TteSports KB-MEK review

[kilogeek]

I bought one on Amazon, had a bad printed key (90°) and anyway could not use such compact layout :

http://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B00ATXXIPM/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

So returned it but had time to test it in depth, with disassembly.

Global feeling is : robust keyboard, heavy, strong plastic case, metal pane.

So, what's wrong ?

What I find wrong with this keyboard is what I don't like with many  new MX-type keyboards, keycaps are crap, made of very light plastic, just fitted on the MX switches cross guide, I find this a bad design. MX are not the problem, but if you just fit a cap on them, you get lateral movements, you may even get keys blocking when pressed on borders, not stabilized. This cross is tiny, if you don't press at the center of the key, MX switch won't like it...

On this particular keyboard :

- Layout is weird IMO, there is one lost key up-right of arrows keys... strange,  hard to use
- Leds on lock keys is a good idea but these leds are much too lightning, it's almost painfull for eyes^^
- Letters seem sticked on keys and letter font/types are not consistant (looks like fast work made with illustrator...)
- This my only taste but I don't like MX black, in fact although I did not test all MX colors, the fact they use a linear spring means you need more force to hold a key down than to start pressing a key, I don't like this, buckling spring or high-end domes don't feel the same and it's much better IMO, even for gaming (some games require you to keep keys pressed for a while, W.O.T. for example)

This keyboard is very affordable for a mechanical but I would recommand you to test it before buying, looks nice on pics but you may not find it so nice to use...

(I find my new Compaq RT102 far much better and I had it for only 5 euro, I disassembled it and can definitely tell it's a high-end design and manufactured keyboard, even if it's not using springs)


My next review may be on the EPSON/FUJITSU 8720 clicky keyboard, the seller sent me pics of a keycap, made of 2 parts, even better than the model M caps : a cylinder and 2 other guides on key corners, I'll take pics while cleaning it.

ADD : forgot to mention that like many MX keyboards, this one do not use metal stabilizers for long keys, instead it uses additionnal plastic guides, it could be worst, but it's not as efficient as traditionnal metal stabilizers found on old keyboards.

[tbc]

yep, one of the worst layouts ever conceived with no hope of fixing.

instant fail.

[funkymeeba]

I just can't stop laughing at the placement of the ?/ key. It's almost beautiful how off that is.

[kilogeek]

at least on this one there is a numpad... layouts without numpad may be ok for US or EN QWERTY kb but not for many other languages, certainly not for french, using very often é,è,à,ç,ù letters and not only these, numpad is a must-have for us, I almost never use numbers on the left part of the keyboard... and many games use numpad keys as default shortcuts too.

[clickclack123]

I just can't stop laughing at the placement of the ?/ key. It's almost beautiful how off that is.

Haha true! I use the dvorak layout, and using dvorak, that would be the "z" key. 

Other than that I'd like that layout I think though. I ended up buying a CM Storm Quickfire TK which hasn't arrived yet but is sort of a similar layout except the arrow keys.

[Linkbane]

at least on this one there is a numpad... layouts without numpad may be ok for US or EN QWERTY kb but not for many other languages, certainly not for french, using very often é,è,à,ç,ù letters and not only these, numpad is a must-have for us, I almost never use numbers on the left part of the keyboard... and many games use numpad keys as default shortcuts too.

Like clickclack said, you might want to try the TK! Similar shape, but very different layout; the numpad has a '00' key and with numlock off you can use 2, 0, 00, and . as arrow keys; it works and is quite ingenious in my opinion.

I just can't stop laughing at the placement of the ?/ key. It's almost beautiful how off that is.

Haha true! I use the dvorak layout, and using dvorak, that would be the "z" key. 

Other than that I'd like that layout I think though. I ended up buying a CM Storm Quickfire TK which hasn't arrived yet but is sort of a similar layout except the arrow keys.

I use Dvorak also; I can't believe that one could botch a layout so badly.

[lilky]

What in the... this layout ಠ_ಠ

[davkol]

It was supposedly designed for playing SC2... Ugh.

Anyway, switches feel quite good (light like on the other Tt keyboards), but stabilizers are **** (dat big-ass enter) and once again, the layout is just retarded. Otherwise a solid keyboard, but I don't see any reason to get it except with some ultimate discount.

[berserkfan]

I bought one on Amazon, had a bad printed key (90°) and anyway could not use such compact layout :

http://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B00ATXXIPM/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

So returned it but had time to test it in depth, with disassembly.

Global feeling is : robust keyboard, heavy, strong plastic case, metal pane.

So, what's wrong ?

What I find wrong with this keyboard is what I don't like with many  new MX-type keyboards, keycaps are crap, made of very light plastic, just fitted on the MX switches cross guide, I find this a bad design. MX are not the problem, but if you just fit a cap on them, you get lateral movements, you may even get keys blocking when pressed on borders, not stabilized. This cross is tiny, if you don't press at the center of the key, MX switch won't like it...

On this particular keyboard :

- Layout is weird IMO, there is one lost key up-right of arrows keys... strange,  hard to use
- Leds on lock keys is a good idea but these leds are much too lightning, it's almost painfull for eyes^^
- Letters seem sticked on keys and letter font/types are not consistant (looks like fast work made with illustrator...)
- This my only taste but I don't like MX black, in fact although I did not test all MX colors, the fact they use a linear spring means you need more force to hold a key down than to start pressing a key, I don't like this, buckling spring or high-end domes don't feel the same and it's much better IMO, even for gaming (some games require you to keep keys pressed for a while, W.O.T. for example)

This keyboard is very affordable for a mechanical but I would recommand you to test it before buying, looks nice on pics but you may not find it so nice to use...

(I find my new Compaq RT102 far much better and I had it for only 5 euro, I disassembled it and can definitely tell it's a high-end design and manufactured keyboard, even if it's not using springs)


My next review may be on the EPSON/FUJITSU 8720 clicky keyboard, the seller sent me pics of a keycap, made of 2 parts, even better than the model M caps : a cylinder and 2 other guides on key corners, I'll take pics while cleaning it.

ADD : forgot to mention that like many MX keyboards, this one do not use metal stabilizers for long keys, instead it uses additionnal plastic guides, it could be worst, but it's not as efficient as traditionnal metal stabilizers found on old keyboards.

This is one of the models I dislike the most. Yes, the horrible keycaps, and also the ancient, outdated return key. Nobody else uses such a damn enter key anymore and you can't get replacement keycaps.

[Candyflip]

Small backspace, huge enter, unnecessary big ctrl and that /? position... no! I think the spacing in the function row is odd too...

[davkol]

Okay, here's one thing I didn't notice before. The keyboard has not only non-standard slash key placement, weird layout and big-ass enter, but also

• 2.25x left Control (the size of a standard Shift key) and
• 2x Shift keys, both of them, which results in non-standard staggering (the ZXCV alpha row is moved 0.25x to the left).

[berserkfan]

yep, one of the worst layouts ever conceived with no hope of fixing.

instant fail.

Model F XT is far superior in layout to this retarded crap. How do they even stay in business? Their fans are even more fanatical than Razer's?

[wetto]

It also has one of the worst keycaps and laser printing I've ever seen on a keyboard.



ABNT2 (Brazilian Portuguese) layout is a bit more "acceptable" than its US counterpart.

yep, one of the worst layouts ever conceived with no hope of fixing.

instant fail.

Model F XT is far superior in layout to this retarded crap. How do they even stay in business? Their fans are even more fanatical than Razer's?

They can't. That's why they removed themselves from the Mechanical Keyboard market here in Brazil, along with huge losses because they had to cut their prices in half just to make the keyboards that were being "sold" (more like "stocked") since 2012 get off the shelves.

Our market over here is very limited (Razer, CM Storm, Corsair and the new ones: Roccat, Tesoro and A4Tech), but even still, I really won't miss them.

[davkol]

wat.

Those 1x shifts, is it a joke?

[wetto]

wat.

Those 1x shifts, is it a joke?

We're used to 1x1.25 on the left and 1x1.75 on the right on our keyboards, so, 1x1 at least for the left one isn't that much of a big deal.

Standard ABNT2 layout:

[davkol]

AFAIK Meka was designed for SC2 or something along those lines. Using 1x shifts sort of defeats that original purpose.

[wetto]

AFAIK Meka was designed for SC2 or something along those lines. Using 1x shifts sort of defeats that original purpose.

As far as I know, the Meka is just a redesigned i-Rocks KR 6230



More gimmicks, same flaws  )

[davkol]

What was first though? Tt could design a keyboard and ask Solid Year to make it, while approving rebranded use.