POK3R or Ducky mini for OSX? Think I have it narrowed down.

[Pinkachu]

I know this has been asked before, and no I can't afford a YOTH (can barely afford a regular mini).

This will be my first mechanical keyboard, but not my first small board. I have been using a TKL bluetooth apple aluminum for a few years and am happy with it, but need USB connectivity now for a new computer I've built (that boots OSX/Win10). I do lots of gaming (FPS games, CS:GO is at 99hrs since new years) and also lots of typing. Some light web coding plus reddit, forums, and blogging.

Instead of a tester, I thought blues would be fine, so I bought a CM Storm TKL, turned out it has some issues and also that blues aren't quite for me, ordered a Magicforce Smart that came with Blacks by accident, but got to test it. Got to try now a POK3R with MX Clear switches, and this is BY FAR the closest feel to apple's scissor switch actuation that I've ever felt. It has a similar amount of play before dropping down, almost like a mini buckling spring.

SO

I know what switches. Not THAT many boards come with clears. I want 60% or TKL so my mouse is not so far (for gaming) I think. This seems to narrow it down to Vortex vs Ducky. POK3R has programmabilty which idk if that's useful for me, has a solid built aluminum case and PBT caps. Decent. Ducky has backlighting which is nice at night, aluminum case (mostly?) and doesn't look ugly to me. If I get a POK3R I'd probably want caps that are less sculpted (DSA maybe?) but if I get the Ducky I'll keep the stock caps because they're backlit.

I will learn to love whichever one I get, and might end up with both some day... That said, one of my concerns is customization. The POK3R with clears has MX stabilizers for modifiers. This makes them feel very stiff compared to the rest of the keys. Might want to swap in blacks for RShift/Enter/Backspace. Has anyone else felt the backspace on clears is very tough? The space bar is also a bit noisy with the clear so I might want a black there too.

Lastly, I'm getting a ringing from the steel plate on the POK3R that I imagine is common, but it's not from bottoming out (the clears are doing a wonderful job of preventing that!) but rather, it's from the keys returning to the top as my fingers leave them and making a "ding!" sound almost every stroke.


Penny for your thoughts? Is there another board with clears that I overlooked?

[caligo]

I guess the Code keyboard from wasdkeyboards is an option if you want a TKL with clears. I think that one has Costar stabilizers, if you prefer those to Cherry's. Also, Massdrop runs various 60 % and TKL boards with clears quite often.

[Pinkachu]

thanks, man

I do like 60% but I have room for a TKL. Mostly do gaming, but some light web coding now and then. My day job is music production so I don't think I need F keys that often... haven't tried to work with a 60, but I got by for years with the Apple TKL (with mini F keys and arrows) just fine. I prefer Cherry stabilizers because I think they're easier to reconnect (I always have a hell of a time putting wires back into a space bar...)

[Pinkachu]

Just looked up the Code87 and no matter where you buy it, it seems to be $150 which is over budget. I'm aiming for $60 and I will be happy under 100.

Can I build my own for that kind of money? I do know how to solder, and I'm fine with ABS caps...

[caligo]

You can get the V60 and V80 with clears, as well as a Noppoo Choc Mini, for less than a Poker 3. None of them under $100 though (although the V60 comes close). Massdrop has entry level keyboards at really low prices at times, but nothing with clears at the moment.

In principle, building something yourself might be cheaper, especially if you handwire it instead of using a PCB. But it depends a lot on what type of hardware you are looking for. A PCB from a store like Gon Keyboards can cost over $60 in and of itself. Building your own bord is usually more about customizeability and the fun of it, as far as I gather.

[mashby]

If you need it right now, I think any Poker (2 or 3) or Ducky Mini is an excellent choice. The Mini is a little nicer than the Poker if I had to pick between them, I'd go with the Ducky due to higher build quality (in general).

If you can wait, then there should be a lot of GH60's on the marketplace in the next month-or-so. Maybe sooner. The GH60 would give you a lot of programability options, but no support for backlighting.

[crickclackman]

If you can wait, then there should be a lot of GH60's on the marketplace in the next month-or-so. Maybe sooner. The GH60 would give you a lot of programability options, but no support for backlighting.

Always an optimist in every crowd.

[mashby]

If you can wait, then there should be a lot of GH60's on the marketplace in the next month-or-so. Maybe sooner. The GH60 would give you a lot of programability options, but no support for backlighting.

Always an optimist in every crowd.

HAHAHAHA. Well said.

However, I'm one of the proxies for the shipping and we're getting really close. 

[Pinkachu]

Interesting - looks like a batch is made every year maybe? (according to the date stamps on the thread for the build site?)

How much do they cost when ordered, and what is included? I'd need a case, switches, and caps, but other than that, am I set? (and at that point, does it generally cost $150 in the end anyway?)

[JonnyPolygon]

I love the CM Storm TKL. I've actually never tried clear switches, need to give them a go

[Pinkachu]

I love the CM Storm TKL. I've actually never tried clear switches, need to give them a go

Do you have it with blue switches? If so, do you game? How do you deal with feathering? I have issues with the actuation point being above the reset point but below the click. Is that something that you just get used to over time, or is it easier to just use blacks? (I say black and not red because reds are too easy to bottom out).

I do like the look of the CM Storm QFR and it would look nice with some sunset or miami caps, but I'm just not sure about the switches. Today I went back and forth between clear and black and realized that I could probably live with either, gaming with blacks was fine and I'm typing on blacks now. It's not as "refined" feeling, but it's still pretty nice on this Magicforce 65%...

Upside of the CM is there's a rebate right now so with blues it would be $59 from amazon (plus 40 for some nice bright caps, that's a nice round number )

[Pinkachu]

So after spending real time doing homework, it is clear that the Pok3r is much better value than the Ducky. The case alone would be $100 if bought separately! The only reason I can see to get the ducky is the backlighting, and there are LED Pok3rs now (RGB coming soon it looks like) so Ducky better step it up for the Year of the Monkey if they want to stay competitive! If all Mini's were YOTH then maybe the competition would be there

At any rate, this debate feels settled. The only reason someone should get the Ducky is brand loyalty, or aesthetics if they really like the bezel (to each their own).

Thank you, everyone, for chiming in!!

[mashby]

There is no wrong decision between the boards that you were looking at.  )

However, if you're looking at a Pok3r and you want backlighting, then I'd recommend that you buy a board with it. Otherwise, you're going to have to desolder all the LED holes in order to install them. That's 126 solder points that have to be desoldered and without the wire, I find them more difficult to desolder.

I know this because I just did this with a Poker 2. 

[Pinkachu]

Yeah, the LED version is only about $10 more - but I hear of an RGB coming soon possible... I would like orange backlighting, personally, with normal caps so the light is just like underglow and not shining through the letters at my face 

I think that would look pretty cool... if only the dual LEDs could do gradient colors (R/B to make shades of purple backlighting, R/G to make shades of orange).

And I guess buying a ducky wouldn't be *wrong* persay, but it's not as good value (I don't know how either brand holds value over time, but at least up front the vortex is clearly better value...)