What is the new standard in keyboards since Filco are basically out of the US?

[learjetz]

I have a Filco Majestouch 2 Cherry Brown and I am looking into getting a Tenkeyless but we all know that they are no longer sold in the US. What brand should I go with instead?

[IvanIvanovich]

While Filco US distribution being handled by a UK company in a limited fashion via Amazon has not been ideal for some buyers, they are still available. Anyway, CM Rapid seems to be the favorite Filco substitute lately. Also Costar made, so it is quite similar in many ways.

[tcv]

Das and Leopold are quality boards.

[IvanIvanovich]

Leopold are also very good, can't say the same about Das anymore and beside they never made tenkeyless either.

[Lu_e]

& leopold is cherry stabilizer with =\= space bar, so not quite like a filco?

[IvanIvanovich]

Cherry stabs are superior, but the space stems do have a different. It was designed by same dude that did Filco so there are some similarity but also some difference detachable cable, in key lock indicator, etc.. The newer 700 also has way better stock keycap of pbt which is much better than cheap abs pad print of Filco. But the CM Rapid is still a better value.

[learjetz]

Das and Leopold are quality boards.

I heard DAS has changed manufacturers and since then their quality has gone down dramatically?

[rowdy]

Welcome to Geekhack!

CM QFR (QuickFire Rapid) - a good solid board

If you are lucky, you will even manage to get an unbranded one.

[learjetz]

Cherry stabs are superior, but the space stems do have a different. It was designed by same dude that did Filco so there are some similarity but also some difference detachable cable, in key lock indicator, etc.. The newer 700 also has way better stock keycap of pbt which is much better than cheap abs pad print of Filco. But the CM Rapid is still a better value.

Best online retailer for CM Rapid?  Amazon or Newegg I would assume?


How is this?
http://www.amazon.com/Storm-QuickFire-Rapid-Mechanical-SGK-4000-GKCL1-US/dp/B0068INSUM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1351822936&sr=8-1&keywords=coolmaster+quickfire+rapid

[KillVolume]

How is this?
http://www.amazon.com/Storm-QuickFire-Rapid-Mechanical-SGK-4000-GKCL1-US/dp/B0068INSUM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1351822936&sr=8-1&keywords=coolmaster+quickfire+rapid

You're most likely to get an unbranded one if you the red switches/black body I believe. I got one a few weeks ago unbranded.

[Bry]

Filco


For TKL, get the quickfire. It's the same board at half the price. The only difference is the coating they put on the case and caps afaik.

[vun]

Filco


For TKL, get the quickfire. It's the same board at half the price. The only difference is the coating they put on the case and caps afaik.

I'd say the QFR keys feel better than the ones you get on the Filco, although you can clearly feel the lettering on them, which might be annoying for some.

[xsphat]

Does the QFR have the metal backplate like the Leos do? I was looking into that exact 'board for my welcome back gift.

[Sifo]

Yes they are plate mounted

[xsphat]

So what does the Leo have over CM Storm? Better case and no branding?

[alaricljs]

Leo has Cherry stabilizers, CM has Costar... CM is phasing out extra branding and if you get red's it's almost guaranteed, personally I like the shape of the CM case more but would prefer a black case on all the diff. switches.

[xsphat]

I guess I don't mind the branding - you'd think Americans would just be numb to that by now. I'm in the habit of ignoring logos unless they are on the butts of hot girls.

I write for my trade, so I need a metal backplate. Last year I wrote maybe 75,000 words so I can work a keyboard to death if it doesn't have that feature. I like the font on the keys but I think in time the original keys would end up in the garbage.

[metalliqaz]

I'm in the habit of ignoring logos unless they are on the butts of hot girls.

I like this guy! 
(no homo)

[xsphat]

Nope, no homo at all, lol.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

I write for my trade, so I need a metal backplate. Last year I wrote maybe 75,000 words …

Waitaminute … Assuming 48 working weeks a year, that's 240 workdays a year. That averages out to around 300 words per day. I would be impressed if you could wear out a PCB-mounted keyboard at that rate. Where are you getting your keyboards from, exactly?

[metalliqaz]

maths for the win!

[xsphat]

Math nerd, huh? How's that working out for ya?

[fohat.digs]

300 words per day is nothing. I bet I easily do that and I DON'T write for a living.

As far as being a math nerd, nope, sometimes you just have to know, in order to get your mind around something.

I calculated that my black belt in Tae Kwon Do cost 75 gallons in sweat. But I didn't work it out in my head.

[xsphat]

All right dude, talk to you later.

[rowdy]

The Leopold apparently has a non-standard space bar, so finding a replacement could be tricky if you want to install custom keycaps.

[pitashen]

As long as there are people still willing to get Filco through those reputable Taiwan/China vendors, it wouldn't really be considered as being out of the US.

[MissileMike]

As long as there are people still willing to get Filco through those reputable Taiwan/China vendors, it wouldn't really be considered as being out of the US.

PCHome has the black majestouch 2 tenkeyless with browns for 142$ shipped (and it will be shipped fast)
The QF Rapid is a much better value, of course.

[xsphat]

Ever since I heard the QF Rapid has a metal backplate I'm all about that one.

[shawn o]

No longer sold in the USA? Or just sold out on Amazon and waiting for a restock?

[Bry]

300 words per day is nothing. I bet I easily do that and I DON'T write for a living.

As far as being a math nerd, nope, sometimes you just have to know, in order to get your mind around something.

I calculated that my black belt in Tae Kwon Do cost 75 gallons in sweat. But I didn't work it out in my head.

I easily write double that every day just responding to emails.

Or surfing reddit.

And I am not a writer, far from it XD
I am a business ops analyst, so most of my day is spent playing with spreadsheets.

[xsphat]

I didn't think to include internet stuff or work stuff, just what I call real writing. When was the last time you guys sat down and wrote 12 pages of a novel in a day? I threw out an estimate not realizing math junkies would lay me open over it. And 300 words a day is not what I write. I'll inflate all my numbers in the future jsut for you guys, k? 

[metalliqaz]

Everyone can relax.  xsphat was just throwing guesstimates out there.  However, this IS a keyboard forum, after all.  People here care about WPM and it's natural that they would be interested in a professional writer's WPM.  I type at 80 WPM and I'm not very fast among this crowd.  Therefore 300 words a day is obviously not that much typing.

Another thing to consider is that if I was to type a million characters into work (be it code, a novel, whatever) then I'll bet that less than half of that makes it into the final product after editing/reviewing/etc.

[xsphat]

Everyone can relax.  xsphat was just throwing guesstimates out there.  However, this IS a keyboard forum, after all.  People here care about WPM and it's natural that they would be interested in a professional writer's WPM.  I type at 80 WPM and I'm not very fast among this crowd.  Therefore 300 words a day is obviously not that much typing.

Another thing to consider is that if I was to type a million characters into work (be it code, a novel, whatever) then I'll bet that less than half of that makes it into the final product after editing/reviewing/etc.

Thank you. I was getting killed for not blindly exaggerating. I was starting to think GH had big **** (GH won't let me say d i c k? How'bout penis, is that ok here?) syndrome about typing of all things.

And on the WPM thing, I don't even know mine for real because writing (and I'm guessing coding) doesn't happen at a steady speed. I type very fast but have no clue how fast I actually am. So, just so I don't get laid open again over math, let's just say I type.

[schizrade]

I like turtles.

[trentva]

filcos are the best mech keyboards i have tried

[Bry]

I didn't think to include internet stuff or work stuff, just what I call real writing. When was the last time you guys sat down and wrote 12 pages of a novel in a day? I threw out an estimate not realizing math junkies would lay me open over it. And 300 words a day is not what I write. I'll inflate all my numbers in the future jsut for you guys, k? 

I learned a long time ago that it is always a good idea to inflate numbers. I've inflated over 980,000 numbers just this year!


Oh and you math people, I am immune to your evil ways. Everyone knows over 472% of math people can't count above 975,000. Get over it noobs.

[HybridCore]

Leopold are also very good, can't say the same about Das anymore and beside they never made tenkeyless either.

What happened to Das? I'm curious. I haven't been on Geekhack in awhile.

The glossy fingerprint magnet plastic is also killing me. I used to think about getting a Das and then removing the top so I could use some sandpaper and maybe paint it, or just use sandpaper and give it a brushed aluminum look/faux brushed aluminum finish. Thinking about doing that to an Acer laptop I might buy myself (one of the Aspire V3 laptops with the piano lacquer finish).

Cherry stabs are superior, but the space stems do have a different. It was designed by same dude that did Filco so there are some similarity but also some difference detachable cable, in key lock indicator, etc.. The newer 700 also has way better stock keycap of pbt which is much better than cheap abs pad print of Filco. But the CM Rapid is still a better value.

Really? I just hear complaints about them feeling mushier so I just assumed they were inferior. As far as stabilizing the key, they probably would be.

I'm in the habit of ignoring logos unless they are on the butts of hot girls.

Haha! You sir have made my day.

[alaricljs]

There's a thread on here somewhere, but Das' new KB line is not Costar made any more.

[HybridCore]

There's a thread on here somewhere, but Das' new KB line is not Costar made any more.

I see. That's really disappointing to hear.

[rainb1ood]

Wait, so The Keyboard Co is no longer shipping Filco to Amazon?

[HybridCore]

Wait, so The Keyboard Co is no longer shipping Filco to Amazon?

Only a few models I believe, like the Majestouch 2 Camo version.

[rknize]

The PCB of the QFR is higher quality than the Leo and the Leo uses the PCB to support the plate while the QFR supports the plate with the case (like Filco).  So from a design perspective, the QFR is closer to a Filco than a Leo is.

[elitekeyboards]

The PCB of the QFR is higher quality than the Leo and the Leo uses the PCB to support the plate while the QFR supports the plate with the case (like Filco).  So from a design perspective, the QFR is closer to a Filco than a Leo is.

That's not true. Both Leos and the QFR have single sided FR2 PCBs and both support the plate. The only thing "higher quality" about a FILCO MJ2 over other boards is the use of two sided FR4. Structurally, all these boards are the same.

[rknize]

Well, I'm quite positive this is not the case, but I'll have to provide pictures to illustrate. 

[Binge]

I was wondering... with the QFR, is it compatible with a number of the acrylic, TKL filco, after market cases I see floating around?

[esoomenona]

I was wondering... with the QFR, is it compatible with a number of the acrylic, TKL filco, after market cases I see floating around?

I would like to know this as well.

[rknize]

My Filco and QFR have the same design where the plate rests on the bottom half of the case at the top and bottom edges and the PCB sort of floats.  The only difference I noted was that the Filco has two screws that affix the plate/PCB to the bottom case whereas the QFR just relies on the upper half to hold it in place.  I dropped one into the other (Filco into the QFR case, IIRC) and it fit.  So I would expect the QFR assembly to fit in anything that would fit a Filco.

[laffindude]

I think the FC200's plate is supported by the stems on the bottom casing. I could be wrong though. Whatever the case (), I know at least FC200 is a Datacomp. That is enough for me not to ever buy one.

[rknize]

Yeah, I should be more specific.  I'm comparing an MJ2 to a QFR with reds that I picked up right when they came out.

[rknize]

Both Leos and the QFR have single sided FR2 PCBs and both support the plate. The only thing "higher quality" about a FILCO MJ2 over other boards is the use of two sided FR4. Structurally, all these boards are the same.

Looks like you were right.  Somehow I remember the QFR having a double-sided, red, FR4 PCB.  I must be thinking of something else.

The Leo and the QFR have the same type of PCB.  The QFR and the Filco have the same plate support system.  The differences are very minor.  The only thing different between the three that could affect the "feel" and sound is the PCB material.  The denser and thicker FR4 PCB is the quality only difference of note that I can find.

I took some pictures and posted them here:

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=37432.msg714145#msg714145