Mechanical Keyboard recommendation

[cool.aquarian]

Hello guys,

Need recommendations for a Mech Keyboard.
Below is what I am looking for in order of priority:

- Budget: within $125
- Mechanical TenKeyLess
- Cherry MX Brown
- Macro Keys for recording keypresses
- USB Passthrough (to attach mouse)
- Solid Construction(Preferably Metal)

Any advise ?

Thanks

[dexie]

Unfortunately all your requirements probably doesn't exist on a single keyboard at the same  time. You will need to choose what is most important to you.


iKBC MF87 or CM Masterkeys S if you are looking for solid-looking and quality keyboard

GMMK if you can live without passthrough. There's also a big benefit that GMMK is hot-swap, meaning that you could try out new switches eventually (and I highly recommend doing so, cherry browns aren't good)

Max Blackbird TKL or Das 4C if you really need that passthrough

[tex_live_utility]

(and I highly recommend doing so, cherry browns aren't good)

Let's not bias people before they've tried anything.

[shadowku]

- Budget: within $125
- Mechanical TenKeyLess
- Cherry MX Brown
- Macro Keys for recording keypresses
- USB Passthrough (to attach mouse)
- Solid Construction(Preferably Metal)

There's a bit of problem with the requirements list which is that you want USB Passthrough which you typically see on more commercial boards and less so on enthusiast boards (there are exceptions) but then you want TKL which is less common for commercial boards. Also, while last on your list, a metal TKL would either have to be something like a Corsair or a kit/micro-brand that I wouldn't necessarily recommend for someone who's not too familiar with keyboards.

I used to recommend the Cooler Master Masterkeys series, like dexie mentioned. I think they're discontinued now, though, because I can't find them easily anymore. But for your budget, assuming you mean USD and you're in the contiguous USA, I'd recommend the Leopold FC750R https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?c=171&l=product_list. If you're in the USA then shipping and duties won't kill you and they have a great selection of these boards in various colors and switches.

The DAS TKL that dexie mentioned isn't bad: https://www.daskeyboard.com/daskeyboard-4C-tenkeyless-professional/. It's slightly above your budget but does have two USB ports for your mouse. I'm a bit divided on these keyboards because I think they're a bit expensive for what they are since the quality and construction isn't as good as the Leopold, but they're still pretty solid. I think they mostly do include USB ports on their boards, though.

 GMMK isn't bad either. It's great if you like LEDs and the option for swapping out keys is nice, too.

[treeleaf64]

(and I highly recommend doing so, cherry browns aren't good)

Let's not bias people before they've tried anything.

MX BROWN APOLOGIST

[treeleaf64]

Seriously, I think hotswap would be a great option. Hotswap allows you to change switches without desoldering, and now I really wish there were Alps hotswap sockets

GMMK is your best bet!

Sincerely,
treeleaf64

[NewbieOneKenobi]

Hello guys,

Need recommendations for a Mech Keyboard.
Below is what I am looking for in order of priority:

- Budget: within $125
- Mechanical TenKeyLess
- Cherry MX Brown
- Macro Keys for recording keypresses
- USB Passthrough (to attach mouse)
- Solid Construction(Preferably Metal)

Any advise ?

Thanks

I'm not aware of any keyboard with low-profile Cherry browns, but Kailh already makes those. Might be worth giving it a shot. Or even red. I think tactility matters less with low-profile switches, and blues may behave closer to browns. So you might want to check out Sharkoon Purewriter either Red or Blue. Then there's Modecom Volcano Blade that has browns (from Kailh), but it's hard to find outside Central Europe (meaning shipment fees). I'm not sure to what extent Kailh browns might be worse than Cherry browns, but they don't exactly feel the same (I've owned both), so be warned.

If you don't insist on TKL, you could take a look around for vintage Cherry browns, which are often better than modern browns, though they can come with long and heavy space bars (green switch, length from before windows buttons).

Otherwise Masterkeys or MK730 (nice wristrest) or QuickFire TK — it's not tenkeyless because it has the alpha section + numpad, just no arrows section, for roughly the same length.

[onearmbandit]

Hey, I’m looking for some advice. Someone at work just mentioned mechanical keyboards, I never knew they existed. The problem, I’m missing my right arm. I had taken a one handed typing class back in the 90’s and was pretty good at it. The modern keyboard came along and I had to switch to one finger hunt and peck typing because the outer keys were held down to long and the same letter went on for a long time.!id love to get back to the regular one handed typing. So I would like to find something like the old style IBM typewriters where you actually have to press the key, and if you leave your finger in it to long it doesn’t keep repeating. Sorry if this is the wrong place for this. I’m not a gamer, nor do I intend to become one. But since I was told you guys are the experts on mechanical keyboards I thought you might be able to help. I would love to get back to one-handed typing again.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[suicidal_orange]

@onearmbandit - You can adjust the key repeat rate of any keyboard using settings in your operating system.

Matias make a one handed mechanical keyboard which might work well for you?

[cool.aquarian]

- Budget: within $125
- Mechanical TenKeyLess
- Cherry MX Brown
- Macro Keys for recording keypresses
- USB Passthrough (to attach mouse)
- Solid Construction(Preferably Metal)

There's a bit of problem with the requirements list which is that you want USB Passthrough which you typically see on more commercial boards and less so on enthusiast boards (there are exceptions) but then you want TKL which is less common for commercial boards. Also, while last on your list, a metal TKL would either have to be something like a Corsair or a kit/micro-brand that I wouldn't necessarily recommend for someone who's not too familiar with keyboards.

Thank you all for inputs.
My requirements are in the order of priority.
Tenkeyless(Looking for a somewhat portable keyboard which does not occupy much Deskspace), MX Brown(or might settle for MX Red: 60% gaming, 40% typing), and Macro Recording (I am into fighting games, so binding multiple keystrokes with delays to other key) are a must.

So far, with whatever analysis I did among mainstream keyboards, these two are top on my list and seem decent value for money:
Corsair K65
Fnatic Ministreak

Appreciate your feedback/recommendations.

[NewbieOneKenobi]

@onearmbandit - You can adjust the key repeat rate of any keyboard using settings in your operating system.

Matias make a one handed mechanical keyboard which might work well for you?

+1 The best solution to the problem as stated.

However, for hunt-and-pecking light non-linear switches can be good as long as the aim is reliable and confident. Probably good for those typists who are likely to bottom out anyway, e.g. due to applying too much strength. (As opposed to ten-finger gliders.)

[dexie]

(and I highly recommend doing so, cherry browns aren't good)

Let's not bias people before they've tried anything.

Yeah, well, I will. The biggest mistake I made after I first bought a mechanical keyboard in 2015 was not trying out other switches than mx browns I had on stock CM XT. I thought keyboards are just about the looks for a 2 years until I finally tried out zealios.

MX Browns might not be bad for a beginner and inexperienced buyer, however limiting yourself to just one switch is certainly illogical. Especially in consideration of how big a switches variety is today.

[yui]

I tried brown after owning a model M for a while and i must say it felt like a downgrade, it actually felt like a downgrade from my laptop integrated keyboard (it is kinda old and actually have a nice click and feedback), but it is much better than cheap rubber domes (and no i am not talking btc or topre, talking the freebie with your pc kind).

 (if you do mind modding you can disregard the rest of the answer completely, it is not going to help)
The only issues are that a tkl M is rather expensive and Ms are noisy, a normal unicomp M would fit in your budget and once modded with an hasu or soarer's converter you would have a 20 key macropad (instead of a numpad) (or a 101 keys macropad if you want), just throwing a possibility out there.

Also hasu made a usb to usb converter transforming any keyboard into a fully programmable one, but it is i think unable to work with nkro and pass-through.

And even though switch testers are not the best way to know how a switch will feel in a board (i tested brown in one and it felt OK, much better than on the final board) they can give you an idea of what exist and the differences between switches.

Finally if you like tactility royal purples might be much better (than brown) while still being relatively easy to get, that is if you do not mind building the keyboard yourself.

hope this can help.