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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: kaje on Sun, 27 July 2014, 12:03:57

Title: What are my Ducking options?
Post by: kaje on Sun, 27 July 2014, 12:03:57
So, I'm looking for my first mechanical KB and I've decided that I want a Ducky, Blue switches, TKL and with PBT keycaps. I'm trying not to go the more expensive backlit route to save a little since I'll eventually replace the ABS keycaps and I haven't seen PBT keycaps for backlighting.

But the one model that seems to fit these specifications and have been getting great reviews is the DK9087G2 Pros and I can't find them for sale anywhere. All I see is Shines, Shines and more Shines with the occasional DK2087 Zero.

So what is my best option? Should I just go with a Shine 3 and not use the backlighting once I upgrade to PBT keys? Or is a DK2087 as good as a Shine 3 sans backlighting? Or are there DK9087G2 Pros out there that I just haven't been able to find?
Title: Re: What are my Ducking options?
Post by: HendyZone on Sun, 27 July 2014, 12:21:21
Yes, DK9087G2-PRO discontinued already sir

If you prefer to stay with PBT keycap, you can take a look to KEYCOOL since they also have TKL board with PBT keycap
Title: Re: What are my Ducking options?
Post by: Darwin on Sun, 27 July 2014, 12:51:57
What you are looking for is called Ducky Premier... It's a successor to G2 Pro, a 2014 model with PBT dye sublimated keycaps.
Title: Re: What are my Ducking options?
Post by: kaje on Sun, 27 July 2014, 12:54:49
What you are looking for is called Ducky Premier... It's a successor to G2 Pro, a 2014 model with PBT dye sublimated keycaps.

I'd love that but I haven't seen it in a TKL option.
Title: Re: What are my Ducking options?
Post by: kaje on Sun, 27 July 2014, 13:05:29
What you are looking for is called Ducky Premier... It's a successor to G2 Pro, a 2014 model with PBT dye sublimated keycaps.

What are the quality of those keyboards? They're shipping with PBT keycaps for under $100. It's not absolutely necessary that the keyboard come with PBT keycaps because I'm going to likely want to customize it to my own coloring scheme eventually, but I'd prefer to get a good quality keyboard in TKL format above all else.
Title: Re: What are my Ducking options?
Post by: rowdy on Sun, 27 July 2014, 19:58:30
If you're going to replace the keycaps anyway, then that is not an issue when buying the keyboard, and opens a lot more possibilities.

You could consider a Ducky Zero - all the Ducky quality without the cost overhead of backlighting.

Or a Filco, if you can afford a little more - very good keyboards.

Recent KeyCools use Kailh switches, not Cherry switches, and there are no indications yet of the quality of the recent KeyCools (although the older KeyCools, with Cherry switches, are very good, and do include PBT keycaps - mine is still going strong).

CoolerMaster QFR is another good keyboard, albeit with crappy keycaps, but then you're replacing those anyway :p

CM have a new Novatouch coming out soon with Topre switches, but might be a bit more expensive than you'd prefer.  Or the QFR-I (although that has backlighting)?
Title: Re: What are my Ducking options?
Post by: johndavis33 on Sun, 27 July 2014, 21:42:48
What you are looking for is called Ducky Premier... It's a successor to G2 Pro, a 2014 model with PBT dye sublimated keycaps.

What are the quality of those keyboards? They're shipping with PBT keycaps for under $100. It's not absolutely necessary that the keyboard come with PBT keycaps because I'm going to likely want to customize it to my own coloring scheme eventually, but I'd prefer to get a good quality keyboard in TKL format above all else.

The ducky premier is the highest quality keyboard I've ever used. But I have to ask, where in the hell are you finding them on sale for less than a 100 dollars!? On ebay they're selling between 160-200
Title: Re: What are my Ducking options?
Post by: tbc on Sun, 27 July 2014, 21:44:42
^

where are you from?  160 is outrageous.


120 was the original pricing wasn't it?
Title: Re: What are my Ducking options?
Post by: kaje on Sun, 27 July 2014, 21:46:30
If you're going to replace the keycaps anyway, then that is not an issue when buying the keyboard, and opens a lot more possibilities.

You could consider a Ducky Zero - all the Ducky quality without the cost overhead of backlighting.

Or a Filco, if you can afford a little more - very good keyboards.

Recent KeyCools use Kailh switches, not Cherry switches, and there are no indications yet of the quality of the recent KeyCools (although the older KeyCools, with Cherry switches, are very good, and do include PBT keycaps - mine is still going strong).

CoolerMaster QFR is another good keyboard, albeit with crappy keycaps, but then you're replacing those anyway :p

CM have a new Novatouch coming out soon with Topre switches, but might be a bit more expensive than you'd prefer.  Or the QFR-I (although that has backlighting)?

Well the customized keycaps will be coming in the future, not anytime soon since I'm trying not to spend $200 on a keyboard right now. Plus, this hobby seems to rely so heavily on mass drops and waiting a lot of the time so I'm not expecting to find anything that I'm wanting right away, anyways. Haha.

 I'm wanting to spend at most $150ish. So that rules out the Filco. Is the Shine 3 a more superior board than the Zero excluding the lighting?
Title: Re: What are my Ducking options?
Post by: kaje on Sun, 27 July 2014, 21:47:54
What you are looking for is called Ducky Premier... It's a successor to G2 Pro, a 2014 model with PBT dye sublimated keycaps.

What are the quality of those keyboards? They're shipping with PBT keycaps for under $100. It's not absolutely necessary that the keyboard come with PBT keycaps because I'm going to likely want to customize it to my own coloring scheme eventually, but I'd prefer to get a good quality keyboard in TKL format above all else.

The ducky premier is the highest quality keyboard I've ever used. But I have to ask, where in the hell are you finding them on sale for less than a 100 dollars!? On ebay they're selling between 160-200

I was referring to the KEYCOOL being under $100. The Premiere isn't TKL so I'm not considering it an option as tempting as it is.
Title: Re: What are my Ducking options?
Post by: rowdy on Sun, 27 July 2014, 22:11:55
If you're going to replace the keycaps anyway, then that is not an issue when buying the keyboard, and opens a lot more possibilities.

You could consider a Ducky Zero - all the Ducky quality without the cost overhead of backlighting.

Or a Filco, if you can afford a little more - very good keyboards.

Recent KeyCools use Kailh switches, not Cherry switches, and there are no indications yet of the quality of the recent KeyCools (although the older KeyCools, with Cherry switches, are very good, and do include PBT keycaps - mine is still going strong).

CoolerMaster QFR is another good keyboard, albeit with crappy keycaps, but then you're replacing those anyway :p

CM have a new Novatouch coming out soon with Topre switches, but might be a bit more expensive than you'd prefer.  Or the QFR-I (although that has backlighting)?

Well the customized keycaps will be coming in the future, not anytime soon since I'm trying not to spend $200 on a keyboard right now. Plus, this hobby seems to rely so heavily on mass drops and waiting a lot of the time so I'm not expecting to find anything that I'm wanting right away, anyways. Haha.

 I'm wanting to spend at most $150ish. So that rules out the Filco. Is the Shine 3 a more superior board than the Zero excluding the lighting?

Shine 3 has LEDs with lots of pretty flashing lighting modes.  And a removable cable.  Biggest differences right there.
Title: Re: What are my Ducking options?
Post by: tbc on Sun, 27 July 2014, 22:47:32
If you're going to replace the keycaps anyway, then that is not an issue when buying the keyboard, and opens a lot more possibilities.

You could consider a Ducky Zero - all the Ducky quality without the cost overhead of backlighting.

Or a Filco, if you can afford a little more - very good keyboards.

Recent KeyCools use Kailh switches, not Cherry switches, and there are no indications yet of the quality of the recent KeyCools (although the older KeyCools, with Cherry switches, are very good, and do include PBT keycaps - mine is still going strong).

CoolerMaster QFR is another good keyboard, albeit with crappy keycaps, but then you're replacing those anyway :p

CM have a new Novatouch coming out soon with Topre switches, but might be a bit more expensive than you'd prefer.  Or the QFR-I (although that has backlighting)?

Well the customized keycaps will be coming in the future, not anytime soon since I'm trying not to spend $200 on a keyboard right now. Plus, this hobby seems to rely so heavily on mass drops and waiting a lot of the time so I'm not expecting to find anything that I'm wanting right away, anyways. Haha.

 I'm wanting to spend at most $150ish. So that rules out the Filco. Is the Shine 3 a more superior board than the Zero excluding the lighting?

Shine 3 has LEDs with lots of pretty flashing lighting modes.  And a removable cable.  Biggest differences right there.

does the zero have TKL already?
Title: Re: What are my Ducking options?
Post by: rowdy on Sun, 27 July 2014, 23:00:22
If you're going to replace the keycaps anyway, then that is not an issue when buying the keyboard, and opens a lot more possibilities.

You could consider a Ducky Zero - all the Ducky quality without the cost overhead of backlighting.

Or a Filco, if you can afford a little more - very good keyboards.

Recent KeyCools use Kailh switches, not Cherry switches, and there are no indications yet of the quality of the recent KeyCools (although the older KeyCools, with Cherry switches, are very good, and do include PBT keycaps - mine is still going strong).

CoolerMaster QFR is another good keyboard, albeit with crappy keycaps, but then you're replacing those anyway :p

CM have a new Novatouch coming out soon with Topre switches, but might be a bit more expensive than you'd prefer.  Or the QFR-I (although that has backlighting)?

Well the customized keycaps will be coming in the future, not anytime soon since I'm trying not to spend $200 on a keyboard right now. Plus, this hobby seems to rely so heavily on mass drops and waiting a lot of the time so I'm not expecting to find anything that I'm wanting right away, anyways. Haha.

 I'm wanting to spend at most $150ish. So that rules out the Filco. Is the Shine 3 a more superior board than the Zero excluding the lighting?

Shine 3 has LEDs with lots of pretty flashing lighting modes.  And a removable cable.  Biggest differences right there.

does the zero have TKL already?

Yes.

http://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=662

Although mk.com is out of stock.  Other retailers might not be.
Title: Re: What are my Ducking options?
Post by: kaje on Mon, 28 July 2014, 19:16:52
Well, after some more looking around, I'm really digging the new KUL ES-87. New company but their boards seem to be getting rave reviews. Now if I just knew when those Cherry MX Blues were going to come out...