Filco Majestouch 2 or Ninja Majestouch 2

[VP]

Which of these two would you recommend to choose? Which looks better? In your opinion.

[rxc92]

The one you like more 

[VP]

Are there any differences inside? As I understand it, no. The only differences outside? Legends on the top of the keys vs legends on the front of the keys; «Lock - num - caps - scroll» text vs no text; Filco logo color.

[tp4tissue]

There's absolutely no reason to pay for the filco branding.

The no-name brand TKL boards in the $20-50 category are just as good if not better.


Now, if you WANT the branding, that's ok too. but understand that in many cases, you get more for your $ on the nameless, because Filco is a brand tax.

[jamster]

Are there any differences inside? As I understand it, no. The only differences outside? Legends on the top of the keys vs legends on the front of the keys; «Lock - num - caps - scroll» text vs no text; Filco logo color.

Is there any reason to care if they are different inside? As long as you have the switches that you prefer, isn't that the important thing? It's press a key, get a letter. Not like it's a computer where you really care about the specs of the internals and need all the details of clock speeds, memory steppings, bus lanes, etc.

Just get the one that you prefer the look of.

[tp4tissue]

Is there any reason to care if they are different inside? As long as you have the switches that you prefer, isn't that the important thing? It's press a key, get a letter. Not like it's a computer where you really care about the specs of the internals and need all the details of clock speeds, memory steppings, bus lanes, etc.

Just get the one that you prefer the look of.

I think it's a good idea for everyone to pop the hood and check the pcb quality,  There are some builders out there with really shoddy soldering. 

Filco is just average quality on that end.

[mode]

I'd replace the caps with a set of taihao doubleshots if you're on a budget either way, so it doesn't matter. Filco caps are not the best.

I used to have a ninja for what it's worth.

[rhubarbpi]

I would suggest the Filco only if having Bluetooth is a key buying decision.
There are very few Bluetooth capable mechanicals on the market.

Otherwise, if you are looking for an MX mount board, there are plenty of other brands that will be equal or better quality for cheaper.
Ducky's are cheaper & have just as good construction.
Add some Tai Hao's and you can get a great long term board for cheaper than initial cost of Filco.

[Leslieann]

Which of these two would you recommend to choose? Which looks better? In your opinion.

I agree with Tp for the most part, there are cheaper alternatives, Rosewill and Cooler Master both sell keyboards that are the same thing as a Filco for 1/3rd the price. However, I wouldn't go so far as to say a $20 board is just as good, but do you really care if it lasts 3 years instead of 20? Like Rhubarbpi says, take a look at Ducky, they're new line is really nice and you don't even need a set of keycaps, the included ones are considered some of the best you can get.


Oh, one thing about front legends, unless they are super super high contrast, in a setting without an overhead light (or just dim lighting in general) the legends can all but disappear. I found that out the hard way.

[xfelyne]

You should choose only from your preferences, because they are the same
Or choose another board for the same price or lower like leopold fc750r that have good stock pbt keycaps, removable cable, multimedia functions and dip-switch (filco also have it, but only on convertible models and without thick pbt keycaps in stock), but imo imo nothing can be compared with feels of typing on filco even with abs thin keycaps

I prefer standart Majestouch 2, I don't like side-printed keycaps

[VP]

Thanks for the answers.
I ordered Ninja (105 key ISO layout). ISO layout is obligatory, I use a very special keyboard layout (not QWERTY), need an extra button at the left shift, the ANSI layout is definitely not for me. I don't look at the key labels at all, therefore, the location or existence of the inscriptions is completely irrelevant to me. I couldn't choose between a ninja and a regular majestouch just because of the slight differences in appearance. Now I chose.

[VP]

Rosewill and Cooler Master both sell keyboards that are the same thing as a Filco for 1/3rd the price.

I looked at Ducky and Rosewill keyboard offerings in online stores. I didn't find a Rosewill keyboard with an ISO layout. Ducky keyboards are mostly the ones I don't like, the ones I like aren't available, and the prices when buying in European online stores were not lower than for Filco, even more expensive. I don't need a backlit keyboard, I don't need media keys, macro keys and other things that don't matter to me, I wanted a classic standard full-size keyboard without the extras that I do not need. Filco seemed the most appropriate.

[moh18one]

Leopold >> Filco

[tp4tissue]

Leopold >> Filco

/Shots fired.

[rhubarbpi]

Myself I went through an evolution of tastes over years.  Started at Ducky, then Filco with MX Blues & MX Browns.
MK Typist with Kailh Box Whites, then KB Paradise with Kailh Box Jades.
(Kailh Boxes are my favorite MX style switch  ).

Then, I got a Unicomp Ultra Classic with buckling springs.
Followed by a Matias Tactile Pro with Matias Clicks.
Now, I'm jamming my first vintage board with the Apple IIgs (Alps Orange) converted to USB.

At this point, I can't see myself getting another Ducky or Filco, or any other MX mount style keyboard any longer.
My tastes have evolved past it.

That being said, every board I mentioned (minus the KB Paradise with its key chatter *right out of the box*) is quality & anyone entering in initially will be super happy with them. 

Alps switches have hypnotized me like a Snake Charmer, for better or worse 

[VP]

Just arrived.

The quality is very good. I have Das Keyboard Model S Ultimate, compared to it, Filco is superior, Filcos ABS keycaps look better, I will change them to blank when the originals are worn, there is no «Lock - num - caps - scroll» text on the Ninja, so with blank keycaps it will look better than the regular Majestouch 2. I like Filco’s most compact size when compared to Das.

[xfelyne]

Just arrived.

Congratulations! Now you can modding your keyboard from keycaps to case and cable 

[DALExSNAIL]

There's absolutely no reason to pay for the filco branding.

The no-name brand TKL boards in the $20-50 category are just as good if not better.


Now, if you WANT the branding, that's ok too. but understand that in many cases, you get more for your $ on the nameless, because Filco is a brand tax.

Leopold >> Filco

These are both wrong, and you should feel bad.

[WholesomeDucky]

There's absolutely no reason to pay for the filco branding.

The no-name brand TKL boards in the $20-50 category are just as good if not better.


Now, if you WANT the branding, that's ok too. but understand that in many cases, you get more for your $ on the nameless, because Filco is a brand tax.

Leopold >> Filco

These are both wrong, and you should feel bad.

In your view filco is better than leopold? Curious what the reasons are, I've always been real partial to Leopold.

[VP]

There are plenty of good keyboards, also better and more affordable than Filco, but Filco was easier for me to find and buy. I also looked at the full size version of Leopold ISO, unfortunately out of stock everywhere.

[tp4tissue]

These are both wrong, and you should feel bad.

Liesssss... Tp4 = 999^999 Truth.

[DALExSNAIL]

There's absolutely no reason to pay for the filco branding.

The no-name brand TKL boards in the $20-50 category are just as good if not better.


Now, if you WANT the branding, that's ok too. but understand that in many cases, you get more for your $ on the nameless, because Filco is a brand tax.

Leopold >> Filco

These are both wrong, and you should feel bad.

In your view filco is better than leopold? Curious what the reasons are, I've always been real partial to Leopold.

Leo is just as good as filco, but not better imho.

I like both, but personally prefer both the sound and build quality of filco

If filco came stock with cherry stabs, I might not buy any other KB.

[Maledicted]

Alps switches have hypnotized me like a Snake Charmer, for better or worse 

Yes, they tend to do that. Congrats on your first Alps board.

The quality is very good. I have Das Keyboard Model S Ultimate, compared to it, Filco is superior, Filcos ABS keycaps look better, I will change them to blank when the originals are worn, there is no «Lock - num - caps - scroll» text on the Ninja, so with blank keycaps it will look better than the regular Majestouch 2. I like Filco’s most compact size when compared to Das.

Nice, looks good. Nice and muted. It sure could use some dimmer legends, or none, like you've decided on. The high contrast white ones seem out of place on an otherwise blacked-out board. Does the Das Ultimate S have a particular reputation for being relatively high quality though? I mostly hear people bashing Das (because it isn't a Filco, Leopold, or Topre?), though I have a Pro 4 that I quite like because of the thick/beefy construction, USB 3.0 hub, and volume slider.

Leo is just as good as filco, but not better imho.

I like both, but personally prefer both the sound and build quality of filco

If filco came stock with cherry stabs, I might not buy any other KB.

I love bemusedly watching all of the brand loyalty from afar and count myself fortunate that I personally consider it a hindrance. I wouldn't mind trying Filco and Leopold ... some day. My Cooler Master and Rosewill relatives, while I see nice things about their design and construction, sit mostly unused.

[DALExSNAIL]

Leo is just as good as filco, but not better imho.

I like both, but personally prefer both the sound and build quality of filco

If filco came stock with cherry stabs, I might not buy any other KB.

I love bemusedly watching all of the brand loyalty from afar and count myself fortunate that I personally consider it a hindrance. I wouldn't mind trying Filco and Leopold ... some day. My Cooler Master and Rosewill relatives, while I see nice things about their design and construction, sit mostly unused.

I've owned all of the listed similar KB and filco has been nicer than them all, for me personally. I like filco the way that I do based on years of owning several brands and makes of keyboards, not some blind loyalty.

[Maledicted]

Leo is just as good as filco, but not better imho.

I like both, but personally prefer both the sound and build quality of filco

If filco came stock with cherry stabs, I might not buy any other KB.

I love bemusedly watching all of the brand loyalty from afar and count myself fortunate that I personally consider it a hindrance. I wouldn't mind trying Filco and Leopold ... some day. My Cooler Master and Rosewill relatives, while I see nice things about their design and construction, sit mostly unused.

I've owned all of the listed similar KB and filco has been nicer than them all, for me personally. I like filco the way that I do based on years of owning several brands and makes of keyboards, not some blind loyalty.

I wasn't saying anything about you personally, just the common tendencies, especially since you don't rank Filco over Leopold, etc. Ironically, I actually really love Costar stabilizers vs Cherry, yet I rarely ever use any of my boards that have them because all of the MX-compatible boards I own that I like the most overall don't have them.

You do make me wonder if I should put in the effort to put better switches in my Filco relatives and daily drive them for a period of time, just for a more rounded opinion, but the more boards I try the more I seem to lean more and more towards my dislike of the emphasis on any given brand, unless one in the comparison just so happens to be of relatively objectively lower quality.

[Leslieann]

Leo is just as good as filco, but not better imho.

This.

A keyboard is a relatively simple object in terms of mechanical and electronics go (if you ignore switches), you can only build it so well before you reach a point of excess. A great example is thick copper traces, that's good but at some point you're so far beyond what's required you're just adding unnecessary costs. To be fair though, Leopold does have better caps, but they may outlast your ownership, many change those and you can get great caps for cheap so this may be a pointless consideration.

Some of this argument also applies to lesser quality boards, like I said before, if you are going to replace it within 3 years, it doesn't matter if it's built to last just 5 years instead of 20.

[tp4tissue]

Leo is just as good as filco, but not better imho.

I like both, but personally prefer both the sound and build quality of filco

If filco came stock with cherry stabs, I might not buy any other KB.

m0Ar Lies..   

Leopold = Korean = +100 APM +10% Critical..

Filco simply doesn't have the Gaming-Pedigree.

[DALExSNAIL]

Leo is just as good as filco, but not better imho.

To be fair though, Leopold does have better caps, but they may outlast your ownership, many change those and you can get great caps for cheap so this may be a pointless consideration.

I can agree with this for the most part, but I will say I sort of preffer filco OEM typing feel over leos. But from just a neutral standpoint, they are a bit better.

Leo is just as good as filco, but not better imho.

I like both, but personally prefer both the sound and build quality of filco

If filco came stock with cherry stabs, I might not buy any other KB.

m0Ar Lies..   

Leopold = Korean = +100 APM +10% Critical..

Filco simply doesn't have the Gaming-Pedigree.

TP Pls  )

[xfelyne]

m0Ar Lies..   

Leopold = Korean = +100 APM +10% Critical..

Filco simply doesn't have the Gaming-Pedigree.

Ha-ha, it's works only on fc700r.

[WholesomeDucky]

To be fair though, Leopold does have better caps, but they may outlast your ownership, many change those and you can get great caps for cheap so this may be a pointless consideration.

Man oh man I cannot wait for the day that Leopold starts selling their doubleshot PBT by themselves. My wallet's going to hurt.