new to mechanical, looking for advice

[silk186]

Currently I have a Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 which I have be using for several years and a Microsoft Natural Keyboard Elite before that. I have been hearing a lot about mechanical keyboards and cherry keys for a while but haven't tried one in many years.

I will be typing a lot in the following months I will be writing my thesis.

I'm looking for recommendations for a comfortable, ergonomic mechanical keyboard. I Googled what I was looking for and another forum recommended this site.
 
I will also be gaming but don't use programmable keys and don't want something too noisy. It would be great if the keys had LED back lighting for use in the dark.

Hopefully that is not to much to ask for from a keyboard, it would be easier if newegg types listed them.

[oneproduct]

Most of the keyboards aren't ergonomic, and those that are don't have LED backlighting as far as I know. If you want an ergonomic one, the Kinesis contoured advantage is pretty awesome, but pricey at around $300 and a bit too unconventional for some, but I'd swear by it myself. There's also the Kinesis freestyle which is an adjustable split keyboard, not sure how much that costs.
http://www.kinesis-ergo.com/keyboards.htm

Outside of Kinesis the other ergonomic one I know of is Maltron which is basically similar to the Kinesis contoured advantage but about twice the price. For non-ergonomic ones, in terms of comfort I imagine that they would be the same. For backlighting there's the Deck legend (http://www.deckkeyboards.com/) and the Razer blackwidow ultimate (http://store.razerzone.com/store/razerusa/en_US/pd/productID.211651300) but this one has blue switches and would thus be noisy, not sure what kind of switches the Deck legend comes with.

Other brands are more about build quality or keyboard layout and are generally not backlit or ergonomic, though there are more in each category that I'm simply not aware of I'm sure, but these are the ones I hear about often here regarding these two features.

[xmrxkrazy]

First of all, Welcome to GeekHack!

Just as oneproduct said, most keyboards aren't ergonomic. Also, most mechanical keyboards aren't backlit. There are backlit ones though like the Data911.
Most people have Cherry MX switches
Cherry MX Brown and Blue are tactile.
Cherry MX Red, Clears, and Blacks are linear.
Buckling Springs - Oldschool IBM Model M/F
Alps Switches

For more info, read ripster's all you need to know about mechanical keyboards.

Basically, Filco's are the go-to keyboard. They are solidly built and are simple and clean looking. If you are going to go the commercial route, Steelseries and Razer have keyboards that I've stated below.

Some basic boards to start out with.

Filco Majestouch Cherry MX Brown.
http://www.amazon.com/Filco-Majestouch-2-Keyboard-FKBN104M-EB2/dp/B004VKUSG6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1316682229&sr=8-1

Rosewill Cherry MX Blue. (Supposedly a rebranded Filco)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823201040

Steelseries 6Gv2 or 7G. Cherry MX Black.

Razer Black Widow or Black Widow Ultimate. Cherry MX Blue.

[Lanx]

if you're used to an ergonomic keyboard, especially one such as the msergo 4k that stresses many good ergonomic themes (many but not all) then i say just get a kinesis, nothing comes close. this is really a short answer, if you want a long winded one by all means ask and i'll give, but the short answer is
if you want mechanical ergo... kinesis is really the only one that comes close to offering the best of the bunch. (yes price sucks) or what they call price of admission.

[xmrxkrazy]

First of all, Welcome to GeekHack!

Just as oneproduct said, most keyboards aren't ergonomic, unless typing regularly is ergonomic.. Also, most mechanical keyboards aren't backlit. There are few backlit like Data911 keyboards.
Most people have Cherry MX switches
Cherry MX Brown and Blue are tactile.
Cherry MX Red, Clears, and Blacks are linear.
Buckling Springs - Oldschool IBM Model M/F
Alps Switches

For more info, read ripster's all you need to know about mechanical keyboards.

Basically, Filco's are the go-to keyboard. They are solidly built and are simple and clean looking. If you are going to go the commercial route, Steelseries and Razer have keyboards that I've stated below.

Some basic boards to start out with.

Filco Majestouch Cherry MX Brown.
http://www.amazon.com/Filco-Majestouch-2-Keyboard-FKBN104M-EB2/dp/B004VKUSG6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1316682229&sr=8-1

Rosewill Cherry MX Blue. (Supposedly a rebranded Filco)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823201040

Steelseries 6Gv2 or 7G. Cherry MX Black.

Razer Black Widow or Black Widow Ultimate. Cherry MX Blue.

[one_each]

Cherry MX Brown and Blue are tactile.
Cherry MX Red, Clears, and Blacks are linear.

The clears are tactile and heavier then browns.  Blues have a click.  Reds have a much lighter fell then the blacks.

[Fuzzy Dunlop]

The Kinesis Advantage is ergonomic in every sense of the word, but it's at the extreme end of ergonomic – it has an unconventional layout that may require a significant learning curve. At $300, it's also on the expensive side. If you're willing to give up having mechanical switches there is the split layout Kinesis Maxim, which is a rubber dome keyboard but with a tactile feel. It earned PC Magazine's editor's choice award and retails for around $140. You might want to take a look at Fentek Industries' website, which has a good selection of high quality ergonomic keyboards, as well as mechanical boards in general:

http://www.fentek-ind.com/

[shrap]

If you want an ergo mechanical board, it's not really hard to make a decision. There are about three total options, none with the same layout, and none with LED backlighting. There are many threads covering the exact same information on this subforum.

If you can settle for rubber dome, that adds like two more options: split fixed (like the MS Natural) and split separate (like the Goldtouch and Freestyle). Options will vary on how "ergonomic" these are, as if ergonomic was a known quantity (I doubt it).

[silk186]

Personally I think I need to set my budget at $150, I can't justify $300 for a keyboard for myself at this point. Especially when it will be my first mechanical keyboard, I don't have a  chance to try different switches and I can't try the keyboard first.

The Maxim™ Split Adjustable Keyboard is an interesting design but it is not mechanical?

Alternatively if i forgo ergonomic choices as there are so few I see two other options

Razer™ BlackWidow Ultimate Stealth Edition

and

Corsair Vengeance™ K60 Performance FPS Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

I'm also hearing about the SteelSeries 6Gv2 but it is no black lighting and similar price range.

[shrap]

According to

http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=The+Rubber+Dome+Guide+iincomplete+under+construction+please+add

the Kinesis is rubber dome.

If you choose not to go ergo, you'll get a lot more responses in the normal keyboard forum.

[Fuzzy Dunlop]

Backlighting is cool, but it's not so much about function as it is style. Backlit boards will let you type in the dark but you shouldn't really be doing that in the first place; it's bad for eye strain. If you want a mech board for the sake of having a mech board that's one thing, but if it's comfort you want I wouldn't rule out the Maxim solely based on it being a rubber dome keyboard. Not all rubber domes are created equal. Topre for instance is part rubber dome. Many years ago I had an Apple Design Keyboard which was a joy to type on, solid as a rock, tactile, and not at all stiff. I went looking for another one recently, and was convinced it used mechanical switches until I found the original product specs proving it used rubber domes. I guess what I'm saying is, some rubber domes are better than others. I've never owned a Kinesis board however they have a good reputation making serious quality ergonomic keyboards; notwithstanding, $139 for a split board is a great value IMO. Split keyboards are among the most ergonomic keyboard designs you can get outside of something like the Advantage.

For gaming keyboards you really can't go wrong with the SteelSeries 6GV2, it's an excellent board.

[Marclgw]

Have a look at Cherry G80-3000 series.
=D Cheers

[Lanx]

i'll tell you what i tell many ms ergo 4k users who come on here wanting a mech board... if you're used to the ms ergo 4k and the ergonomic advantages then you're screwed. The ms ergo 4k positions the wrists and tilt nicely which actually most keyboards don't have, even ergo mechanical. if the set budget is 150, then yea, you really cannot get the only option (imo) for an ergonomic mechanical (there are other options like rare northgate that's just split... kinda cheesy), which would be the kinesis. Go try ebay, maybe you can snag a used kinesis for under 200, or some ppl here that sell boards too.

kinesis only took me 2-3 days to get used to the "funky" non standard layout basically using your thumbs for backspace/return. Going back to a regular 104 board just to "get" or "try" a mechanical board might end up being painful (it did for me, my wrists could stand it after 2hours).

[cactux]

If you are still looking for an ergonomic board feel free to check my sale HERE