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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: riko on Mon, 11 September 2017, 11:40:05

Title: Best Keyboard Manufacturer?
Post by: riko on Mon, 11 September 2017, 11:40:05
Has anyone ever made a ranking of the best keyboard manufacturers?
Title: Re: Best Keyboard Manufacturer?
Post by: SpAmRaY on Mon, 11 September 2017, 12:02:26
There's too much personal opinion really, there is no 'best' anything.
Title: Re: Best Keyboard Manufacturer?
Post by: sabron on Tue, 12 September 2017, 10:58:29
Leopold and Filco make pretty solid keyboards.
Title: Re: Best Keyboard Manufacturer?
Post by: romevi on Tue, 12 September 2017, 11:09:45
These two:

http://www.topre.co.jp/en/products/elec/keyboards/
https://geekhack.org/index.php?action=profile;u=30158
Title: Re: Best Keyboard Manufacturer?
Post by: clasicks on Tue, 12 September 2017, 11:20:38
PFU DUH
Title: Re: Best Keyboard Manufacturer?
Post by: Zobeid Zuma on Tue, 12 September 2017, 12:37:21
I have it on good authority that REDGEAR makes the Best Mechanical Keyboard Ever!!!!  (Yes, with FOUR exclamation points!)  THIS THING IS AMAZING!

The proof. . .


Title: Re: Best Keyboard Manufacturer?
Post by: Duckyreddy on Tue, 12 September 2017, 15:06:08
I'm a big fan of Filco, it's simple, solid and reliable.

(removable cable pls Filco?)  :rolleyes:
Title: Re: Best Keyboard Manufacturer?
Post by: Hyde on Tue, 12 September 2017, 16:30:20
Leopold and Filco make pretty solid keyboards.

My sentiments exactly.

So I guess Filco = Costar, and Leopold = ? ? ? ? ?

Though it seems like Leopold and Varmilo uses the same OEM.  Ducky's OEM is also a mystery.
Title: Re: Best Keyboard Manufacturer?
Post by: Duckyreddy on Tue, 12 September 2017, 16:37:41

Leopold and Filco make pretty solid keyboards.

My sentiments exactly.

So I guess Filco = Costar, and Leopold = ? ? ? ? ?

Though it seems like Leopold and Varmilo uses the same OEM.  Ducky's OEM is also a mystery.



Most of Ducky's lineup is still made in Taiwan, Costar is a Taiwanese company as well

I'm not too sure either but I think they could be completely independent!  :p


Title: Re: Best Keyboard Manufacturer?
Post by: tp4tissue on Tue, 12 September 2017, 16:52:15
Costar is by far the best manufacturer..


Costar stabilizer = BEST stabilizer..   


Everything else is crap.. topre, crap, cherry, crap,
Title: Re: Best Keyboard Manufacturer?
Post by: _haru on Tue, 12 September 2017, 17:42:47
The best keyboard manufacturer is yourself. Customs are better than off the shelf boards.

In all seriousness though, Spamaray is right, it's all down to personal opinion and needs.

Tp4 is right about stabilisers though.
Title: Re: Best Keyboard Manufacturer?
Post by: Findecanor on Tue, 12 September 2017, 21:25:47
What about Varmilo? I have not tried them myself but reviews I have seen have been good.
They seem to have a good range of models, both ANSI and ISO layouts, dyesub PBT keycaps and enclosures of aluminium or magnesium for some models.
Title: Re: Best Keyboard Manufacturer?
Post by: _haru on Tue, 12 September 2017, 23:02:48
What about Varmilo? I have not tried them myself but reviews I have seen have been good.
They seem to have a good range of models, both ANSI and ISO layouts, dyesub PBT keycaps and enclosures of aluminium or magnesium for some models.

Yeah, I haven't used them extensively but Varmilo boards do have a pretty god reputation among my friends.
Title: Re: Best Keyboard Manufacturer?
Post by: Kavik on Tue, 12 September 2017, 23:22:28
Costar is by far the best manufacturer..


Costar stabilizer = BEST stabilizer..   


Everything else is crap.. topre, crap, cherry, crap,


If it's not Scottish, it's CRAP!

That said, the only Scottish keyboards I can think of are Model Ms.
Title: Re: Best Keyboard Manufacturer?
Post by: davkol on Wed, 13 September 2017, 06:33:51
It's gonna be kind of arbitrary based on chosen criteria, but what about GMK/Uniqey?
Title: Re: Best Keyboard Manufacturer?
Post by: clasicks on Wed, 13 September 2017, 09:14:54
Costar is by far the best manufacturer..


Costar stabilizer = BEST stabilizer..   


Everything else is crap.. topre, crap, cherry, crap,


Did you know we can read your message just fine with the standard font size and color?
Title: Re: Best Keyboard Manufacturer?
Post by: _PixelNinja on Wed, 13 September 2017, 09:54:08
Though it seems like Leopold and Varmilo uses the same OEM.  Ducky's OEM is also a mystery.

Varmilo was Leopold's Chinese OEM for certain units before thinking it was a good idea so sell Leopold's products as is under their own name, resulting in Leopold cutting ties with them and moving the production back to their line in Taiwan. Interestingly, build quality of the concerned units went up after that happened.

Ducky has their own in house OEM.
Title: Re: Best Keyboard Manufacturer?
Post by: Findecanor on Wed, 13 September 2017, 12:47:24
It's gonna be kind of arbitrary based on chosen criteria, but what about GMK/Uniqey?
Uniqey does not have much of a range. Only one full-size model in white or black, only in US-ANSI and German layouts and they ship only to a few countries. I'm also in Europe, the EU and I would have to get things from them via a proxy ...
Title: Re: Best Keyboard Manufacturer?
Post by: tp4tissue on Wed, 13 September 2017, 14:54:17
Costar is by far the best manufacturer..


Costar stabilizer = BEST stabilizer..   


Everything else is crap.. topre, crap, cherry, crap,


Did you know we can read your message just fine with the standard font size and color?

No, No I did not.. !!

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW ??

Title: Re: Best Keyboard Manufacturer?
Post by: OfTheWild on Wed, 13 September 2017, 16:12:10
I make a few mods to my Costar stabs, but yeah... i like them a lot.
Title: Re: Best Keyboard Manufacturer?
Post by: zslane on Wed, 13 September 2017, 16:15:24
Topre, Filco, and Varmillo are probably the overall best mass-market brands.
Title: Re: Best Keyboard Manufacturer?
Post by: clasicks on Wed, 13 September 2017, 19:09:46
Costar is by far the best manufacturer..


Costar stabilizer = BEST stabilizer..   


Everything else is crap.. topre, crap, cherry, crap,


Did you know we can read your message just fine with the standard font size and color?

No, No I did not.. !!

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW ??


10-4, loud and clear! Over.
Title: Re: Best Keyboard Manufacturer?
Post by: Hyde on Thu, 14 September 2017, 21:29:31
Costar is by far the best manufacturer..


Costar stabilizer = BEST stabilizer..   


Everything else is crap.. topre, crap, cherry, crap,


Generally I'd say don't take TP4 seriously but this time he speaks the truth.  :p