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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Moecat on Sun, 15 April 2012, 19:40:02

Title: First Keyboard: Keycool vs Noppoo vs Quickfire Rapid
Post by: Moecat on Sun, 15 April 2012, 19:40:02
Hello everyone, so I'm a Mech newbie and I'm in the market for a keyboard. At first I was like, lets go as cheap as humanly possible, but then I started to question myself about that. The Keycool and Noppoo both crossed my vision as reasonably priced.

Next I saw the Filcos, and thought pfffffft too expensive, it's not £100 good is it? After a while though, it kind of grew on me, not so much the Filco, but the Quickfire Rapid.

The keycap's font looks horrid on it, but I really like the two tone look compared to the filco, and it has a few other neat things that seem to bump it past the Filco. But they're essentially the same keyboard  right?

Now this is all just fantasising at the moment, what I normally end up doing is grumbling to myself that I shouldn't really spend this much on a damn keyboard and find something better to spend it on, like a guitar...

But now that's lead me to this moment.

TLDR; I'm stuck in a rut, I can't make up my mind. The quickfire looks appealing to me but the price point is making me back away, the other two look alright but I don't know how they feel in comparison.
Title: First Keyboard: Keycool vs Noppoo vs Quickfire Rapid
Post by: IvanIvanovich on Sun, 15 April 2012, 20:44:36
If you like the Rapid over all, but put off by all the branding etc, have a look at the Groove87. It's usually just a little more, but the more subtle styling may be worth it to you, and it should still be considerably less than Filco but probably more than a Keycool.
Title: First Keyboard: Keycool vs Noppoo vs Quickfire Rapid
Post by: Moecat on Sun, 15 April 2012, 20:56:55
Interesting, it looks exactly the same but without the horrid font. I don't particuarly mind the logos that to me is absolutely fine and quite tasteful. The fonts on the other hand...They just cheapen the whole keyboard and make it look like a gimicky toy, to be honest it's not as bad as on the BlackWidow, which is just hilarious.

Question: Does the Filco have the same rubberized feel on the body as the CMstorm does?

Also regarding the Groove87, where on earth do you buy it from? I live in the UK so this may be a problem.
Title: First Keyboard: Keycool vs Noppoo vs Quickfire Rapid
Post by: AKIMbO on Sun, 15 April 2012, 20:59:56
Filco does not have a rubberized coating on the body.  

Quickfire= rebranded Filco with minor differences.
Keycool= rebranded Leopold with minor differences.
Title: First Keyboard: Keycool vs Noppoo vs Quickfire Rapid
Post by: IvanIvanovich on Sun, 15 April 2012, 21:07:13
Groove87 you would have to import from Asia. Not exactly sure where they retail that is reliable for international purchase, but perhaps one of the Asian members are willing to point you.
Title: First Keyboard: Keycool vs Noppoo vs Quickfire Rapid
Post by: Moecat on Sun, 15 April 2012, 21:11:57
Would be nice of them to point me in the right direction!

Quote from: AKIMbO;575742
Filco does not have a rubberized coating on the body.  

Quickfire= rebranded Filco with minor differences.
Keycool= rebranded Leopold with minor differences.

Hold the phone, aren't the Leopolds quite similar to Filcos anyway?
Title: First Keyboard: Keycool vs Noppoo vs Quickfire Rapid
Post by: AKIMbO on Sun, 15 April 2012, 21:13:49
no....leopold uses cherry stabilizers whereas filco uses costar.
Title: First Keyboard: Keycool vs Noppoo vs Quickfire Rapid
Post by: tobo on Sun, 15 April 2012, 21:14:32
I tried buying a noppoo (from qtan), but it's out of stock in China for 3 months.
Title: First Keyboard: Keycool vs Noppoo vs Quickfire Rapid
Post by: IvanIvanovich on Sun, 15 April 2012, 21:17:07
The build quality between Leopold and Filco is definitely equivalent. Whether the different stabilizers, detachable cable, and location of lock lights is where you make the choice... all very minor features really.
Title: First Keyboard: Keycool vs Noppoo vs Quickfire Rapid
Post by: AKIMbO on Sun, 15 April 2012, 21:23:01
Quote from: lysol;575755
The build quality between Leopold and Filco is definitely equivalent. Whether the different stabilizers, detachable cable, and location of lock lights is where you make the choice... all very minor features really.

I can't comment on the build quality of a leopold as I've never owned one.  Cherry stabilizers don't feel as nice to me.  I can't tell the difference between a non-stabilized key and a stabilized key with costars, but with cherry stabilizers I can.  Detachable vs attached usb cable isn't a huge deal.  Neither are windowed key caps.