Mechanical Keyboard Purchase Advice

[jonskeez]

Hi there, I'm looking to buy a new mechanical keyboard but not sure which one to go for. I've had the Shine 3 with blues before, awesome but it was annoying others around me. LED for Shine 3 died so I had to get that fixed, store gave me full refund.

Throwing between Browns and possibly Clears. I hear that the clears have a more noticeable bump and is heavier however it resembles rubberdomes so it's not much of a difference. Not sure which one to go for so help me out!

What I'm looking for is:
- TKL
- non-backlit (bought PBT double-shot keycaps)
- Browns or Clears
- Not expensive !

Living in Australia but girlfriend is heading to the US for two weeks, so there are more options for purchasing. Currently looking at the QFR, QFS(just for stealth keys), Shine Zero, and the WASD v2 87.

Are there any other good options around those price points? the QFS is $95 on Amazon at the moment, saw it hit $80 but wasn't able to order yet.

[divito]

I'm not sure you could really go wrong with any of your choices.

For the sake of mention, there is also a "newer" option from Elite Keyboards called the Keyed Up Labs 87. I believe someone reviewed one of them on here already. They offer it in red, brown and clear switches here.

Definitely not $80 or $95, but certainly not out of the question.

[tp4tissue]

Have you "TRIED"  clears...  they're not the magic people make them out to be... 

I went from Clear to Ergo Clear, back to Clear.. and I've settled on ErgoBlack which is RED... but with black stems, cuz no one was selling red stems.

So... really try out the clears before you buy...  sign up for the tester..

[Sifo]

Have you "TRIED"  clears...  they're not the magic people make them out to be... 

I went from Clear to Ergo Clear, back to Clear.. and I've settled on ErgoBlack which is RED... but with black stems, cuz no one was selling red stems.

So... really try out the clears before you buy...  sign up for the tester..

CLEAR STEMS ARE THE MASTER RACE

[Kliee]

Clears are, indeed, heavier than browns. I don't remember if the bump is that much more "noticeable". They don't feel like rubberdome, but yeah, maybe they're among the "mushiest" cherry switches...
They are not awesome for me but do the job and if you like the brown but want a little more weight, they're the way to go.

But, if the bump is important to you and your only reference are the blues, be aware that browns and clears are nowhere near as tactile as blues. Maybe a good solution for you could be blues with o-rings?

[jonskeez]

I can't actually get a hold of a sampler with clear stems but for those who have used browns and clears which did you prefer?
I had a quickfire TK with browns before so browns are alright. Apparently blues with orings wernt enough for the people around me..

I am looking into KUL-87 at the moment,  is it worth the extra $30 for build quality and dip switches? I don't see myself needing to use any of the dip switches besides NKRO.  But i can live without that.

[Oobly]

I can't actually get a hold of a sampler with clear stems but for those who have used browns and clears which did you prefer?
I had a quickfire TK with browns before so browns are alright. Apparently blues with orings wernt enough for the people around me..

I am looking into KUL-87 at the moment,  is it worth the extra $30 for build quality and dip switches? I don't see myself needing to use any of the dip switches besides NKRO.  But i can live without that.

KUL ES-87 with Clears.... yes, it's worth it.

I use Browns, Clears and ErgoClears. ErgoClears (62g springs) are my absolute favourite. The bump on Clear stems is way more pronounced than Browns and is very tactile. The stock springs are softish at the start of the press, but get heavier more quickly than the other MX springs. I find stock Clears to be a little fatiguing for long periods of typing, but ErgoClears not.

... be aware that browns and clears are nowhere near as tactile as blues. ...

Excuse me? Browns may be less tactile than Blues, but Clears are definitely more tactile. ErgoClears are the most tactile MX switch I have tried. The softer spring emphasises the tactile bump. I am happy with Browns, prefer the feeling of Clears, but love ErgoClears.

[jonskeez]

KUL ES-87 with Clears.... yes, it's worth it.

I use Browns, Clears and ErgoClears. ErgoClears (62g springs) are my absolute favourite. The bump on Clear stems is way more pronounced than Browns and is very tactile. The stock springs are softish at the start of the press, but get heavier more quickly than the other MX springs. I find stock Clears to be a little fatiguing for long periods of typing, but ErgoClears not.

I shall definitely decide between the KUL ES-87 with clears and the QFR. Only problem is that clears for the KUL ES-87 is that it's only available through EliteKeyboards which costs even more for shipping to California cause of sales tax. I better contact KUL about international warranty, or hopefully if they'll be offering it in Australia. Damn Amazon not offering MX Clears!

[Kliee]

... be aware that browns and clears are nowhere near as tactile as blues. ...

Excuse me? Browns may be less tactile than Blues, but Clears are definitely more tactile. ErgoClears are the most tactile MX switch I have tried. The softer spring emphasises the tactile bump. I am happy with Browns, prefer the feeling of Clears, but love ErgoClears.

Well, I got my Mx Blues and Mx clears out of their storage to check. Indeed clears are more tactile than what I remembered. I still find blue's bump sharper, but the "bumpiness" in itself may be equivalent. There is more resistance in the clears because the spring is stronger so maybe clear's bump is actually more pronounced, but to say it's really more tactile... For me "tactile" is more about the sharpness, and clears are a little mushy. But I guess it can be discussed.

Not saying clears are bad switches, I used them daily during one year at work and they did great. But ok, maybe I'll change my comment to "clears may be cool, but they are less sharp than blues".
I never tried ergo clears so I can't give my opinion on that.