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Author Topic: Please help me buy a new keyboard.  (Read 1732 times)

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Offline aptivaboy

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Please help me buy a new keyboard.
« on: Thu, 28 July 2016, 18:48:38 »
Hi guys,

In addition to yet another Model M, I'm in the market for a 60-65% smaller keyboard. So far, the two I'm focusing in on are the Ducky Mini and the Whitefox. I was hoping that you all could help me make a decision by pointing out the pros and cons of each. I've read up on reviews and the the various threads on these, especially the Whitefox threads and pages, of which there are many. 

Both are the right size and can come with Cherry Blues – I'm a clicky key guy. However. The Ducky is lower priced and includes all of those light and LED options and the keyboard is very remappable. A snugly fitting carry bag can also be bought for it. The Whitefox appears to be lovingly designed and is beautiful, and can come in a small variety of keyboard patterns but is also much more expensive.

I'll mainly be using whichever one I choose as a keyboard to plug into my traveling laptops and tablets (I can't abide most laptop keyboards except for vintage IBM Thinkpad boards. Those were awesome). 

Many thanks,

Bob
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Offline jennb

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Re: Please help me buy a new keyboard.
« Reply #1 on: Thu, 28 July 2016, 19:51:21 »
I've got a WF on order, but a DIY kit with Gateron switches not Cherry MX. I think the WF has the better resale value (pro) if you plan on selling later. Is that even a consideration? It ought to be if you're visiting this forum on a regular basis. :)

Also -- and someone correct me if I'm wrong -- the stabs might be different in both boards (pro or con or neither). I've used both costars and cherry stabs and can get along with both, but some have pretty strong preferences.

Re: using as keyboard for traveling laptops/tablets -- think lightweight and overall dimensions. I'm not sure which wins that category. Also, avoid sharp corners on the case itself if you're placing it atop a laptop.

Floating keys vs. non-floating keys. I prefer non-floating, but it isn't a deal breaker for me. Some people are picky about this.

I'm relatively new to the GH community, so gather more input from others who have been around longer and have more experience. The WF will require a bit more initial attention if you plan on altering the layout to suit your specific needs, and it will require some soldering work and time if you aren't getting it pre-assembled.

The Ducky Mini is kind of cute.

« Last Edit: Thu, 28 July 2016, 20:15:59 by jennb »
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Keyboards: Code MX Clear, Minivan Aliaz switches
Keycap sets: DSA Granite, SA Ice Cep

Offline xtrafrood

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Re: Please help me buy a new keyboard.
« Reply #2 on: Thu, 28 July 2016, 20:19:18 »
Buy both -- just go ahead and do yourself a favor and buy both ^-^
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Chris Schammert

Offline Adgar

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Re: Please help me buy a new keyboard.
« Reply #3 on: Thu, 28 July 2016, 20:50:17 »
I'd prefer the WF.It looks really cool.Especially it's Clicky feeling.
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Offline DALExSNAIL

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Re: Please help me buy a new keyboard.
« Reply #4 on: Thu, 28 July 2016, 21:27:18 »
Both are great, you layed out all the pros and cons in your OP. After those points it's just your personal preference. I like the Ducky mini over the WF personally though.
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Offline klennkellon

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Re: Please help me buy a new keyboard.
« Reply #5 on: Thu, 28 July 2016, 21:30:07 »
If you like MX Blues you should try out a KBParadise V60 with Matias Clicks.
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Offline zeltner

  • Posts: 93
Re: Please help me buy a new keyboard.
« Reply #6 on: Thu, 28 July 2016, 23:21:30 »
If you are taking it around you may want to consider one of these cases: http://www.datamancer.com/cart/datamancer-oaken-60-keyboard-case-p-295.html they pop up on mass drop from time to time for a discount.
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Offline rowdy

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Re: Please help me buy a new keyboard.
« Reply #7 on: Fri, 29 July 2016, 01:47:27 »
HHKB?  Especially for portability.

Are you planning to swap keycaps?  If so, the Ducky mini has a completely standard layout, whereas the WhiteFox has a slightly different layout (which is supposed by a few keycap sets, but not all).

There's also a 60% Model M, known as the Kishsaver, if you can find one.  Although it might be a little less portable than the others ;)
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"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

NEC APC-H4100E | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED red | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED green | Link 900243-08 | CM QFR MX black | KeyCool 87 white MX reds | HHKB 2 Pro | Model M 02-Mar-1993 | Model M 29-Nov-1995 | CM Trigger (broken) | CM QFS MX green | Ducky DK9087 Shine 3 TKL Yellow Edition MX black | Lexmark SSK 21-Apr-1994 | IBM SSK 13-Oct-1987 | CODE TKL MX clear | Model M 122 01-Jun-1988

Ị̸͚̯̲́ͤ̃͑̇̑ͯ̊̂͟ͅs̞͚̩͉̝̪̲͗͊ͪ̽̚̚ ̭̦͖͕̑́͌ͬͩ͟t̷̻͔̙̑͟h̹̠̼͋ͤ͋i̤̜̣̦̱̫͈͔̞ͭ͑ͥ̌̔s̬͔͎̍̈ͥͫ̐̾ͣ̔̇͘ͅ ̩̘̼͆̐̕e̞̰͓̲̺̎͐̏ͬ̓̅̾͠͝ͅv̶̰͕̱̞̥̍ͣ̄̕e͕͙͖̬̜͓͎̤̊ͭ͐͝ṇ̰͎̱̤̟̭ͫ͌̌͢͠ͅ ̳̥̦ͮ̐ͤ̎̊ͣ͡͡n̤̜̙̺̪̒͜e̶̻̦̿ͮ̂̀c̝̘̝͖̠̖͐ͨͪ̈̐͌ͩ̀e̷̥͇̋ͦs̢̡̤ͤͤͯ͜s͈̠̉̑͘a̱͕̗͖̳̥̺ͬͦͧ͆̌̑͡r̶̟̖̈͘ỷ̮̦̩͙͔ͫ̾ͬ̔ͬͮ̌?̵̘͇͔͙ͥͪ͞ͅ

Offline xtrafrood

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Re: Please help me buy a new keyboard.
« Reply #8 on: Fri, 29 July 2016, 01:56:49 »
Quote from: rowdy on Fri, 29 July 2016, 01:47:27
HHKB?  Especially for portability.

Are you planning to swap keycaps?  If so, the Ducky mini has a completely standard layout, whereas the WhiteFox has a slightly different layout (which is supposed by a few keycap sets, but not all).

There's also a 60% Model M, known as the Kishsaver, if you can find one.  Although it might be a little less portable than the others ;)

aha! Modelfkeyboards.com brewed a compact Kishsaver for the future! https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/product/f62-model-f-keyboard-kishsaver-ultra-compact/
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Chris Schammert

Offline aptivaboy

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Re: Please help me buy a new keyboard.
« Reply #9 on: Sat, 30 July 2016, 11:22:05 »
That Kishsaver is amazing. It was one of the first pages I ran across during my descent into keyboard insanity. I'd love to get one but the cost... I could get several keycap sets and a board for what they're charging - not that I'm criticizing. That has to be an incredibly difficult and expensive undertaking for the designers to start up so I totally understand the price.

Can someone please point out the pros and cons of the various WhiteFox keyboard layouts? I've been examining them but can't really tell what the pros and cons are, apart from the fact that I traditionally prefer larger ISO enter keys. In other words, is one demonstrably better for typing? I'm a short story writer and teacher who spends hours writing lesson plans and such, so typing ease and accuracy are my main criteria.

I'm sort of going away from the Ducky Mini after reading several purchase reviews. A number of people have apparently reported issues with mushy keys and keys not really registering consistently using Blues, which is probably the direction I would go in.

Thank you all.

Robert
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