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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: kidwolf909 on Wed, 06 July 2011, 13:28:59

Title: What's up with the Ninja's on Amazon?
Post by: kidwolf909 on Wed, 06 July 2011, 13:28:59
Simple question...

What is the deal with the ninja's on Amazon from KeyboardCo?

Do they differ in any way (other than the key printing) compared to the non-ninja Majestouch 2's that you would get from a group buy?  Do they still feature the "enhancements" of the Majestouch 2?

I have a Blackwidow right now and I'm simply looking to replace it and move the BW to my office and have a Filco at home for games/typing.  Thinking of a brown switch 104 so I can branch out a bit and since reds are in such short supply.  I would go with blacks, but I bought a Cherry with blacks for my roommate and they are just WAY too stiff to type comfortably.
Title: What's up with the Ninja's on Amazon?
Post by: daerid on Wed, 06 July 2011, 13:31:52
There's no difference. I bought a Ninja w/ Blacks off Amazon, it was flawless.
Title: What's up with the Ninja's on Amazon?
Post by: placebo guy on Wed, 06 July 2011, 13:36:36
I have a Ninja with MX Blacks.  I think the only difference is between the keycaps.

I did compare my Ninja with my Majestouch 1 with MX Blacks, and they sound and feel almost identical too.
Title: What's up with the Ninja's on Amazon?
Post by: alaricljs on Wed, 06 July 2011, 13:41:55
All the Majestouch 2's are the same except the 2 optionable parts: switches and keycaps.

Majestouch 1's differ from the 2's in that the 2's have a newer controller board, no indication if the firmware is newer.  Also a 2 layer PCB is in the new models and as it's stiffer this apparently has exacerbated the possibility of loud pinging.  Lots of debate about that to be found here...
Title: What's up with the Ninja's on Amazon?
Post by: kidwolf909 on Wed, 06 July 2011, 14:03:53
Thanks for your opinions everyone :)

I will have no reservations about purchasing the Ninja then as I am likely to swap out the caps on it anyway.  Now just to decided on a switch and a form factor!

I don't use the numpad that frequently, but I figure I might as well get the 104 since I have plenty of space on my keyboard tray anyway.

Still torn on whether to leave the Razer at home and take the Filco to work or vice versa :-\  I do most of my typing at work, but I feel like I'd want to save the sexiness for when I'm at home lol.

I would just buy two, but I'm not totally made of money right now.
Title: What's up with the Ninja's on Amazon?
Post by: alaricljs on Wed, 06 July 2011, 14:21:10
Oh yeah, option #3 form factor... heheh, forgot that one.  I have been ignoring full KBs since getting my tenkeyless.  Consider the feel/ergonomics of having to reach less distance for your mouse/trackball when you consider whether to get the tenkeyless.
Title: What's up with the Ninja's on Amazon?
Post by: kidwolf909 on Wed, 06 July 2011, 14:33:34
Quote from: alaricljs;374707
Oh yeah, option #3 form factor... heheh, forgot that one.  I have been ignoring full KBs since getting my tenkeyless.  Consider the feel/ergonomics of having to reach less distance for your mouse/trackball when you consider whether to get the tenkeyless.

 
This is true...

It would also allow my hands to be closer together when gaming instead of my left hand being all the way over at the edge of the desk to reach the WASD.  I REALLY don't use a numpad at home either... it's mostly a work thing.  Hmmm......

It's also $10 less lol.
Title: What's up with the Ninja's on Amazon?
Post by: The Solutor on Wed, 06 July 2011, 14:40:29
Quote from: alaricljs;374707
Oh yeah, option #3 form factor... heheh, forgot that one.  I have been ignoring full KBs since getting my tenkeyless.  Consider the feel/ergonomics of having to reach less distance for your mouse/trackball when you consider whether to get the tenkeyless.

 
I find the Filco Mini or TT MEKA ff way better than tenkeyless
Title: What's up with the Ninja's on Amazon?
Post by: redpill on Wed, 06 July 2011, 14:43:35
You can always get an auxiliary number pad also for those times when you need it.
Title: What's up with the Ninja's on Amazon?
Post by: The Solutor on Wed, 06 July 2011, 14:46:14
Personally I need it always, but a more compact keyboard is obviously welcome
Title: What's up with the Ninja's on Amazon?
Post by: kidwolf909 on Wed, 06 July 2011, 14:46:31
Quote from: redpill;374719
You can always get an auxiliary number pad also for those times when you need it.

Also true.  But do you guys find it that much more comfortable/ergonomic to have the tenkeyless than the full 104 when playing games and/or typing?

I mean, I have no beef with the appearance of either and space on my tray is not an issue, so it really comes down to $10 less for the TKL and whether or not it makes gaming more comfortable due to the closer proximity of keyboard to mouse.
Title: What's up with the Ninja's on Amazon?
Post by: alaricljs on Wed, 06 July 2011, 15:01:46
Ok... I have had full sized keyboard for a looong time.  I've only had tenkeyless for ~3 months, moving to a full size is now a very awkward feeling.  If I am not moving my right hand back and forth to the mouse then it doesn't matter.  Some games you can do that, others not so much.  When working I cannot stand to have a full size KB anymore since I am constantly back and forth from the mouse (trackball in my case).  It only took 3 weeks for me to duplicate my home setup in my on-site office and I only go there 5 times a month.
Title: What's up with the Ninja's on Amazon?
Post by: redpill on Wed, 06 July 2011, 15:26:40
Yep the TKL does make a nice difference.  Your whole keyboard/mouse combo can be more centered with the monitor also, just feels right.
Title: What's up with the Ninja's on Amazon?
Post by: Titmouse on Wed, 06 July 2011, 15:45:13
Even the tenkeyless is a little bit too wide on the right for me now. So I use the mouse with my left hand, and ordered a Choc mini to see if it makes using the mouse on the right more comfortable.
Title: What's up with the Ninja's on Amazon?
Post by: kidwolf909 on Thu, 07 July 2011, 07:57:47
Alright, so another quick question then:

How does this community feel about Ducky's?

I get the feeling ripster despises the OCN Ducky (9008G2), but is it for good reason that he does?

It's only $25 less for the Ducky compared to a TKL Ninja Brown, so cost isn't really an issue... it's just my curiosity about the differences and your sentiments.

Thanks :)
Title: What's up with the Ninja's on Amazon?
Post by: weipim on Thu, 07 July 2011, 08:13:31
Quote from: kidwolf909;375319
Alright, so another quick question then:

How does this community feel about Ducky's?

I get the feeling ripster despises the OCN Ducky (9008G2), but is it for good reason that he does?

It's only $25 less for the Ducky compared to a TKL Ninja Brown, so cost isn't really an issue... it's just my curiosity about the differences and your sentiments.

Thanks :)

well, the ninja will chop the woman's kucci next to you into three pieces while regular majests can't.
lolll no but for real, it's just a compromise to offer people blank keycaps but still with hints of that key it is by printing on the side, and they don't really wear off.

I just bought a ducky 9008g2 and really loves it, personally it suits me better than my filcos. It does have several advantages over filco, i.e. media keys , standard pbt keycaps, detachable usb cables etc. but none of these are appealing to Ripster because he is pretty hardcore lollll.

it will take a while for you to get the board you want, i'm on my 7th or 8th or something, and not sure if I can stop buying lolll
Title: What's up with the Ninja's on Amazon?
Post by: kidwolf909 on Thu, 07 July 2011, 08:23:03
I just remembered the 9008G2 has those stupid LED indicators embedded in the caps, which means I can't get a standard set of KBC black on black replacements and still see the indicators.  Back to the Filco lol
Title: What's up with the Ninja's on Amazon?
Post by: kaiserreich on Thu, 07 July 2011, 08:24:21
You can get the Ducky version of the KBC engraved keycaps, though the build quality on the windowed keys are not good
Title: What's up with the Ninja's on Amazon?
Post by: weipim on Thu, 07 July 2011, 08:25:30
Quote from: kidwolf909;375329
I just remembered the 9008G2 has those stupid LED indicators embedded in the caps, which means I can't get a standard set of KBC black on black replacements and still see the indicators.  Back to the Filco lol

 
mine was with engraved pbt as standard lolll
Title: What's up with the Ninja's on Amazon?
Post by: aggiejy on Thu, 07 July 2011, 09:07:52
Switched to tenkeyless a year ago (Apple Bluetooth then Leopold) and could never go back. You don't realize how far your arm has to move out. (Or your keyboard being off center)  I'd rather pay $10 *extra* to lose it.
Title: What's up with the Ninja's on Amazon?
Post by: kidwolf909 on Thu, 07 July 2011, 14:22:26
Just pulled the trigger on the brown TKL Ninja from Amazon :)

I figure I'm gonna buy one sooner or later, so why not sooner and get the fun underway!

This will be my *hopefully* last PC upgrade/purchase until BF3 lol
Title: What's up with the Ninja's on Amazon?
Post by: spitfire6000 on Thu, 07 July 2011, 14:54:04
Quote from: kidwolf909;375519
Just pulled the trigger on the brown TKL Ninja from Amazon :)

I figure I'm gonna buy one sooner or later, so why not sooner and get the fun underway!

This will be my *hopefully* last PC upgrade/purchase until BF3 lol

I felt the exact same way...I pulled the trigger on the amazon ninja black switch instead of the brown because I wanted a more gaming oriented keyboard. The most typing i ever do is in WoW or on forums like these so typing doesnt matter much to me. PC gaming on the other hand... =)

I am 100% satisfied with the filco ninja, if you use it at night, turn off all the lights in the room. The only light source being the monitor in front of the keyboard, your keyboard will look 100% blank, which is so awesome. You get the best of both world, a keyboard that can appear 100% blank while still having all the keys printed if you get lost or need a reminder, just turn on the light.

Also, the key print will never wear off, since you are never actually touching it with your fingers. Normal keyboard printing and laser etching wears off because of constantly touching the paint with your fingers...this will never happen with the ninja.

I cant believe keyboard makers havent thought of printing the keys on the front before, whats up with that? seems obvious to me =D
Title: What's up with the Ninja's on Amazon?
Post by: The Solutor on Thu, 07 July 2011, 15:01:46
Quote
I cant believe keyboard makers havent thought of printing the keys on the front before, whats up with that? seems obvious to me =D


Frankly the front legends are not that bad, but look more obvious, especially on a 160 euro board, to use decent keycaps. Doubleshots are known since the stone age, one can expect a trick to to skip the problem from a first price brand, not by a supposedly first in class one.