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Author Topic: 6gv2  (Read 7053 times)

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Offline pant

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  • Posts: 3
6gv2
« on: Wed, 06 April 2011, 17:14:39 »
I recently bought my first mechanical keyboard, a 6GV2. You could say I am new to the mechanical keyboard scene. I wish I found this forum before I bought anything, but as is often the case I only discovered it once things went wrong and subsequent Googling turned it up.

So I have had it for exactly a week now, and I am a bit disappointed because the quality of the keys has proven to be inconsistent with the price and the rest of the keyboard. In other words, they're ****. The lettering on some keys is fading rapidly, and I expect it will soon be gone entirely.

I don't know if this is just because of where I live (U.K), but I wasn't exactly spoilt for choice when it came to choosing, so I got the 6G in part because there were no alternatives at its price point. Not ideal, I know.

SteelSeries will arrange a refund, but then I am back where I started - using a god forsaken rubber domed monstrosity. I don't look at the keyboard when I use it, so ultimately blank keys aren't a problem, but that doesn't stop it from being annoying, especially considering what it cost.

What should I do?

Get a refund and buy something else? If so, what alternatives are available? (FPS games with some RTS)

Replace the caps with different ones? (is that even possible?)

Have SteelSeries replace the keyboard/keys so that it/they they can wear out again in another week?

Deal with it?

Thanks
« Last Edit: Wed, 06 April 2011, 17:22:03 by pant »
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Offline vun

  • Posts: 1499
  • Location: Norway
  • Just one more thing
6gv2
« Reply #1 on: Wed, 06 April 2011, 17:18:08 »
The Keyboard Company is in the UK, I'd suggest looking at their selection. I, and many others here, can recommend Filco boards, although they're a bit more expensive than the 6G.
Although if the lettering does wear off you just got a free otaku set so unless you need the lettering it shouldn't be an issue.
You could try getting a set of double shot caps either from the group buy or from a member of the forum, they won't wear off.
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Offline pant

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6gv2
« Reply #2 on: Wed, 06 April 2011, 17:24:25 »
I think the equivalent Cherry Black Filco is about £30 dearer than the 6G. Worth it?

What do you mean by a free otaku set?
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Offline vun

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  • Location: Norway
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6gv2
« Reply #3 on: Wed, 06 April 2011, 17:26:43 »
Blank keycaps are often referred to as otaku keycaps. In the case of Filcos you need to buy these separately.
I ordered blank caps for both my Filco boards because it looks better and I don't need the legends.
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Offline RiGS

  • Posts: 1594
6gv2
« Reply #4 on: Wed, 06 April 2011, 17:33:32 »
I use my SS extensively, and the lettering on the keys is just fine.
« Last Edit: Wed, 06 April 2011, 17:35:48 by RiGS »
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Last edited by RiGS; Jan 2011

Offline pant

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6gv2
« Reply #5 on: Wed, 06 April 2011, 17:40:27 »
How does this compare with the 6G quality wise? http://www.keyboardco.com/keyboard_details.asp?PRODUCT=650

Quote
I use my SS extensively, and the lettering on the keys is just fine.

SS? SteelSeries? 6GV2? How long have you had it?
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Offline RiGS

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6gv2
« Reply #6 on: Wed, 06 April 2011, 17:44:08 »
Yep, I bought it for Santa.
Try to clean the keys, they get dirty quickly.
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Last edited by RiGS; Jan 2011

Offline RiGS

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6gv2
« Reply #7 on: Wed, 06 April 2011, 17:50:40 »
Filco gets shiny quickly. Those keycaps are made of ABS plastic as well, but they have some kind of coating to protect the lettering.
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Last edited by RiGS; Jan 2011

Offline RiGS

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6gv2
« Reply #8 on: Wed, 06 April 2011, 17:53:08 »
Look for doubleshot, or PBT keycaps in the group buy section. You can replace your original keycaps with those.
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Last edited by RiGS; Jan 2011

Offline Shazb0t

  • Posts: 25
6gv2
« Reply #9 on: Wed, 06 April 2011, 18:01:31 »
Steelseries is an awesome company, I am sure they will work with you if you are unsatisfied.  The 6gv2 is a good keyboard for the price, especially when they are on sale.  As stated, Filco keys are also abs and will get shiny.  If you just want doubleshot keys, any Cherry keycap should fit fine on the 6gv2.
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Filco Tenkeyless Linear-R | SS 6Gv2 | Compaq mx11800

Offline lzf929

  • Posts: 36
6gv2
« Reply #10 on: Wed, 06 April 2011, 18:04:09 »
Quote from: Shazb0t;325866
Steelseries is an awesome company, I am sure they will work with you if you are unsatisfied.  The 6gv2 is a good keyboard for the price, especially when they are on sale.  As stated, Filco keys are also abs and will get shiny.  If you just want doubleshot keys, any Cherry keycap should fit fine on the 6gv2.


They would fit EXCEPT the big ass enter, weird short right shift and \| key
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Offline RiGS

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6gv2
« Reply #11 on: Wed, 06 April 2011, 18:08:46 »
Imsto is going to offer a special set for those keys.
Signature plastic doubleshots are another alternative.

TBH I wouldn't bother with the keycaps.
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Last edited by RiGS; Jan 2011

Offline Shazb0t

  • Posts: 25
6gv2
« Reply #12 on: Wed, 06 April 2011, 20:39:38 »
Quote from: lzf929;325868
They would fit EXCEPT the big ass enter, weird short right shift and \| key


Right, what he said.
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Filco Tenkeyless Linear-R | SS 6Gv2 | Compaq mx11800

Offline snowball

  • Posts: 63
6gv2
« Reply #13 on: Wed, 06 April 2011, 22:32:24 »
Still love my steelseries. Could be the best $60 I ever spent.
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Mice: Zowie EC2, SS Xai, Deathadder Black Edition, Imperator, MX 518, G9
Mousepad: Artisan KAI.g3 HARD, QCK+, SX, 9HD, I-2, NP+, QCK Heavy, Zowie G-TF
Keyboard: G6v2, Mini Choc (blue), Leo Otaku (brown), Poker (Red on order)

Offline Peter

  • Posts: 86
6gv2
« Reply #14 on: Thu, 07 April 2011, 04:23:29 »
The legends probably aren't fading, they are 'just' becoming dirty .
Steelseries uses a special lasering-technique where the legend is burnt
into the plastic . The burnt area will raise above the cap and turn white,
as seen in this video :
http://www.youtube.com/user/KimRom#p/a/u/1/iY4tDtWP1xc

A GH'er with experience in plastics explains the technique in this post :
http://geekhack.org/showpost.php?p=227525&postcount=31

That fried white plastic has a porous surface that attracts dirt like crap attracts flies.
It really IS annoying, the legends look so nice when the board is brand-new and have great contrast .
I changed the caps to doubleshots but you will probably need more than one donor-board due to the peculiar layout ..
( I believe I have also seen printed SS keycaps, on some of the more obscure layouts )
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Offline escargot

  • Posts: 40
    • http://escargot.ventdaval.com/
6gv2
« Reply #15 on: Sat, 09 April 2011, 14:52:31 »
I think I'll be getting one of these soon. Considering I can hardly get any other mech keyboard for a reasonable price. I'd love to get a Rosewill if they come back into the market, but the shipping and import taxes might raise the price a bit too much.
The retailer that brings 6Gv2's to Chile sales them for around U$115, with spanish layout.
But I got to admit that the keycaps are really disappointing.
I wonder if you could wipe the white printings completely off without damaging too much the keycaps, that could actually look pretty nice.
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Offline strum4h

  • Posts: 146
6gv2
« Reply #16 on: Sat, 09 April 2011, 14:57:55 »
I was going to get a 6gv2 until I discovered this forum. Im glad I did because I discovered the joy of tenkeyless keyboards.
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Filco Tenkeyless with Browns  - SIIG minitouch GHSS
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