Advice needed on a (mainly) gaming keyboard

[bleakill]

First of all I'm amazed at what a great forum you guys have and how much I have been missing before coming here. Right now I'm pretty much confused about the various types of switches and what's good for what. What I'm looking for is a keyboard that has the following:
- 86 key layout (no numpad, but otherwise similar layout to 10x-key boards)
- Will mostly be used for gaming (tactile response is very important, not sure how soft should it be ).
- N-key rollover
I heard mechanical switches are best for gaming - Confirm/deny/it's all subjective?
Right now I'm looking at Majestouch Tenkeyless 86-key with brown Cherry switches. This is the layout I want but not sure whether it is a good fit for me from a gaming standpoint? I'm probably going to spend about $150 on that. Help me out here.

[iMav]

Tactile, clicky mechanical switches are great for typing.  I've heard that hard-core gamers like something a bit less, uhhh, harsh.  Maybe the "Filco mini" you mentioned with the browns...I'm thinking that the 86-key Realforce with the Torpe switches might be a nice gaming keyboard.  I do some casual gaming with my HHKB Pro and the Torpe switches seem just right to me for gaming.

[karlito]

i've been using the Filco tenkeyless (w/ browns) for some COD4 and mostly warcraft III (DotA) and I have no complaints w/ it.

I would really like to try the Topre 86u since it's keys require less force and the left alt key is further over but i cant afford that board right now and honestly the filco is near perfect IMO.  It could be weird for gaming since the keys have different resistances (35 or 45g).

[Korbin]

I would say your 3 best options or the steelseries 7G (if you don't mind cherry blacks), filco mini and the topre 86. I have tried to game with cherry blues, the best way I describe using them is annoying when trying to game with them particularly when it come repeatedly hitting a key.

I have to totally agree with IMav, harsh clicks (mechanical tactile) rock for typing but not for gaming.

[bleakill]

Thank you all for your advice. I'll probably settle for the Filco mini since Topre is way out of my league pricewise.

[itlnstln]

You can also do what I have done, and that is use a Belkin Nostromo n52 for gaming and a Model M (or other 'board) for typing.

[bleakill]

I decided to hold on and weigh my options since getting a Filco mini would set me back about $200 if buying from benippon and probably not much cheaper from elsewhere. I guess I haven't clarified enough, by "tactile response" I meant the feel when the key is pressed. I need something on the softer side but I want to feel that the press is registered. What switches provide that sort of feel?

[bigpook]

Cherry Blues? Check out the DasIII.

[Eclairz]

Just wondering how is the key feel of the belkin nostromo range as ive been tempted but not enough

[bleakill]

Can someone explain the feel difference between blue, brown and black Cherries, BS, and Alps switches?

[xyzzy]

Can someone explain the feel difference between blue, brown and black Cherries, BS, and Alps switches?

If I had to describe the switches with only a few words:

Cherry blue: clicky, tactile switches
Cherry brown: non-clicky, light tactile switches (you feel a "bump" when the key actuates)
Cherry black: non-clicky, linear switches (no tactile feedback until you bottom out)

Buckling springs: clicky, very tactile switches. Louder than Cherry blues (and need more force to be depressed as well)

Alps white: clicky, tactile switches. Something in between the BS and the Cherry blues
Alps cream/orange (as in Apple Extended II): light clicky, light tactile switches. Something in between the Cherry brown and blues
Alps black (as in Dell AT101W): non-clicky, light tactile switches (like the Cherry browns, maybe with a bit less noticeable "bump")

If you dig through the threads on here you'll find a lot more impressions / reviews / comments on the different switch types.

[bleakill]

Pulled the trigger on the Das (blue Cherries). I managed to get enough space for a full size board and it sounded like it was what I was looking for. Will probably get a Model M or a clone for typing. Thanks everyone.

[bigpook]

You will find a big difference between the cherry blue switches and the BS keys. Coming from a BS keyboard I found the cherry blues to be very light with a soft click. I am not a hard core gamer but for the one game I do play, the BS keys work fine.
I suppose it depends on what keyboard you are using now as that is your reference point.

[itlnstln]

Just wondering how is the key feel of the belkin nostromo range as ive been tempted but not enough

The feel fairly tactile, but they are certainly rubber domes, so they are somewhat soft to the touch.  The key press is not particularly light, but you don't have to pound on it, either.  The keypress feels similar to the Model M in pressure (certainly not tactility).

[lowpoly]

Alps black (as in Dell AT101W): non-clicky, linear switches (like the Cherry blacks but require less force to depress)

My Dells have the little bump when you press the key slowly. I'd rather compare them to Cherry browns. I didn't do a side by side comparison though.

[xyzzy]

My Dells have the little bump when you press the key slowly. I'd rather compare them to Cherry browns. I didn't do a side by side comparison though.

You are right. I did only check that Dell a couple of minutes when I received it and haven't found the time to clean & play with it properly yet.

My first impression was that the switches were light and linear, but after using it a bit more today I have to agree with you. There's definitely a little bump when you depress the key, like the Cherry browns (maybe less noticeable than the browns, but it's there). Really nice switches by the way!

I'll go edit my post above

[wellington1869]

ok, i'm going to pick up one of these dell at101w's on ebay for cheap, now i'm curious about the black alps.

[itlnstln]

I got 2 of the Dell's.  I figured that, for $7, I could try these out and give them away if I don't like them.

[ricercar]

In 1990 a colleague tested keyboards by seeing if he could feel the tactile click and get no electronic contact (or the reverse). Only IBMs (probably Ms) passed the test, and Northgates came close. Today I can confirm that my Northgate OmniKey 102 can click without triggering the electronics, but my IBMs cannot, even the ones in daily use for their entire lives.

Suffice to say this makes for a perfect gaming controller, with tactile feedback perfectly aligned with electrical contact. I've never had a problem gaming with an IBM M keyboard; however, I've had complaints about the noise of normal professional typing, both at home and at work in a cube farm.