geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: boredsysadm on Wed, 08 August 2012, 08:05:34
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Trying to get new keyboard for home. 87 keys layout really interest me since I really need the extra space, have no need for the numpad
Currently looking at two options:
Ducky DK1087XM Mechanical Keyboard (Green ALPS)
Cooler Master Storm QuickFire Rapid Mechanical Gaming Keyboard with Blue CHERRY MX Switches (SGK-4000-GKCL1-US)
Which one would be better choice (better value - both priced close, but CM is bit pricier) ?
Are there any 87(ish) keyboards with illumination??
and lastly which one will last longer? Green ALPS or Blue CHERRY MX Switches ???
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For the best tenkeyless keyboard not limited by price I'd choose a filco.
Out of the 2 you chose deffinately go for the Coolermaster one, the other one is in Ducky's low end range and has poor quality compared to their others.
The Cherry MX switches will most likely last longer also.
As for tenkeyless keyboards with backlighting, there are a few options such as the Ducky year of the Dragon or the keycool among a few others.
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Chris,
It makes my choice much simpler... It looks like filco tenkeyless are atleast double the price of CM keyboard, and given your recommendation - I'll go with the later
Illuminated Ducky with LEDs go even higher... :eek:
I guess, CM will be good starter mechanical keyboard and who knows - maybe I'll get Ducky LED limited edition (with Cherry MX) next one :)
Thanks !
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No problem. The CM keyboard is deffinately a good mech board for the price.
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The CM Quickfire Rapid is better than just a "starter mech board". The only gripes people ever have with it are the looks of the case and keycaps because of the rampant branding and font. Otherwise it is as solid as a Filco (plus has a detachable USB cord).
You will not be disappointed!
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I have the CM Quickfire, and you can't go wrong with it. It's every bit as high quality in construction as my Filco MJ2, which costs almost twice as much.
Just get new keycaps for it and paint the case, and you're good to go.
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The CM Quickfire Rapid is better than just a "starter mech board". The only gripes people ever have with it are the looks of the case and keycaps because of the rampant branding and font. Otherwise it is as solid as a Filco (plus has a detachable USB cord).
You will not be disappointed!
Thanks again to everyone. I placed the order on amazon - only $64
What I meant to say - CM will be my first Mech keyboard - Yes, I realize it's more than a "starter" mech, but if I learned anything is to (try) buy the right product first, not the cheapest one...
Lol, replacing the keycaps and painting the body are out of the question right now, besides I kinda like the design - yea - I know it's not minimalistic, but I think it's fine...
One of my keyboards was Logitech illumited - me and two other people bought it due to (relatively) low price for illuminated keyboard and it quickly failed for 3 of us - Never again...
For now I'm suffering with one of Microsoft wireless keyboard which is absolutely terrible (but was free ;D )
I do have couple of non-mech keyboards lying around (from IBM and Wyse) - I'd love to use them, but both ps2 only and they don't work right with Aten usb KVM (atleast with adapter I used :()
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There are only a few USB-PS/2 adapters that really work well w/ some older keyboards... The Belkin "blue cube," Belkin F5U119-E, and Ziotek. Are you using one of those, or something else?
BTW I have both IBM and Wyse boards, both are mechanical, at least the ones I have - the IBM has bucking springs, the Wyse has Cherry Blacks... I love 'em both, but they're definitely very different in feel. I think today I prefer the Wyse, but that'll change. The Wyse also has those awesome blue text SP keycaps with the yellow arrow keys :)
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There are only a few USB-PS/2 adapters that really work well w/ some older keyboards... The Belkin "blue cube," Belkin F5U119-E, and Ziotek. Are you using one of those, or something else?
BTW I have both IBM and Wyse boards, both are mechanical, at least the ones I have - the IBM has bucking springs, the Wyse has Cherry Blacks... I love 'em both, but they're definitely very different in feel. I think today I prefer the Wyse, but that'll change. The Wyse also has those awesome blue text SP keycaps with the yellow arrow keys :)
There is only one WYSE mech 'board with PS2, and it's somewhat uncommon, as WYSE's PC project didn't last long, before they switched back to terminals. There are a lot of newer WYSE RD keyboards. (just check ebay: I have learned to quickly scroll past them :p ). The IBM is a better bet, but even they have lots of RD's, like my POS keyboard at work. The older Buckling rubber sleeve ones are supposed to be really pretty decent RD's though.
The QF rapid is a great choice! I had one for a while, but gave it to my roommate to use. I expect you'll enjoy it greatly. Remember not to bottom out :)