Some months ago I purchased a Leopold FC980M with red switches, which I found to be too light and too scratchy. I returned it inmediately (by the way, amazing service by
www.mykeyboard.eu). I decided to try a Unicomp Ultraclassic, but it was a big disappointment (some heavy, some mushy and some squeaky keys, poor case assembly quality, random legend alignment, etc.) so I ended up selling it.
I have a Tesoro Durandal with black switches that I really like, but I didn't want to stick with it, but to go for something more high-end and less gaming. Since I missed the build quality and the form factor of the Leopold, I ordered another one, but with MX blacks this time. To my surprise, these black switches are much much smoother. Maybe they belong to those new production batches with new stems. I find the typing experience much more enjoyable, also because I can type softly without bottoming out. After having owned blacks, reds, browns and buckling springs, I think I've found the right switch for me: linear and not very light. I don't need tactility and I don't like how the blues sound. Topre isn't for me either.
As regard the rest of the features of this keyboard, let me remark again how incredibly well built it is. It's heavy, sturdy, doesn't flex at all, doesn't slide on the table, doesn't creak when you rest your hands on it, has a beautiful and uniform texture, and it looks elegant and minimalist. Also, unlike the model I tried with reds, there's almost no metallic ping coming from any key. The layout is fantastic. I wish more manufacturers adopted this key distribution because, for me, it's far better than tenkeyless. I've exchanged the position of the numlock and the del key (remapped by software), so that it sits in a more accesible position. Leopold should have added another dipswitch for this. Another thing about dipswitches that could be better is the fact that remapping the FN key to the Windows key makes it work as left Windows, not as right Windows key.
I was worried about the Cherry stabilizers. However, the long keys feel quite neutral thanks to their clipped stabilizers, better than in others keyboards I've tried with standard stabilizers. The bottom is a little mushier and they (some more than others) feel a bit scratchy, but nothing annoying or distracting. Maybe the spacebar, when pressed slowly, is the only key that sounds and feels a bit cheaper. Hopefully with time and use it will improve.
The keycaps have a mat finish, which feels a bit strange, but I think it's a matter of me being too used to soft and almost shiny ABS keycaps. As you know, these keycaps are 1.5 mm thick PBT. Another thing to consider is the ninja legends (front printed keycaps), which are almost like blanks in the dark. This means that you have to learn to touch type because looking at your keyboad doesn't help. I've accepted this as a challenge and I expect to improve every day until I'm finally able not to make any mistakes. However, it would be nice if there was a good replacement set for this model but with top legends. By the way, one minor issue I've noticed: the legend on the back slash key on this model is not correct. The slash, which is the primary function should be on the left and the vertical bar on the right, because this one is generated with shift.
This keyboard comes with some extras, such as keys for exchanging the control and the caps lock, the alt and the Windows key and the FN and the Windows key. As I said, there are dipswitches settings that allow you to adjust these settings, and also to disable the Windows key. The packet also includes a basic keycap puller and a very practical plastic cover that prevent dust contamination when the keyboard is not being used. It would have been fantastic if they also included a red esc and enter key, which are sold separately.
Finally, the detachable cable is a good thing, but why not a good braided cable instead of a standard rubber cable? For a premium keyboard like this it would have been a better choice.
In conclusion, this is a fantastic keyboard with for those who want something premium without the need to purchase extra keycaps and especially if you like the great 1800 layout, which is quite uncommon in mass produced keyboards. The quality of the construction and the materials is amazing. The mechanisms work and feel very well. The looks are elegant and sober. The front printed legends require a little effort and practice if you are not a good typist, so that's something to consider. Another con is that some keys are not of standard size, such as the right shift, which is a bit shorter. This doesn't require much time to get used to, but it would be a problem if you plan on installing custom keycap sets.
