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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Duolasa on Sat, 05 March 2016, 16:36:54
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Hey everyone, I've been having some difficulty finding a full keyboard with cherry mx-clear switches in Europe. I was thinking maybe I could get some help here.
Currently I own a SteelSeries 6gv2 (my first mechanical) but I'm not really enjoying it very much as I don't enjoy the linear feel of the keys.
Meanwhile I had a chance to test all cherry switches and a topre one and I quite liked the feel of the mx clear. Unfortunately I'm not having much luck with finding a keyboard with them.
Currently the only thing I can find is the CODE 104 ANSI.
Are there currently any other options I'm not finding?
I already noticed the full layout is not very popular except on cheaper membrane keyboards, why is that?
If I can't find any decent options in full I was thinking of maybe going with tenkeyless but I'm afraid I won't get used to it as I have used full keyboards all my life.
Thanks in advance. :thumb:
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Welcome to Geekhack!
CODE is definitely one option.
Shipping to Europe, are you looking for ANSI or an ISO variant?
WASD have both:
http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/index.php/products/mechanical-keyboard/wasd-v2-104-key-custom-mechanical-keyboard.html
http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/index.php/products/mechanical-keyboard/wasd-v2-105-key-iso-custom-mechanical-keyboard.html
You could get a a TKL keyboard, and a separate numpad (not sure if you'd be able to get a numpad with clears though).
The only two things I miss from a full size keyboard are typing IP addresses, and being able to tap the numpad Enter with my hand still on the mouse.
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I'm tending more towards ISO.
CODE 104 ISO doesn't seem to be available with mx-clears. But TKS does.
If I went TKS would I be able to find some more options?
If so what are some possibilities?
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I see a bunch of ANSI 104 options for Cherry Mx Clear switches - Ducky Shine 2,4, Ducky G2 Pro, Deck Legend. Ergo clear modded ISO? :-[
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The WASD v2 can be had in ISO full with clears, they're just out of stock temporarily. Same thing happened when I was shopping for my keyboard, but they restocked the switches just a few days later. If that's a good fit for what you need, I'd just keep an eye on the page and pounce once the clears are available. You can also send them a note asking about it and they might give you an ETA.
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How is the quality on WASD keyboards and their customer support? I'm in Australia so I don't see them around alot.
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Ducky One?
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I want to avoid ordering from outside of the EU.
The only full or TKL with MX-Clears I can find in Europe is the WASD v2 and Ducky Shine 5. Both in ANSI.
Which of the two is better? They cost around the same.
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I'm in this same boat. I have been looking for a quiet, tactile, medium/heavy spring (MX-Clear) 104 or 87 (full or tkl) keyboard for work (left out on desk) thats not expensive. Lets say <$100.
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How is the quality on WASD keyboards and their customer support? I'm in Australia so I don't see them around alot.
I don't have a lot of experience with different makes to compare to, someone else will have to chime in on that. I can say that my V2 is far and away superior to the Rosewill Apollo I was using before, and I prefer it to all the Razer and Corsair keyboards I've played with. My experience with their (WASD) support has always been excellent and they're my go-to recommendation for people who want a good non-gaming-focused mechanical keyboard but aren't "keyboard enthusiasts".
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I think you could find some Cherry full-size keyboard on ebay with MX-Clears and decent price (mostly <100€). They offer ISO layouts too.
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I think you could find some Cherry full-size keyboard on ebay with MX-Clears and decent price (mostly <100€). They offer ISO layouts too.
I've got an ebay automated search for MX clear keyboards and I have yet to find any full sized. I do find the cherry branded boards with the track pad for point of sale devices. Those are ok i guess but i just want a plain old subtle 104 for work.
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I'm tending more towards ISO.
CODE 104 ISO doesn't seem to be available with mx-clears. But TKS does.
If I went TKS would I be able to find some more options?
If so what are some possibilities?
ISO/Nordic/UK/Germany and more have 105 or 109 (like Ducky Shine ISO/UK 2/3/4/5 RGB/Ducky One/RGB YOTG) keys, full k-boards.
ANSI have 104 or 108 (like ANSI/US Ducky Shine 2/3/4/5 RGB/Ducky One/RGB YOTG) keys, full k-boards.
There is a Code 105 ISO/Nordic - Swedish layout with Clears
http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/index.php/products/code-keyboard/code-105-key-swe-mechanical-keyboard.html
You can change the Nordic/Swedish keycaps set to a UK keycaps set.
If ISO/UK is what you want.
Or just buy the Code 105 UK k-board.
http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/index.php/products/code-keyboard/code-105-key-uk-mechanical-keyboard.html
http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/index.php/products/code-keyboard/code-105-key-ger-mechanical-keyboard.html
I have a Ducky Shine 3 ISO/UK but I change to a ISO/Nordic/Swedish keycaps set.
EDIT: Both k-boards are out of stock.
German in stock.
My ANSI Ducky One RGB YOTG (108 keys) and my ISO/Nordic Ducky Shine 3 (109 keys) boards.
(http://i.imgur.com/R5s3icd.jpg)
EDIT 2: If you're thinkin of change the keycaps on the k-board to a another keycaps set, buy a ANSI k-board.
You don't find so many good lookin ISO keycaps sets.
Here in Sweden we have 1 shop that sell ISO/Nordic keycaps sets, that's why I'm usin ANSI k-boards, I have some Ducky Shine 2/3 ISO/Nordic + 1 ISO/UK full 109 k-boards but I never use them now.
One problem with full 108 k-boards are that many keycaps sets are only 104 sets.
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I was in the same boat. I really like my Leopold FC900 boards with Navy keycaps. I am planning on swapping the switches on them to purple Zealios. I am going to do one board with 65 G and one with 67 G.
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How about a 149% layout? 8)
(https://deskthority.net/w/images/thumb/8/8e/G80-9009_001.jpg/800px-G80-9009_001.jpg)
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HA!
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That left shift button :'(
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That left shift button :'(
Behold its ISO glory!
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I want to avoid ordering from outside of the EU.
The only full or TKL with MX-Clears I can find in Europe is the WASD v2 and Ducky Shine 5. Both in ANSI.
Which of the two is better? They cost around the same.
I'd totally go with the Ducky Shine 5. I actually upgraded from a WASD v2 directly to the Shine 5 and I'd never go back. I felt like the WASD (especially for the price) felt "cheaper," and the stock backlit keycaps are total garbage and will wear insanely fast (if you're not planning to replace them out of the box). I also had multiple LED issues out of the box with them (I've bought multiple) though to their credit they were fairly quick to resolve the issues. The biggest problem I had with the WASD was its two-part body that felt "springy" to me (hard to describe). If you applied enough pressure (and not a whole lot), it was audible, and not just from the switches or anything like that. The Shine 5 has nice feeling (and nicely coated) solid body and the best lil' stubbly legs.
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How is the quality on WASD keyboards and their customer support? I'm in Australia so I don't see them around alot.
Customer support is stellar from my experience build quality is solid but below that of their main competitor KUL imo. I owned and reviewed the WASD CODE on my Youtube channel it was a fairly solid board however had some minor quirks (not all of which i can recall offhand)
Suffered from more ping than most boards with MX Clears i have used or owned
Board had a little bit of flex to it not present in the KUL 87 ES i compared it to
Customer support was a high note though with fast responding staff a more than fair warranty and over willingness to respond to any questions asked (and believe me i asked a LOT when i did my review)
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I want to avoid ordering from outside of the EU.
The only full or TKL with MX-Clears I can find in Europe is the WASD v2 and Ducky Shine 5. Both in ANSI.
Which of the two is better? They cost around the same.
I'd totally go with the Ducky Shine 5. I actually upgraded from a WASD v2 directly to the Shine 5 and I'd never go back. I felt like the WASD (especially for the price) felt "cheaper," and the stock backlit keycaps are total garbage and will wear insanely fast (if you're not planning to replace them out of the box). I also had multiple LED issues out of the box with them (I've bought multiple) though to their credit they were fairly quick to resolve the issues. The biggest problem I had with the WASD was its two-part body that felt "springy" to me (hard to describe). If you applied enough pressure (and not a whole lot), it was audible, and not just from the switches or anything like that. The Shine 5 has nice feeling (and nicely coated) solid body and the best lil' stubbly legs.
Yeah, my white ISO/Nordic Ducky Shine 2 are still workin and all white LEDs are also still workin.
The only thing I don't like with the Shine 5 RGB k-boards are the "Bigfoot" legs :mad:
I have 2 ANSI Ducky Shine 4 "Bigfoot" :'(