Author Topic: Searching my new keyboard  (Read 2908 times)

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Offline jschild

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  • Location: Budapest, Hungary
Searching my new keyboard
« on: Sun, 29 November 2015, 18:08:39 »
Hello there,

I'm searching my new keyboard, but I don't have much experience with mechanical keyboards.
I only have an Ozone Strike Battle which is quite good (for me), but I need a little bit more compact.

However the new keyboard should meet the following criteria:
  • mechanical (of course) :)
  • mini (62 key)
  • UK ISO
  • backlit (the color of backlit is irrelevant)
  • ABS/PBT (does not matter to me)
  • black casing and keycap color
  • MX Brown, Clear, Red
  • price is irrelevant

I really like WASD and Vortex, but WASD doesn't produce mini versions.

Could someone recommend a good one?

Thanks in advance!
« Last Edit: Sun, 29 November 2015, 18:12:53 by jschild »

Offline _joe_king

  • Posts: 61
Re: Searching my new keyboard
« Reply #1 on: Sun, 29 November 2015, 18:16:08 »
I personally could not find the EXACT keyboard I was looking for so I got in on a group buy for the wkl b.face. I am ordering a custom case, cable and going to put an array of brown, clear and blue keys on it with the led's of my choice. If you are handy with a soldering iron, you can solder all the keys in place in about 15-20 minutes. If you have never soldered before, you can probably do it in around an hour or two tops. When it arrives I am going to make a beginner friendly tutorial on how to piece it all together. Other than that maybe a pok3r might be up your alley?

Offline ghostjuggernaut

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Re: Searching my new keyboard
« Reply #2 on: Sun, 29 November 2015, 18:39:07 »
Not sure on your skill, but you should look into building something. You can go the winkeyless route, and get a solid keyboard. Leandren has been selling plates and pcbs, so you could do that plus a TEX case for pretty cheap.

Lots of options when you consider custom boards. Apart from the poker 3, I'm not sure of many stock boards that fit your requirements.

Offline swimmingbird

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Re: Searching my new keyboard
« Reply #3 on: Sun, 29 November 2015, 19:54:55 »
The only readily available ISO option I can think of in a 60% style would be the Pok3r
I'd probably just go for that as it would be the cheapest option

Offline ideus

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Re: Searching my new keyboard
« Reply #4 on: Sun, 29 November 2015, 22:48:25 »
Get a GON Nerd60 and build it with ISO layout.

Offline rowdy

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Re: Searching my new keyboard
« Reply #5 on: Mon, 30 November 2015, 03:44:58 »
Welcome to Geekhack!

I also thought of the Pok3r, which is available in black, is available with backlighting, and is available with UK ISO layout.  Unfortunately I could not find one keyboard with all three attributes.

Good luck with your search!
"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

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Offline jschild

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  • Location: Budapest, Hungary
Re: Searching my new keyboard
« Reply #6 on: Tue, 01 December 2015, 00:42:26 »
Thanks for you replies, they were very helpful!

I searched through countless hours before my first post and that was my result too. But the Vortex Pok3r would be really good if it would have ISO version:
https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=1418


I wrote them before yesterday and their answer was the following:
"We will only be carrying the US ANSI versions of Vortex keyboards."

So this is will be a dead end, but if you find somewhere its ISO version and the shop ships to Europe, please let me know.

I searched yesterday again and found another good one called:
KBT Pure Pro - Ultra Compact Mechanical Keyboard Purple Backlight- Cherry MX-Black - (QWERTY ISO UK)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00A2LLD1W/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634


I wrote for Vortex's FB page owner and the answer was the following:
"This model phase out already."

Dead end again.

Maybe you will be right and I have to build my own. I don't have much experience with soldering... but I can practice of course.
@_joe_king: I'm really curious about you guide, may I have it, when you are done with building the keyboard?

Nevertheless, may I ask you a favor? If you accidentally see those kind of keyboards on the Net (or something very similar) could you just post it here?

Thanks in advance! :)

Offline _joe_king

  • Posts: 61
Re: Searching my new keyboard
« Reply #7 on: Tue, 01 December 2015, 15:47:54 »
I will definitely post up a guide. I am going to order another b.face just to solder the entire unit including the chip/resistors with some cheapo soldering gear to show anyone can do it with patience and a somewhat steady hand. The chip is the hardest, then the resistors/diodes followed up by the easy switches. Still all things anyone can do with a little coaching and a proper guide with a boatload of patience.

Offline g012

  • Posts: 2
Re: Searching my new keyboard
« Reply #8 on: Tue, 01 December 2015, 16:29:59 »
Well maybe the backlit ISO version is not out yet, but I guess Corus will have it in Europe, they have the non-backlit ISO already:
https://corus-kb.com/en/pok3r/36-poker-3-pbt-iso-uk-alu-casing-black-version.html
And for now the US backlit:
https://corus-kb.com/en/pok3r/72-vortex-pok3r-poker-3-white-backlit-abs-black-version-alu-casing-ansi-us-international.html
And it will be in Europe, so no customs.
That being said, why you'd prefer ISO over ANSI is a bit beyond me...

Offline jschild

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  • Location: Budapest, Hungary
Re: Searching my new keyboard
« Reply #9 on: Wed, 09 December 2015, 05:15:29 »
Well fellow keyboard enthusiasts, I will go with Vortex Pok3r keyboard with backlit and Clear MX switches. Its simplicity and programmable features are charming and have no problems with *NIX OSs.


I gave up seeking the ISO version, because the keyboard market lacks of it (for the present). Maybe it's not that hard to switch from ISO to ANSI.

@g012: I planed that I will buy hungarian keycaps and naturalize my keyboard (ISO is better for that purpose), but it seems to me tht ANSI will be a better long term choice. I would like to buy more keyboards in the future (and I definitely will) and the selection on the market is much much more better if you use ANSI keyboards.

@_joe_king: I didn't give up building my keyboard so if you think, post your guide when you done. I'd really appreciate it!

Thanks for you suggestions, best wishes to you!
« Last Edit: Wed, 09 December 2015, 05:18:47 by jschild »

Offline KaminKevCrew

  • Posts: 559
  • Location: Tacoma, Washington
Re: Searching my new keyboard
« Reply #10 on: Fri, 11 December 2015, 04:08:59 »
Does the kbp v60 not come in iso?

Building one is definitely a good way to go. That's what I did with my board, and it's my favorite so far.

Offline jschild

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  • Posts: 6
  • Location: Budapest, Hungary
Re: Searching my new keyboard
« Reply #11 on: Fri, 11 December 2015, 07:41:36 »
Unfortunately it seems to me that at the present you still cannot find its ISO version... KBT Pure Pro had but it's currently unavailable on Amazon.
But nevermind, the Pure Pro seems strange to me a bit, I don't need arrow keys, I use VIM as my main editor.
And backlight very important to me (I know a lot of people don't care), but most of in my time I used to work in a dim room which is poorly lit.

I've watched debates over ISO vs ANSI, but still have no opinion, cause I still don't have any experience with ANSI, but my Vortex Pok3r is on its way to me, so soon I will have. :) 

On the other hand:
https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/2ffxc9/for_those_interested_in_an_iso_uk_layout/
(It's a one year old link, but I didn't find any change on this subject.)
« Last Edit: Fri, 11 December 2015, 08:08:33 by jschild »