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60% vs TKL... in typing feel?

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Dark_wizzie:
Hi!
Can I make this a two part thread? Part 1 is me asking for a keyboard suggestion. Part 2 is just random chat about the feel of typing on a keyboard due to differences in designs (case material, weight, plate mounted, etc).

I am very obsessed with having a very solid keyboard. To me a good keyboard needs three things otherwise it is utterly unusable:
1. TKL TKL TKL
2. SOLID CONSTRUCTION (Automatically means metal casing, possible hard anodized aluminum). Acrylic can get the hell out.  :p
3. ERGONOMICS! 5 degree incline. I'm not taking more than that, I don't want a 7 degree, or god forbid, 11 degree incline. If the bottom part of the keyboard is like an inch tall, how the heck am I supposed to use the keyboard without pain?

(And proper backlighting but that can be added after-the-fact, the issue is just money.)

Ducks are out. The Lightsaver looks nice but the 11 incline is a definite no-go.
60% keyboards are now out.
Entire Gon setups are out due to acrylic.

Top 2 considerations:
Kmac 2 from KBDmod.com from Korea for $400 + Gon PCB + Leds installed. Totals to like $700 shipped and ready after hiring somebody.
Ducky Shine 3 PCB + Tex Aluminum Case. $300 tops. Have to wait until June for the case to "hopefully" go into stock.

====


...Anyways.
So I am curious: A 60% keyboard will invariably be lighter than a similar TKL keyboard (especially if you compare a Poker with Tex case vs Kmac TKL). I heard a guy who runs a keyboard blog mention that the Poker types like a light 60% keyboard (while saying that a nice, solid Deck types much better). A solid, heavy construction makes the typing experience better. So, does this mean a 60% keyboard will have a lesser typing experience? Somebody else replied on Geekhack voicing the opposite opinion. His reasoning was that the shorter the keyboard the stiffer it is.

So what do you think? Or do you think my thread is a waste of time? Lol.  ;D

keyhopper:
It sound like you want this:

        http://www.amazon.com/Ducky-Horse-Keyboard-Brown-Switch/dp/B00QSMXCVS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1428080616&sr=8-1&keywords=ducky+mini

        "Ducky Mini 60% Dual-Colour LED Cherry MX Mechanical Keyboard Review"
       
        "Ducky Shine Mini - Mechanical 60% Keyboard"
       
or a custom.

Also custom aluminum cases do exist for RealForce keyboards:
       
       https://www.keychatter.com/2015/03/02/only-1-digilog-aluminum-realforce-case-left-on-ebay/

       "Realforce 87u w/ Digilog Aluminum Case Typing Test (45G Topre) - KeyChatter.com"
       

But the most weight from a keyboard comes from its backplate. Almost all TKLs use thick backplates, and their weights are almost all the same.

Also, the heavier the weight of a keyboard, the more likely it is to break on impact. It has more mass, therefore it would have more momentum. If you are afraid that the keyboard won't survive a fall, then cheap logitech plastic rubber dome/membrane keyboards like the Logitech K120 will survive falls better than any mechanical keyboard.

Also, mechanical keyboards can't survive coffee spills too well, it's the same story with any keyboard: disconnect, maybe use distilled water to displace the coffee, wait a couple of days untill it dries or you risk shorts that will fry PCB traces or electronics. At least you can solder new switches or pour alcohol or contact cleaner into the switches that become sticky with coffee.

As for "typing solidness", the keyboard construction has a very small role beyond the thickness of the backplate which is more or less standard at about 1.2 ~ 1.5mm. The most dominating factor will be the switch type. The Topre Realforce gets lots of solid points in my book, IMO.

Cheers!

Joey Quinn:
Finding a flat keyboard is going to be your biggest issue if you want a heavy keyboard, most customs have some angle built into the case. I had a poker with an MKC case for a while and it was an ok weight, not really that heavy but not light. If you can forget the angle Duck's keyboards are really heavy. I've heard that KMACs are really solid but they aren't flat.

If you really want every item on your checklist then making your own custom is probably the best option.

Also typing feel is very subjective you'll have to try everything for yourself in order to know what you like.

Dark_wizzie:

--- Quote from: keyhopper on Fri, 03 April 2015, 12:23:29 ---It sound like you want this:

        http://www.amazon.com/Ducky-Horse-Keyboard-Brown-Switch/dp/B00QSMXCVS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1428080616&sr=8-1&keywords=ducky+mini

        "Ducky Mini 60% Dual-Colour LED Cherry MX Mechanical Keyboard Review"
       
        "Ducky Shine Mini - Mechanical 60% Keyboard"
       
or a custom.

Also custom aluminum cases do exist for RealForce keyboards:
       
       https://www.keychatter.com/2015/03/02/only-1-digilog-aluminum-realforce-case-left-on-ebay/

       "Realforce 87u w/ Digilog Aluminum Case Typing Test (45G Topre) - KeyChatter.com"
       

But the most weight from a keyboard comes from its backplate. Almost all TKLs use thick backplates, and their weights are almost all the same.

Also, the heavier the weight of a keyboard, the more likely it is to break on impact. It has more mass, therefore it would have more momentum. If you are afraid that the keyboard won't survive a fall, then cheap logitech plastic rubber dome/membrane keyboards like the Logitech K120 will survive falls better than any mechanical keyboard.

Also, mechanical keyboards can't survive coffee spills too well, it's the same story with any keyboard: disconnect, maybe use distilled water to displace the coffee, wait a couple of days untill it dries or you risk shorts that will fry PCB traces or electronics. At least you can solder new switches or pour alcohol or contact cleaner into the switches that become sticky with coffee.

As for "typing solidness", the keyboard construction has a very small role beyond the thickness of the backplate which is more or less standard at about 1.2 ~ 1.5mm. The most dominating factor will be the switch type. The Topre Realforce gets lots of solid points in my book, IMO.

Cheers!

--- End quote ---

Hey,
I am typing on a Ducky YOTH right nowm which I got this afternoon. My biggest problem here is that the leds are below the switch, meaning the Vortex PBT w/ POM keycaps don't work because the backlighting won't go through unless I install it upside down. To my knowledge there isn't a single PBT keycap for backlighting that will work in my situation. Because of this I am seriously considering returning this keyboard.

effectiveduck:
A 60% board (like the poker II, v60 or ducky mini) w/Tex aluinium case?

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