Best boards/switches for Gaming?

[Shuki]

I would say I spend most of my time in front of my computer, either browsing forums, playing games or writing up work for college and that entails quite a lot of typing. I used to have a Saitek Eclipse keyboard as at the time it looked a lot better than the standard run of the mill keyboard however my knowledge of keyboards was even more lacking than it is now.

After getting the Saitek keyboard I felt a bit ripped off, the keys just felt like those of a standard cheap keyboard and the backlight seemed to inhibit my view of the keys in the dark rather than increase it. After some time I bought a Logitech G15 Keyboard, and although it had some very gimmicky features (such as the LCD screen) I was still very much unimpressed by the keyboard. I mean it wasn't bad, but it was certainly not worth the increased premium .

I decided to look into steelseries keyboards, as they seemed to offer keyboards that were designed for function rather than form. I thought the 6g and the 7g looked fairly similar and for the smaller price tag I was convinced to buy the 6g. The 6g was obviously a higher build quality than the previous keyboards I had bought. However it was by no means without problems. The keys were very stiff and gave me pains in my little finger when I pressed control in games (I use control to crouch). The keyboard also beeped if I tried to press >4 keys which became increasingly irritating and so I decided to briefly switch back to the loathed G15 while I looked for a new keyboard.

After a bit of searching it was suggested that I buy a Deck Keyboard. Looking at the website and the specifications it seemed like this would actually deliver more bang for buck than the other Razer/Logitech keyboards. Oh and also it looked cool as ****.

Well it's now has been a year since I got my deck, and although some of the LEDs seem to be going on the board I still very much like it. However as I do more reading into the different key switches I am beginning to wonder if there are other keyboards which are even superior to this one. If I am not playing games then I am usually typing so it's important that I have a keyboard which is pleasant to type on as well as game on.

In summary I am inquiring into which switches/keyboards you would recommend for someone who like to play in competitive multiplayer online games as well as someone who also does quite a lot of typing work. In games the obvious important things I think would be, the buttons aren't too stiff (maybe slightly less stiff than the cherry black switches), it should allow multiple key presses >5 should be fine unless I sprout extra fingers, and they probably shouldn't be too tactile or clicky to allow clean button presses.

Thanks in advance for your opinions.

Related picture.

[itlnstln]

You will probably want a Filco with N-Key Rollover (NKRO) and Cherry brown switches.  There are several versions available from elitekeyboards.com (although the owner is visiting vendors overseas, so it'll be another week or so until he starts shipping again).  The brown switches are tactile but not clicky, and they are much lighter than blacks you have had in your previous 'boards.  As a matter of fact, you might pound on the brown switches so hard at first, you might not even realize they are tactile.  If you are feeling very adventurous, you look at importing a 'board from Japan or Korea that used Cherry reds.  The reds are linear like the blacks, but have the light resistance of the browns.  You can find a list of buying services in the wiki of you decide to check out that route.

[timw4mail]

Deck just put out tactile boards with Cherry white switches, which are much better for typing than the black switches.

I happen to like buckling spring keyboards for gaming, but that can be kind of tiring if you aren't used to it. On my Model F, the Control key is between Shift and Tab, so it isn't as bad on that finger.

This is just based on my experiences.

[Shuki]

It's funny that you should say that because I was looking at the Filco FKBN104M/EB. Judging by what I can see it seems to be perfect. It looks pretty compact, nice layout and NKRO. If it types well then this seems to be what I am looking for.

By tactile I understand that people mean a pronounced bump upon registration of the key press. How pronounced is it in the cherry brown switches? I'm wondering if it would be a hinderence in games if there was too much feedback upon a key press.

[itlnstln]

Deck just put out tactile boards with Cherry white switches, which are much better for typing than the black switches.

This is true.  I know the whites are heavier than the browns, and I believe they use the same springs as the blacks, do you wouldn't get any relief from the key resistance if you went that route.
 
Buckling springs (IBM Model M and Unicomp keyboards) are lighter than the Cherry blacks, but they are still a fairly heavy switch.

[ch_123]

I was going to say browns too. The tactility on the browns is very subtle, so much so that some people have trouble telling them apart from linear switches. However, they have a much lower force than the Black Cherrys you have (45g vs 60g) and they would be much more pleasant for fast typing.

[itlnstln]

By tactile I understand that people mean a pronounced bump upon registration of the key press. How pronounced is it in the cherry brown switches? I'm wondering if it would be a hinderence in games if there was too much feedback upon a key press.

This would be correct.  Since the browns are designed as a very light switch, the tactile bump is very soft.  Most people that are coming from heavier switches like Cherry blacks and buckling springs don't even notice the tactility at first.  Browns, to be used at their full tactile glory, need a very light touch.  As a comparison, the blacks have 80g of resistance whereas the browns only have 45g.

[Shuki]

Hmmm Cherry reds, those sound intriguing. I have pretty much seen youtube videos or reviews of all switches except for cherry green and red switches. I guess I'm a bit of a sucker when buying thing for my computer. I'm a try 'n buy sort of guy (wow intense rhyme). Mostly though I buy new mice as that is the most important input device in games and I also buy a few mousepads as well.



Shameful I know, but I am sure I will have a collection of mechanical keyboards as well soon :$

[itlnstln]

Cherry greens are only really used as the spacebar switch in Cherry blue-based keyboards.  There is a member here that did a mod to effectively change his Cherry blue 'board to greens.  There are greys, too, but again, they are used mainly as spacebar switches.

[Shuki]

The spacebar key is very important for a lot of gamers. For example in games such as quake 3 it will be being bashed solidly the whole game, so it would be important to have a responsive switch for it too keep up with the fast paced action as well as having a precise input.

Hmmm, I'm torn now between either a Filco with brown switches or a board with red switches. Where should I be looking for a keyboard with red switches?

For pink keyboards Hello Kitty is king!

[itlnstln]

Where should I be looking for a keyboard with red switches?

Show Image

Leopold.co.kr might be a good place to start.  I am not sure who is making a Cherry red keyboard right now, though.  They do exist.  You may want to PM Skyian, as he/she has one.

[Shuki]

Hmm I guess I'm going to have to install a language pack in order to translate this.

Are these key switches going to become more mainstream anytime soon, so maybe they would be easier to get a hold of?

[Shuki]

Is there trouble importing from Korea? I'm not really up to date with customs.

If I order from abroad it's usually from America, the funny thing is the postal service in England is so bad sometimes it's even quicker getting delivery from usps/ups.

[itlnstln]

Is there trouble importing from Korea? I'm not really up to date with customs.
 
If I order from abroad it's usually from America, the funny thing is the postal service in England is so bad sometimes it's even quicker getting delivery from usps/ups.

There's nothing out of the ordinary from what I have heard, but you have to use a buying service which can jack up the price.

[Shuki]

Hmm well as long is it's "reasonable" I mean if it is worth the extra I would be willing to shell out a little more. I mean my deck keyboard cost $170 + shipping.

[itlnstln]

The problem with Leopold.kr is they only accept local currency (Won). Stupid. They will start taking Paypal some web rep said but don't hold your breath.

That from a company called International Leopold.

[Shuki]

I bought my deck over a year ago and I knew nothing about keyboards. As far as I knew the alternatives were razer, logitech, steelseries :DDD

[Shuki]

Actually I was surprised you were having nkey rollover issues with the Steelseries 7G.   I thought somebody here tested that.  Must not have used the right test or did it wrong.

I got the 6G because it was cheaper.

Wise investment right? ¬_¬

Edit : Hopefully the FKBN104M/EB will be better

[qso]

Coming from rubber dome to brown switch, i feel strange while playing game. It seems so wrong lol.

[Shuki]

Hmm, why is that? Is it the tactility of the keys?

[itlnstln]

Hmm, why is that? Is it the tactility of the keys?

The browns are probably a lot less stiff.

[qso]

Hmm, why is that? Is it the tactility of the keys?

Lightness, and bumps aren't noticeable. Hmm not just that I don't think Model M will also do any good for me. I guess it's because the depth of the keys(hard to keep pace with the game), or maybe I had been using rubber dome too long, and don't have many board collections. It just doesn't feel right hehe. I even think it's better without tactility.

If you're coming from rubber dome/scissor/low profile board, u might not like mechanical board, especially for gaming.

[Shuki]

I changed from rubber dome, to cherry black switches and I much prefer it for typing and gaming.

[o2dazone]

Gaming is best done with a low or no tactile switch, hence why blacks are so sought after (and it's linear force). I guess browns would be good because of it's low tactility. I personally didn't mind it, and it was better to game on than my blue cherries and my HHKB. I don't gave competitively enough to hang onto it though

[Shuki]

I guess I might try and find a board with red cherry switches as well as they too are linear force and apparently are a lot softer than the black switches.

[o2dazone]

Do you find the blacks in your deck exhausting to game on?

[Shuki]

Only my little finger in games where I crouch with ctrl. My other fingers are fine it's just my little finger that's affected. Sometimes it can be quite painful

[qso]

looks nice.

try it.

[Parn]

Cherry red G80-3494 . You may try to get a Cherry red keyboard from Taiwan or China. Rigth now, Cherry Co does not sell the red switches to other companies.

[Lengradde]

A Cherry Red with half the throw?....would be sublime for gaming.

Long throw keys, IMO, suck for gaming.

[namelessguy]

Talking about the red stem switch...
While G80-3600LYCEU, the ones in US layout, are a little bit hard to find, G80-3600LYCJA are pretty much everywhere in Japan at present, though the price isn't falling too much.

[Parn]

Talking about the red stem switch...
While G80-3600LYCEU, the ones in US layout, are a little bit hard to find, G80-3600LYCJA are pretty much everywhere in Japan at present, though the price isn't falling too much.

 
  White color G80-3600 keyboard for 11980 yen.
I hope Filco or Das will  produce the cherry  red switches keyboards in future .

[Shuki]

I'd definitely want to get one of those red cherry switch boards if it had the standard US layout. I actually prefer the US layout to the UK layout except for I don't get a Pound sign. Makes me look silly when I type my own currency  with quid or pounds...etc.

[itlnstln]

Thanks for that product code.
 
Here it is on Youtube! The ending will make you sick with envy.

 
That is pretty much what my G80-3000 with browns sounds like, although, his was a little louder since he was pounding on the keys.

[namelessguy]

That is pretty much what my G80-3000 with browns sounds like, although, his was a little louder since he was pounding on the keys.

Both red and brown switches should be silent, and their chassis are mostly identical in both structure and quality, so I think that should be reasonable.

[Shuki]

Would the browns and red differ all that much then if the tactile bump of the browns isn't that pronounced anyway?

[namelessguy]

There should be a difference between "negligible" and "totally nonexistent".
No idea if you ask whether it is all that much, though.

[keyb_gr]

Both red and brown switches should be silent, and their chassis are mostly identical in both structure and quality, so I think that should be reasonable.

Blacks and clears sound quite similar, too. Incidentally, these ones can be told apart in terms of feel easily. I can see why it might be less trivial with the lighter reds and browns though.

[Shuki]

Well I really liked the sound of a lighter key press however the cherry reds offer a lighter key press as well as a linear one so I would really like to find a keyboard that has these switches.

[itlnstln]

There should be a difference between "negligible" and "totally nonexistent".
No idea if you ask whether it is all that much, though.

It depends on what you normally type on.  If you are BS user, you probably won't feel much of anything.  If you are a Topre or Cherry browns user, the difference will be more dramatic.  At first, I thought the browns were practically linear, but the more I used them and lightened my stroke, the more pronounced the tactile bump became.

[o2dazone]

It depends on what you normally type on.  If you are BS user, you probably won't feel much of anything.  If you are a Topre or Cherry browns user, the difference will be more dramatic.  At first, I thought the browns were practically linear, but the more I used them and lightened my stroke, the more pronounced the tactile bump became.

I agree here, it's something much MUCH more subtle than typing on it for a few days and ruling out "it tactile" or "it's not tactile". I used browns for a month after I had used blues for a month, and my initial reaction was "lighter...no *click* and no tactility, just a bit of travel and the bottom out" - then after training my muscle memory not press so damn hard, the tactility started to come out, being as it was probably shrouded by my violent method of typing. When you're lightly typing, and going really fast, the tactility is very pronounced.

Anyways I pretty much just said what itlnstln said in more words lol

[Shuki]

I would but I assume I would have to use one of those Japanese buying companies or something similar. I have never used one of those before so I wouldn't be so confident in using one.

[itlnstln]

I'm just suprised it took them this long to put a red switch out.  You know, seeing that cherries are generally red and all.
 
I mean, seriously, would you really want to see a brown cherry?
 
Black cherries are yummy.

[keyb_gr]

I'm not that surprised. Engineers frequently don't have such a very high color (or generally style) affinity. They usually have more pressing problems.

I wonder what those yellow ones were though... must have been some super special stuff.

[timw4mail]

Seems like you were using the wrong language, Ripster

[timw4mail]

Well, now we know that the Yellow is not Cherry.

[itlnstln]

Well, now we know that the Yellow is not Cherry.

I think Chloe and/or Sandy has mentioned this before.  It's been ahwile, but that page had been linked to sometime ago.

[keyb_gr]

This was the respective thread, I think. Not much more helpful though.

[rtollefsen]

Just out of curiosity, did you get yourself a red cherry and if so, where?