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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: shadow on Thu, 25 July 2013, 05:41:40
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Hi,
I am about to purchase my first mechanical keyboard. I kinda decided on trying a TKL board with brown switches (based on the WASD test kit, it's a little difficult to judge the switches this way - but better than nothing I guess).
I live in Denmark and there are not so many options for this apart from a Ducky Shine 2 and Filco. The Ducky seems to be a nice keyboard, but I see that the Shine 3 is on its way so I am getting in doubt if I should go with the Shine 2 now.
It seems that the main improvement of the Shine 3 is better stabilizers (is this true?) and more light modes. I don't think the extra light modes are worth the wait but maybe the stabilizers?
It seems that people generally prefer the Costar stabilizers which also made me look into a CM Quickfire Rapid, but this unfortunately only comes in Red and Black here. I have tried a Black keyboard (the only switch I have tried on an actual keyboard) and I really didn't like this. The Red may very well be ok, though in some way I think Red is a bit "boring" compared to Brown.
My main use for the keyboard is work (graphics stuff and not much typing though) and quite a bit of gaming (CS and other FPS). If I could get a QFR with brown switches I would probably go for this, but as this is not possible what do you think I should go with? :)
The easiest option is just to try out the QFR Red since its cheap and in stock in many shops, I'm not sure about the Ducky.
I hope someone can help me decide, thanks in advance :)
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Welcome to Geekhack!
Sounds like a choice between keyboards with different switches. If you haven't tried all the different switches, then no-one can tell you which one you will prefer.
Ultimately you will probably end up getting several keyboards anyway, partly to try different switches, and partly to display your (almost inevitable) custom keycaps ;)
I have Ducky Shine 1 (full size, but both are great boards) and QFR (with blacks). I also have reds. And Topre. And buckling spring. I like all of them :)
It probably comes down to if you want backlighting - Ducky Shine. If not, QFR.
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I too went through thinking I'd like backlighting but I'm now over it. I get the impression that the Ducky is the only backlit keyboard to get. If you can do without, a Filco would be best. QFR would be ok too if you can get one for a lot cheaper then the Filco. Www.keyboardco.com should be able to ship to you for a Filco.
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Welcome to Geekhack!
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It probably comes down to if you want backlighting - Ducky Shine. If not, QFR.
Agreed sir.
If you like to show off your reactive lighting then wait for the Shine 3. If you're never going to use reactive then it's not really worth the wait, unless you want the full-size alu cased year of the snake edition. ^-^
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Many thanks for your replies :)
Isn't the Shine 3 also going to have better stabilizers? Maybe I'm thinking about this stabilizer stuff too much though :)
Considering that I don't like Black I am in doubt if it would be a bad idea to try Red since this is linear too? I dont know if I dont like them because of the higher force required or if its because they are linear - they just feel a bit strange :) (haven't used them for more than 10 minutes though and it wasn't for gaming)
I don't think I will go for a Filco since it would be twice the cost of a QFR, I would be able to get brown switches but I think it's too much to pay extra seeing that the QFR is supposed to be very similar to a Filco (and I like the detachable cord and windows lock on the QFR).
It could make sense to try the QFR Red now and then if I still want to try brown I could get a Shine 3 later.
It's annoying that it's impossible to try the keyboards before buying :(
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Isn't the Shine 3 also going to have better stabilizers?
Please tell me more about this, as Ducky's stabilizers have been one of the things keeping me from buying their keyboards.
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Not sure I have heard about better stabilisers in the Ducky 3. They are still Cherry stabilisers (right?), and for some reason not a lot of people like those, preferring Costar. I don't mind either. Cherry are somewhat easier to swap keycaps.
QFR has been very favourably compared to the Filco - lots of happy QFR owners here, plus we have a CM rep or two lurking around here who are usually fairly responsive.
You could get a QFR with reds for now, to see if you like them. If so - great! If not, either keep the QFR and swap keycaps or experiment on it in other ways and get yourself a different board with a different switch. In good condition you could probably sell it here for close to what you paid for it (once you have 60 posts).
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I read about improved stabilizers in a thread here at Geekhack actually :) it's in this thread http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=42836.msg868997#msg868997 - it's discussed here and there through the thread - I don't know if it is true, it may just be speculation :)
Sounds like a plan with the QFR Red, I think that is what I will end up with :)
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I read about improved stabilizers in a thread here at Geekhack actually :) it's in this thread http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=42836.msg868997#msg868997 - it's discussed here and there through the thread - I don't know if it is true, it may just be speculation :)
Sounds like a plan with the QFR Red, I think that is what I will end up with :)
Thank you! I just posted like 10 minutes ago on another thread asking about the stabilizers on the Shine 3. Knew I read that somewhere. Doesn't exactly confirm anything but I'd be interested if someone can point to a better source.