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geekhack Marketplace => Great Finds => Topic started by: xmagusx on Thu, 29 June 2017, 08:35:28

Title: Turbot 87 key (blue) -- $24 (Free Prime Shipping)
Post by: xmagusx on Thu, 29 June 2017, 08:35:28
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EMWLL1I/

Promo code: ZZWHBU9M
Title: Re: Turbot 87 key (blue) -- $24 (Free Prime Shipping)
Post by: ander on Fri, 07 July 2017, 00:05:16
With the promo code and free shipping, mine came to $26.85—couldn't pass up a deal like that! Thanks, xmagusx! It'll be fun having an MK that cost so little, I won't worry about throwing it in my backpack when the laptop's built-in board just won't do.

Over 30 Amazon reviewers gave it an average 4.5 stars, citing what a good deal it was for the dough (even without the discount).

I'd never heard of the Turbot brand... A turbot (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbot) is a fish, rather an odd name for a keyboard. Could they have meant Turbo? (Maybe that's the only reason they're selling them off so cheaply?)

The Amazon reviewers say it's solidly made, with a good weight, and that the switches—whichever Chinese MX clone they may be, can anyone tell from the closeup?—are quick and responsive.

Some users did mention that the pad-printed buttons started to wear after only a month or two of use. But most of us end up replacing our buttons (http://www.pckeyboard.com/page/category/Buttons) anyway, don't we? (We don't replace "caps", of course, unless we're replacing the upper parts of two-piece IBM keyboard buttons... I never understood why people started misusing that term.)

BTW, if you don't need the board within 2 days, you needn't sign up for an Amazon Prime trial. A free U.S. shipping option is available with 1–2 delivery time and no strings attached.
Title: Re: Turbot 87 key (blue) -- $24 (Free Prime Shipping)
Post by: ander on Fri, 07 July 2017, 00:19:14
Here's a good review page (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLZygk77xRc) including a video. (I couldn't help noticing he refers to as a "turbo" with a silent T, LOL).
Title: Re: Turbot 87 key (blue) -- $24 (Free Prime Shipping)
Post by: ander on Fri, 04 August 2017, 17:32:45
Woo hoo, my Turbot arrived (the KB, I mean, not the fish), and it'd easily rock at twice the price. I'll get back here and post some pics 'n' comments tonight as soon as there's time. Meanwhile, this is the kind of thing where you can't contain your enthusiasm, so you'll understand why I felt compelled to post this relatively meaningless blurb about it.
Title: Re: Turbot 87 key (blue) -- $24 (Free Prime Shipping)
Post by: ander on Sat, 05 August 2017, 07:29:40
[Note to admins: Feel free to move this post to the Keyboards section if you think it's more appropriate there]

Such a deal, this solid and cheap little keeb (LOL, I said "keeb").


[attach=1]


They're warehoused in the U.S., so no waiting for shipping from China, as is often the case:


[attach=2]


Don't ask me why they decided to call it a "Turbot". They probably had "Turbo" in mind, or something that'd sound like it—but as you may know, a turbot (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbot) is actually a popular food fish.


(https://s3.amazonaws.com/divcomplatform/seafoodsource.com/images/d2df0ed346c3069540dcab8cb64176b0.jpeg)


At least this board doesn't actually say "Turbot"; it just has a "T" logo. Officially, it's called a:


[attach=3]


No, "water-resistant" doesn't mean you can take it swimming; as the board's Amazon page (https://www.amazon.com/Turbot-Mechanical-Water-resistant-Ergonomic-Anti-ghosting/dp/B01EMWLL1I) explains:

Quote
Three holes at the bottom of Turbot mechanical keyboards are designed for drainage (Water-resistant with drain holes)

It's made by a company called Easterntimes Tech:


[attach=4]


Their English website (http://etpc.cn/en/Default.aspx) is quite ambitious, with cool photos of the many things they're working on. The English text is obviously a work in progress, though, e.g.:


[attach=16]


"Understand That We Start From Here"—that's the company's English motto. Hmm, catchy.

One neat thing they're making is a board where the whole surface is lighted; they call it The Big Show (http://etpc.cn/en/product.aspx?id=1239):


[attach=17]


Back to the board at hand, though. It was well-packed, using the U-pad method that also makes it easy to re-store securely:


[attach=5]


[attach=6]


The manual explains the embedded media keys, and how to lock out the Win key. One line particularly caught my attention:


[attach=7]


(They can't get just one native English speaker to give these things a quick look? Oh well, have to keep costs down, I guess...)

The cable isn't braided, but it's sturdy and well attached, and a key-puller is included:


[attach=8]


The laser-etched legends aren't the crispest I've seen, but they'll certainly do.


[attach=9]


My cheap phone-cam made the keys look much shinier than they actually were. There's a bit of shine, but they're not actually slick; they have a slight matte finish.


[attach=10]


As long as we're here... If you want to keep any keys feeling and looking good as long as possible, I recommend these two habits:

1. Wash your hands before you type (it's just decent, anyway.)

2. Gently wipe your keys with a damp tissue every few days.

Grime and skin oil, not friction, are what wear keys IMHO. I have boards with pad-printed keys—not nearly as durable as these—that still look great after years of use. 'Nuff said.

The small blue lock-light LEDs are fine, not overly bright (that's just lens flare):


[attach=11]


The manual says "Made of metal panel, with matte-finish texture..." That refers to the top of the case. The rest is plastic---but quite sturdy, and textured the same overall:


[attach=12]


Outemu blue switches (mounted upside-down, is that normal?) and thin (but solid enough feeling, to me) caps:


[attach=13]


If you like clicky, clacky boards, you'll like this one. It's loud---we're talking, like, Model-M loud.

That is, except the stabilized keys (Backspate, Enter, both Shifts, and of course spacebar). They're so well stabilized, they're dramatically quieter than the rest, making a polite little tick tick compared to the other keys's assertive CLACK CLACK.


[attach=14]


You can hear the contrast in this audio demo (https://instaud.io/19pk) when I hit some stab-ed keys around 0:03. This contrast may bug you, or not. I'm a musician, so I don't mind the aural variety. And if someone's around who doesn't like clickety typing, you get to include some irony:

CLACK CLACK CLACK CLACK [tick tick, ha ha] CLACK CLACK CLACK...

If you're not into sonic mayhem, this board's a good candidate for O-rings. (I'll probably add some just for the slight speed increase you can get from the reduced travel length.)

The profile's, um, a profile:


[attach=15]


So how does it feel? Great! The caps feel solid, and the board's weight and generous rubber feet keep it firmly in place. The F/J position markers are thin and at the very bottoms their keys, so you needn't feel them all the time if you don't want to---something I always appreciate.

As I type, Amazon's price of $30.99 still includes free shipping. And if xmagusx's discount code still works, it knocks off a few more bucks. For that kind of pocket change, this board's a winner, IMHO.
Title: Re: Turbot 87 key (blue) -- $24 (Free Prime Shipping)
Post by: ander on Tue, 22 August 2017, 18:13:56
To post a brief follow-up, having used this board several times on various trips: I must say, I've enjoyed it greatly! The key feel and sound are perfect---quite satisfyingly tactile and clicky, yet not loud enough to prompt banging on the wall from adjoining hotel rooms (LOL).

The keeb (ha, I said "keeb") continues to work flawlessly, with no inconsistency between switches. And while there are certainly lighter boards one could take on the road, the board's stability and solid feel seem worth the extra bit of weight.

If you're looking for a fun, compact board at an unbeatable price, and don't need fancy disco-light effects, I really don't think you can go wrong with something like this.
Title: Re: Turbot 87 key (blue) -- $24 (Free Prime Shipping)
Post by: wounditup on Sat, 26 August 2017, 13:07:20
Just ordered one to replace my apple keyboard at work.
Title: Re: Turbot 87 key (blue) -- $24 (Free Prime Shipping)
Post by: ander on Sun, 27 August 2017, 02:47:24
Quote from: wounditup on Sat, 26 August 2017, 13:07:20
Just ordered one to replace my apple keyboard at work.

Hope it's not too clacky. Or maybe you have your own office where you can shut the door. Or maybe you work with peeps who like clickety keebs. They do make you seem more productive.
Title: Re: Turbot 87 key (blue) -- $24 (Free Prime Shipping)
Post by: wounditup on Sun, 27 August 2017, 09:39:44
Quote from: ander on Sun, 27 August 2017, 02:47:24
Quote from: wounditup on Sat, 26 August 2017, 13:07:20
Just ordered one to replace my apple keyboard at work.

Hope it's not too clacky. Or maybe you have your own office where you can shut the door. Or maybe you work with peeps who like clickety keebs. They do make you seem more productive.
It's actually my first mech. I've tried all of the cherry switches and blue is my favourite. My coworkers shouldn't mind much seeing as the guy next to me has a Razer with the green switches.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

Title: Re: Turbot 87 key (blue) -- $24 (Free Prime Shipping)
Post by: ander on Sun, 27 August 2017, 18:07:35
Quote from: wounditup on Sun, 27 August 2017, 09:39:44
It's actually my first mech. I've tried all of the cherry switches and blue is my favourite. My coworkers shouldn't mind much seeing as the guy next to me has a Razer with the green switches.

Well, congrats on your first MK, and welcome to the wacky keeb world!

It sounds like your coworkers already understand what good, fun typing sounds like, so that's good. If your board turns out to be louder than you wish, though, you can add some silicone O-rings to it, which are quite inexpensive and easy to install. They shorten the key travel slightly, but make a noticeable different in loudness. You may actually prefer them that way. Here's a GH page about them (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=40227.0).

You can order a whole set of O-rings from Asia (https://www.ebay.com/sch/Computers-Tablets-Networking/58058/i.html?_from=R40&_sop=15&_nkw=keyboard%20o-ring&rt=nc&LH_BIN=1&_trksid=p2045573.m1684) for less than $1, including shipping, if you don't mind waiting 2–3 weeks to get them. If you want them faster, there's a few bucks from U.S. sellers (https://www.ebay.com/sch/Computers-Tablets-Networking/58058/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=keyboard+o-ring&_in_kw=1&_ex_kw=&_sacat=58058&_udlo=&_udhi=&LH_BIN=1&_ftrt=901&_ftrv=1&_sabdlo=&_sabdhi=&_samilow=&_samihi=&_sadis=15&_stpos=98230-4010&_fsradio2=%26LH_PrefLoc%3D1&_sargn=-1%26saslc%3D1&_salic=1&LH_SubLocation=1&_sop=12&_dmd=1&_ipg=100). (Those are eBay links, for your convenience.)

As with anything KB-related, you'll also see widely varied opinions about O-rings here on GH—everything from what an improvement they are, to how they "ruin" a board's touch (LOL). The best way to decide just to try them yourself. Personally, I enjoy having them on a couple of boards... I don't have to worry about noise, but I like the variety. Cheers, A.
Title: Re: Turbot 87 key (blue) -- $24 (Free Prime Shipping)
Post by: wounditup on Sun, 27 August 2017, 18:35:16
Quote from: ander on Sun, 27 August 2017, 18:07:35
Quote from: wounditup on Sun, 27 August 2017, 09:39:44
It's actually my first mech. I've tried all of the cherry switches and blue is my favourite. My coworkers shouldn't mind much seeing as the guy next to me has a Razer with the green switches.

Well, congrats on your first MK, and welcome to the wacky keeb world!

It sounds like your coworkers already understand what good, fun typing sounds like, so that's good. If your board turns out to be louder than you wish, though, you can add some silicone O-rings to it, which are quite inexpensive and easy to install. They shorten the key travel slightly, but make a noticeable different in loudness. You may actually prefer them that way. Here's a GH page about them (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=40227.0).

You can order a whole set of O-rings from Asia (https://www.ebay.com/sch/Computers-Tablets-Networking/58058/i.html?_from=R40&_sop=15&_nkw=keyboard%20o-ring&rt=nc&LH_BIN=1&_trksid=p2045573.m1684) for less than $1, including shipping, if you don't mind waiting 2–3 weeks to get them. If you want them faster, there's a few bucks from U.S. sellers (https://www.ebay.com/sch/Computers-Tablets-Networking/58058/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=keyboard+o-ring&_in_kw=1&_ex_kw=&_sacat=58058&_udlo=&_udhi=&LH_BIN=1&_ftrt=901&_ftrv=1&_sabdlo=&_sabdhi=&_samilow=&_samihi=&_sadis=15&_stpos=98230-4010&_fsradio2=%26LH_PrefLoc%3D1&_sargn=-1%26saslc%3D1&_salic=1&LH_SubLocation=1&_sop=12&_dmd=1&_ipg=100). (Those are eBay links, for your convenience.)

As with anything KB-related, you'll also see widely varied opinions about O-rings here on GH—everything from what an improvement they are, to how they "ruin" a board's touch (LOL). The best way to decide just to try them yourself. Personally, I enjoy having them on a couple of boards... I don't have to worry about noise, but I like the variety. Cheers, A.
I've actually done a lot of research on O-rings and ordered some yesterday off Amazon which got here ahead of my keeb. I'm really excited to get it and I'm happy that there are so many resources for somebody like me whose so new to this world.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

Title: Re: Turbot 87 key (blue) -- $24 (Free Prime Shipping)
Post by: ander on Mon, 11 September 2017, 17:46:41
Quote from: wounditup on Sun, 27 August 2017, 18:35:16
I've actually done a lot of research on O-rings and ordered some yesterday off Amazon which got here ahead of my keeb. I'm really excited to get it and I'm happy that there are so many resources for somebody like me whose so new to this world.

Dude, we care about your typing experience—not just because we're kind, thoughtful people, but because it means we get to type more. And typing about keyboards is like one of those paradoxical "where does it start/end" drawings:


[attachimg=1]


...which fascinate analytical peeps like us who obsess over detail and accuracy.

Finally, many of us don't have a whole lot else to do. (I mean, you're on a date, the person asks you what your interests are, you say, "I collect computer keyboards", and suddenly they're remembering all the other stuff they have to do. You don't even get a chance to explain the various types of mechanical key switches, why they're so superior to RDs and membranes, and so on.) So hey, everyone's a winner.
Title: Re: Turbot 87 key (blue) -- $24 (Free Prime Shipping)
Post by: ander on Mon, 11 September 2017, 17:55:39
Ha—I just found this article:

The Idiocy of Happy Hacking Keyboard (http://xahlee.info/kbd/idiocy_of_happy_hacking_keyboard.html) (Xah Keyboard Guide)

...which cites the Turbot (aka Tomoko) as an example of how even the humblest mechanical TKL is vastly superior to the trendy, expensive, self-defeating HHKB.


[attach=1]
Title: Re: Turbot 87 key (blue) -- $24 (Free Prime Shipping)
Post by: ander on Sat, 23 December 2017, 03:28:50
Just thought I'd mention that these are here on eBay (https://www.ebay.com/itm/87-Keys-Mechanical-Gaming-Keyboard-with-USB-Cable-Key-Cap-Puller-Fit-for-Gamers/182891622949), from a highly rated long-time seller, for $26.10 shipped, with no promo code required. The "Make Offer" button is there, too, which means you could get them for even less (though how much remains to be seen).

They're being shipped from Santa Clara, California, too, so no wait for shipping from China.

And if the listing page is any indication, it seems the PRC army plans to use them to invade Alaska:

[Image removed, as it's no longer there  :( ]
Title: Re: Turbot 87 key (blue) -- $24 (Free Prime Shipping)
Post by: SamirD on Sat, 23 December 2017, 09:36:48
Quote from: ander on Sat, 23 December 2017, 03:28:50
Just thought I'd mention that these are here on eBay (https://www.ebay.com/itm/87-Keys-Mechanical-Gaming-Keyboard-with-USB-Cable-Key-Cap-Puller-Fit-for-Gamers/182891622949), from a highly rated long-time seller, for $26.10 shipped, with no promo code required. The "Make Offer" button is there, too, which means you could get them for even less (though how much remains to be seen).

They're being shipped from Santa Clara, California, too, so no wait for shipping from China.

And if the listing page is any indication, it seems the PRC army plans to use them to invade Alaska:


Show Image
(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/FdcAAOSweM1aEXte/s-l1600.jpg)


And while they're invading, blame Tesla for the whole thing as their logo is strikingly similar.
(http://www.indiancarsbikes.in/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/tesla-logo.jpg)
Title: Re: Turbot 87 key (blue) -- $24 (Free Prime Shipping)
Post by: ander on Mon, 25 December 2017, 18:18:47
Quote from: SamirD on Sat, 23 December 2017, 09:36:48
And while they're invading, blame Tesla for the whole thing as their logo is strikingly similar.

LOL, you're right—it's a kind of Dungeons 'n' Dragons version of it.
Title: Re: Turbot 87 key (blue) -- $24 (Free Prime Shipping)
Post by: ander on Mon, 25 December 2017, 18:52:51

[attachimg=1]


Clearly, two dynamic companies poised to swoop down on the 21st century.
Title: Re: Turbot 87 key (blue) -- $24 (Free Prime Shipping)
Post by: SamirD on Wed, 03 January 2018, 14:55:54
Quote from: ander on Mon, 25 December 2017, 18:52:51

(Attachment Link)


Clearly, two dynamic companies poised to swoop down on the 21st century.
And one is a fish!!  Get your wetsuit ready, hahaha!

Title: Re: Turbot 87 key (blue) -- $24 (Free Prime Shipping)
Post by: ander on Wed, 03 January 2018, 21:57:32
Quote from: SamirD on Wed, 03 January 2018, 14:55:54
And one is a fish!!  Get your wetsuit ready, hahaha!

Yeah... If they merged, they could sell electric eels.
Title: Re: Turbot 87 key (blue) -- $24 (Free Prime Shipping)
Post by: ander on Wed, 09 March 2022, 06:18:28
Just wanted to say—it's five years later now, and this little $24 keeb is still going fine! It's not a "daily driver", but it is in my semi-regular rotation and gotten a good amount of use—and it still works as well as it did when it arrived. (I like to wash my hands before typing, so even the ABS keys are still in good shape. Your mileage may vary, depending on your hygiene preferences.)

A whole lot of inexpensive MKs are on places like Amazon now. Most of the decent ones start around $40 now, but they're still quite a deal, all considered. And if you pad the keys (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=116491.msg3114575#msg3114575) to tame the key noise, you can hear the switches better.  ;)

Zombie-topic-istically, A.
Title: Re: Turbot 87 key (blue) -- $24 (Free Prime Shipping)
Post by: Maledicted on Fri, 18 March 2022, 10:22:18
Quote from: ander on Wed, 09 March 2022, 06:18:28
Just wanted to say—it's five years later now, and this little $24 keeb is still going fine! It's not a "daily driver", but it is in my semi-regular rotation and gotten a good amount of use—and it still works as well as it did when it arrived. (I like to wash my hands before typing, so even the ABS keys are still in good shape. Your mileage may vary, depending on your hygiene preferences.)

A whole lot of inexpensive MKs are on places like Amazon now. Most of the decent ones start around $40 now, but they're still quite a deal, all considered. And if you pad the keys (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=116491.msg3114575#msg3114575) to tame the key noise, you can hear the switches better.  ;)

Zombie-topic-istically, A.

I have a few of these boards. I pick them up from time to time used when I find them cheap and loan them out to people who haven't used mechanicals. They do seem to be pretty sturdy little boards, and Outemu blues are great for how cheap they are.