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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: baslo on Mon, 26 January 2015, 06:31:56

Title: Looking for a Keyboard with F-Keys close to 123...
Post by: baslo on Mon, 26 January 2015, 06:31:56
Hey guys,

been having a great time at this forum checking out stuff and getting into mechanical keyboards  :thumb: :thumb:

Iīm looking for a board with the following features:

- MX-Browns (or similiar
- TKL
- F-Keys have to be really close to 1,2,3 etc. like at the Noppoo Choc Mini Mx Red Pom
- preferably ISO layout - europe here
- a little bit bigger than the Noppoo keyboard
- maybe -no must have- blank capīs or the oneīs with the symbols, numbers etc. on the lower side of it, you know what i mean

I donīt need no Bling Bling LEDs, Macros or additional Keyīs!

Not sure if thereīs anything like that on the market, i have sure tried to find one like described above!

Thx in advance
Title: Re: Looking for a Keyboard with F-Keys close to 123...
Post by: DTRPS on Mon, 26 January 2015, 06:38:42
I've been looking for a keyboard like this as well for a long time, and I'm pretty sure the only keyboards on the market are Razer Blackwidow TKL and the Noppoo Nano 75s.
Title: Re: Looking for a Keyboard with F-Keys close to 123...
Post by: Defect on Mon, 26 January 2015, 08:59:37
There aren't any TKL that have numrow close to f-row that I can think of.

But if you are OK with a mini (aka 75%) layout, I LOVE my Choc mini

(http://i.imgur.com/l7zOlsk.jpg)
Title: Re: Looking for a Keyboard with F-Keys close to 123...
Post by: Sygaldry on Mon, 26 January 2015, 09:01:16
75% or lightsaver layout.
Title: Re: Looking for a Keyboard with F-Keys close to 123...
Post by: jdcarpe on Mon, 26 January 2015, 09:01:24
Yeah, what you are looking for is called a 75% form factor. FYI, a TKL is called an 80%.

Options are either the Noppoo Choc Mini, or the Keycool 84.



Also, welcome to Geekhack! :)
Title: Re: Looking for a Keyboard with F-Keys close to 123...
Post by: munch on Mon, 26 January 2015, 09:11:13
well, technically you have the option of finding a used LightSaver keyboard. or joining the group buy for the new RedScarf. since you wanted something bigger than the Noppoo.

they're both custom keyboards, and the LightSaver costs around $500 for a used board, kind of hard to find. and the RedScarf being a group buy for USA only... should cost around $300 to build one?
plus it would take a while to get the RedScarf I think, if you can get someone to ship it to you.

they're not actually TKL though, since they have the numpad (TK), but also come with the arrow keys and such, and are not as wide as a full size.

http://cfile1.uf.tistory.com/image/2604C0415347EBDD1D43F5
and
https://geekhack.org/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=67398.0;attach=86557;image

NOT 100% sure if you can customize the layout for ISO though.
Title: Re: Looking for a Keyboard with F-Keys close to 123...
Post by: SpAmRaY on Mon, 26 January 2015, 09:22:18
well, technically you have the option of finding a used LightSaver keyboard. or joining the group buy for the new RedScarf. since you wanted something bigger than the Noppoo.

they're both custom keyboards, and the LightSaver costs around $500 for a used board, kind of hard to find. and the RedScarf being a group buy for USA only... should cost around $300 to build one?
plus it would take a while to get the RedScarf I think, if you can get someone to ship it to you.

they're not actually TKL though, since they have the numpad (TK), but also come with the arrow keys and such, and are not as wide as a full size.

http://cfile1.uf.tistory.com/image/2604C0415347EBDD1D43F5
and
https://geekhack.org/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=67398.0;attach=86557;image

NOT 100% sure if you can customize the layout for ISO though.

sorry to go off topic here but munch your avatar makes me hungry :(
Title: Re: Looking for a Keyboard with F-Keys close to 123...
Post by: IvanIvanovich on Mon, 26 January 2015, 12:17:17
There is Noppoo Lolita
(http://www.pixelbeat.org/systems/noppoo-lolita/noppoo-lolita-87-black.jpg)
but it does not come in ISO. Also, it use MX alike switch, not Cherry.


While I generally don't like to recommend... the other TKL with the next closest function row to the numrow I think is probably the Razer BlackWidow Tournament edition, which does come in ISO. Also uses MX alike switch, not Cherry.
Title: Re: Looking for a Keyboard with F-Keys close to 123...
Post by: baslo on Mon, 26 January 2015, 23:35:44
wow!

Thanks for the answers, amazing community u guys have here  :thumb: :thumb: !

I donīt understand why there are 0 ISO options with the F-Keys next to the Number-Keys - and even ANSI options are limited.
All these so called "Gaming Keyboards" have in my opinion useless Macro keys that are not really easily reachable while the F-Keys could easily fix that if they would be placed right above the numbers F1-1;F2-2 etc... :-\ :-\

I found this http://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/2cm83k/keyboard_science_i_wanted_a_75_layout_that_didnt/ which is exactly what im looking for, but this is custom made and i donīt think i would be able to build it on my own :(

If there isnīt anything else i can find, i might try to find a Cooler Master Rapid Fire Stealth with white LEDīs, which is gonna be released pretty soonish. This is the only Keyboard i like LEDīs with so far.

Thanks everybody :)  :cool:
Title: Re: Looking for a Keyboard with F-Keys close to 123...
Post by: 0100010 on Tue, 27 January 2015, 22:28:04
Plum96 keyboard is pretty close.  Just a small gap between the F row and number row, and a numpad instead arrow and 6 pack (but functionally the same).
Title: Re: Looking for a Keyboard with F-Keys close to 123...
Post by: Lazerxzz on Wed, 28 January 2015, 17:40:39
Noppoo choc mini is a great board when it works. If you want a long lasting keyboard I don't recommend it. Just google chattering issues or amazon reviews, most of them develop keys double pressing within the first year. I've experienced it myself :/
Title: Re: Looking for a Keyboard with F-Keys close to 123...
Post by: Roibhilin on Wed, 28 January 2015, 17:55:00
would you be ok with the function keys being under a fn layer?
Title: Re: Looking for a Keyboard with F-Keys close to 123...
Post by: baslo on Thu, 29 January 2015, 09:29:55
would you be ok with the function keys being under a fn layer?

iīm actually not, iīm a competetive WoW player, and i need as many Keys around WASD as possible, thatīs why ISO for the "<>|" Key is so important for me + the F1 Keys next to 1,2,3 .. etc. would be amazing..

unfortunately there arenīt any options that wonīt cost 300$+ to buy.

now considering between the

Ducky Shine 3 TKL
CM Storm QuickFire Rapid I

since they are easily obtainable here in Germany :) any Tips?  :thumb: :thumb:

Cheers!
Title: Re: Looking for a Keyboard with F-Keys close to 123...
Post by: CPTBadAss on Thu, 29 January 2015, 09:36:12
unfortunately there aren�t any options that won�t cost 300$+ to buy.

For your original question, a Data911 aka TG3-BL82 would fit your description. They're cheap too. But you'd have to swap the Blacks for Browns. I picked mine up for around $30. The Siig Minitouch/K104 is an option as well if you're OK with Alps.

Hey guys, which one should i get as a first mechanical keyboard  :thumb:

CM Storm QuickFire Rapid I
Ducky Shine 3 TKL

both with MX Browns !

Canīt decide :(

What exactly are you looking for in a keyboard? You like backlighting? Do the stabilizers matter to you? Keycaps? PCB quality?

Again, what are your concerns about those two keyboards? This thread seems to be geared towards your hunt for 75%. Looks like the only thing I could comment on based on your OP is that I believe that Ducky doesn't have ISO boards other than their old Ducky mini. I'm fairly sure the Rapid I comes in ISO.

If I had to pick between the two? I'd take the Ducky. I don't like the PCB on the Quickfire Rapids. It's bad for modding in my opinion.

Edit: Also if you don't care about bling-bling backlighting, it seems weird you're picking between two backlight boards.
Title: Re: Looking for a Keyboard with F-Keys close to 123...
Post by: baslo on Thu, 29 January 2015, 10:04:50
unfortunately there aren�t any options that won�t cost 300$+ to buy.

For your original question, a Data911 aka TG3-BL82 would fit your description. They're cheap too. But you'd have to swap the Blacks for Browns. I picked mine up for around $30. The Siig Minitouch/K104 is an option as well if you're OK with Alps.

Hey guys, which one should i get as a first mechanical keyboard  :thumb:

CM Storm QuickFire Rapid I
Ducky Shine 3 TKL

both with MX Browns !

Canīt decide :(

What exactly are you looking for in a keyboard? You like backlighting? Do the stabilizers matter to you? Keycaps? PCB quality?

Again, what are your concerns about those two keyboards? This thread seems to be geared towards your hunt for 75%. Looks like the only thing I could comment on based on your OP is that I believe that Ducky doesn't have ISO boards other than their old Ducky mini. I'm fairly sure the Rapid I comes in ISO.

If I had to pick between the two? I'd take the Ducky. I don't like the PCB on the Quickfire Rapids. It's bad for modding in my opinion.

Edit: Also if you don't care about bling-bling backlighting, it seems weird you're picking between two backlight boards.

The two boards in the top of your post sadly miss out on the key to the left of 1 on ISO layout.

I have a really hard time finding ISO layout boards that are close to that what i want here in Germany or Europe  (even though we produce your beloved MX-Blues, Browns etc.), thatīs why i chose Boards with LEDs.

This is the Ducky Keyboard i found which is closest to my needs and isnīt any Razer or similiar (IMO crappy quality, had a razer mouse a while ago that broke after 1 year, never again) brand i do not like ->

https://www.caseking.de/shop/catalog/Eingabegeraete/Tastaturen/Tastaturen-Ducky/Ducky-Shine-3-Slim-Gaming-Tastatur-MX-Brown-blaue-LED-schwarz::26491.html
http://www.mindfactory.de/product_info.php/Ducky-Shine-3-Slim-gruene-LED-MX-Brown-USB-Deutsch-schwarz_962657.html

Thanks for your advice!