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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Narcix on Tue, 16 July 2013, 16:33:35

Title: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: Narcix on Tue, 16 July 2013, 16:33:35
Heya, i've seen a lot of stuff 'bout 60% keyboards, and initially they looked weird and dunnowut, but now after reading many reviews n watching vids im starting to love them...really....i planned to buy a qfr, now i think the only thing that is blocking me from getting a poker or a pure is the 100€ limit on monthly online purchases on ma paypal account, soz i feel so sad :(
can anyone tell me how long it takes to get used to the function layer, and if it is possible to game with dem 60%s? ty
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: CommunistWitchDr on Tue, 16 July 2013, 16:37:13
Heya, i've seen a lot of stuff 'bout 60% keyboards, and initially they looked weird and dunnowut, but now after reading many reviews n watching vids im starting to love them...really....i planned to buy a qfr, now i think the only thing that is blocking me from getting a poker or a pure is the 100€ limit on monthly online purchases on ma paypal account, soz i feel so sad :(
can anyone tell me how long it takes to get used to the function row, and if it is possible to game with dem 60%s? ty

Didn't take me long to get used to the layout.

And you can game with the poker, but not the pure. The pure's firmware checks for any games you might be running and explodes the controller chip if you try to use the pure with one.

Of course you can game with them.
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: Binge on Tue, 16 July 2013, 16:40:55
I use 60% all day and night.  If you can't game with 60% maybe gaming is too hard for you to begin with.

Seriously.  No anger, no hate, no troll, just the opinion of a gamer who uses 60% keyboards.
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: Narcix on Tue, 16 July 2013, 16:52:41
kbtrace is the eu retailer right? they only have a poker for slightly more than 100€. and its only avaiable with reds n blacks
i think i'll just have to stick with dem old planz, hopefully the qfr won't cost over 100€ (buying it from the us, for us layout and unbranded version)
also, in a post about qfire xt i read that soon theyll change the qfr...should i wait? ty
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: Dubsgalore on Tue, 16 July 2013, 16:53:21
60% is the only thing i can use anymore ;)
it's the right size and the only size for me
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: MrexD on Tue, 16 July 2013, 16:55:54
I'm starting to wonder why keyboards are so big.

All keyboards should be 60% with a Fullsize option.

Just saying ;)
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: FuriousGeorge on Tue, 16 July 2013, 17:01:06
In my opinion gaming is much better with a 60% since the mouse is closer. The only potential downside is games that use the function keys a lot.
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: Grim Fandango on Tue, 16 July 2013, 17:03:06
I really like the way the 60% keyboards look. But for work the full size is just that much more practical for me even if it does not look nearly as cool. For gaming and home use I like to use a tenkeyless, mainly because I like having both the number keys and f-keys on separate rows. Though I do not need the cluster of keys on the right.

My ideal keyboard would be a layout like 60% but with f-keys.
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: ComradeSniper on Tue, 16 July 2013, 19:43:26
The only games I have trouble playing on my Poker are Arma 2 & 3 since they have such complex controls. Otherwise I prefer gaming on 60%s by far.
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: calavera on Tue, 16 July 2013, 20:18:19
I just couldn't get used to 60% because I really use arrow keys and function keys a lot. So I went with 75% and never looked back. :D
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: sth on Tue, 16 July 2013, 20:25:14
try to get your hands on a hhkb to try :)
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: SpAmRaY on Tue, 16 July 2013, 21:06:54
60% boards are really cool but I just can't get away from full size boards.
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: rowdy on Tue, 16 July 2013, 21:08:50
60% boards are fine on non-Windows platforms.
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: badcop on Tue, 16 July 2013, 21:11:34

try to get your hands on a hhkb to try :)

This. Hhkb layout > all
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: Latin00032 on Tue, 16 July 2013, 21:14:02
I want a board like a 75 percent but maybe something like the Leopold fc700.
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: laffindude on Tue, 16 July 2013, 23:44:46
I only use 60% (ish) boards.
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: tricheboars on Wed, 17 July 2013, 00:06:20
i use a 60% at work and home all day everyday. it took me about 1 week for my hands to do their own thing with the function layer.  wasd as arrow keys in the function layer is ****ing brilliant.  besides that i really only use delete in the function layer and the f keys.

gaming. ok lets talk about gaming. i really like rts based games. especially starcraft. f2 and f1 are essential in starcraft so i have no time to **** around when the game is heavily based on apm.  so i game with a tkl and SPH caps.

but fps and most games like diablo, torchlight, etc. i use my 60%.  60% have a major advantage too when it comes to games. there is less nonsense between your shoulder blades. it is more comfortable.
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: le_doosh on Wed, 17 July 2013, 00:19:25
I am looking to buy a poker II here in a few months and modding it with some LEDS. I really like the minimalistic look of the 60% and I would enjoy it more instead of the tenkeyless because my desks keyboard tray is really small. 
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: LaCap on Wed, 17 July 2013, 02:02:59
60% keyboards are the best.
Since I have an HHK I cannot use an other keyboard.
I tried multiple ones different layout and size and every time I'm going back on the HHK.

Perfect size and layout.
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: The_Beast on Wed, 17 July 2013, 02:11:24
Gaming is fine on a 60% but a bit annoying if your game uses the F-row. It's my biggest problem with them, but not nearly enough to give up the form factor
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: bigx333 on Wed, 17 July 2013, 03:02:52
I'm mostly an FPS player so 60% is my perfect keyboard for gaming  :D but I tried several times to use it to work (Erlang/Python/C development) and just can't live with anything smaller than a TKL.
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: rowdy on Wed, 17 July 2013, 04:29:39
I'm mostly an FPS player so 60% is my perfect keyboard for gaming  :D but I tried several times to use it to work (Erlang/Python/C development) and just can't live with anything smaller than a TKL.

It might depend on the IDE.

I find my HHLB very workable in vi on Mac and Linux, but somewhat unuseable on Windows due to the heavy reliance on arrow keys and function keys.
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: LaCap on Wed, 17 July 2013, 04:42:33
I'm mostly an FPS player so 60% is my perfect keyboard for gaming  :D but I tried several times to use it to work (Erlang/Python/C development) and just can't live with anything smaller than a TKL.

It might depend on the IDE.

I find my HHLB very workable in vi on Mac and Linux, but somewhat unuseable on Windows due to the heavy reliance on arrow keys and function keys.

I'm agree I'm using my HHK on Mac and Linux and it seems to be the perfect keyboard :)
I'm doing mostly Python with vi and have no problem with the layout or the size of the keyboard.
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: esoomenona on Wed, 17 July 2013, 04:43:03
Every time I read the shoulder argument, it makes me think you guys are tiny. My shoulders are wider than a 60%...
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: iAmAhab on Wed, 17 July 2013, 05:13:36
One hand on the mouse
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: esoomenona on Wed, 17 July 2013, 05:14:29
Even then.
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: bigx333 on Wed, 17 July 2013, 05:16:39
I'm mostly an FPS player so 60% is my perfect keyboard for gaming  :D but I tried several times to use it to work (Erlang/Python/C development) and just can't live with anything smaller than a TKL.

It might depend on the IDE.

I find my HHLB very workable in vi on Mac and Linux, but somewhat unuseable on Windows due to the heavy reliance on arrow keys and function keys.

I'm agree I'm using my HHK on Mac and Linux and it seems to be the perfect keyboard :)
I'm doing mostly Python with vi and have no problem with the layout or the size of the keyboard.

I normally do C in a ssh with VIM, with vim it's quite OK because I'm already used always do hjkl instead of arrows and ~C instead of backspace but the problems are when I'm using the shell of the box (what I do a lot) .

But for Python I'm almost always using Sublime Text on my mac and emacs for Erlang (I'll probably never get used to the controls of emacs for the arrows).

I also like to switch between editors based on my mod (:D) the so the lack of arrows is kinda a big deal for me.
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: vatin on Wed, 17 July 2013, 05:23:37
Every time I read the shoulder argument, it makes me think you guys are tiny. My shoulders are wider than a 60%...

To me it is not shoulder width. But the distance you have to move between the home roll and your pointing device or page navigation or arrow cluster to a lesser degree.
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: esoomenona on Wed, 17 July 2013, 05:28:24
So if they made keyboards with nav cluster and arrows on the left side, wouldn't that be the same thing? You move less to each thing, but still have both.

Or use your mouse with your other hand.
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: rowdy on Wed, 17 July 2013, 05:32:51
The alpha keys (especially the home keys for touch typists) tend to be towards the left of a full-sized keyboard.

In order to place those centrally, the keyboard must be shifted to the right.

The mouse, for most people, lies to the right of the keyboard, which is then sufficiently far away that you have to twist your shoulder to the right to reach it.

Over time, this can exacerbate the shoulder.
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: Narcix on Wed, 17 July 2013, 06:25:08
hmmmm..... 110€ for the us layout pure with blues green blight on kbtrace, shipping should be free....
just a question: in the shipping options tab, it gives me 2 options: free and flat rate - fixed, which costs 13€. waht does that mean? ty
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: AKIMbO on Wed, 17 July 2013, 07:14:54
I initially thought I couldn't game or even type (with adequate speed) on a 60% form factor keyboard.  Now I solely use my HHKB when at home (gaming and typing) and haven't looked back.  Once you get used to the 60% layout you'll not want to go back to tkl or fullsize.
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: Narcix on Wed, 17 July 2013, 08:50:08
One more question.....can you put on the top layer of a pure keycaps that on "normal" keyboards are on the f layer?
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: esoomenona on Wed, 17 July 2013, 08:52:44
One more question.....can you put on the top layer of a pure keycaps that on "normal" keyboards are on the f layer?

Yes. Most "normal" keyboards have the top two rows (function and number) the same profile, so they'll both look normal.
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: jspark on Wed, 17 July 2013, 09:40:40
As a developer, 60% keyboard is big enough for coding.
Title: Re: AAAARGH!!! i'm starting to love 60% keyboards
Post by: Narcix on Wed, 17 July 2013, 11:44:48
Any1 knows if poker 2 will ever come to kbtrace? ty