geekhack
geekhack Marketplace => Great Finds => Topic started by: dante on Wed, 16 April 2014, 21:11:16
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http://www.ebay.com/itm/MTEK-MontereyY-K104-clicky-keyboard-BLUE-ALPS-/251505465175
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Very solid board. The price isn't great given the condition it's in... but it's not too bad either.
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Yeah, those keys are pretty worn. I was somewhat interested, until you said that and I looked closer.
Still probably a good get for someone who hasn't tried those switches.
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Monterey blues are awesome, I'd make an offer on this if I didn't already have one.
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I just bought this! I'm nervous I made the wrong decision...do you guys think the spacebar will be fixable?
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I just bought this! I'm nervous I made the wrong decision...do you guys think the spacebar will be fixable?
Just replace the switch from a less used key like pause/break or insert. It should be fine.
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What are blue alps like? This is my first alps board :)
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Montereys are knock-offs with compatible key caps but not pins.
I think that they are comparable to blue Alps but with perhaps a lighter sound and touch.
Very nice, and you should be able to re-sell the board if you don't like them.
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What are blue alps like? This is my first alps board :)
Monterey blues are super nice feeling to me. Although I can't compare them to true blue Alps I prefer them to whites because of how much lighter they are.
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Ooo well that sounds pleasant. I like lighter switches so hopefully I'll enjoy these!
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Ooo well that sounds pleasant. I like lighter switches so hopefully I'll enjoy these!
They're still heavy compared to Cherry MX red, brown, blue, but relative to the white Alps I've used the Mtek boards are lighter. However a lot of the switches on mine are inconsistent so I don't use it much. :((
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What are blue alps like? This is my first alps board :)
Monterey blues are super nice feeling to me. Although I can't compare them to true blue Alps I prefer them to whites because of how much lighter they are.
It's not all roses. I hated SMK alps-mount ("monterey blues") in the siig minitouch I had. They are wobbly and somewhat chattery. Some people seem to like them so you might. If not, resale is entirely possible.
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It's not all roses. I hated SMK alps-mount ("monterey blues") in the siig minitouch I had. They are wobbly and somewhat chattery. Some people seem to like them so you might. If not, resale is entirely possible.
They’re only “chattery” if you have crappy thin ABS keycaps on them. The ones I’ve tried also aren’t wobbly at all. Noticeably less wobble than e.g. any Alps switches.
They're still heavy compared to Cherry MX red, brown, blue, but relative to the white Alps I've used the Mtek boards are lighter. However a lot of the switches on mine are inconsistent so I don't use it much. :((
The force at actuation is maybe slightly higher than cherry MX blue, but because they are substantially more tactile, and also very light in the early part of the key travel, to me they feel pretty similar in weight overall. They’re also quite smooth (nowhere near as much scratchy plastic friction as any Cherry MX switches). Basically, similar in weight but dramatically more satisfying to type on, for me at least. They have a bit less travel than MX switches.
Montereys are knock-offs with compatible key caps but not pins.
I think that they are comparable to blue Alps but with perhaps a lighter sound and touch.
Very nice, and you should be able to re-sell the board if you don't like them.
I don’t think it’s fair to call them knock-offs. They are a substantially different mechanism. Someone must have demanded that SMK provide switches with an Alps keycap mount to match existing keycaps, and SMK obliged by putting an Alps mount on their existing different switch design.
They have less travel than blue Alps, and a fairly similar weight. They are more tactile than Alps clicky switches, and the tactile/actuation point is noticeably further in the switch travel. The sound is a bit different, a bit higher pitched with a bit more “snap” to it. They also make less sound when bottoming out or returning.
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It's not all roses. I hated SMK alps-mount ("monterey blues") in the siig minitouch I had. They are wobbly and somewhat chattery. Some people seem to like them so you might. If not, resale is entirely possible.
They’re only “chattery” if you have crappy thin ABS keycaps on them. The ones I’ve tried also aren’t wobbly at all. Noticeably less wobble than e.g. any Alps switches.
They're still heavy compared to Cherry MX red, brown, blue, but relative to the white Alps I've used the Mtek boards are lighter. However a lot of the switches on mine are inconsistent so I don't use it much. :((
The force at actuation is maybe slightly higher than cherry MX blue, but because they are substantially more tactile, and also very light in the early part of the key travel, to me they feel pretty similar in weight overall. They’re also quite smooth (nowhere near as much scratchy plastic friction as any Cherry MX switches). Basically, similar in weight but dramatically more satisfying to type on, for me at least. They have a bit less travel than MX switches.
Montereys are knock-offs with compatible key caps but not pins.
I think that they are comparable to blue Alps but with perhaps a lighter sound and touch.
Very nice, and you should be able to re-sell the board if you don't like them.
I don’t think it’s fair to call them knock-offs. They are a substantially different mechanism. Someone must have demanded that SMK provide switches with an Alps keycap mount to match existing keycaps, and SMK obliged by putting an Alps mount on their existing different switch design.
They have less travel than blue Alps, and a fairly similar weight. They are more tactile than Alps clicky switches, and the tactile/actuation point is noticeably further in the switch travel. The sound is a bit different, a bit higher pitched with a bit more “snap” to it. They also make less sound when bottoming out or returning.
Thanks for all the great info, I'll keep you guys updated when it arrives (apparently it'll arrive tomorrow). Do you happen to know of any resources for restoration of older keyboards? It looks like I'll have to do some cleaning.