G80-3000 HFMGB review (Cherry MX Blue switches)

[chyros]

My latest review.

A very old series, this has been, and still is being, manufactured, since 1988. This one's from 1998 - at a time when they still put high-quality key caps on them. The ones on this one are particularly high-quality; thick PBT doubleshots. The feet also have nice non-slip pads on them. In just about every other way, the build quality of the board is extremely ****. It's all-clamped and feels very flimsy. They could even be bothered to cut oval holes behind the lock lights; they're round instead. The PCB is thin and floppy and isn't held to the board by anything fixed.

The switches, well, who here doesn't know about MX blues. They're very smooth and very light at just 50 gf, but there's barely any tactility and the clicky noise is more of a rattly squeak than a proper click; it's very annoying. Is there anyone who actually like this noise?

Personally I'm not a big fan of the blues. They feel featureless and unsophisticated compared to the other switches I've tried. I can see the appeal for people who have a light typing hand though; for them, I'm sure these switches would do very well. The lightness is good for normal gaming, but I've had trouble with highly demanding games - the keyboard starts to feel kind of "wet" when you have to make very fast, very tappy movements.

[Photekq]

Few things:

That model should be from 1999. The L in the serial number signifies this. Remember A=1988, and count up from there.

The keycaps are ABS doubleshots.

*HFMGB

Other than that, great review, although I disagree with your comments on the MX blue and on the construction of the keyboard (flimsy PCB mount = best feel). But that's just my opinion

P.S Let me know if you want to part with this keyboard.

[chyros]

Cheers mate, glad you liked it . I know a lot of people like MX blues, but they're not for me. I much prefer my Alps switches so far. I might just depart with it at some point - I'll let you know if I do .

I'll take your word for it if you say they're ABS - I'm still fairly new to the whole MK scene after all. The reason I thought they were PBT is because they're so much whiter than the rest of the board, especially because it was so dirty when I got it. The key caps also sink like a stone when you put them in water: http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab207/Chyrosran/WP_20150222_004_zps02314469.jpg . Are you sure they can't be PBT?

I have absolutely no idea how Cherry's model code works (looks ridiculously complicated to me!) but I can assure you it's not from 1999 . In fact, I'm pretty sure it's from December 1st, 1998: http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab207/Chyrosran/WP_20150222_003_zpsed9edc8b.jpg . I'll update the title though, well spotted!

[Photekq]

Casing was probably made in 1998, keyboard was assembled in 1999

Check these out for more info :

http://deskthority.net/wiki/Cherry_article_numbers

http://deskthority.net/wiki/Cherry_date_codes

Yeah, the keycaps are definitely ABS. All doubleshots Cherry made were ABS. They made lasered PBT, dyesub PBT and blank PBT, but no doubleshot.

[litster]

You had me pee'd a little when I read "PBT doubleshots"

[chyros]

Casing was probably made in 1998, keyboard was assembled in 1999

Ah, that's possible. The casing is from very late in the year, so maybe that explains.

Check these out for more info :

http://deskthority.net/wiki/Cherry_article_numbers

http://deskthority.net/wiki/Cherry_date_codes

Yeah, the keycaps are definitely ABS. All doubleshots Cherry made were ABS. They made lasered PBT, dyesub PBT and blank PBT, but no doubleshot.

Cheers mate! That clears up a lot. Added a note about the ABS material to the video. So doubleshot blue winkey UK layout, then. Do you suppose the doubleshot-ness is what makes the caps sink in this case then?

You had me pee'd a little when I read "PBT doubleshots"

Oh no! How could I ever make it up to you?! This unforgivable mistake is obviously worth capital punishment, but please spare my miserable, worthless life!