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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: ManicMatt1125 on Wed, 21 January 2015, 15:31:45

Title: Need Advice for a High Quality keyboard
Post by: ManicMatt1125 on Wed, 21 January 2015, 15:31:45
Hello, I am in the market for a high quality keyboard. Currently I have a Ducky SHine 3, MX blues, Which I like But I want to upgrade to a TKL. I was thinking KMAC but I cannot seem to find them anywhere. Any suggestions for high end keyboards? I have no objection to customs if the meet my criteria ( MX Blue, MX Clear or Topre)
Title: Re: Need Advice for a High Quality keyboard
Post by: monotagary on Wed, 21 January 2015, 15:36:57
High Quality? TKL? Topre?

Sounds like you need a Realforce 87u 55g.
Title: Re: Need Advice for a High Quality keyboard
Post by: Defect on Wed, 21 January 2015, 15:40:27
High Quality? TKL? Topre?

Sounds like you need a Realforce 87u 55g.

Realforce is good quality.  Not high quality.  Plastic case, abs space bar, inconsistent domes.  Nice caps and nice feel, but digilog cases are expensive and hard to come by.
Title: Re: Need Advice for a High Quality keyboard
Post by: SpAmRaY on Wed, 21 January 2015, 16:03:02
High Quality? TKL? Topre?

Sounds like you need a Realforce 87u 55g.

Realforce is good quality.  Not high quality.  Plastic case, abs space bar, inconsistent domes.  Nice caps and nice feel, but digilog cases are expensive and hard to come by.

digilog cases can be found on ebay
Title: Re: Need Advice for a High Quality keyboard
Post by: Hellcatz on Wed, 21 January 2015, 16:38:35
If u want a Korean keyboard then try getting a gon. But be ready to blow $350
Title: Re: Need Advice for a High Quality keyboard
Post by: Sygaldry on Wed, 21 January 2015, 16:40:47
RF87U with Digilog case.

If you don't mind going to a smaller form factor -> HHKB (won't find anything better)
Title: Re: Need Advice for a High Quality keyboard
Post by: intelli78 on Wed, 21 January 2015, 16:41:34
Realforce is good quality.  Not high quality.

I... can't agree with that. RFs are on par with any other premium brand out there. Filco, Ducky, KUL, Leopold... Maybe they are not "high quality" compared to a metal custom, but that's not a fair comparison...
Title: Re: Need Advice for a High Quality keyboard
Post by: hwood34 on Wed, 21 January 2015, 18:35:16
I mean, if you're looking for a korean board, you might as well look for others. GON would be the most readily accessible and easiest to obtain board you could find, though you could also get a PCB proxied from winkeyless and find a case seperately
Title: Re: Need Advice for a High Quality keyboard
Post by: Firebolt1914 on Wed, 21 January 2015, 19:45:18
Also consider building one yourself if you want an 'end game' keyboard. The experience alone may make it more valuable than other keyboards.
Title: Re: Need Advice for a High Quality keyboard
Post by: limitz on Wed, 21 January 2015, 22:02:26
RF87U with Digilog case.

If you don't mind going to a smaller form factor -> HHKB (won't find anything better)

Screw that. HHKB is a **** layout, and has a huge circlejerk surrounding it. It has the symmetrical aesthetics going for it and that's about it.

75% or TKL is so much more efficient.
Title: Re: Need Advice for a High Quality keyboard
Post by: Sygaldry on Wed, 21 January 2015, 22:06:46
RF87U with Digilog case.

If you don't mind going to a smaller form factor -> HHKB (won't find anything better)

Screw that. HHKB is a **** layout. It has the symmetrical aesthetics going for it and that's about it.

75% or TKL is so much more efficient.
You're a **** layout
Title: Re: Need Advice for a High Quality keyboard
Post by: Oobly on Thu, 22 January 2015, 01:55:44
GON NS NerD TKL with lubed 62g Clears.... Don't get higher quality than that: http://www.gonskeyboardworks.com/custom-kbds-w-assembly/66-gon-ns-nerd-tkl-w-tuningassembly.html#/4_tuning_leds-side_led_onlyon_off/1_anodizing-hardgrey_dark_grey_only_black_steel_bolts/2_switch_type-new_mx_clears/3_tuning_switches-lub_stickers_62g_springs

It's a custom with a lot of options and incredible attention to detail and build quality. You can save money by buying parts and building it up yourself, but GON's work is second to none.

There are other top quality options, lots of customs out there (LZ, KMAC, 356L N CL, etc.)

I've had fun building up my own board from a GON NerD60 PCB, Vortex aluminium case, the PuLSE SA keycap set and switches sourced from a Cherry G80 (modified with Korean 62g springs from Sprit and "trampoline" silicone balls from IMSTO), which feels simply awesome to type on:

[attach=1]

All Topre boards are overpriced (and overrated, IMHO). There are practically no aftermarket keycap options (and only two keycap profiles, something like OEM profile and a tall spherical top profile, but you can't put tall caps on a normal board or normal caps on a tall profile board, they use different housings) and very few modding options (you can add lube and flattened dampening pads to make a normal board something like the silenced version). They don't support LED backlighting. There are only 2 variants (unless you consider the Realforce variable), 45g and 55g. Some layouts only come in one switch type (HHKB and FC660C for example only have 45g version, the only uniform 55g version is Realforce). They're all standard, factory-made products, no customs. No aluminium or acrylic case versions available. They're okay if you want the best rubber dome board money can buy.  :p
Title: Re: Need Advice for a High Quality keyboard
Post by: ManicMatt1125 on Thu, 22 January 2015, 19:41:52
Thank you all for the response. I have decided to go with a tkl gon, and now have a whole slew of other options avail. Has anyone bought from them that is able to help me decide on which options to choose?