1st Mech keyboard (switch and keyboard choice)

[limecore]

I have never used a mechanical keyboard before, and need some advice on keyboard choice. I rarely game (maybe 10-15% of computer use), but need to be able to use the keyboard at night without waking people in the next room.

First: Switch choice. The only switches I have really seen for sale here in Australia are cherry switches (only red, blue, brown and black), and can't find them in store anywhere to try them out. I have heard that the brown switches aren't tactile enough and are too easy to bottom out, while the blues are too loud and the clears, which are a middle ground, are impossible to find. Are any of these assumptions wrong, or are there any other brand of switch that might work for me (for less than $200 inc postage)

Secondly: keyboard choice. If I was to get a standard cherry switch keyboard, I am looking at the ducky keyboards for sale at http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=113_1361&zenid=0febf5d74a3bf00610d021c6b9eb17e2
Are ducky KBs decent quality, and are the backlights worth it, or are they a gimmick?

Sorry for the long rambling post, I just don't want to waste $150+ on a crap keyboard.

[rowdy]

Welcome to Geekhack!

PCCG is probably the biggest and cheapest mechanical keyboard vendor in Australia, and AFAIK the only Ducky authorised reseller (at least according to Ducky web site).

There is also http://www.mechkb.com/ who also stock Ducky, as well as some of the less common keyboards.

Although range out here still sucks compared to overseas.  Sometimes you can find a rare used keyboard OS for cheaper than a new keyboard here.

Anyway, Ducky is good - I have three Duckys, one has had daily use for more than a year and still going strong.

Blues and greens are clicky, but you'll get bottoming out noise from all mechanical keyboards unless you use O-rings.

I have stronger fingers, and prefer MX blacks or greens, although a lot of people find blacks too stiff and prefer reds.

Backlighting is good if you need it - I tend to work and play in darker environments, and thus prefer either backlighting of keycaps with a good contrast between keycap and legend.

[limecore]

I know that the blues are clicky, but I want tactile switches, which will hopefully stop me bottoming out after a bit of practice.
My main issues are that I heard that the browns aren't tactile enough, and that the blues will be heard through a double brick wall in the middle of the night (2am code ftw)

[FrostyToast]

I know that the blues are clicky, but I want tactile switches, which will hopefully stop me bottoming out after a bit of practice.
My main issues are that I heard that the browns aren't tactile enough, and that the blues will be heard through a double brick wall in the middle of the night (2am code ftw)

If you want something that is more tactile, but not super loud then go for mx clears. (or maybe a thorpe)

[limecore]

If you want something that is more tactile, but not super loud then go for mx clears. (or maybe a thorpe)

The only problem with mx clears is that the only place I have seen them is in a code keyboard, which costs about $160, needs shipping from the US and is out of stock. I would love to get a keyboard with them, but that is next to impossible in Australia

[False_Dmitry_II]

Matias quiet

[epzy]

If you want something that is more tactile, but not super loud then go for mx clears. (or maybe a thorpe)

The only problem with mx clears is that the only place I have seen them is in a code keyboard, which costs about $160, needs shipping from the US and is out of stock. I would love to get a keyboard with them, but that is next to impossible in Australia

Look into the KUL keyboards they sell over at Elitekeyboards.com - they come in MX Clears.

[limecore]

Look into the KUL keyboards they sell over at Elitekeyboards.com - they come in MX Clears.

Quote from the webpage: ** This item can only be shipped to North America and Europe **
I could go get it done through a friend's freight forwarder, but I'm not sure its worth it (not a real fan of tenkeyless, and postage would be about $50)
Still cheaper than getting a code keyboard shipped over though

Matias quiet

Hmm, $165 inc postage, not that bad. Its at the higher end of my price range, and it isn't the sexiest keyboard, but it is an option.
Thanks for the responses
EDIT: Currency conversions just bumped  the price by $20. Its getting a bit on the pricey side. Starting to consider just getting a cherry blue KB and use my cheap dell rubber dome if it starts bugging people late at night. It didn't sound too bad using this comparison from the other room (using the O rings) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFkl1Vet1eU

[exit]

You can buy a switch tester at www.mechkb.com or their store in Sydney for $6 + postage.

I don't think any mechanical keyboard sold in Australia is crap besides razer.

[mouse.the.lucky.dog]

I have never used a mechanical keyboard before, and need some advice on keyboard choice.

If you don't bottom out you keys then blues should not be loud enough to bother people in the next room if the door is closed.
If you do bottom out the door ain't gonna help, yopu will nmeed o-rings.

[mouse.the.lucky.dog]

I have never used a mechanical keyboard before, and need some advice on keyboard choice.

If you don't bottom out your keys then blues should not be loud enough to bother people in the next room if the door is closed.
If you do bottom out your keys  the door ain't gonna help, yopu will need o-rings.

[limecore]

At the moment I am leaning towards the ducky shine zero with mx blue switches.
Is it worth paying an extra $35 to get the shine 3, or is it just gimmicky lighting modes
The only other competitor I have seen is this http://www.mechkb.com/deck-hassium-mechanical-keyboard
Which is exactly the same price (uncanny) since I could pick it up myself
Any of you had experience with these KBs?

[rowdy]

Shine Zero has only blue and orange LEDs (and a lighter blue than the Shine 3).  It also has non-detachable cable, and a few less lighting modes.

The extra lighting modes are a bit gimicky - about the only one I have used is reactive.  The rest are too distracting )

There are many less Deck keyboards around, especially in Australia.  Although MechKB are good - and even have a presence on GH.

[limecore]

Ok, so the shine 3 is out. Anyone here used the other deck keyboard and have opinions on it? (besides the choice of font)

[rowdy]

Nothing wrong with a Shine 3 from a technical perspective - any particular reason why you don't want one (apart from the extra $35)?

A new Deck user is impressed: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=59610.0

[njfn]

I bought a tester from mechkb.com before I buy the actual keyboard. It is quite good for testing the feeling of different switches.

I'm in Melbourne, I bought my Deck Hassium Pro from CPL in store for $149, pretty good price.

I chose Deck over Ducky because of the fancy light effect. You can download or write your own script for the LED effect.

You can see the LED effect via this video:

For the keyboard and tester photos, please check my post here: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=59610.0

[limecore]

I prefer the deck hassium pro just because of the regular looking font (Not a real fan of the 4 year old crayon letter font on the deck hassuim), but I don't need fancy light effects. (nice review by the way)

The other issue is that I'm assuming to make light effects (which I don't plan to use anyway), I'd assume you need a windows program, and I'm on a linux box

The only requirements I have are comfort, durability, standard backlight with adjustable brightness, volume control and relatively quiet. This is why I am leaning towards the shine 0 over the shine 3.

I don't really need the flashy light effects (would be too distracting IMO), and think that the zoned lighting on the ducky zero is all I need. I couldn't really buy the regular hassium because of the font, and paying $30 for a better font (and worse keycaps) seems like a bit of a rip off.

[nickr]

I'm very noise-aware too and I've just been down a nearly identical path regarding simplicity & tactile switches.  There are a few things I might be able share from my experience:

• The difference, in terms of the "bump" or tactility on the switches, between clears and browns is insignificant.  I was sorely let down by this and out $50 as a result.
• What is different is the amount of force you'll have to use on the clears, which will create more noise than the browns
• Costar stabilizers are noisy.  I've tried them now on two different boards with 3 different switches.  The more force you have to use then the noisier they will be
• The case you have will affect the noise some.  When I swapped my stock Poker case to a metal case, it slightly reduced the noise
• Most importantly: don't get clicky switches and expect them to be quiet in any way.  Unless you get the jailhouse blue mod exactly right on every switch, they will NEVER be quiet: not with o-rings, not by barely pressing them down, not by using heavier keycaps, not on a plate-mounted board or non-plate-mounted board, etc.  They are meant to be noisy and that's exactly what they are all the time.

Knowing what I know now, I would go with the following:

• Non-clicky switches that require low force
• Cherry stabilizers
• Soft o-rings: on a plate-mounted board the mushiness factor doesn't seem to be very big unless you go really soft

Although I mentioned the case, I wouldn't get stuck on that feature.  The noise reduction isn't worth the money (although I do enjoy the weight of it).

Hope that helps.

[limecore]

Thanks for the comment about the mx clears. Probably saved me about $200 trying out a set.
Those jailhouse blues look amazing, but I don't have the time/patience for that

I think that I'll head over to mechkb.com 's brick and mortar store and try out a few switch types for sound and feel (I have double brick walls and a decent door so I might be able to get away with mx blues), and also see how the deck hassium looks irl (whether the font looks alright when it is in front of you mostly), and if I don't like that, grab a shine zero off pccg.

Thanks for all of the help guys. Its a great community you have here.

[berserkfan]

Look into the KUL keyboards they sell over at Elitekeyboards.com - they come in MX Clears.

Quote from the webpage: ** This item can only be shipped to North America and Europe **
I could go get it done through a friend's freight forwarder, but I'm not sure its worth it (not a real fan of tenkeyless, and postage would be about $50)
Still cheaper than getting a code keyboard shipped over though

Matias quiet

Hmm, $165 inc postage, not that bad. Its at the higher end of my price range, and it isn't the sexiest keyboard, but it is an option.
Thanks for the responses
EDIT: Currency conversions just bumped  the price by $20. Its getting a bit on the pricey side. Starting to consider just getting a cherry blue KB and use my cheap dell rubber dome if it starts bugging people late at night. It didn't sound too bad using this comparison from the other room (using the O rings) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFkl1Vet1eU

Simple. You can spend under $70 shipped to get a second hand G80 clears keyboard from Taobao. It is also PCB mounted, so easily switch moddable if you want to try different switch types.

I really recommend Cherry G80s for newbies.

[rowdy]

Thanks for all of the help guys. Its a great community you have here.

Just remember that you said this, when you are on your 5th keyboard and eyeing your 10th set of custom keycaps and your wallet is empty )

[limecore]

LOL. I don't know about the 5 KBs and 10 keycap sets, but the empty wallet option is something I know only too well. Why are all of my hobbies so expensive?

[rowdy]

LOL. I don't know about the 5 KBs and 10 keycap sets, but the empty wallet option is something I know only too well. Why are all of my hobbies so expensive?

If you have more than one hobby, then you are doomed from the start.

[limecore]

That, and the lack of parts for anything here in Australia, and I am always wishing for more money

[berserkfan]

That, and the lack of parts for anything here in Australia, and I am always wishing for more money

Everything in Australia is expensive nowadays. It's the unions, the currency and the taxes. Whew!

[Lammie]

I would try out both Matias Tactile Pro or Matias Quiet. These are much better than MX switches in my opinion.