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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Keoki on Fri, 25 October 2013, 23:16:17

Title: Help buying 1st mech keyboard
Post by: Keoki on Fri, 25 October 2013, 23:16:17
in a little delimma here, new to to forums so Hey GUys ^_^!! but yea anyways im purchasing my first mechanical keyboard (new to the keyboard community) and i was stuck between these three keyboards. just wondering if you guys could help me out! it doesn't have to be these three specifically, any other input on other brands is welcome!

*** overall im looking for good build quality keyboard, LED is a plus too, i travel alot so portable/compact keyboards are fine, budget between $90-$110ish***

- CM Storm QuickFire TK
http://www.amazon.com/CM-Storm-QuickFire-TK-Mechanical/dp/B00A378L10/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1382759439&sr=8-3&keywords=CM+Storm+Quickfire+TK

- CM Storm QuickFire TK - Limited Edition
http://www.amazon.com/CM-Storm-QuickFire-TK-Mechanical/dp/B00EM7L600/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1382759439&sr=8-11&keywords=CM+Storm+Quickfire+TK

- CM Storm QuickFire Stealth
http://www.amazon.com/CM-Storm-QuickFire-Stealth-Mechanical/dp/B00CKJ2HJ6/ref=sr_1_11?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1382758391&sr=1-11&keywords=filco
Title: Re: Help buying 1st mech keyboard
Post by: bazemk1979 on Fri, 25 October 2013, 23:31:51
The last one, its the cheapest but quality build should be better than the rest. Also legends will never wear off since they are side printed, the keys will get shiny on top due to its ABS plastic, but in general if you do decide to buy new keycaps later down the road the Quickfire is the way to go because is compatible with all GB's for keycaps going around here. You will have headache finding keys for the bottom modifiers for the other 2 LED boards, you will never find replacement space bar.
Title: Re: Help buying 1st mech keyboard
Post by: rowdy on Sat, 26 October 2013, 01:32:38
Welcome to Geekhack!

Do you need the numeric keypad?

If you need relatively small size and numeric keypad, QuickFire TK is one of the few.

If you can get by with a standard TKL, the QFR is highly recommended.

Or, if you want backlighting, the Ducky Whine 3 TKL, although it has not been released yet, and might be slightly more expensive.
Title: Re: Help buying 1st mech keyboard
Post by: genkidama on Sat, 26 October 2013, 19:13:24
I also here a lot of good stuff about the Quick Fire Rapid, a lot are recommending it for build quality and a really good price for it. Especially if it is the first keyboard and the tenkeyless design doesn't bother you that much.
I'm not quite sure if they are any other keyboards that are fairly cheap and have good build quality and so many people are satisfied with. So I guess the QFR is your best bet.
I think the Ducky Shine 3 TKL would be more expensive than the QuickFire TKs you posted. But I don't know as they aren't released yet.

Another example would be a Keycool 87? I think this is also fairly cheap and I guess it has good build quality, but as I just recently learned about that keyboard, I'm not that familiar with it and cannot give what I have read and learned about it.

Good luck!  :thumb:
Title: Re: Help buying 1st mech keyboard
Post by: rowdy on Sat, 26 October 2013, 19:22:56
Yes KeyCool is great too.

I have QFR and KeyCool, and QFR probably has the slight edge, but I've had no problems with either.

There are reviews of the KeyCool in the Reviews section.
Title: Re: Help buying 1st mech keyboard
Post by: Quardah on Sat, 26 October 2013, 19:41:34
Get the one with green switches imo.

Period.
Title: Re: Help buying 1st mech keyboard
Post by: rowdy on Sat, 26 October 2013, 20:18:32
Get the one with green switches imo.

Period.

Green switches are amongst the more hardcore of MX switches.

The noise and the stiff springs put a lot of people off.
Title: Re: Help buying 1st mech keyboard
Post by: tp4tissue on Sat, 26 October 2013, 20:28:41
Get the one with green switches imo.

Period.

Green switches are amongst the more hardcore of MX switches.

The noise and the stiff springs put a lot of people off.

noise is Less than the blue/white  so that's not a huge problem..

The stiff spring and actuation point however is..

@ the green actuation point (right above it actually)  it is way heavier than ALL OTHER MX switch.
Title: Re: Help buying 1st mech keyboard
Post by: rowdy on Sat, 26 October 2013, 20:30:05
Get the one with green switches imo.

Period.

Green switches are amongst the more hardcore of MX switches.

The noise and the stiff springs put a lot of people off.

noise is Less than the blue/white  so that's not a huge problem..

The stiff spring and actuation point however is..

@ the green actuation point (right above it actually)  it is way heavier than ALL OTHER MX switch.

This is why I'm trying to get a green board :D

Reds are way to light, blacks are comfortable for me but sometimes I miss the clickyness.
Title: Re: Help buying 1st mech keyboard
Post by: PadawanGeek on Sat, 26 October 2013, 21:13:26
This is why I'm trying to get a green board :D

Reds are way to light, blacks are comfortable for me but sometimes I miss the clickyness.
If you like heavier switch with the familiar click, then yes, Green is right up your alley.....I love all my heavier switch keyboards - Green, Black and Clear. I have  a Trigger Green and I love it, though I don't use it often these days due to my love of Topre, though I do take my MX switch keyboards out for a spin once in a while.......typing this on my Ducky 78Version which has Reds for the alphanumeric keys.
Title: Re: Help buying 1st mech keyboard
Post by: rowdy on Sat, 26 October 2013, 22:10:09
This is why I'm trying to get a green board :D

Reds are way to light, blacks are comfortable for me but sometimes I miss the clickyness.
If you like heavier switch with the familiar click, then yes, Green is right up your alley.....I love all my heavier switch keyboards - Green, Black and Clear. I have  a Trigger Green and I love it, though I don't use it often these days due to my love of Topre, though I do take my MX switch keyboards out for a spin once in a while.......typing this on my Ducky 78Version which has Reds for the alphanumeric keys.

I'm enjoying my Model M right now, but missing the HHKB.

It is the contrast between them that I appreciate.  Having several boards that are the same would make me wonder why.
Title: Re: Help buying 1st mech keyboard
Post by: Keoki on Sun, 27 October 2013, 12:52:53
thank you guys so much for the advice, help out alot. im prolly gonna go with the Quick Fire Rapid keyboard if not that i'll prolly wait for the duck shine 3 tkl. for the switches i might have to go with the reds or blacks. i dont really like the clicky noises from the blue or green.

what type of keycaps are on the QuickFire Rapid?
Title: Re: Help buying 1st mech keyboard
Post by: Puddsy on Sun, 27 October 2013, 14:01:39
Thin ABS pad printed.
Title: Re: Help buying 1st mech keyboard
Post by: tp4tissue on Sun, 27 October 2013, 14:08:56
Thin ABS pad printed.

don't let this deter you.. for the price vs the nearest filco, you can also get a set of pbt caps (http://www.freesmileys.org/emoticons/tuzki-bunnys/tuzki-bunny-emoticon-029.gif)


and they arn't THIN... they are STANDARD thickness...
Title: Re: Help buying 1st mech keyboard
Post by: zoolzoo on Sun, 27 October 2013, 14:23:21
gonna have to go with the stealth man
Title: Re: Help buying 1st mech keyboard
Post by: Linkbane on Sun, 27 October 2013, 14:36:25
thank you guys so much for the advice, help out alot. im prolly gonna go with the Quick Fire Rapid keyboard if not that i'll prolly wait for the duck shine 3 tkl. for the switches i might have to go with the reds or blacks. i dont really like the clicky noises from the blue or green.

what type of keycaps are on the QuickFire Rapid?

If you do want backlit, though, I actually do recommend the TK. I got used to the layout pretty quickly, and it's convenient being able to use the numpad.
Nobody seemed to mention it specifically, but the Rapid does not have any backlighting, only the TK does. It also has a colored metal plate for durability and to enhance color.
The quality is great, and considering that I type for hours daily, I've used this boards for over six months with only a few spots of shine on the most commonly used keys.
Title: Re: Help buying 1st mech keyboard
Post by: genkidama on Mon, 28 October 2013, 04:58:30
thank you guys so much for the advice, help out alot. im prolly gonna go with the Quick Fire Rapid keyboard if not that i'll prolly wait for the duck shine 3 tkl. for the switches i might have to go with the reds or blacks. i dont really like the clicky noises from the blue or green.

what type of keycaps are on the QuickFire Rapid?

But don't forget that Reds and Blacks are linear, so you do not feel the actuation point. It will feel different than your average keyboard you used up until now. When I ordered the SteelSeries Gv2 I was really disoriented on the keyboard due to the fact that I waited for the actuation and pressed the keys all the way down, which you do not have to as they are linear and you can touche-type on them.
I just wanted you to be aware of this. If you do want an actuation point, the feel that the key press information is going to your motherboard or better said the pressure you need to overcome so that the key is registered, than Browns would be better for you.
Title: Re: Help buying 1st mech keyboard
Post by: goobus on Mon, 28 October 2013, 05:08:24
Definitely the stealth. The styling on those LED lock indicators are atrocious
Title: Re: Help buying 1st mech keyboard
Post by: Linkbane on Mon, 28 October 2013, 11:02:44
If you do want an actuation point, the feel that the key press information is going to your motherboard or better said the pressure you need to overcome so that the key is registered, than Browns would be better for you.

Don't forget Blues! Even more tactility and a lovely (or annoying) click.
Nice typing speed, by the way. I can barely breach 100 in German.