Noob in search for the perfect keyboard

[Monkeypirate]

Hello everyone

I am looking to buy my first mechanical keyboard. Right now I own the Steelseries Apex Gaming Keyboard. It has many colors many buttons but I realized I don't really need all of this.

I've been at the IEM in Katowice this year and seen the keyboard of Starcraft pro Dark

You can see it at 38:06

 And so my search began. I also saw a couple of other great keyboard on my way and with those came the questions.

1. I seems Darks keyboard is a Leopold FC700R. But why is no one using the Leopold FC750R? And where can I get it as well as the red frame and sideprint keycaps?

2. I have found 3 keyboards I would be intressted in, but I can't decide since I don't have any experiences at all.

- Leopold FC700R
- Corsair STRAFE
- HyperX Alloy FPS

3. I mostly play FPS or RTS games. I already settled for the Cherry MX Blues but in a review I heard they are to slow for FPS games and should be replaced with the red ones, is that true? Can I feel a difference as a beginner?

I am a left-handed gamer and i don't really care for the tenkey(I like the minimalistic look without).

I would be really thankful to learn even more!

[dantan]

I am just waiting for TP4 to make the first post, but he didn't, so I'll make it for him.

Ergodox
Tenting
45 degrees

End of story.

[tp4tissue]

I am just waiting for TP4 to make the first post, but he didn't, so I'll make it for him.

Ergodox
Tenting
45 degrees

End of story.

/Correction   , it's 55 degrees

[Puddsy]

Corsair STRAFE is a pile of hot garbage. Buying Corsair keyboards is enabling bad behavior.

Never heard of the hyperx, but it looks like it might be alright.

Leopold doesn't make the 700R anymore, you're looking for the FC750R, which is great.

Honorable mentions: Ducky shine 6 (LEDs, great switch selection), Filco Majestouch 2 (good switch selection, great quality), and the KUL ES87 (Kinda hard to find, but in my opinion the best keyboard for your money).

[tp4tissue]

Corsair STRAFE is a pile of hot garbage. Buying Corsair keyboards is enabling bad behavior.

Never heard of the hyperx, but it looks like it might be alright.

Leopold doesn't make the 700R anymore, you're looking for the FC750R, which is great.

Honorable mentions: Ducky shine 6 (LEDs, great switch selection), Filco Majestouch 2 (good switch selection, great quality), and the KUL ES87 (Kinda hard to find, but in my opinion the best keyboard for your money).

buh buh.. strafe haz the mx silent.. !!

[ndumdr]

I don't think switches matter for gaming, not the Cherry ones anyways. It's all about preference. I use cherry MX blues for FPS gaming. I feel like if you've never tried Blues before, then you might need some time to get used to the WASD of the Cherry MX Blue keyboard-- adding O-rings helps. The tactility of Blues needs some time to get used to for WASD to me when I switched from Browns to Blues. I've heard good things about the HyperX Alloy FPS kb, but I don't have any kb of your options to recommend since I've never tried them. Leopold FC700R uses PBT keycaps if I recalled correctly? So maybe that's more worth your money if HyperX and Leopold are around the same price.

[Vladimir]

Ergodox
Tenting
45 degrees

That's like, the guy's asking for kinds of apples and you offered an orange...

[tp4tissue]

Ergodox
Tenting
45 degrees

That's like, the guy's asking for kinds of apples and you offered an orange...

No, it's more like if he's asking for apples, and I hand him a gun..  you can't eat the gun,  but you can force people to give you their apples with it.


Ergodox,  The means to an End, ANY END, ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES, 

/ERGODOX
/Best Keyboard

/Boooom

[atarione]

another thing to consider op ...is stabilizer design

there are two main types.. cherry.. or as I like to call them "GARBAGE" and Costar or as I like to call it "get Costar stabilizers".


Filco has Costar stabilizers as does WASD, all of the CM's I have seen ..some Rosewill's , I believe KBParadise V80 (pretty good deal on these on MD if you have the patience for the shipping times right now I).... others.


cherry stabilizers... cherry (duh) , Ducky, Leopold.. others


My keyboard is a Filco MT2 TKL w/ mx-reds (w/o-rings) and Vortex doubleshot pbt key caps.. I am quite pleased with the board having been using it daily for ~2 yrs now.


if I had no tkl keyboard right now I'd probably get a Filco MT2 TKL w/ the silent reds (the silent reds not avail when I bought my filco).

[moh18one]

The FC750R have cherry mx silent too https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/search.php?keyword=Leopold+FC750R and probably the best keyboard you can get (if you don't care about lightning)

If you want a RGB, the IKBC F87 is really solid https://www.amazon.com/Double-Shot-Mechanical-Keyboard-Switches-K6D73S411004/dp/B01LWWTWDT

Varmilo (VA87M) is a really good option too and you have more customisation options. You can order directly one by message the Varmilo rep https://geekhack.org/index.php?board=192.0

[Monkeypirate]

hahaha xD

thanks for the many helpful replies and also the mandatory drama... wouldn't be the internet without it ^^


today arrived my hyper alloy with red cherrys and if feels amazing. already love the sound and the frame feels really durable. the one negative thing that i've found is that the usb port is for charging only.

[LiquidEvilGaming]

another thing to consider op ...is stabilizer design

there are two main types.. cherry.. or as I like to call them "GARBAGE" and Costar or as I like to call it "get Costar stabilizers".


Filco has Costar stabilizers as does WASD, all of the CM's I have seen ..some Rosewill's , I believe KBParadise V80 (pretty good deal on these on MD if you have the patience for the shipping times right now I).... others.


cherry stabilizers... cherry (duh) , Ducky, Leopold.. others


My keyboard is a Filco MT2 TKL w/ mx-reds (w/o-rings) and Vortex doubleshot pbt key caps.. I am quite pleased with the board having been using it daily for ~2 yrs now.


if I had no tkl keyboard right now I'd probably get a Filco MT2 TKL w/ the silent reds (the silent reds not avail when I bought my filco).

Of course being exceptionally subjective as personally i hate Costar stabilizers with a passion.  Cherry stabs CAN be bad depending on board to board but the good ones really aren't an issue IMO.  Costar I find rattly noise and of course are a PITA to change caps on.  I generally avoid boards that use Costar like the plague but I understand both viewpoints.  It's best to decide OP which you prefer personally.

[iLLucionist]

Life is easy.

Buy Topre.

HHKB or 87U/104U 55g uniform

Topre is love.

/peaceout *micdrop*

[MperorM]

So as someone who's grandmaster in starcraft for the last 6 seasons, I can safely say what is best for starcraft.

You want your keyboard to be 75 % layout, for the reason that it puts the f-row closer to your number-row which makes it much easier to hit camera hotkeys like f5-f7.

When it comes to switches, you want to have them be as light as possible. The lower the actuation force, the higher apm. The reason for this is that your fingers get really tired after playing with high apm for longer periods of time. Therefore you'll see most Korean pro's use red switches, since they are 45 g compared to switches like blue's which are 55 g. When it comes to FPS games, it's important that your switches are linear, so that you can make the smallest adjustments possible. So if you are playing RTS and FPS games, I'd recommend an MX red switch.

if money is also a factor I would consider getting a keyboard like this with red switches: https://www.amazon.com/Drevo-84-Key-Tenkeyless-Mechanical/dp/B01M0KUVW2

It's 40 bucks and 75 % layout. Customized lighting, so you can light up the keys that are far away thus making them easier to hit. Pretty much everything you need in a keyboard for gaming, incredible value for your money. Even if money is not a factor, I'd consider just buying this, since it has everything you need for half the price of your typical mechanical keyboard.

[Entropia]

Consider also the Leopold FC980M. It's a better form factor than then tenkeyless FC750R and it shares the amazing build and material quality and finish. It has 1,5 mm thick PBT keycaps, clipped Cherry stabilizers, detachable cable... and for a very reasonable price. What else could anyone wish?

And blacks! much better than reds

[Entropia]

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[Puddsy]

Consider also the Leopold FC980M. It's a better form factor than then tenkeyless FC750R and it shares the amazing build and material quality and finish. It has 1,5 mm thick PBT keycaps, clipped Cherry stabilizers, detachable cable... and for a very reasonable price. What else could anyone wish?

And blacks! much better than reds

980m very good choice