Finding a Poker.

[ReAzem]

Hello!
I am new to keyboards, and Geekhack! ( omg I love this site btw!)

I am thinking of buying eithier a Poker w/ Browns or a HHKB pro2.

Where can I find a poker with browns?!

Is there an official seller?

Thanks!!

[reaper]

Welcome to Geekhack and official group buy for Poker here in US I believe is over (it was run by iMav who also runs Geekhack).  You can try pm'ing qtan or visit his subforum here or try Deskthority.net if you're in Europe.

Also there are a bunch on eBay. lol

[ReAzem]

Thanks! I saw that thread already.

So I understand that the KBC poker is only made in batches? It's a custom keyboard?

[IvanIvanovich]

qtan only have blue and black left on his ebay store, and supply is getting thin it seems. It's not so much a custom keyboard as a boutique one. PURE will be available soon, which is like a version 2.0.

[spikeh]

Supply is running low where it's made in China as well, some switch+keycap combinations simply aren't available anymore on Taobao.

Look into a group buy for the Pure soon.

[reaper]

...and here's version 1.5 :tongue:

[fossala]

HHKB build quality are 100x better than the poker. I have heard it improves when you add the $200 metal case though.

[pitashen]

HHKB build quality are 100x better than the poker. I have heard it improves when you add the $200 metal case though.

unless you drop one on the floor, the 1/100 of build quality will last just as long as the x100. plus easier repair for the poker.

and who just bought a set of white beige doubles? + looking for moogles?

[fossala]

There not for a poker, there for a plate mounted board. My problem isn't with pcb mounted boards either, just the quality of the poker is crap.

[pitashen]

mmm, I wouldn't call it crap, but it is certainly not worth the overseas price tag. People outside China/Asia are paying 30, 40 bucks more than the original price.

[fossala]

For $40 it is worth it. I put clear switches in mine and it made me realize just how wobbly the whole construction was, maybe I just got a bad one.

[duncan]

HHKB is certainly a far better board but for me I would say it is very close to the three times as good as the three times the price of the Poker.
($100 Poker / $300 HHKB)

$100 for a compact MX-Red board is pretty good IMO and when given an o-ring a little quieter than the HHKB too which can be a bonus in some circumstances.

I can't imagine anyone who has a HHKB enjoying stepping down to a Poker but I can see people getting a lot of benefit and fun out of a Poker while talking themselves into getting the HHKB.

As someone in just that position of loving the good parts of the Poker and having been convinced that HHKB will probably be part of my keyboard toolset by the end of this year I can happily suggest that the Poker is a good way to try out the idea of compact boards.

But if you really think a HHKB is what you want and you can scratch the money together then going straight to the HHKB is probably the smarter way in terms of money by going straight to the board that you will probably end up with anyway.

EDIT - If people are interested in a Poker with MX-Red I have a NIB that I am thinking of turning into cash to fund a HHKB. PM me if you are interested.

[seferphier]

a lot of people have mixed opinions about poker. some people really like it, others think it is very flimsy.

i personally thought it was pretty flimsy, but the typing experience is similar to any other cherry keyboards. i tried poker with the alum case and it feels better than filcos.

if anyone still want pokers, i think i can manage to get them from taobao although many of them are out of stock.

[hashbaz]

Pokers are incredibly flimsy and cheap-feeling compared to other mechanical keyboards.  That said they are also a ton of fun.  Once I got used to the function layer I really loved mine.  Wish I hadn't sold it. :-/

[minnus]

Go for the HHKB2 ~ you'll always want it and you'll probably end up with it eventually - skip the intermediate keyboards

[IvanIvanovich]

I see the Poker quality as fine, and better than most current production Cherry keyboards which is the next most common board to compare, as they are made similar. Those feel flimsy and cheap feeling. At least they had the sense to make the casing thicker on the Poker than Cherry is right now. Their cases are thin these days and do flex a lot.
I didn't care much for the stock Poker keycaps though, and have Cherry doubleshots on mine, so it certainly does not feel cheap at all anymore.
I was waiting for the Poker for years, after I first saw a HHKB I always wanted one that size, but could never accept the lack of a key in the bottom left corner where ctrl usually is. I need a key there for gaming. Sure I could force myself to get used to it, but I find using the standard ctrl position with my pinky a lot more comfortable while keeping my hand position over wasd. Pinky up to capslock position is a lot more awkward feeling to me. I don't ever see myself buying a HHKB even if they were the same price.

[metafour]

I asked qtan a couple weeks ago about Pokers with black switches and he said he actually didn't have any in stock.

[pitashen]

I see the Poker quality as fine, and better than most current production Cherry keyboards which is the next most common board to compare, as they are made similar. Those feel flimsy and cheap feeling.

ya...modern cherry crop boards have some of the worst build quality. People get it mostly because of the pcb mount.

[Brendan]

...and here's version 1.5 :tongue:

Show Image

$@&^*&^$*!&@$

STOP TEMPTING ME WITH THAT ALUMINUM CASE ARRG >:(

[pitashen]

$@&^*&^$*!&@$

STOP TEMPTING ME WITH THAT ALUMINUM CASE ARRG

you should go to pacific mall and see if any comp store have any imported lol.

[video=youtube;bVRGrUYu2x4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVRGrUYu2x4[/video]

[regca]

i pmed qtan a while ago
he/she said that poker browns will be out sometime next month

[dippingriz]

^ Good, I might have to get another one brown.  For what it is I like it a lot.