky's new floating keycaps:
Show Image
(http://i.imgur.com/cmlcp2U.png)


wow, that looks absolutely terrible.
Title: Re: Benefits or cons to floating keys?
Post by: ideus on Fri, 02 June 2017, 07:58:15
Quote from: AMongoose on Fri, 02 June 2017, 07:48:17
Quote from: Robotical on Fri, 02 June 2017, 07:14:10
Quote from: xantiema on Thu, 01 June 2017, 11:16:24
What is floating keys exactly? An image?

Basically referring to when the switch itself is exposed underneath the keycap.

Can be achieved through a low profile case or keycaps like ducky's new floating keycaps:
Show Image
(http://i.imgur.com/cmlcp2U.png)


wow, that looks absolutely terrible.


Like extra short mini skirts?
Title: Re: Benefits or cons to floating keys?
Post by: matt-taco on Fri, 02 June 2017, 13:42:04
Quote from: AMongoose on Fri, 02 June 2017, 07:48:17
Quote from: Robotical on Fri, 02 June 2017, 07:14:10
Quote from: xantiema on Thu, 01 June 2017, 11:16:24
What is floating keys exactly? An image?

Basically referring to when the switch itself is exposed underneath the keycap.

Can be achieved through a low profile case or keycaps like ducky's new floating keycaps:
Show Image
(http://i.imgur.com/cmlcp2U.png)


wow, that looks absolutely terrible.
They look amazing on 40% with DSA caps. And to be fair, those cylindricals in that picture are fairly horid, same with the kb to be honest.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

Title: Re: Benefits or cons to floating keys?
Post by: Findecanor on Fri, 02 June 2017, 15:57:39
Quote from: Robotical on Fri, 02 June 2017, 07:14:10
Basically referring to when the switch itself is exposed underneath the keycap.
The Ducky Shine 6 is a bit of an extreme example. Look instead at Corsair K65, the input.club K-type or WhiteFox.
Title: Re: Benefits or cons to floating keys?
Post by: xantiema on Sat, 03 June 2017, 07:01:50
I gotta admit that it doesn't look too enticing... guess I'll have to see one in real life to be convinced  :p
Title: Re: Benefits or cons to floating keys?
Post by: switchnollie on Wed, 07 June 2017, 00:27:46
i find it easier to take keycaps around the edge off on floating key boards.
Title: Re: Benefits or cons to floating keys?
Post by: Cotay on Wed, 28 June 2017, 16:29:30
I generally prefer floating switches on anything TKL or smaller. The only sub-TKL build of mine that doesn't have floating keys is a Lambo.
Title: Re: Benefits or cons to floating keys?
Post by: rowdy on Wed, 28 June 2017, 21:44:36
Floating switches have never really grabbed me - they always seem more vulnerable to collecting dirt and dust that otherwise might have fallen off the side of the case.

Although they are good for dissipating more light if that is your thing.