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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Bauglir on Mon, 23 March 2009, 07:42:25

Title: G80-3000lcmes?
Post by: Bauglir on Mon, 23 March 2009, 07:42:25
Hello. I'm looking for a high end mechanical keyboard, available here in Spain, and I've only found the G80-3000. The regular model with a spanish layout seems to be the LPCES, linear (with black switches), but there's another model in the spanish shops (many of them), the LCMES, but I've found no information about the switches it mounts. Has anybody any information about this model, LCMES?
In http://www.cherry.de, in the models section, only appears models with second letters P, Q and S (black, clear -or white-, and blue switches?), but I have no information at all about which switches are used within this model LCMES, with C as second letter.
I will thank any information.

http://www.cherry.de/english/products/keyboards_G80-3000.htm   (and click models tab)
Title: G80-3000lcmes?
Post by: cchan on Mon, 23 March 2009, 10:28:14
Bienvenidos a geekhack.

I think the LCMES may have brown/low force/tactile/non clicky switches. That's the only other variety of MX I can think of. Unless there is no one-to-one correspondence letter <-> switch colour.
Title: G80-3000lcmes?
Post by: Chloe on Mon, 23 March 2009, 12:09:11
LCM have black/linear switches.
Title: G80-3000lcmes?
Post by: Bauglir on Mon, 23 March 2009, 13:27:04
Thanks to both for the answers. Chloe, if LCM mounts black switches, the same as the LPC, what's the difference between both of them? Maybe, simply, that the LPC includes an USB->PS/2 adapter?
It would be a pity. I'm not sure of wanting a keyboard with black switches, because the tactil and audible feelings are supposed to be the most appreciated qualities of a mechanical keyboard, and that black switches lack both of them. I'm a little confused, I have never used a mechanical keyboard with linear mechanism. Any suggestion?
Title: G80-3000lcmes?
Post by: lal on Mon, 23 March 2009, 13:50:18
Yes, pass on that one.  Get a LSCES with clicky and tactile blue MX instead :)
Availability is another thing of course.  Try to ask retailers for the specific model you want.
Title: G80-3000lcmes?
Post by: lal on Mon, 23 March 2009, 13:54:30
Maybe you can order from wifissime.com (http://www.wifissime.com/ms2fr/catalog/index.php?manufacturers_id=59&sort=2a&language=en) which seems to be some kind of official Cherry partner shop located in France?
Title: G80-3000lcmes?
Post by: CX23882 on Mon, 23 March 2009, 14:22:43
If you're absolutely set on the Cherry MX Blue switches, and money is no object, you could buy a G80-3000LSCGB from the UK and then buy a Spanish-layout board with MX key-caps and swap the key caps.  UK English and Spanish keyboards have the same number of keys.

But I expect that it will work out rather expensive, since you'd need to import the keyboard from the UK to Spain, and then buy a second (Spanish) board locally.  You could sell the UK layout board on eBay to recover some cost though.
Title: G80-3000lcmes?
Post by: Bauglir on Tue, 24 March 2009, 08:12:35
Certainly, CX23882, that possibility is logical but, in fact, too expensive.
I have studied the offer and delivery costs, and have found the following possibilities:

- To buy a spanish layout G80-3000 with black switches, and hope it will like me (I'm not sure: does the black switches really worth the money, without tactil and click?): 78€ - 106US$
- To buy a UK layout G80-3000 with blue or brown switches, and ignore the key printings: 90€ - 122US$
- To buy a Unicomp SpaceSaver: 76€ - 105US$
- To buy a Das Keyboard Ultimate (without key printings): 120€ - 162US$

I'm specially interested in your opinion about the feelings with G80 and (or vs) Unicomp (although I suppose this should be personal appreciations), because I have never touched neither of them, so I have problems when taking a decision. Thank you.
Title: G80-3000lcmes?
Post by: xyzzy on Tue, 24 March 2009, 08:32:30
Quote from: Bauglir;25217
I'm specially interested in your opinion about the feelings with G80 and (or vs) Unicomp (although I suppose this should be personal appreciations), because I have never touched neither of them, so I have problems when taking a decision. Thank you.


If you want to know what an Unicomp feels like, just find an used Model M and try it. They're quite cheap on eBay. If you want one with spanish layout, you could try looking in shops that sells 2nd hand goods. I myself have bought 4 spanish Model M in a 2nd hand goods shop in Barcelona in the last 2 years, for a total price of less than 10 EUR.
Title: G80-3000lcmes?
Post by: Bauglir on Tue, 24 March 2009, 09:13:07
I'm happy to see a compatriot here xD. I have explained my experience in a wrong way. I have used IBM BS keyboards many years ago (and also a few other mechanicals), and I still remember their features (that memories are the reason that took me here xD). But I have no experience using Cherry MX keyboards, so I'm not able to compare it to the performance of the BS keyboards. Also, I have no experience with linear switched mechanical keyboards; all mechanicals I have used, had tactil al clicky features (I have no reference point to value the black MX switches). Is anybody here pleased with the black MX switches? It seems like everybody here hates it, although I have read on the Net good reviews of the SteelSeries 6G and 7G, which uses black MX switches...
Title: G80-3000lcmes?
Post by: lal on Tue, 24 March 2009, 10:52:59
Your impression is right.  Hardly anyone around here likes black MX or linear switches in general very much.  Blue Cherry or buckling springs is another question though, and a matter of personal preference.  You probably won't be disappointed with either as a first mechanical switch board.
Title: G80-3000lcmes?
Post by: zwmalone on Tue, 24 March 2009, 19:53:24
IIRC, xsphat likes the black cherrys...
Title: G80-3000lcmes?
Post by: FKSSR on Tue, 24 March 2009, 20:40:09
I'm thinking of purchasing a black cherry board to try for gaming (non-RTS), but I'm not sure what the cheapest one would be.

I don't want to spend a lot unless I don't like it...
Title: G80-3000lcmes?
Post by: itlnstln on Wed, 25 March 2009, 07:24:52
Quote from: zwmalone;25317
IIRC, xsphat likes the black cherrys...


He said they were OK after they had a chance to break in (since they are rather firm).  I bet the Cherry reds would be better.
Title: G80-3000lcmes?
Post by: FKSSR on Wed, 25 March 2009, 08:11:41
Is there anywhere to get a red switch board in the US?  I find it hard enough to find some of the "more common" ones like black, brown, and blue.
Title: G80-3000lcmes?
Post by: itlnstln on Wed, 25 March 2009, 08:14:10
I don't think so.  The red switches are pretty new, so I doubt they are going to make their way to the US for quite some time.
Title: G80-3000lcmes?
Post by: kyamei on Wed, 25 March 2009, 08:23:53
Friend of mines said he went to a Sears store here in Hawaii and noticed that their keyboards had Cherry logos on them...so he popped a cap and saw red switches.  So apparently they are in the US, but I'm not sure what that keyboard was connected to, could have been a POS keyboard.
Title: G80-3000lcmes?
Post by: itlnstln on Wed, 25 March 2009, 08:27:35
I wonder if HI gets a few things that we might not get in the main land since there are a lot of travellers/immigrants from Japan (at least when I was there).  I will have to stop by a Sears and see what they have.

EDIT:  I checked out Sears' website, and they don't have anything listed, but I will try to find some time to check out an actual store to what they have.
Title: G80-3000lcmes?
Post by: kyamei on Wed, 25 March 2009, 08:46:17
Oh no, I meant it was THEIR keyboard as in not for sale.  I thought it was for sale too when my friend told me about it.  He didn't say if its was attached to their register or some computer kiosk so I don't know if it was a normal board or not.
Title: G80-3000lcmes?
Post by: itlnstln on Wed, 25 March 2009, 08:52:36
I guess I am going to have to jack me a 'board from Sears terminal then. :)
Title: G80-3000lcmes?
Post by: itlnstln on Wed, 25 March 2009, 08:53:42
Quote
could have been a POS keyboard.


If it was a Cherry, I doubt it was a POS.

/rimshot
Title: G80-3000lcmes?
Post by: FKSSR on Wed, 25 March 2009, 09:03:41
Quote from: itlnstln;25383
I guess I am going to have to jack me a 'board from Sears terminal then. :)


hahaha.  Yeah HI gets some awesome imports from Japan.  I wouldn't be surprised if you could find Filco, Realforce, HHKB, and Cherry over there, for sale.
Title: G80-3000lcmes?
Post by: cchan on Wed, 25 March 2009, 10:03:53
Quote from: itlnstln;25384
If it was a Cherry, I doubt it was a POS.

/rimshot
Uhmmm.... G81 line. nuff said.
Title: G80-3000lcmes?
Post by: itlnstln on Wed, 25 March 2009, 10:08:31
Quote from: Tales;25388
Uhmmm.... G81 line. nuff said.


Damn, you ruined my bad joke. :(
Title: G80-3000lcmes?
Post by: cchan on Wed, 25 March 2009, 11:21:26
Quote from: itlnstln;25389
Damn, you ruined my bad joke. :(
If it were a good joke, I wouldn't feel evil enough to ruin it.
Title: G80-3000lcmes?
Post by: itlnstln on Wed, 25 March 2009, 11:33:51
Quote
If it were a good joke, I wouldn't feel evil enough to ruin it.


That's a rarity for me. :)

Good jokes, that is.  Feeling evil; well, that's normal.
Title: G80-3000lcmes?
Post by: Bauglir on Wed, 25 March 2009, 13:55:57
Well, let see what you think about this: I read that Datacal.com customizes keyboards, so I have contacted them to see if they can supply to me a G80 with the requirements you already know (spanish, blue switches).
I have received an email from them (so quickly, a point for them), that starts with: "I am sorry Cherry does not manufacture the blue switches any longer". They also tell me they have many US layout, brown switched keyboards, and that they are waiting to find if Cherry will make more for them, so they are not sure about if Cherry will continue manufacturing the brown switches.
What do you think about this information?
Title: G80-3000lcmes?
Post by: itlnstln on Wed, 25 March 2009, 13:59:42
Who did you get that information from (Loree?).  I seriously doubt Cherry stopped making blue switches (the Filcos with blue switches are recent models and they are still making Das IIIs).  I spoke with their sales director yesterday, and she told me there only 14 brown switch g80-3000s left (after I bought mine :) ).

See my post near the bottom of this thread (the long one): http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?t=1391&page=5

It looks like if you want a custom 'board, they may have to be made in bulk, and there will be at least a 14 week lead-time.
Title: G80-3000lcmes?
Post by: Bauglir on Wed, 25 March 2009, 14:06:50
Yes, it was Loree. I have also thought about Das Keyboard, when considering that statement.
Title: G80-3000lcmes?
Post by: itlnstln on Wed, 25 March 2009, 14:16:44
Quote from: Bauglir;25429
Yes, it was Loree. I have also thought about Das Keyboard, when considering that statement.


Weird. :confused: My dealings with her have been fantastic.  I even got hooked up on the education discount for the brown Cherry 'board (anyone else can, too, if they order through her).