geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: jnav on Thu, 28 September 2017, 23:55:21
-
I've always viewed Varmilo and Leopold to be some of the best large(ish)-scale keyboard manufacturers around. But I have to say the new Varmilo VA108 for Mac is near perfection. I pre-ordered mine from mechanicalkeyboards.com and got it last week. Varmilo has seriously upped their game. This thing feels more rock-solid than my Clueboard, which was milled from a solid chunk of aluminum. Seriously, if you're in the market for a brick **** house daily driver, I would highly consider one of these—especially for Mac users out there. I'm absolutely in love with it.
-
I just got one of those too, the version with MX brown switches. It's easily my favorite keyboard, even with the wacky woodgrain case. :) The packaging was very nice, and the keyboard, like you said, is rock solid. I also like how they properly labeled the Delete and Return keys for us Mac users, although they didn't label the Insert key as Help, like they should have. Since I use it at home and have two small kids who go to bed early, I put a set of QMX clips on it that I finally received from Massdrop. It's amazingly quiet now, and still has a nice feel. I liked it so much that I ordered the PC version of the VA108 from Mechanicalkeyboards.com for work.
-
Impressive, but there's still something I wonder about.
I know looks are important to many people. But there are also those of us who consider KBs typing tools (not to mention, we've been taught not to look down when we type, LOL).
So to me, the only truly interesting variation in cases is how they respond to typing—how they feel and sound. Once you have a board that's so stiff and massive that it's completely inert, and all you hear or feel is the switches, what difference does it make what it's made of or what logo's on it? It's just a big, heavy switch-holder, isn't it?
-
Impressive, but there's still something I wonder about.
I know looks are important to many people. But there are also those of us who consider KBs typing tools (not to mention, we've been taught not to look down when we type, LOL).
So to me, the only truly interesting variation in cases is how they respond to typing—how they feel and sound. Once you have a board that's so stiff and massive that it's completely inert, and all you hear or feel is the switches, what difference does it make what it's made of or what logo's on it? It's just a big, heavy switch-holder, isn't it?
I completely agree with you that ultimately a keyboard must be satisfying to type on and listen to, especially for those of us who type all day for a living. But even the big, heavy ones have very different sounds and characteristics, that is surprising to me. I'm actually hyper sensitive to the sound a keyboard makes, which is why the AEK II is still one of my favorites. I often use mine just to remember how good it sounds.
The sound the VA108 makes is actually one of my favorite things about this board. It's not completely inert— but they did manage to remove all the sounds that I find annoying like rattling stabilizers, spring pings, and the hollow resonance that cheaper plastic cases make. What's left is a wonderful, light sound, that's like music to my ears, and it's more than just the sound of the switches.
As far as typing goes, I can't enough, but that's highly subjective. I bought mine with Cherry blacks (my first experience with them) and I actually like them a lot more than I thought I would. I always considered myself an Alps snob but I'm really coming around to certain Cherry and Cherry clones.
The fact that this keyboard is good looking is a bonus. I like the wood grain, and I agree that it's pretty wacky. I swapped the key caps out with the GMK mint chocolates and they look really cool on a white board with wood grain.
-
I just got one of those too, the version with MX brown switches. It's easily my favorite keyboard, even with the wacky woodgrain case. :) The packaging was very nice, and the keyboard, like you said, is rock solid. I also like how they properly labeled the Delete and Return keys for us Mac users, although they didn't label the Insert key as Help, like they should have. Since I use it at home and have two small kids who go to bed early, I put a set of QMX clips on it that I finally received from Massdrop. It's amazingly quiet now, and still has a nice feel. I liked it so much that I ordered the PC version of the VA108 from Mechanicalkeyboards.com for work.
Also they made a huge Mac layout omission by leaving out the "=" key on the numpad :'( I use Excel almost every day and I really miss the equals key on the numpad.
-
I have a few VA108s. Two with MX reds and one with MX silent reds. They are equal to Filco (of which I have a few of those too) in terms of build quality, IMO. In fact, I'm typing on my VA108 with MX silent reds as we speak. It is a nice change of pace from my usual daily driver (Realforce RGB).
-
Impressive, but there's still something I wonder about... Once you have a board that's so stiff and massive that it's completely inert, and all you hear or feel is the switches, what difference does it make what it's made of or what logo's on it? It's just a big, heavy switch-holder, isn't it?
I completely agree with you that ultimately a keyboard must be satisfying to type on and listen to, especially for those of us who type all day for a living. But even the big, heavy ones have very different sounds and characteristics, that is surprising to me... The sound the VA108 makes is actually one of my favorite things about this board. It's not completely inert— but they did manage to remove all the sounds that I find annoying like rattling stabilizers, spring pings, and the hollow resonance that cheaper plastic cases make. What's left is a wonderful, light sound, that's like music to my ears...
Thanks for your intelligent 'n' interesting reply. Maybe the finer KB-makers do keep sound and feel in mind.