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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: rlawlgh12039 on Sun, 25 June 2017, 11:39:33

Title: End game keyboard?
Post by: rlawlgh12039 on Sun, 25 June 2017, 11:39:33: Everyone says there is no endgame, but I'm curious as to what you guys are satisfied with for now (or for atleast a couple years to come).

Just looking for some ideas since I'm looking to make my first custom, and I want to just go all out from the start so I don't waste any money on stuff I don't like down the line.
Title: Re: End game keyboard?
Post by: Auxo on Sun, 25 June 2017, 12:31:28: Quote from: rlawlgh12039 on Sun, 25 June 2017, 11:39:33
Everyone says there is no endgame, but I'm curious as to what you guys are satisfied with for now (or for atleast a couple years to come).

Just looking for some ideas since I'm looking to make my first custom, and I want to just go all out from the start so I don't waste any money on stuff I don't like down the line.

OTD & GMK pretty much
Title: Re: End game keyboard?
Post by: rlawlgh12039 on Sun, 25 June 2017, 12:49:45: what switches do you prefer?
Title: Re: End game keyboard?
Post by: DaBubbs on Sun, 25 June 2017, 13:00:18: RF 87U 55g with PBT spacebar. Soon will be silencing with purple sliders and adding a Pexon cable.
Title: Re: End game keyboard?
Post by: antquinonez on Sun, 25 June 2017, 13:08:29: Would we even recognize endgame if it came? Wasn't the end game the Model F AT? Electrostatic Capacitance, PBT keys, modern layout...
Title: Re: End game keyboard?
Post by: Puddsy on Sun, 25 June 2017, 13:09:47: OTD w/ GMK (or OG dyesubs) on 62g lubed mx blacks

It's what I've seen most people stop at.
Title: Re: End game keyboard?
Post by: tp4tissue on Sun, 25 June 2017, 13:32:24: - Ergodox -

[attachimg=1]
Title: Re: End game keyboard?
Post by: Findecanor on Sun, 25 June 2017, 14:08:41: Tenkeyless ISO, lubed MX Clear, thick PBT keycaps in Cherry profile. I have got a couple of keyboards like that.

I am curious about input.club's Halo switches that are supposed to resemble MX Clear. Zealios are also similar but lighter but I have yet to build a keyboard with them...
I have also not yet installed Zealencios silencing in any keyboard - because I misjudged and noticed that they won't fit together with the keycaps I like in one keyboard, and the other would probably remain loud anyway.
Title: Re: End game keyboard?
Post by: Aer Fixus on Sun, 25 June 2017, 14:38:20: A Model M shaped Model F with super keys.
Title: Re: End game keyboard?
Post by: pab on Sun, 25 June 2017, 16:16:35: Quote from: Puddsy on Sun, 25 June 2017, 13:09:47
OTD w/ GMK (or OG dyesubs) on 62g lubed mx blacks

It's what I've seen most people stop at.

What's the process of obtaining a OTD keyboard? The name makes it hard to Google.
Title: Re: End game keyboard?
Post by: Puddsy on Sun, 25 June 2017, 16:19:48: Quote from: pab on Sun, 25 June 2017, 16:16:35
Quote from: Puddsy on Sun, 25 June 2017, 13:09:47
OTD w/ GMK (or OG dyesubs) on 62g lubed mx blacks

It's what I've seen most people stop at.

What's the process of obtaining a OTD keyboard? The name makes it hard to Google.

short version: you don't

long version: get a bunch of good **** or $1500+ and wait for someone to trade/sell it to you
Title: Re: End game keyboard?
Post by: need on Sun, 25 June 2017, 16:47:05: My endgame configuration: cherry profile (low profile and ergonomic, the profile being the focus here so doesn't need to be OG cherry or GMK. Enjoypbt does the job equally well), 55g vintage blacks (very smooth action), metal casing (great stability). Linear switches being utmost priority, can't stand switches with tactility anymore as they give me finger fatigue.

In terms of layout, I like to have function keys, arrow keys and other navigation keys.
Title: Re: End game keyboard?
Post by: Nonster on Sun, 25 June 2017, 17:05:49: My Hypersphered and lubed Novatouch with Norbauer case is my endgame board, yet I still buy more because what is endgame (please send help).
(http://i.imgur.com/RRDjply.jpg)
Title: Re: End game keyboard?
Post by: Snowdog993 on Sun, 25 June 2017, 21:02:34: This one.
(http://i.imgur.com/5vdn17u.jpg?1)
(http://i.imgur.com/zU5LBR8.jpg)
I'm still using it.
Title: Re: End game keyboard?
Post by: rowdy on Mon, 26 June 2017, 22:09:38: If you're looking to make your first custom, you're better off to try lots of different keyboards now so you can get a feel for different switches, different layouts, different sizes etc.

It is very unlikely that you'd just happen to pick all components that you'd never want to change.

Plus each person has their own likes and dislikes about keyboards. Some love buckling springs, some hate them. Some love Topre, some hate them. Although you can get everyone's ideas about what keyboards they like, it is unlikely to have an bearing on what will turn out to be your favourite keyboard.

So saying, my two favourites are buckling spring and HHKB, although I'd still like to try a 55g RealForce. And a Model F.
Title: Re: End game keyboard?
Post by: typo on Tue, 27 June 2017, 00:43:23: Guess what I am going to say? Deck Legend MX cleaar/White backlight. I have many high boards including korean and Topre and this is my daily driver for like 20 years now. Unfortunately mine developed isues after that amount of time but luckily I just obtained Two more of them. It is not for everyone granted. It is a love it or hate board. I actually have found no better keys than TG3's Two piece, MX clears are the best switch hands down to me. I prefer a flat profile which is not the norm. The white backlighting is very white. no blue tint or anything. I do not need some cheap board with RGB novelty ETC. This was made in USA by hand. That pretty much is why it was discontinued like 8 years ago. Very rarely you can find a used one. I was very lucky personally to snag Two just when I needed One. I understand this is far from most peoples end game but it is mine. I will take the PBT case over an aluminum one for overall feel any day. A warning: the new Deck's are just cheap Chinese boards. Not at all the same. Hence the $100 price tag. Vs. the $300 for the original which incidentally was less than it cost them to build it which was ther demise. They did not realize at the time the cost to build them Vs. the low volume of sales. Really, it is a $500-$600 semi custom board. So it is up there with anything so long as it is your cup of tea. It appeals to few people, hence the low sales volume. Did I mention I love it?
Title: Re: End game keyboard?
Post by: SBJ on Tue, 27 June 2017, 07:29:06: I think I honestly switch too much to have one favorite board.
Hopefully, I can get a custom board made at one point. Being able to choose switch and look will be a totally new experience, and I'm betting I'm going to appreciate it that much more.
Title: Re: End game keyboard?
Post by: kmba on Tue, 27 June 2017, 08:10:44: Topre endgame: rf purple slider silenced fc660c, hasu'd, hhkb dark printed alphas, orange mods. Achievement unlocked. Lubed and silenced hhkb is a nice second fiddle and will be tinkered with forever.

Bs endgame: hopefully the all black kishsaver I have on order. Achievement unlocked.

Mx endgame: doesn't exist, too many options. I have 6 but am not satisfied with any.

Alps endgame: pretty unrealistic to reach Alps endgame due to scarcity, but I'd settle for a nice orange Alps equipped uk78 that I have on order. Achievement pending.
Title: Re: End game keyboard?
Post by: rioc on Tue, 27 June 2017, 10:35:36: I'm actually very happy with my variable weight Rs3.
I planned to have all the same switches on my recent custom tkl boards, but now I'm very tempted to go variable weight on those too since I like it so much... (variable weight linear switches to be exact)

As for caps, dsa or gmk

Sent from my sofa using lazy-stuff...
Title: Re: End game keyboard?
Post by: Waateva on Tue, 27 June 2017, 10:39:05: My O'Mira with lubed vintage Blacks and BSP blue Cyrillic seems pretty damn close to endgame for me, as I refuse to drop the money required for an OTD.
Title: Re: End game keyboard?
Post by: nya on Wed, 28 June 2017, 01:52:00: I've been happy with my 55g HHKB. My eyes do wander to other keyboards every now & then, but I always come home to my HHKB.
(http://i.imgur.com/20u730i.jpg)
Title: Re: End game keyboard?
Post by: SBJ on Wed, 28 June 2017, 04:22:39: Quote from: nya on Wed, 28 June 2017, 01:52:00
I've been happy with my 55g HHKB. My eyes do wander to other keyboards every now & then, but I always come home to my HHKB.
Show Image
(http://i.imgur.com/20u730i.jpg)

That is cute. :D
Title: Re: End game keyboard?
Post by: pr0ximity on Wed, 28 June 2017, 04:25:48: I'd say half my collection are my end-games at this point. Sort of like the leaves on specific branches of a tree.
Title: Re: End game keyboard?
Post by: mrduul on Wed, 28 June 2017, 06:49:00: model f unsaver.
Title: Re: End game keyboard?
Post by: dgneo on Wed, 28 June 2017, 06:58:16: BS - Kishsaver
MX - Jane (have) or 356mini
Topre - WKL 55g RF w/ Purple Sliders

1/4 not too bad
Title: Re: End game keyboard?
Post by: czarek on Wed, 28 June 2017, 07:08:31: I have a lot of keyboards, but the ones I use most are:
- Unicomp Ultra Classic
- Pretty much stock black Filco with MX Browns
- Stock Realforce 104 UWS, which I actually use the most, but I wish I could get blank modifiers for it, sadly the ones for HHKB don't match colour :(

I also keep to remind me why I don't need them (so I don't buy more keyboards like that):
- Black HHKB Pro Silent
- GH60 with PCB mounted 62G Zealios and Silencios in HHKB layout (which I use when traveling actually, it works with iPad, while HHKB doesn't)
- V60 with silent Matias
- ErgoDox with 62G vintage blacks (I actually use it sometimes, so it's not useless)
- Filcos of different age and layout (fullsize and tenkeyless) with MX Blues, Browns and Reds, one tenkeyless with MX Reds is enclosed in alu case and sports GMK black double shots, which I regret buying - apart from nicer profile and being thicker, they're not better than super cheap Tai Hao caps, which actually work better with Costar stabs
- Couple of standard and terminal Model Ms (which I actually use to play retro games on my IBM 486)
- Couple of XT, AT and Terminal Model Fs, with one AT Model F USB Modded internally using Soarer's firmware with teensy
- Plenty of retro boards with Alps (and clones), Cherries (and clones), Space Invaders, Acers and what not - basically keep them in basement for future generations :)
Title: Re: End game keyboard?
Post by: need on Wed, 28 June 2017, 08:28:19: Quote from: typo on Tue, 27 June 2017, 00:43:23
Guess what I am going to say? Deck Legend MX cleaar/White backlight. I have many high boards including korean and Topre and this is my daily driver for like 20 years now. Unfortunately mine developed isues after that amount of time but luckily I just obtained Two more of them. It is not for everyone granted. It is a love it or hate board. I actually have found no better keys than TG3's Two piece, MX clears are the best switch hands down to me. I prefer a flat profile which is not the norm. The white backlighting is very white. no blue tint or anything. I do not need some cheap board with RGB novelty ETC. This was made in USA by hand. That pretty much is why it was discontinued like 8 years ago. Very rarely you can find a used one. I was very lucky personally to snag Two just when I needed One. I understand this is far from most peoples end game but it is mine. I will take the PBT case over an aluminum one for overall feel any day. A warning: the new Deck's are just cheap Chinese boards. Not at all the same. Hence the $100 price tag. Vs. the $300 for the original which incidentally was less than it cost them to build it which was ther demise. They did not realize at the time the cost to build them Vs. the low volume of sales. Really, it is a $500-$600 semi custom board. So it is up there with anything so long as it is your cup of tea. It appeals to few people, hence the low sales volume. Did I mention I love it?

That's pretty intriguing. Got any photos of it?
Title: Re: End game keyboard?
Post by: merlin64 on Wed, 28 June 2017, 13:51:16: Endgame for me at this moment is my Octagon V2 with holtited 62g zealios and DSA Granite.
Title: Re: End game keyboard?
Post by: rowdy on Wed, 28 June 2017, 21:59:14: Quote from: nya on Wed, 28 June 2017, 01:52:00
I've been happy with my 55g HHKB. My eyes do wander to other keyboards every now & then, but I always come home to my HHKB.
Show Image
(http://i.imgur.com/20u730i.jpg)

Wouldn't it be great if your name actually was Serf Huik!
Title: Re: End game keyboard?
Post by: saxophone on Thu, 29 June 2017, 04:12:52: Hacker k965p
Title: Re: End game keyboard?
Post by: czarek on Thu, 29 June 2017, 11:20:49: Actually I lied about my RF being stock :) It has PBT space bar obviously!
Title: Re: End game keyboard?
Post by: nya on Thu, 29 June 2017, 11:30:53: Quote from: rowdy on Wed, 28 June 2017, 21:59:14

Wouldn't it be great if your name actually was Serf Huik!

Alas, It is not.
Title: Re: End game keyboard?
Post by: shadowku on Thu, 29 June 2017, 11:50:50: Quote from: Nonster on Sun, 25 June 2017, 17:05:49
My Hypersphered and lubed Novatouch with Norbauer case is my endgame board, yet I still buy more because what is endgame (please send help).
Show Image
(http://i.imgur.com/RRDjply.jpg)

Does hypersphere'ing the Novatouch improve it?
I just traded away my Novatouch for a FC660C because it really hollow compared to my HHKB. I'm much happier with the FC660C but if I didn't trade it, I was going to reprogram it and also silence it.

Maybe it's the Novatouch stabs that I didn't like, but it did not feel nearly as smooth as other Topre I've used.
Title: Re: End game keyboard?
Post by: Nonster on Thu, 29 June 2017, 11:59:46: Quote from: shadowku on Thu, 29 June 2017, 11:50:50
Quote from: Nonster on Sun, 25 June 2017, 17:05:49
My Hypersphered and lubed Novatouch with Norbauer case is my endgame board, yet I still buy more because what is endgame (please send help).
Show Image
(http://i.imgur.com/RRDjply.jpg)

Does hypersphere'ing the Novatouch improve it?
I just traded away my Novatouch for a FC660C because it really hollow compared to my HHKB. I'm much happier with the FC660C but if I didn't trade it, I was going to reprogram it and also silence it.

Maybe it's the Novatouch stabs that I didn't like, but it did not feel nearly as smooth as other Topre I've used.
Hypersphered and lubed Novatouch makes a huge difference, night and day. You lose the rattle and get the nice soft thocks similar to a hhkb type s.

Here's a sound comparison to give you an idea.
Title: Re: End game keyboard?
Post by: TheNamesTy45 on Fri, 30 June 2017, 09:30:24: Totally feel you in the sentiment that you don't want to spend a ton to find end game. Kinda going through this myself. I thought that my silent mx red boards were my endgame for sure after trying MX Browns, MX reds, MX greens, Gateron reds, Gateron blacks, Modified Gaterons with spring swap, Zealios, etc..

Then I made the mistake of buying a HHKB Type-S (vowed to myself I'd never buy a Topre board). It's not that my silent mx red boards are bad by any stretch of the imagination, in fact, I still think they're phenomenal. Unfortunately, I find myself really preferring the way Topre feels.

If I could get my endgame board, it would be a HHKB with mx keycaps support (like the stems that JTK is making right now) and fully programmable (HASU controller could do this). Just can't cough up the money for those parts until I clear out some of my other Cherry/Gateron/Zealio boards. I think that I'm pretty settled in what I have now though. I'm going to keep one Cherry MX Silent board (My Filco with GMK Plum, Pegasus Hoof controller, and Lambo aluminum case) and sell off the rest as well as parts for them to either purchase one additional HHKB to modify or a Plum Nano 75.

The short: Because preference is so subjective, listen to what you like and just know it'll probably change overtime. Whatever your choice is, there is no wrong answer. Have fun, and enjoy finding what YOU like!