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geekhack Community => Reviews => Topic started by: ITzNybble on Mon, 19 August 2013, 12:49:50
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EDIT: Let me state that I was asked to review this keyboard gy geekTH a banggood.com rep and was compensated with a coupon code for the keyboard.
I would also like to state that this compensation does not alter my review on the keyboard itself.
Okay! This is going to be my first major post here on GeekHack. This is a reivew of the FlashGet G600 MX Cherry Black.
[attachimg=1]
Table of Contents
- Order and Shipping (#post_D)
- First Impressions (#post_L)
- Base and Keys (#post_K)
- Extended Use Impressions (#post_LI)
- Software (#post_C)
- Conclusion (#post_E)
Order and Shipping
I ordered this FlashGet G600 from BangGood.com (http://BangGood.com) which distributes from China. They offer worldwide free shipping(main reason I decided to order). Total shipping time was only 14 days, I cannot complain about 2 weeks free shipping overseas. The package was shipped very well and no damage was done to the keyboard or box for that matter. The only thing I would change would be to have it shipped in a box instead of the keyboards manufacturer box wrapped in soft foam and then put into a watertight shipping sleeve.
Shipping Score: 8/10
[attachimg=7]
First Impressions
My first impressions of the keyboard was that it looked nice. It is technically a plate mounted board but the base is the plate. It is much like the Corsair K series in that matter. It had a nice weight to it. Typing on it felt very hard due to the MX Blacks ( I am a Blue kind of guy). Switch type is a preference though. I did not care for the logo. The contents of the box where as follows:
Keyboard with red key caps installed
Full set of black key caps
Detachable Micro USB cable(non-braided)
User Manual(Chinese)
Mini-CD to install programming software
Base and Keys
The base, it is metal over plastic like the Corsair K series boards. It has a metallic finish to the metal. I say that because it is not just brushed metal. The base has 3 cable channels. Has 5 rubber feet plus the feet are wrapped so when extended they also have a grip. The side profile is a slight upward line (a little more if using the feet).
Base Score:10/10 (for the price)
[attachimg=2][attachimg=8][attachimg=9]
The Key caps are standard ABS plastic one set translucent red and the other solid black. The legends appear to be lasered on and do have a slight rough filling to them. The stabilizers are costar. The F1 - F12 key also function as media keys. The switches are standard MX Blacks (not much to say here). They feel heavy to me even after using them for over 3 weeks at work. I want my blues back :( . But again switches are a preference but, I do not recommend Blacks for typing/Coding all day. Since the keys are ABS they will start to shine but I did not notice anything to would make me assume they will shine any faster than my WASD key caps.
Key Cap Score: 7/10 (two sets included)
[attachimg=3]
Extended Use Impressions
After using the keyboard for over 3 weeks(3 weeks at work, 1 at home). I can safely say that the keyboard is very well built for a sub $100 USD keyboard. Plus it does have a metal base/plate. The legend font is a very streamlined font, many straight lines. Font is also a preference for me. I like the font you may not :) . I do like that the black set of key caps has windows Caps Lock, Scroll Lock and the Print Screen key(Windows key lock). The board is very quiet to type on and I am sure co-workers at the office appreciate that very much compared to my normal Blue board. There is a slight ping echo when typing sometimes but that could be just how I type. The board does not move at all thanks to the grips even when using the feet. All keys are responsive when typing. Since it is a TKL board transporting it to and from work has been a breeze. Not having a keypad is taking some getting used to but I do like that my mouse is much closer to my other hand especially when gaming. Since the base is the plate there is no extra plastic trim so the board is small even for a TKL. If I liked Blacks I could see me using this bored at work permanently.
I was first drawn to this board do to the fact that is had a metal top base which reminded me of a Korean custom (this is not a custom by any means) but to my non-keyboard enthusiasts at work I will never tell :) . I still like the metal base very much and the media keys are very nice as well. Using the software provided you can customize your layout, more on that in the next section.
Software
The provided software allows you to remap any key to any single key.(i.e. A -> H) and store them on up to 5 different profiles. The Insert-Home cluster can be set to use macros. Finally, it also allows your to change the polling Rate, Manually set the Windows Key On/Off, the response time and the LED light intensity. I have not done to much with the software though.
Software Score: 9/10 (lots of features, made for gamers)
[attachimg=4][attachimg=5][attachimg=6]
Conclusion
To wrap things up, I have say that I really do enjoy the FlashGet G600, it is my second keyboard after a WASD V1 with Blues. The price is very nice at ~85 USD at least from BangGood.com (http://BangGood.com), not sure of other retailers. Its solid construction and programability as well as two keycap sets. The partial metal base and smaller form factor. I would recommend this board to anyone who wants a metal base look at a much lower cost and likes heavy switches(they do have Cherry Red version as well).
This seems to be a keyboard gears towards gaming and I would have to say that for gaming (FPS for sure) it would be a wonderful keyboard.
The Pros: Price, Partial Metal Base, Two Key cap Sets, Programmability and Free Shipping.
The Cons: Key caps (ABS), Non-Braided USB Cable, Longer Shipping Time, Possible ping sound when typing.
Overall Score: 8/10 within its price range.
Thank you for reading my first review here on Geekhack I hope to have more in the future as I acquire more keyboards and more in depth reviews as well the more I learn about keyboards in general.
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Good write up! Thanks for sharing your experience. I for one am always wondering how reliable some of these not so common website are as well as these not so common keyboards!!
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Good write up! Thanks for sharing your experience. I for one am always wondering how reliable some of these not so common website are as well as these not so common keyboards!!
Agree with you 100% that's why I really wanted to get this review out. A while ago I mentioned I may buy this board and most of the common responses were, "never heard of it. If you buy it let me know how it is".
Thanks for the kind words as well :)
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Thanks for the review. I really do like the metal plate look myself and was considering this keyboard for a while.
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Thanks for that - great writeup, very well organised.
Interesting for a "metal" board with a full set of transparent keycaps - good price too.
This would look wicked with red backlighting ;)
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Thanks for that - great writeup, very well organised.
Interesting for a "metal" board with a full set of transparent keycaps - good price too.
This would look wicked with red backlighting ;)
Thanks I took my time learning some BBCode to do it :). If only there was a backlit version *drool*
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Aw damn, so tempted, it's going for 78USD right now.......and I prefer Cherry Black too. Gonna mentally masturbate over this...
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Is there a backlights?
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Only on caps lock scroll lock and the print screen(windows lock)
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Aw damn, so tempted, it's going for 78USD right now.......and I prefer Cherry Black too. Gonna mentally masturbate over this...
I'm selling mine for 60 + shipping. I just do not care for blacks.
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It is quite a nice looking board, thanks for posting.
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I'm selling mine for 60 + shipping. I just do not care for blacks.
I'm in Asia, shipping cost would prolly make it not viable.....
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I'm selling mine for 60 + shipping. I just do not care for blacks.
I'm in Asia, shipping cost would prolly make it not viable.....
Most likely yes :( Well if anyone in the US/ Canada wants it check out my WTB thread in the classifieds :)
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Thanks for the review!
A couple of quick questions:
1. Is this a standard spacebar or does it have odd stem postions like the Leopold Keyboards?
2. Is the Logo above the arrow keys printed? Or is it a sticker? Could you rub it off without damaging the case itself? I think it's kinda ugly and I would prefer the case without it.
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Thanks for the review!
A couple of quick questions:
1. Is this a standard spacebar or does it have odd stem postions like the Leopold Keyboards?
2. Is the Logo above the arrow keys printed? Or is it a sticker? Could you rub it off without damaging the case itself? I think it's kinda ugly and I would prefer the case without it.
1. Standard spacebar, it uses costar stabilizers. No odd stem positions.
2. it is printed on but just took a push pin and lightly brushed he side of it and i just fell off so i went ahead and removed it, gives it a much cleaner look.
[attachimg=1]
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Thanks for the fast reply!
This board gets better and better. I am really thinking about ordering one - if it only had blue switches :p
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Man, I really do not like those keycaps. Luckily, those are the easiest things to replace.
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It is an unusual keyboard. Occasionally I am tempted to buy something like this for the shock value at work.
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i'm tempted to order this just for the sake of checking it out, since it comes in red switch flavor.
BUT, i'd love to see someone take it apart first, to see if the switches could be replaced without soldering - from all pictures i saw, there's no solder on the plate itself, so they "could" be PCB mounted, which could mean a non-soldering replacement possibility.
it does look good though :)
and btw, for waht i can tell, those stabs are not costar, they're cherry, amirite?
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would you mind opening it up for the sake of board inspection? :)
nevermind, i checked classifieds and saw you already sold it.
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Yup, but they are costar stabs and you would have to solder to remove the switches or open them
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thanks for the reply man :)
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thanks for the reply man :)
Never a problem...I have been on these forums for a while know and have started to make an effort to respond and aid the community more. :D. This forums is truly a great place.
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very flash get that is :)
screaming for a couple of custom keycaps here and there, it definitely looks a better deal than the PLU I purchased.
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very flash get that is :)
screaming for a couple of custom keycaps here and there, it definitely looks a better deal than the PLU I purchased.
I see what you did there.
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I suppose my main point is I went for the PLU from the same site, I kind of expected it to be a bit more glowy even without backlighting, and my see-through keycaps are not to the liking of a few of my friends, however had I been furnished with another full set of caps then it would have been more impressive.
The keyboard is still going strong however :) and I am wondering if I can actually introduce some LED's to the inside top place for some illumination.
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I have the same keyboard but with red switches, and i have a small question:
How did you change the language in the software? the deafult one is chinese..
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I have the same keyboard but with red switches, and i have a small question:
How did you change the language in the software? the deafult one is chinese..
when you install the software you select chinese or english I believe, you must have just hit "ok" like 5 times like most users do when installing stuff :). Try reinstalling the software.
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I have the same keyboard but with red switches, and i have a small question:
How did you change the language in the software? the deafult one is chinese..
when you install the software you select chinese or english I believe, you must have just hit "ok" like 5 times like most users do when installing stuff :). Try reinstalling the software.
Indeed! thanks.
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I have the same keyboard but with red switches, and i have a small question:
How did you change the language in the software? the deafult one is chinese..
not a problem, your welcome
when you install the software you select chinese or english I believe, you must have just hit "ok" like 5 times like most users do when installing stuff :). Try reinstalling the software.
Indeed! thanks.
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Well, now i have another porblem with the software..
The changes i make dont show up in the keyboard..
I.E: I set the light intensity to 0 yet the caps lock is still lit when i press it.. i did press apply/ok after the change and nothing changed.
Have you experienced something similar?
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Thanks for the review!
A couple of quick questions:
1. Is this a standard spacebar or does it have odd stem postions like the Leopold Keyboards?
2. Is the Logo above the arrow keys printed? Or is it a sticker? Could you rub it off without damaging the case itself? I think it's kinda ugly and I would prefer the case without it.
1. Standard spacebar, it uses costar stabilizers. No odd stem positions.
2. it is printed on but just took a push pin and lightly brushed he side of it and i just fell off so i went ahead and removed it, gives it a much cleaner look.
(Attachment Link)
definitely a much cleaner look!
good review, I saw this a while back and was interested
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Nice review. I saw this keyboard about a month ago, but wasn't too sure about the metallic finish on it. It looks like it was spray painted on?
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Nice review. I saw this keyboard about a month ago, but wasn't too sure about the metallic finish on it. It looks like it was spray painted on?
it does seem ot be painted on in some manner maybe not spray paint but nothing like a nice anodized custom case.
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Nice review. I saw this keyboard about a month ago, but wasn't too sure about the metallic finish on it. It looks like it was spray painted on?
Thanks!
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Still selling this keyboard? I have not tried any mechanical keys before, but I read Blacks are similar to the resistance in membrane dome keyboards?
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Still selling this keyboard? I have not tried any mechanical keys before, but I read Blacks are similar to the resistance in membrane dome keyboards?
MX reds are closer to rubber dome.
Blacks are much stiffer (maybe like a really worn rubber dome, but much, much smoother).
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Software
The provided software allows you to remap any key to any single key.(i.e. A -> H) and store them on up to 5 different profiles. The Insert-Home cluster can be set to use macros. Finally, it also allows your to change the polling Rate, Manually set the Windows Key On/Off, the response time and the LED light intensity. I have not done to much with the software though.
Software Score: 9/10 (lots of features, made for gamers)
Very nice review. I’m especially impressed by the key mapping capability of a consumer grade keyboard.
Can I ask for a little test? Can the software map [ to {, and { to [
i.e. without holding the shift key, [ key will output { and vice versa.
If that is possible, it would be an ideal keyboard for programmers since {} are used a lot more often than [].
Thanks
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So I went ahead and got a G600 as I wanted an affordable keyboard I could take apart and play with. Here are some pictures of what greeted me on removing the underside:
The PCB
[attach=1]
Controller:
[attach=2]
Solder close up:
[attach=3]
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Good god, what a mess! :eek:
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Mother of god.
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Whoa! well that would explain the price :P....Thanks for show this. This might help someone decide if they want it or not.
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So I went ahead and got a G600 as I wanted an affordable keyboard I could take apart and play with. Here are some pictures of what greeted me on removing the underside:
The PCB
(Attachment Link)
Controller:
(Attachment Link)
Solder close up:
(Attachment Link)
Holes for LED's! does the software support lighting?
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So I went ahead and got a G600 as I wanted an affordable keyboard I could take apart and play with. Here are some pictures of what greeted me on removing the underside:
The PCB
(Attachment Link)
Controller:
(Attachment Link)
Solder close up:
(Attachment Link)
Holes for LED's! does the software support lighting?
Well there are LEDs on a few keys...so technically you should be able to add your own...might need some additional set up though, resistors and such...
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Whoa! well that would explain the price :P....Thanks for show this. This might help someone decide if they want it or not.
In all fairness the white stuff is just solder flux but you would not expect that to be handed over like that in a final product.
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Whoa! well that would explain the price :P....Thanks for show this. This might help someone decide if they want it or not.
In all fairness the white stuff is just solder flux but you would not expect that to be handed over like that in a final product.
I agree it looks worse than it really is, but I do feel flux should be cleaned up a little bit more than that before production release :)
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So I went ahead and got a G600 as I wanted an affordable keyboard I could take apart and play with. Here are some pictures of what greeted me on removing the underside:
The PCB
(Attachment Link)
Controller:
(Attachment Link)
Solder close up:
(Attachment Link)
Holes for LED's! does the software support lighting?
Well there are LEDs on a few keys...so technically you should be able to add your own...might need some additional set up though, resistors and such...
Usually on boards where there are only LED's on the mods like the Quickfire there are no LED through holes for the rest of the switches on the PCB, in that picture there are LED through holes for all of the switches. This leads to believe this board uses the same PCB as a backlit model, like the Poker 2, and there are probably hot keys for adjusting the LED's once installed. The D numbers next to the switches are for the diodes, I'm assuming the L numbers are for the corresponding resistors for LED's.
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Interesting board. Thanks for sharing.
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So I went ahead and got a G600 as I wanted an affordable keyboard I could take apart and play with. Here are some pictures of what greeted me on removing the underside:
The PCB
(Attachment Link)
Controller:
(Attachment Link)
Solder close up:
(Attachment Link)
Holes for LED's! does the software support lighting?
Well there are LEDs on a few keys...so technically you should be able to add your own...might need some additional set up though, resistors and such...
Usually on boards where there are only LED's on the mods like the Quickfire there are no LED through holes for the rest of the switches on the PCB, in that picture there are LED through holes for all of the switches. This leads to believe this board uses the same PCB as a backlit model, like the Poker 2, and there are probably hot keys for adjusting the LED's once installed. The D numbers next to the switches are for the diodes, I'm assuming the L numbers are for the corresponding resistors for LED's.
I concur with your thoughts!
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So I went ahead and got a G600 as I wanted an affordable keyboard I could take apart and play with. Here are some pictures of what greeted me on removing the underside:
The PCB
(Attachment Link)
Controller:
(Attachment Link)
Solder close up:
(Attachment Link)
Holes for LED's! does the software support lighting?
Well there are LEDs on a few keys...so technically you should be able to add your own...might need some additional set up though, resistors and such...
Usually on boards where there are only LED's on the mods like the Quickfire there are no LED through holes for the rest of the switches on the PCB, in that picture there are LED through holes for all of the switches. This leads to believe this board uses the same PCB as a backlit model, like the Poker 2, and there are probably hot keys for adjusting the LED's once installed. The D numbers next to the switches are for the diodes, I'm assuming the L numbers are for the corresponding resistors for LED's.
I concur with your thoughts!
If you still have your board after the new year I will take it off your hands, I quite like Blacks and don't have any TKL(Phantom project put on hold for time and money) right now.
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I do not have it anymore, sowry :(
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So I went ahead and got a G600 as I wanted an affordable keyboard I could take apart and play with. Here are some pictures of what greeted me on removing the underside:
The PCB
(Attachment Link)
Controller:
(Attachment Link)
Solder close up:
(Attachment Link)
Did it actually work?
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Did it actually work?
Yes it did, but won't any more. Harvested the keys for a 60% project and have some ideas for the metal chassis.
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Did it actually work?
Yes it did, but won't any more. Harvested the keys for a 60% project and have some ideas for the metal chassis.
Fair enough.
I wonder how many more left the factory like that.
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Did it actually work?
Yes it did, but won't any more. Harvested the keys for a 60% project and have some ideas for the metal chassis.
Fair enough.
I wonder how many more left the factory like that.
Probably all of them.
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So I went ahead and got a G600 as I wanted an affordable keyboard I could take apart and play with. Here are some pictures of what greeted me on removing the underside:
The PCB
(Attachment Link)
Controller:
(Attachment Link)
Solder close up:
(Attachment Link)
Holes for LED's! does the software support lighting?
Well there are LEDs on a few keys...so technically you should be able to add your own...might need some additional set up though, resistors and such...
Usually on boards where there are only LED's on the mods like the Quickfire there are no LED through holes for the rest of the switches on the PCB, in that picture there are LED through holes for all of the switches. This leads to believe this board uses the same PCB as a backlit model, like the Poker 2, and there are probably hot keys for adjusting the LED's once installed. The D numbers next to the switches are for the diodes, I'm assuming the L numbers are for the corresponding resistors for LED's.
I concur with your thoughts!
So has anyone tried putting LEDs on this board?
I have a one and was thinking of added some LEDs, However I'm not sure if and what resistors I need, and what would be the hot keys to turn it the LEDs on.