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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Viper2 on Mon, 10 December 2012, 03:40:35

Title: Deck Legend Frost Tactile (Cherry MX Clear) is awesome!
Post by: Viper2 on Mon, 10 December 2012, 03:40:35
My Deck Legend Frost Tactile keyboard arrived the other day and let me tell you that this thing is a dream to type on!  Cherry MX Clears are by far the best mechanical switches I have ever tried!  They have an outstanding feel with just the right amount of firmness and great tactility without being noisy and obnoxious.  Previously, I used a Thermaltake Meka G1 (Cherry MX Black) keyboard for 1-1/2 years.  It was great but the feel of the Deck Legend Frost Tactile is leaps and bounds better!  Both keyboards (Meka G1 and Deck Legend Tactile) have outstanding build quality, but the build quality of the Deck Legend Tactile is definitely a step above the Meka G1.  I cannot recommend the Deck keyboard highly enough.  The backlighting is extremely well done and it seems that backlighting is the future of where keyboards are headed, even rubber dome keyboards.  Backlighting on a keyboard, especially when done right, greatly increases the visibility of key fonts and just looks cool in general.  Anyways, I just wanted you all to know what I think of this keyboard.
Title: Re: Deck Frost Tactile (Cherry MX Clear) is awesome!
Post by: Deverica Wolf on Mon, 10 December 2012, 03:58:28
I have a Deck Toxic Black Switch. Flat keys are teh suck.  :-X
Title: Re: Deck Frost Tactile (Cherry MX Clear) is awesome!
Post by: Viper2 on Mon, 10 December 2012, 04:25:37
I have a Deck Toxic Black Switch. Flat keys are teh suck.  :-X

Sorry, I don't know what you are talking about.  The keys themselves (each key) is sculpted.  The layout of the keys is not totally flat, but somewhat slanted due to the slant of the keyboard in general.  The layout feels just like any other keyboard I have ever tried.  In fact, I type faster on this keyboard than any keyboard I have used in the past.
Title: Re: Deck Frost Tactile (Cherry MX Clear) is awesome!
Post by: Findecanor on Mon, 10 December 2012, 05:39:29
Agree on Cherry MX Clears. My favourite, together with Cherry MX Blue. (Typing on a Cherry G80-3000 with Clears right now)
I am not sold on the Deck's keys, though. Flat keyboard profile and ugly font.

A weird thing with the Deck is that while the keys are flat, the case is curved.
Title: Re: Deck Legend Frost Tactile (Cherry MX Clear) is awesome!
Post by: linuxid10t on Mon, 10 December 2012, 05:43:29
My Deck Legend Frost Tactile keyboard arrived the other day and let me tell you that this thing is a dream to type on!  Cherry MX Clears are by far the best mechanical switches I have ever tried!  They have an outstanding feel with just the right amount of firmness and great tactility without being noisy and obnoxious.  Previously, I used a Thermaltake Meka G1 (Cherry MX Black) keyboard for 1-1/2 years.  It was great but the feel of the Deck Legend Frost Tactile is leaps and bounds better!  Both keyboards (Meka G1 and Deck Legend Tactile) have outstanding build quality, but the build quality of the Deck Legend Tactile is definitely a step above the Meka G1.  I cannot recommend the Deck keyboard highly enough.  The backlighting is extremely well done and it seems that backlighting is the future of where keyboards are headed, even rubber dome keyboards.  Backlighting on a keyboard, especially when done right, greatly increases the visibility of key fonts and just looks cool in general.  Anyways, I just wanted you all to know what I think of this keyboard.

I've never tried the Cherry Clears.  I hear they feel slightly like domes, but I slightly doubt that.
Title: Re: Deck Legend Frost Tactile (Cherry MX Clear) is awesome!
Post by: iri on Mon, 10 December 2012, 06:11:57
My Deck Legend Frost Tactile keyboard arrived the other day and let me tell you that this thing is a dream to type on!  Cherry MX Clears are by far the best mechanical switches I have ever tried!  They have an outstanding feel with just the right amount of firmness and great tactility without being noisy and obnoxious.  Previously, I used a Thermaltake Meka G1 (Cherry MX Black) keyboard for 1-1/2 years.  It was great but the feel of the Deck Legend Frost Tactile is leaps and bounds better!  Both keyboards (Meka G1 and Deck Legend Tactile) have outstanding build quality, but the build quality of the Deck Legend Tactile is definitely a step above the Meka G1.  I cannot recommend the Deck keyboard highly enough.  The backlighting is extremely well done and it seems that backlighting is the future of where keyboards are headed, even rubber dome keyboards.  Backlighting on a keyboard, especially when done right, greatly increases the visibility of key fonts and just looks cool in general.  Anyways, I just wanted you all to know what I think of this keyboard.

I've never tried the Cherry Clears.  I hear they feel slightly like domes, but I slightly doubt that.
where do you people get this ridiculous crap?
Title: Re: Deck Legend Frost Tactile (Cherry MX Clear) is awesome!
Post by: Viper2 on Mon, 10 December 2012, 06:15:16
I am not sold on the Deck's keys, though. Flat keyboard profile and ugly font.

A weird thing with the Deck is that while the keys are flat, the case is curved.

Again, I don't really understand this "flat keyboard" thing some of you are referring to.  My Deck Legend keyboard feels like it has a totally normal profile to me.  The keyboard is very comfortable to use.

To even notice such a thing as a "flat profile" on a keyboard, when it's barely noticeable at all and doesn't hinder function at all, seems extremely nitpicky.  My advice would be to stop worrying about tiny insignificant trivial things that don't really matter at all and don't make any difference in real-world usage.

On the other hand, the Cherry MX Clears' tactility is very noticeable and they are outstanding to use.

Also, in my opinion, the font on the Deck Legend's keys is very cool and unique.
Title: Re: Deck Legend Frost Tactile (Cherry MX Clear) is awesome!
Post by: Viper2 on Mon, 10 December 2012, 06:17:21
My Deck Legend Frost Tactile keyboard arrived the other day and let me tell you that this thing is a dream to type on!  Cherry MX Clears are by far the best mechanical switches I have ever tried!  They have an outstanding feel with just the right amount of firmness and great tactility without being noisy and obnoxious.  Previously, I used a Thermaltake Meka G1 (Cherry MX Black) keyboard for 1-1/2 years.  It was great but the feel of the Deck Legend Frost Tactile is leaps and bounds better!  Both keyboards (Meka G1 and Deck Legend Tactile) have outstanding build quality, but the build quality of the Deck Legend Tactile is definitely a step above the Meka G1.  I cannot recommend the Deck keyboard highly enough.  The backlighting is extremely well done and it seems that backlighting is the future of where keyboards are headed, even rubber dome keyboards.  Backlighting on a keyboard, especially when done right, greatly increases the visibility of key fonts and just looks cool in general.  Anyways, I just wanted you all to know what I think of this keyboard.

I've never tried the Cherry Clears.  I hear they feel slightly like domes, but I slightly doubt that.

Cherry MX Clears feel nothing like Rubber Domes.  Clears are MUCH more tactile and far superior in usage.
Title: Re: Deck Legend Frost Tactile (Cherry MX Clear) is awesome!
Post by: therecorder on Mon, 10 December 2012, 10:13:35
I think this is what people mean by a "flat profile":

Title: Re: Deck Legend Frost Tactile (Cherry MX Clear) is awesome!
Post by: Computer-Lab in Basement on Mon, 10 December 2012, 10:17:29
I think this is what people mean by a "flat profile":



Flat profile, meaning all keycaps are the same profile... sure, the keyboard could be curved, but that doesn't change the fact that all the keys are the same height...

Model Ms are the same way.
Title: Re: Deck Legend Frost Tactile (Cherry MX Clear) is awesome!
Post by: Glod on Mon, 10 December 2012, 13:58:05
I think this is what people mean by a "flat profile":



Flat profile, meaning all keycaps are the same profile... sure, the keyboard could be curved, but that doesn't change the fact that all the keys are the same height...

Model Ms are the same way.

I did not know this, i learn new things here everyday
Title: Re: Deck Legend Frost Tactile (Cherry MX Clear) is awesome!
Post by: Viper2 on Mon, 10 December 2012, 14:49:51
I think this is what people mean by a "flat profile":



Umm.....the keyboard does not lay like that on a desk.  The front end obviously goes down a bit when it's laying on a desk.  Therefore, even if it is a "flat profile" keyboard, I can't tell at all in actual usage.

Again, I suggest not focusing on such an insignificant trivial aspect such as this, and instead focusing on the overall feel and quality of the keyboard.
Title: Re: Deck Legend Frost Tactile (Cherry MX Clear) is awesome!
Post by: alaricljs on Mon, 10 December 2012, 15:00:33
That trivial aspect is a part of how the board feels.  If the user has no significant time on a flat profile keyboard (such as found on a laptop) and lots of time on a keyboard with profiled rows then it is quite common to notice.  When I wanted a board with Cherry Clear switches I avoided Deck because of the profile.
Title: Re: Deck Legend Frost Tactile (Cherry MX Clear) is awesome!
Post by: FoxWolf1 on Mon, 10 December 2012, 15:14:58
That trivial aspect is a part of how the board feels.  If the user has no significant time on a flat profile keyboard (such as found on a laptop) and lots of time on a keyboard with profiled rows then it is quite common to notice.  When I wanted a board with Cherry Clear switches I avoided Deck because of the profile.

But by the same token, it's worth pointing out that nowadays, many users do have significant time invested in using flat-profile keyboards, sometimes exclusively-- in which case it is the flat profile, rather than the tiered, that would feel more familiar (and hence natural).

So it seems a bit unfair to talk about a flat profile as if it is automatically a negative rather than a positive.
Title: Re: Deck Legend Frost Tactile (Cherry MX Clear) is awesome!
Post by: jabar on Mon, 10 December 2012, 20:42:51
I believe the reason the flat profile exists on the Deck Keyboards was to keep costs down as they sourced PBT keys from SP: same profiles = less molds. As nice as backlit PBT keys are, the flat profile and the complete lack of recent innovation on Deck/T3G's behalf (it seems they've been selling the same models with the same options since 2005) drove me to not consider Deck at all.

Hopefully MX Clears will become more common as mechanical keyboards become more popular.
Title: Re: Deck Legend Frost Tactile (Cherry MX Clear) is awesome!
Post by: VoDivineDark on Mon, 10 December 2012, 20:45:27
I've been really interested in mx clears. Deck is really the only board around that I've seen use them. The boards themselves don't really interest me, so I hope they come out in something like the CM Storm Quickfire Rapid or Ducky.
Title: Re: Deck Legend Frost Tactile (Cherry MX Clear) is awesome!
Post by: jabar on Mon, 10 December 2012, 22:49:20
You could always buy a PCB-mounted switch keyboard and swap for MX Clears (and likely save money compared to a shipped Deck Tactile).
Title: Re: Deck Legend Frost Tactile (Cherry MX Clear) is awesome!
Post by: TAdams on Tue, 11 December 2012, 05:12:12
I may get a deck just because of the profile. For gaming, the non-flat profile is just odd.
Title: Re: Deck Legend Frost Tactile (Cherry MX Clear) is awesome!
Post by: jabar on Tue, 11 December 2012, 07:04:26
I may get a deck just because of the profile. For gaming, the non-flat profile is just odd.
The non-flat profile is industry standard for desktop keyboards... I can't imagine anyone really desiring a flat profile. It's an ergonomic disaster.
Title: Re: Deck Legend Frost Tactile (Cherry MX Clear) is awesome!
Post by: Ahlitah on Tue, 11 December 2012, 08:23:43
I've been really interested in mx clears. Deck is really the only board around that I've seen use them. The boards themselves don't really interest me, so I hope they come out in something like the CM Storm Quickfire Rapid or Ducky.

There are a number of other Clears around. I have a Leopold Clear, and WASD keyboards is rumoured to be getting in some Clear switches soon.
Title: Re: Deck Legend Frost Tactile (Cherry MX Clear) is awesome!
Post by: davkol on Tue, 11 December 2012, 17:52:27
I can't imagine anyone really desiring a flat profile. It's an ergonomic disaster.
Quite the opposite IMO.
Title: Re: Deck Legend Frost Tactile (Cherry MX Clear) is awesome!
Post by: Viper2 on Tue, 11 December 2012, 18:26:26
I can't imagine anyone really desiring a flat profile. It's an ergonomic disaster.
Quite the opposite IMO.

Exactly.  The so-called "flat-profile" is in fact better and more ergonomic in my opinion.
Title: Re: Deck Legend Frost Tactile (Cherry MX Clear) is awesome!
Post by: alaricljs on Tue, 11 December 2012, 19:59:58
Exactly.  The so-called "flat-profile" is in fact better and more ergonomic in my opinion.

Have you seen a Kinesis or Maltron?
Title: Re: Deck Legend Frost Tactile (Cherry MX Clear) is awesome!
Post by: TAdams on Tue, 11 December 2012, 20:04:13
I may get a deck just because of the profile. For gaming, the non-flat profile is just odd.
The non-flat profile is industry standard for desktop keyboards... I can't imagine anyone really desiring a flat profile. It's an ergonomic disaster.
Industry standard... perhaps, but one the industry does not follow. Mechanical keyboards are a minority, imo most keyboards have a flat profile - the keycaps are cheaper to make and when you sell keyboards 20-30 bucks you are going to cut corners. I checked really quick around the house. I have a dell that is a membrane, but does not have a flat profile. All other keyboards (not including laptops but they could very well factor into the statement) I have are a flat profile. 6 keyboards in total - 3 of which are logitech a fairly large 3rd party company selling devices of this nature and an Apple keyboard - flat. All my touch screen devices also have a flat profile, but I wont count those.  ;)

I reserve my opinions on ergonomics, because I see most non-flat keyboards users in wrist braces and or using wrist rests to elevate their hands to the unnatural level of the taller keyboard.
Title: Re: Deck Legend Frost Tactile (Cherry MX Clear) is awesome!
Post by: Viper2 on Wed, 12 December 2012, 00:00:22
Have you seen a Kinesis or Maltron?

IMO, those look ridiculous.  They look like something that would be used to control the USCSS Nostromo.
Title: Re: Deck Legend Frost Tactile (Cherry MX Clear) is awesome!
Post by: jwaz on Wed, 12 December 2012, 01:29:01
They might look ridiculous but the natural shape of your hand isn't flat which is the advantage to sculpted ergo keyboards like that.
Title: Re: Deck Legend Frost Tactile (Cherry MX Clear) is awesome!
Post by: davkol on Wed, 12 December 2012, 03:10:59
I guess Maltron-like keyboard require different typing technique. So do flat keyboards.
Title: Re: Deck Legend Frost Tactile (Cherry MX Clear) is awesome!
Post by: TAdams on Wed, 12 December 2012, 21:03:41
I went to purchase a Deck Legend Ice Tactile, no stock till next year  :'(
Title: Re: Deck Legend Frost Tactile (Cherry MX Clear) is awesome!
Post by: linuxid10t on Thu, 13 December 2012, 03:10:18
I went to purchase a Deck Legend Ice Tactile, no stock till next year  :'(

mechanicalkeyboards.com has them in stock

http://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=95

Damn though, that is one expensive keyboard...