Which Mechanical Keyboard is best for me?

[pushpop]

Hallo Leute
I'm new to this forum but I was surprised to find an actual forum for keyboard enthusiasts. Sehr Toll as my German friend would put it.

Now for my question:
Which mechanical keyboard should I buy? Based upon these observations?:

My main use of the keyboard is for programming and typing. I often use the keyboard for extremely long periods of time. Anywhere from 8 to 12 hours in a codding cycle. Which is why response time is critical.
I currently am breaking my hands on a rubber-dome keyboard Logitech K260 German version and I'm going nuts from the lacking response from the keys!!

I'm considering a mechanical keyboard which must be used over a USB interface connected to a laptop. Using Windows 8 though I own a Mac at home.
I've read various articles about the Cherry MX Switches (Blue,Brown,Black,Red and Clear).
I know that Tom's Hardware is giving the Cherry MX Red a poor review but are they really that bad?

I don't need at keyboard with a thousand connection options. I need a responsive keyboard that require minimum of pressure to activate.
Also I will be writing my Danish thesis for computer science in Danish so the DK layout would be nice.

Alles bestens,
Daniel

[dgreekstallion]

The Browns and Reds take the least amount of actuation force to operate them---- 45 cN.

[Melvang]

Hallo Leute
I'm new to this forum but I was surprised to find an actual forum for keyboard enthusiasts. Sehr Toll as my German friend would put it.

Now for my question:
Which mechanical keyboard should I buy? Based upon these observations?:

My main use of the keyboard is for programming and typing. I often use the keyboard for extremely long periods of time. Anywhere from 8 to 12 hours in a codding cycle. Which is why response time is critical.
I currently am breaking my hands on a rubber-dome keyboard Logitech K260 German version and I'm going nuts from the lacking response from the keys!!

I'm considering a mechanical keyboard which must be used over a USB interface connected to a laptop. Using Windows 8 though I own a Mac at home.
I've read various articles about the Cherry MX Switches (Blue,Brown,Black,Red and Clear).
I know that Tom's Hardware is giving the Cherry MX Red a poor review but are they really that bad?

I don't need at keyboard with a thousand connection options. I need a responsive keyboard that require minimum of pressure to activate.
Also I will be writing my Danish thesis for computer science in Danish so the DK layout would be nice.

Alles bestens,
Daniel

No one switch is better than any other with the exception of rubber domes.  Anything is better than those.  But outside of that it is all personal preference.  A lot of people with suggest Cherry MX browns for a first.  Mostly because they are a lighter switch, and have a small tactile bump without being clicky.  From there you can decide if you want a different switch based on how you take to the browns.  Clears are the next step up from browns for tactility and actuation force with tactile grays up from there (have yet to see a full keyboard in grays).  If you want linear (no tactile bump or click) you have in order of weight from lightest to heaviest, Reds, Blacks, and linear grays (again have not seen any keyboards with grays).  If you want clicky your choices are blues, green, and whites.  The whites are a "soft click".  However, a lot of people notice inconsistencies in the amount of "click" between whites even on the same board.  Also keep in mind that reds, browns, and blues all use the same spring.  The difference between actuation forces are a result of the difference in the stem. 

Also if you check the first post in the "Simple Questions, Simple Answers" thread there is a lot of good info there about the different switches and other stuff that could influence your buying decision.  This is the sticky thread in the "Keyboards" section.

[BrokenGame]

MX reds are not bad at all, I just find them a bit too light, so I'm always hitting the wrong key. However, IMO, I found that this problem disappeared with MX browns because of the tactile bump.

As for the layout, I didn't find any danish keyboards, but you could go for a Swedish/Finish Filco and buy a keyset like this (I don't know if that's a good danish set as I'm not danish).

[aref]

Cherry MX Red key switches or a Realforce keyboard with Topre variable key switches may be the lightest key switches on the market.

[thesentinel]

After using my friends keyboards, I've found that mx blues are the best for anything that involves typing.

[1pq]

After using my friends keyboards, I've found that mx blues are the best for anything that involves typing.

While that's nice for you, after a year of using blues, I've come to hate them. The best switch I've found for typing is topre. And even though I make slightly more mistakes on linears, they feel much better than blues, even for typing.

[Linkbane]

After using my friends keyboards, I've found that mx blues are the best for anything that involves typing.

While that's nice for you, after a year of using blues, I've come to hate them. The best switch I've found for typing is topre. And even though I make slightly more mistakes on linears, they feel much better than blues, even for typing.

While that's nice for you, after spending my time here assuming that my opinion is more important than others I've realized that's exactly what you're doing. He said something completely subjective, so you really shouldn't decide to be obnoxious and directly contradict him after quoting him specifically.

OT: As you'll see from, without exception, every single top typist, Sean Wrona and others included, tactile switches are superior to linears for typing at a high speed. This speed, however, is higher than most people could hope to achieve. At my pace it's relevant, but if you're like most people it won't matter too much. I personally type badly on linear switches, but my speed on Topre and Blues, as well as some nice rubber domes, is the highest. Linear switches don't provide the feedback quickly enough for fast typing, and if you're just bottoming out on each stroke that slows you down also (learning to stop at the actuation point or close is vital for touch typing and is beneficial for the fingers).

[1pq]

He said something completely subjective, so you really shouldn't decide to be obnoxious and directly contradict him after quoting him specifically.

No need to overreact. He said something completely subjective, as did I. You're kidding yourself if you take people's opinions about switches here for a fact. I did not contradict him, nor was I obnoxious, I merely stated my opinion about mx blues, which I personally detest. So before you derail another thread into a flame-war, please examine exactly what you're responding to.

[tbc]

^

I think he was referring to "While that's nice for you" as condescending.

[1pq]

I hope the OP didn't find it condescending. I meant it as, "While blues work well for you, they don't work well for everybody."

[kfmfe04]

I program all day on a mbp hooked up to a hhkb - this is perfect for me as the layout is UNIX-friendly and using an external keyboard makes the entire setup much more ergonomic.  I never realized how bad notebook ergonomics were until I switched to an external keyboard.  Now, I keep the mbp on a normal table, but at a farther distance and the hhkb on my lap.

Note that I have a UNIX/vim-bias as I am using iTerm2 over VPN into a Ubuntu VBox setup all day long.  Byobu-tmux with vim also works great inside iTerm2 for mouse-less programming.  That means using Vimium/Chrome in OSX so I can keep my hands off the mousepad while browsing.  So I very rarely use the touchpad in this setup.

At home, I have a Filco TKL (MXRed) with doubleshot spherical keycaps hooked up to a WIN8 box.  That keyboard feels rock solid and works fine for games like SC2 or DOTA 2.  I use the mouse here.  I was extremely happy with this keyboard until I got the hhbk - now the Filco takes a backseat.

[1pq]

Very nice combo there. You have good taste in switches

[robertsig]

Topre 45g and Ergo-clear (Korean 65g) are the only two keys I like.  YMMV.  I'd start with the Browns.

[pbtforever]

Reds are real nice.  I recommend getting a switch tester and seeing what you like.