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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: herfalerf on Wed, 30 May 2012, 00:37:12

Title: 60% keyboard options?
Post by: herfalerf on Wed, 30 May 2012, 00:37:12

looking to add a second mech to my collection, my current board (razer bw) is great, buy my desk is so small and my giant artisan pad takes up like half of it so i need to reduce keyboard space.  really would like to get a 60% board.  ive been out of the keyboard game for a year or so and im not really sure what is currently available.  all i really know about is the kbc poker, kbt pure, and choc mini.  are there any other options i am unaware of?  also the poker used to be all over ebay, but i cant find a single listing for it now.

ideally i would like a board with engraved keycaps and an esc key.  i do not want to have to use a macro to hit the esc button as its the pause button in so many games i play and i need to be able to do it quickly without thinking.  im open to other options that arent 60% so long as they offer a considerably reduction in form factor over my full size bw.  also mx red keys are preferred, but i would consider blacks or blues (i love my blues, but would like to try something different.)

Title: 60% keyboard options?
Post by: mkawa on Wed, 30 May 2012, 01:12:58

consider the KBT pure and race. supplies are pretty constrained right now, but there are some available in our own classifieds forum, as well as the from qtan and shaker in the vendors forums (elite e-sports equipment and mechanicalkeyboards.com, resp.) the caps that come with these board are not engraved, as they are backlit, but the KBC engraved keysets mostly fit these boards (exceptions are right shift and FN key)

supplies of the poker are extremely poor at the moment. qtan and shaker may have some coming in very soon, and they make regular appearances in classifieds, but i think that's all that's available at the moment.

Title: 60% keyboard options?
Post by: Enki on Wed, 30 May 2012, 08:24:46

Quote from: mkawa;603624

supplies of the poker are extremely poor at the moment.

Boy, you said it.  Everywhere I go, people are excited about the Poker despite its reputed middling build quality, but trying to get your hands on one is no mean feat, especially with non-brown switches.  I'm currently making burnt offerings in the hopes that the keyboard gods will smile upon feng's group buy.

herfalerf, I don't have any other boards to point you to, but I am a happy Choc Mini owner.  I just talked a bit about it over here: http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?31893-Fading-letters-on-noppoo-choc-mini-and-new-keyboard-with-mx-brown

Title: 60% keyboard options?
Post by: Geekmie on Wed, 30 May 2012, 09:14:12

KBTalking Pure or Race. They are gorgeous but somehow hard to get one. I believe more supplies will be available on June. Just check out the vendors forums.
You would love 60% keyboard :)

Title: 60% keyboard options?
Post by: megnin on Wed, 30 May 2012, 09:18:19

Try Lin, our EN TaoBao Agent in the Vendor Forums.  I just got the KBT Pure LE I ordered from her.  They seem to be plentiful on TaoBao and Lin makes them easy to get.  
I didn't see any Pokers on TaoBao, but lots of Pures at between $94-$102 USD.  They seemed to have every switch configuration and LED color available for both the regular Pure and the LE with aluminum case.  http://search8.taobao.com/search?q=kbt+pure&commend=all&ssid=s5-e&pid=mm_14507416_2297358_8935934

Title: 60% keyboard options?
Post by: herfalerf on Wed, 30 May 2012, 09:47:58

what is the difference between the pure and the race?

Title: 60% keyboard options?
Post by: megnin on Wed, 30 May 2012, 10:04:00

The Race has a row of Function keys like a standard TKL and dedicated arrow keys, Home, End, PgUp and PgDn keys.  On the Pure you have to access all those by pressing a FN key and then the number keys for Function keys.  The arrows are FN and O, K, L, ; cluster, etc.

Title: 60% keyboard options?
Post by: dippingriz on Wed, 30 May 2012, 16:45:56

Quote from: Enki;603795

Boy, you said it.  Everywhere I go, people are excited about the Poker despite its reputed middling build quality, but trying to get your hands on one is no mean feat, especially with non-brown switches.  I'm currently making burnt offerings in the hopes that the keyboard gods will smile upon feng's group buy

Group buy is probably the best bet for a Poker.  It took me forever to get a Blue board.  Brown, Blue, and Red Pokers from top to bottom.  I don't think I'll use another keyboard.  
(http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n165/dklic6/Picture28.jpg)

Title: 60% keyboard options?
Post by: IvanIvanovich on Wed, 30 May 2012, 18:07:53

Poker with blues (http://deskthority.net/marketplace-f11/wts-poker-w-blues-poker-suit-t2724.html) for sale over at DT, comes with the suits caps too. Not too bad.

Title: 60% keyboard options?
Post by: mkawa on Wed, 30 May 2012, 20:00:29

Quote from: megnin;603837

Try Lin, our EN TaoBao Agent in the Vendor Forums.  I just got the KBT Pure LE I ordered from her.  They seem to be plentiful on TaoBao and Lin makes them easy to get.  
I didn't see any Pokers on TaoBao, but lots of Pures at between $94-$102 USD.  They seemed to have every switch configuration and LED color available for both the regular Pure and the LE with aluminum case.  http://search8.taobao.com/search?q=kbt+pure&commend=all&ssid=s5-e&pid=mm_14507416_2297358_8935934

+1 for our girl Lin. she's super easy to deal with, navigates the taobao minefield for you, and her commission is exceedingly reasonable.

Title: 60% keyboard options?
Post by: daerid on Wed, 30 May 2012, 23:27:29

I shoulda kept all my pokers, lol. I at one point had 4 last year.

Title: 60% keyboard options?
Post by: kalrykh on Thu, 31 May 2012, 16:24:54

I have a poker with blacks I don't use.  I'd actually like to use it, I just hate dealing with function layers if I should ever need to use of the keys that's not physically present.

Title: 60% keyboard options?
Post by: WRXChris on Thu, 31 May 2012, 16:35:29

dippingriz, your Texas flag poker is super creative!! Very impressed!

Title: 60% keyboard options?
Post by: irjoe on Thu, 31 May 2012, 17:03:56

Sorry to hijack the thread, but anyone know if the KBT Race is N-key rollover, or 6-key? I'd much prefer the Race over Pure if it's compatable with a Mac OSX

Title: 60% keyboard options?
Post by: yearn4 on Sat, 02 June 2012, 22:08:37

Quote from: dippingriz;604147

Group buy is probably the best bet for a Poker.  It took me forever to get a Blue board.  Brown, Blue, and Red Pokers from top to bottom.  I don't think I'll use another keyboard.  

Show Image

(http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n165/dklic6/Picture28.jpg)

you rock dude!
i'm currently stocking up on kbc poker reds (have 2 so far, another should come next week) because i have this feeling that vortex is going to discontinue them and release newer products~