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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Gin on Thu, 08 September 2011, 19:11:05

Title: Need advice. Leopold & Filco
Post by: Gin on Thu, 08 September 2011, 19:11:05
Hello, I'm a newbie.

I need some opinions on the two keyboards: Leopold Tenkeyless 'Otaku' Blue vs. Filco mj2 tenkeyless.

I see a group buy pending on the white Filco mj2 tkl and wonder if I should shell out about 35 dollars more for the Filco (if the group buy gets through)? I personally prefer the white color and the sharper look of the edges on the Filco. But the Leopold looks very good, also. Plus, the Leopold does have the 'Otaku' option readily available on EliteKeyboards.
Title: Need advice. Leopold & Filco
Post by: RColinTaylor on Thu, 08 September 2011, 19:14:20
Assuming you are talking about the Leopold from EK, I would say that waiting for the Group Buy as Ripster said would be a disappointing wait. I love my Leopold and the fact that it took a week to get to me after ordering made it even better. Plus, spending $40 less made me even happier for what is essentially the same keyboard (unless you want a different color space bar and then you hate everything about the world).
Title: Need advice. Leopold & Filco
Post by: tr4656 on Thu, 08 September 2011, 20:33:54
I'll echo the other two people and say you should buy the Leopold from EK.
Title: Need advice. Leopold & Filco
Post by: Waterdr1nker on Thu, 08 September 2011, 20:55:28
What they said. Group buys are great, but they take forever. My Leopold got here in 3 days after ordering. Worth it!
Title: Need advice. Leopold & Filco
Post by: redpill on Thu, 08 September 2011, 23:45:13
One great thing about mechanical keyboards is they have pretty good resale value.  So if you buy an Otaku Leo now and decide later you just can't stand to not have something else, you can always resell the Leo and only be out ~15% if it doesn't show any signs of wear.
Title: Need advice. Leopold & Filco
Post by: thebilgerat on Fri, 09 September 2011, 00:38:30
Leopold all the way.  I love my tenkeyless with the browns.  Of course, I moved up from a very crappy dome, so...
Title: Need advice. Leopold & Filco
Post by: Gin on Fri, 09 September 2011, 03:23:14
I have read somewhere within geekhack.org about the feels of the two keyboards. Someone said that the Filco seemed more 'responsive' as compared to the Leopold. Can anyone confirm/expand on this? Is it a big difference?

In my mind, I think I would like a keyboard that feels 'swifter'

Edit: I'll try the classifieds to see if anyone is willing to sell a Filco mj2 tkl blue.
Title: Need advice. Leopold & Filco
Post by: thebilgerat on Fri, 09 September 2011, 09:00:49
Quote from: Gin;413216
I have read somewhere within geekhack.org about the feels of the two keyboards. Someone said that the Filco seemed more 'responsive' as compared to the Leopold. Can anyone confirm/expand on this? Is it a big difference?

In my mind, I think I would like a keyboard that feels 'swifter'

Edit: I'll try the classifieds to see if anyone is willing to sell a Filco mj2 tkl blue.

Yeah, I wouldn't know about the comparative "swiftness" or "responsiveness" between the two.  Unless you are a collector or are somewhere on the autism spectrum, I think perceived differences between the same switch on different keyboards (plate vs pcb aside) are largely made up.
Title: Need advice. Leopold & Filco
Post by: crazing on Fri, 09 September 2011, 09:54:55
Even if they are just placebo differences, what does that matter on something as personal and subjective as your own typing experience anyways? Even if it is just in your head, noone else's head is involved.

Besides which, I'd find it sort of hard to believe that there aren't legitimate differences, when the Cherry looks like it has a lot more plastic around it, and presumably plastic moving against plastic, on top of the wire twisting inside its supports that both kind have.  But admittedly, I haven't played around with either, and I'm just going by the closeups on the pulling/swapping wiki (http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:12649#Piece-O-Cake+-+Pulling+Cherry+Corp+stabilizer+keys).  

Also, I hear WASD greases the stabilizers (http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?20400-First-WASD-Keyboards-purchase-and-review-on-Geekhack&p=389800&viewfull=1#post389800) for you.  Sounds like a plus for that swifter, crisper feeling.  

Also also, being a self-diagnosed Aspie online must be a pretty sweet deal, don't you think? "I'm a genius like Dustin Hoffman without all the really weird stuff, and it's not my fault that I don't have friends."
Title: Need advice. Leopold & Filco
Post by: thebilgerat on Fri, 09 September 2011, 13:36:57
goodness sakes.  was I really that non-specific?  a cherry mx brown is a cherry mx brown (without stabilizers playing in) wherever it resides, and is a good thing.

Also, listening to anyone besides ripster and a handful of others on this forum is plainly stupid, to include myself.

I am trying to say that as a newb to mechanicals, you are going to love whatever you get.  Filco, Leo, Ducky, whatever.
Title: Need advice. Leopold & Filco
Post by: thebilgerat on Fri, 09 September 2011, 14:41:54
Quote from: crazing;413274
Also, I hear WASD greases the stabilizers (http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?20400-First-WASD-Keyboards-purchase-and-review-on-Geekhack&p=389800&viewfull=1#post389800) for you.

I hear you have to pay a lot for that in Okinawa...
Title: Need advice. Leopold & Filco
Post by: redpill on Fri, 09 September 2011, 15:26:08
Quote from: thebilgerat;413431
I hear you have to pay a lot for that in Okinawa...

Don't worry, the Chinese can lower the price of that too.
Title: Need advice. Leopold & Filco
Post by: crazing on Fri, 09 September 2011, 17:50:59
L-Day probably didn't help property values either.