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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: TheExodu5 on Fri, 14 October 2011, 16:43:57

Title: Best Cherry MX Brown keyboard to buy
Post by: TheExodu5 on Fri, 14 October 2011, 16:43:57

What's the best Cherry MX Brown keyboard to go with?

The Filco Majestouch and Leopold seem to be the biggest standouts, but the Filco doesn't seem to be readily available in Canada. Is there a big downside to going with the Leopold? Are there better alternatives?

edit: maybe a WASD keyboard?

Title: Best Cherry MX Brown keyboard to buy
Post by: spolia optima on Fri, 14 October 2011, 16:52:42

Might wanna check stock, but I'd get one of these (http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/CHERRY-104-KEY-CROSSPOINT-KB-USB-PS2/2374907.aspx?cm_mmc=ShoppingFeeds-_-GoogleBase-_-Keyboard/Mice/Input%20Devices-_-2374907_CHERRY%20104-KEY%20CROSSPOINT%20KB%20USB/PS2_CHK-G801865LXNEU2)

Title: Best Cherry MX Brown keyboard to buy
Post by: TheExodu5 on Fri, 14 October 2011, 16:57:18

I can't even see a picture of what the keyboard looks like, though. I'm rather skeptical.

edit: according to DigiKey, this is what it looks like

(http://media.digikey.com/Photos/Cherry%20Switch%20Photos/G801865LXNEU2.jpg)

I'll pass.

I'll consider a standard layout, or maybe tenkeyless.

Title: Best Cherry MX Brown keyboard to buy
Post by: jpm804 on Fri, 14 October 2011, 17:02:19

what are the features you are looking for and that would help people recommend specific boards? Asking for a brown switch board recommendation is pretty vague.

Title: Best Cherry MX Brown keyboard to buy
Post by: TheExodu5 on Fri, 14 October 2011, 17:04:24

I want a standard full sized, or tenkeyless keyboard, with regular labels (or a subtle coloring like the Ducky Year of the Tiger keyboard). No macro keys. No funky layout. Just good switches with a solid construction. Oh, and minimal ghosting or n-key rollover as well, as I'll be gaming with this.

Leopold
WASD
DAS

Those are the candidates I've found so far.

Title: Best Cherry MX Brown keyboard to buy
Post by: N8N on Fri, 14 October 2011, 17:28:57

Also consider Noppoo Choc Pro and Rosewill RK-9000BR.  The choices between those come down to aesthetics, price/availability where you're at, and stabilizers.  Leopold uses Cherry stabilizers, all others use Costar.  Noppoo has true NKRO over USB, but also has a little font weirdness on the keycaps (although they're really nice feeling caps IMHO.)

Personally out of all of them I'd probably recommend WASD for an out of the box keyboard, because they're really nice boards and the customizable keycaps mean no compromises in aesthetics.

Title: Best Cherry MX Brown keyboard to buy
Post by: jpc on Fri, 14 October 2011, 17:32:29

Kinesis Contoured.

It's NKRO. It locates all keys where you can reach them with minimal movement. You'll never get an RSI.

Once you get used to the Kinesis layout, you'll realize how funky the standard layout is and always was.

Title: Best Cherry MX Brown keyboard to buy
Post by: HaiiYaa on Fri, 14 October 2011, 19:15:32

And whats wrong with filco? He's asking for the best, not the best for the price

Title: Best Cherry MX Brown keyboard to buy
Post by: TheExodu5 on Fri, 14 October 2011, 19:32:00

Sadly, Filco is not an option in Canada.

Thanks for the recommendations N8N.

The Choc Pro is very intriguing. What's this POM business?

Title: Best Cherry MX Brown keyboard to buy
Post by: spolia optima on Fri, 14 October 2011, 19:35:11

IIRC the G80-1865 has NKRO, a USB hub, and is PCB mounted for modding goodness. Also POM (or PBT?) keycaps.

Title: Best Cherry MX Brown keyboard to buy
Post by: pitashen on Fri, 14 October 2011, 19:36:23

Leopold is fine.

A Canadian friend of mine, on the other hand, ordered Filco from Asia. He hates the round edge of Leopold.

Title: Best Cherry MX Brown keyboard to buy
Post by: TheExodu5 on Fri, 14 October 2011, 19:36:45

Sadly, I just don't like the layout of the Cherry G80. I need my layout to be standard.

What stabilizers does WASD use?

edit: looks like it's Cherry stabilizers. I keep hearing I should be looking for Costar stabilizers instead. Hmmmm.

As tempting as the Rosewill is, I'm not going to lie, I'm not a fan of the branding. I tend to link Rosewill to cheap components due to their entries in the custom PC market.

Title: Best Cherry MX Brown keyboard to buy
Post by: N8N on Fri, 14 October 2011, 19:44:42

WASD uses Costar stabilizers, like Filco.  They also come pre-greased which is nice, no clattering out of the box.

Title: Best Cherry MX Brown keyboard to buy
Post by: TheExodu5 on Fri, 14 October 2011, 19:46:01

Ahh okay...when I went to their parts page, they were selling Cherry stabilizers, so I had assumed the worst.

Well, I will be going with WASD. I'll definitely be happy to support such an upstanding effort. Now, the question is, Classic vs. Modern hmmmmmm. :)

Thanks for the help.

Quote from: ripster;431407

I'm getting pretty good at greasing Filcos.  Only takes a minute or two.
(Attachment) 28662[/ATTACH]

How often would I need to do this? What happens when the grease wears out?

Title: Best Cherry MX Brown keyboard to buy
Post by: N8N on Fri, 14 October 2011, 19:55:45

Those are in fact Costar style stabilizers...  these are the real Cherry stabilizers

http://media.digikey.com/PDF/Data%20Sheets/Cherry%20PDFs/MX%20Series.pdf

(see page 10-4)

I personally don't have a strong opinion on the stabilizers but most people that do seem to prefer the feel of the Costar ones.  And yeah, the greasing is no big deal.  It's just a nice touch.  If there's no grease at all on a Costar stabilizer, the key in question will just be a little clattery is all.  A little white lithium will make them work smoothly and quietly and they feel almost identical to a regular 1x key (which is the goal, I assume.)