Steelseries 6G V2 or Ozone Strike?

[nrat]

Hi,

I'm going to buy my first Mechanical Keyboard, after several years on a cheap Logitech C200.

I don't care for lights, macros and stuff like that.
The primary use will be gaming.
One thing that would help is the Portuguese layout, but US is Ok too.
Price around 70€.

Between 6G V2 and Strike, which one is the best for a first experience with games in a mechanical kb?
Or another in this price range.

Thanks.

[davkol]

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[akuJIWA]

I would take 6gv2 if I were you, it's simple and it has fantastic build quality.

[sth]

are you in brazil or portugal or somewhere else where it's hard to get a filco?
 just get a filco if you're going to bother with a mass-produced mech. good build quality, standard layout.

[nrat]

I read that 6G V2 has issues in the spacebar, sometimes is sticky but sometimes too loose.
And that the key pads come off easily.
Is this true?

sth, yes, Filcos are hard to get in Portugal. Only online, but they aren't in the budget.

[sth]

gotcha.
yes, the steelseries caps have a reputation for wearing out quickly. you can get PBT replacement sets for the steelseries but forget about group buy key sets (that enter is nonstandard).

do you require the numpad? CMStorm quickfire rapids are relatively easy to get most places in the world and have a good reputation, especially considering that it is a 'gamer' product.

[nrat]

I've checked the quickfire rapids, but i use the numpad alot and i don't like the short enter key.

Do you have an opinion on Strike?

[sth]

No sorry I haven't had any experience with it. Any US ANSI board is going to have a similar enter key, so i suppose the steelseries will probably fit your needs best if that's what you like. It's not a bad board if you like MX blacks -- in fact, style-wise, it's one of my favorites. Nice and clean.
 I can't remember if it's feng or imsto that sources the PBT replacement caps but that might be a nice upgrade to look into -- much nicer than the stock keys on the SS.

[voodoo.mutt]

i got a SS 6GV2 just for gaming.  it's a great no frills gaming keyboard with a rock solid build quality.  It's heavy enough to slug somebody if you're getting creamed.

two quibbles with it

1. keycap lettering does appear to fade fairly quickly.

2. for normal typing be aware that the massive enter key has reduced the right shift to a ridiculously small size which has caused me some grief. 

so i only use the SS 6G for fps gaming and then for normal life i switch to a filco.

[nrat]

How's your 6G V2 spacebar?

Does it squeak? Is it sticky? And more important, is it too sensitive? Because my thumb is always "resting" in the spacebar, so i hope that it can handle a bit of pression without register the stroke/action.

People with this keyboard, what can you tell me about this?

[voodoo.mutt]

How's your 6G V2 spacebar?

Does it squeak? Is it sticky? And more important, is it too sensitive? Because my thumb is always "resting" in the spacebar, so i hope that it can handle a bit of pression without register the stroke/

Space bar is fine and it's taken a hammering every so often during bunny hop sessions in CS. No squeakiness. SS6G are blacks so fairly sensitive but I've not really had a problem accidently triggering keys.

[bisl]

I tried the 6gv2 for a couple weeks and despised it. The layout is atrocious if you're used to ANSI, with the double-tall enter key, displaced backslash, and tiny right-shift key. I talked to SteelSeries when I was struggling with this (probably a year ago) and they don't have plans to make an ANSI layout board except for their weird mmorpg-themed ones, which while having a usable layout just look atrocious.

[nrat]

That enter key is normal in Europe.

The WASD are too expensive.

So, i guess the best option is the 6G V2.
Any other opinion?

[davkol]

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[IvanIvanovich]

Strike is the same board exactly as the TT Meka G1. Both get fairly good review. I would go with the Strike since it has a 100% normal layout. The only enter I hate more than ISO is the BigASS.

[deleet]

Take a look at the Das.

Great keyboard.

[nrat]

Das are too expensive and not avaliable in my location. Shipping is too much...
And found out that Strike has sold out locally...

So I guess 6G V2 is the one. Thanks for all the help.

Just one question, I read that the keycaps wear easily, so where can I find good replacements (black keys, or something not to flashy an not the whole set), that could send them to Portugal, not to expensive?

[sth]

Take a look at the Das.

Great keyboard.

too shiny.

You can get replacement PBT sets for ss6gv2 from imsto. he is a member here. you can see his store here: http://aikb.taobao.com/
Here is the pbt set: http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=12942761710&
They are white... I thought he had them in black, you might want to hit him up about that, but white key caps on the steelseries looks amazing. somebody on Geekhack posted a picture but I  can't remember who.
You can PM him here on geekhack to get a shipping estimate in your currency of choice.

[nrat]

Thanks for your great help, sth! People like you (and other users, of course) make me come on this kind of foruns to learn about things I never thought existed before.

[dorkvader]

Strike is the same board exactly as the TT Meka G1. Both get fairly good review. I would go with the Strike since it has a 100% normal layout. The only enter I hate more than ISO is the BigASS.

If that's the case, it should be pretty close to the WASDkeyboard, which is almost exactly like the TT meka G1, except without the USB hub and audio passthrough. It's a costar reference design, I believe.

[nrat]

And that is good or bad, compared to 6G V2?

[dorkvader]

I much prefer the standardized layout of my WASDkeyboard to the "bigass" enter key of the steelseries. Also Cherry blacks are my least favourite switch by far.

That said, blacks aren't as noticeable when gaming.

[nrat]

Yes, but what about the board itself? In terms of board, switch and key quality, is the Strike better, compared to 6G?

[davkol]

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[Zehkul]

It’s way easier to get replacement keys for the ozone strike. The stock keys are less of a catastrophe, and it’s Costar.

If you are about replacement keys you should get an US layout board, and then you’ve got many other choices anyway.

[nrat]

Just one more question: the WASDKeyboards.com keycaps are compatible with 6G V2? Just a few keys, not the whole keyset.

[IvanIvanovich]

Yes, you could replace all but the enter key on 6Gv2 with wasd keycap. Technically you can get an ansi enter and then rig up something for a dummy 1.5 key above it if you really wanted to.

[nrat]

Thanks, I've made my decision.
And I saw that the shipping prices of WASD Keyboards for Portugal are not too high, so I'm replacing some keys soon!

[nrat]

Hi again, 3 days now with my new 6G V2.
The difference to my old Logitech is abysmal... don't know why I didn't foud this forum earlier. No more rubber domes for me.

One question to the ones that know this kb, the left shift, backspace, zero(0) in numpad, spacebar and the enter key all sound and feel different, like it has "damaged" switches. The noise and the feedback are not the same as the other keys.

Is it normal, because they are big keys and need stabilizers? But shoudn't they all feel the same?

[davkol]

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