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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: zimon on Sat, 03 September 2011, 04:32:41

Title: replace DAS with Filco...
Post by: zimon on Sat, 03 September 2011, 04:32:41
Hi there,

I got my "Das Keyboard Model S, Ultimate, Silent" (blank caps, browns) in may this year. But everytime reading about how good Filco keyboards are I wonder if they type different and espacially if a Filco has a even better feeling than my DAS. Can someone who knows both keyboards tell me something about it?
So should I give a Filco a try or are the differences marginal? I won't miss the USB hub, so the features would be very even...
I really don't know.

Greets

Simon
Title: replace DAS with Filco...
Post by: SBI on Sat, 03 September 2011, 04:38:57
If you have one, there's really no point buying the other. For me, they are pretty much on par with only taste / something specific you're looking for really making a big difference.
Title: replace DAS with Filco...
Post by: Tony on Sat, 03 September 2011, 04:54:12
(http://www.upl.co/uploads/gaming-girl-54.jpg)

If you have money to get both, then definitely do so. Like cars, when you got a Ford you will always wonder how a Lamborghini or Porsche is like.
Title: replace DAS with Filco...
Post by: zimon on Sat, 03 September 2011, 05:22:20
You mean Das is a Ford and Filco is Porsche? ^^
Title: replace DAS with Filco...
Post by: peda on Sat, 03 September 2011, 05:47:53
I would more likely say it is like Mercedes and BMW.

Not like ford and Porsche.



Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk
Title: replace DAS with Filco...
Post by: zimon on Sat, 03 September 2011, 05:50:35
So all in all no big deal? If they type nearly the same, I think I'll stay at my DAS.... this time... (=
Title: replace DAS with Filco...
Post by: Lolcakes on Sat, 03 September 2011, 06:21:26
Well if you are buying a new keyboard you might as well try some different switches (=
I own a filco with blues but i want a new keyboard... not because I dont like this one, just that I want a keyboard in white/cream ^^.
Title: replace DAS with Filco...
Post by: SBI on Sat, 03 September 2011, 06:44:26
I completely agree that buying another keyboard is always good ;) But if you're like me, then I'd go for something different. I like to have a bunch of different stuff to try out and play with. My main keyboard is a Das, but I have a bunch of other fun stuff to play around with. I wouldn't buy two keyboards that are nearly the same unless there'd be a really good reason to do so.
Title: replace DAS with Filco...
Post by: zimon on Sat, 03 September 2011, 07:42:11
I would be interested in a keyboard with red switches. But there don't seem to be any with german layout..
Title: replace DAS with Filco...
Post by: Playtrumpet on Sat, 03 September 2011, 07:53:25
Quote from: zimon;409892
I would be interested in a keyboard with red switches. But there don't seem to be any with german layout..

How much does that matter to you though? You just bought a blank keyboard. And to the opening question, yes the differences are marginal. Like people are saying, get a new keyboard for the sake of knowing different switches.
Title: replace DAS with Filco...
Post by: zimon on Sat, 03 September 2011, 08:01:31
It does actually matter, because the keys in US-layout have slightly different position compared to german layout. Shure it won't take much time to get the typing down... I just saw Filco Ninja... This looks awesome! But, at the shop there are two types of the Ninja: "tactile" and "linear" (as always), but it isn't said, if these are blacks/reds an blues/browns.

Does anyone know which switches these are?
http://www.keyboardco.com/keyboard_search.asp?SG=10043
Title: replace DAS with Filco...
Post by: blakespot on Sat, 03 September 2011, 08:17:31
It was playing with @arnoldkim's Das that got me to jump off of the Matias Tactile Pro v1 I'd been using for 7 years or so. He has a Das brown and I grabbed a blue. I quite like it. He wanted a tenkeyless brown keyboard (we both got Realforce 87U's after the Das), so he got a Filco with browns. His impression was that the Filco would feel much better in build quality than the Das, as the Topre board made the Das feel cheap in comparison (I agree with this).

The Filco arrived and I was curious to hear how much of a difference in quality the two Cherry boards demonstrated. He was surprised to report to me that they are much closer in feel than he had imagined. The Filco feels slightly nicer, he indicates, but it's slight. So, they're pretty much the same. I ceased contemplating the purchase of a Filco, with that news.

And, out of the blue sky, I ordered a buckling Unicomp. Go figure!

(I am pretty sure I'll keep with the Topre as my main, preferred board, it feels so nice.)




bp
Title: replace DAS with Filco...
Post by: zimon on Sat, 03 September 2011, 08:43:37
@Playtrumped: It matters, because of the key placement. These differ from US to german layout. Further more there is one key missing in comparision. I Don't know, hot to set a US layouted keyboard to type like it was german.

Anyways I just recogniced the Filco Ninja, which I could get with blacks or browns as well. This thing looks nice! But I know I don't like linears (except I didn't test reds before), I would have to order it with brows which now would make me feel kinda bad having two boards with same switches =)
Title: replace DAS with Filco...
Post by: Lolcakes on Sat, 03 September 2011, 08:49:44
Have you considered the blue switches? (=
Title: replace DAS with Filco...
Post by: zimon on Sat, 03 September 2011, 09:21:11
Sure. But my girlfriend will probably kill me, with the click-sound xD
Title: replace DAS with Filco...
Post by: oddsratio on Sat, 03 September 2011, 14:06:47
The big reason that people here prefer filco over das is because of the glossy case. If das made theirs matte, then I don't think the preference would be as apparent as it is. That's the number one complaint that gets brought up. In terms of aesthetics, I'm still partial to Filco, but the glossy case has really grown on me. The second reason is because das doesn't make the tenkeyless version of the board, so you have a few people who picked up the filcos for that reason.

The main plus for the Das is that it can be found for much cheaper for similar quality.
Title: replace DAS with Filco...
Post by: Chobopants on Sat, 03 September 2011, 14:44:31
They're pretty close. If the glossy aspect of the chassis doesn't bother you there's zero reason to buy a Filco if you already have a Das (pffffffffft everyone calling me a Filco fanboy). Heck, I was even playing SC2 on my coworker's Das Blue last night and it felt fine.