Author Topic: Wireless Keyboard Advice Needed  (Read 3723 times)

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Offline eth0s

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Wireless Keyboard Advice Needed
« on: Tue, 23 June 2020, 16:58:36 »
Esteemed Ladies & Gentlemen:

I haven't been active in a long time, but I need to buy a reasonably priced wireless keyboard, and I need your help.  Actually, this keyboard will be for my ex-wife to work from home in my ex-house [it's a long story and TMI for this post].

Anyway, the budget is approx. $75 USD.

So, AFAIK, USB-RF is the best wireless connection, and is superior to bluetooth.  But the tradeoff, is that you have to use up a USB connector-slot for the RF dongle.  This keyboard is going to be paired with my ex-laptop, a Dell XPS 13 (which has only 3 usb-c slots), so I am thinking we should go bluetooth. She is using 2/3 USB slots now, (1) for a wireless mouse dongle, and (2) for a USB-C/thunderbolt monitor cable.  Also, this is for the ex-wife to work, not play video games, she can live with the 5 ms lag, or whatever you suffer with bluetooth vs. RF.

Here is what I am considering right now:

RK Royal Kludge Sink87G:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GSWT56W/?coliid=I10UPOMUIDU65G&colid=NO3JMRM8OBW2&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

Keychron K2 with PBT caps:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QBPDWLS/?coliid=I21CX1WZPLRAV5&colid=NO3JMRM8OBW2&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

Royal Kludge RK71:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VVVC13N/?coliid=I1DSREDZC7KVVJ&colid=NO3JMRM8OBW2&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

Also considering a Keychron K6.  [no link for this one].

I recently purchased the new bluetooth wireless HHKB Professional Hybrid Type-S for myself https://fujitsuscannerstore.com/cg01000-297001/, which is what I'm using to type this post.  This is a great keyboard, but too expensive for the ex-wife.  I'm sure somebody has posted a review of this keyboard on GH, but I will add my $.02:   The keyboard turns itself off constantly to save battery which is a PITA, the AA batteries are NOT rechargeable, which is PITA #2, but the shorter actuation is better than prior model, and the layout is the same as the HHKB Pro 2 Type-S, so I would say it's a tiny bit of an improvement over the prior model.  PITA #3 is that I had to install the funky and ugly bluetooth antenna to my desktop to avoid serious lag issues with the bluetooth connection.  However, with the antenna, it works great.  There is a tiny lag sometimes when gaming.  But I'm not a competitive FPS gamer anymore, so it's okay.  Bottom line:  HHKB Hybrid Pro 2 Type-S is a good buy for the hard-core HHKB fan, but everybody else will think it's a waste of money, and maybe they have a point.  I'm a fool for HHKB, so I don't know any better.

Lemme know if you have any opinions on the wireless keyboards mentioned above, or any other wireless mechanical keyboards I should get.

Obviously, I want mechanical switches, and I am okay with Gaterons, even though I have never tried them.  I'm not a fan of RGB, but the ex-wife actually prefers it.  I would prefer PBT caps for me, but ABS are fine for her.  And I don't give a crap about grease smudges/ buildup, b/c I'm not going to be using this keyboard.  Also, I am assuming all backlit keycaps still feel greasy and unpleasant, but w/e, they're fine for this purpose.  Thanks for your time and attention to this post.
I ♥ Click Clack.  I ♥♥♥ Bro Caps.

Offline eth0s

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Re: Wireless Keyboard Advice Needed
« Reply #1 on: Tue, 23 June 2020, 18:06:01 »
No help?

Oh well.

This RK61 is my number 1 choice.  I sure hope Royal Kludge doesn't sark too much.  I wish somebody knew something about it.

https://www.amazon.com/Mechanical-Keyboard-Wireless-Bluetooth-Programmer/dp/B07PC117G5/ref=sr_1_12?dchild=1&keywords=gk64&qid=1592952462&sr=8-12&th=1
I ♥ Click Clack.  I ♥♥♥ Bro Caps.

Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Wireless Keyboard Advice Needed
« Reply #2 on: Tue, 23 June 2020, 18:55:13 »
My ex-wife is a magazine editor and she is a devoted worshiper of Apple. Flat keys and short travel have become the norm and the preference for her.

Since she types thousands of words per day, and has since the 1980s, I cannot argue with or discount her opinion since I am really not a keyboard "user" on the level that she is.



TL;DR - She hates my keyboards and thinks that they are dinosaurs, and hers seem like toys to me.
 
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Offline jamster

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Re: Wireless Keyboard Advice Needed
« Reply #3 on: Tue, 23 June 2020, 21:23:52 »
No help?

Oh well.

This RK61 is my number 1 choice.  I sure hope Royal Kludge doesn't sark too much.  I wish somebody knew something about it.

https://www.amazon.com/Mechanical-Keyboard-Wireless-Bluetooth-Programmer/dp/B07PC117G5/ref=sr_1_12?dchild=1&keywords=gk64&qid=1592952462&sr=8-12&th=1

It was only an hour between posts!

Can't help with those specific boards or wireless, as nobody I know IRL has an interest in wireless. But I have a different Royal Kludge and it's fantastic. Cheap(ish), more than decent case. Stock caps were the usual cheap ABS ones with a garish font and were promptly replaced. A friend recently bought a larger Keychron and is very happy with it- he's tested wireless and it works, but he uses it wired.

Offline Whale_algorithm

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Re: Wireless Keyboard Advice Needed
« Reply #4 on: Tue, 23 June 2020, 23:14:10 »
 She got your house and computer and you still have to shell out for a keyboard?  :p

Offline IBMweMissU

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Re: Wireless Keyboard Advice Needed
« Reply #5 on: Wed, 24 June 2020, 11:40:25 »
Contrary to some posts above, there IS a vibrant wireless community too.

From the 3 boards you mentioned (I have all 3), the keychron K2 PBT is the best, by far.
But if you are OK with 60%, I'd go one better with the K6 - modern BT5.0, and just better in every way.
Another option around your budget are the GK61xs / GK64xs (2u L shift, careful) / GK68xs boards, which you could also upgrade later to Alu cases if you wanted.

Offline WhenKittensATK

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Re: Wireless Keyboard Advice Needed
« Reply #6 on: Thu, 25 June 2020, 01:10:06 »
Keychron is the more popular option. They make a hotswap version (5 pinhole layout) for 65% and TKL. It supports Windows, Android, MacOS, and iOS. Battery life lasts a week. The cons would be that the cable input is on the left side of the keyboard. It does come with a right angle adapter. It's also very tall, so its recommended to get a wrist rest. The aluminium version is mostly plastic with aluminium accent panels that side onto the plastic sides. Keychron also doesn't have its own software for programming the keys. Their site recommends using 3rd party software. Keychron said they are currently working on their own software to release later this year.

I'm personally tempted to get one myself due to it being 5 pin hotswap (don't need to clip switches), bluetooth, and Mac compatible. If I can't get my hands on the upcoming Novel Keys NK65 Entry kit, this will probably be the one as an interim keyboard.
« Last Edit: Thu, 25 June 2020, 01:13:51 by WhenKittensATK »