Camera died... ugh.
- The lasered keycaps are not as bright as the Filcos, but it's something you would only notice in a side by side comparison. They look fine on their own.
- Popped a keycap and they're MX Blues. They appear to be mounted properly.
- Even when bottoming out this isn't as loud as the ABS M1 I have. It's hard to say without having a tactile
- The loudness of the MX Blue click is greatly exaggerated. It does, however, make you feel like a typing god.
- I haven't encountered any transposition issues. I took a look at this wiki entry, tried the credit card test, and were unable to find any combos that caused transposition. I typically type at 80-100WPM.
- It does NOT come with a PS/2 adapter. NKRO was tested with a Filco adapter.
- The manual is a joke. Tech specs of the switches and a scale black and white rendering of the keyboard. You don't really need a manual, but meh.
- 3 year parts warranty, but only 1 year labor.
- There's nothing wrong with the keys on the RK-9000, but the key finish on the Filcos is amazing.
- The Rosewill logo looks kind of tacky. The Filco badge looks much, much better.
- The 3 LEDs (num/caps/scroll) are just as blindingly blue as they are on a Filco.
- If your room is not dark, you can see the red backplate of the RK-9000 between the keys. I give a thumbs up to the look - it's a nice touch.
I tried checking the USB ID, but it registers as Microsoft. The Filco comes up the same. I assume this is because Microsoft has a generic USB HID input driver. While I can't say it's Costar for sure, I'd be willing to bet a minimum of $50 against someone who thinks it isn't. The information label on the back is the same size/shape. The warranty seal, feet, and rubber pads are identical (no discernible difference)
So, the verdict:
I paid $72 - less than half the price of a Filco Majestouch Tactile Click NKRO. For the price, I think the keyboard is unbeatable. Even at $80 (which is the expected sale price on October 11th) it's a worthwhile buy, especially if you aren't sure about the purchase.
However, this is a new product - issues may arise. There are a lot of things to say in favor of buying a Filco:
- Being able to get it with blank keys
- No Tenkeyless option from Rosewill
- Better finish on the keys
- Brian tests the MX Blues personally before shipping it out to make sure they're clicking/actuating properly.
- Brian is a regular here and is willing to give advice/be knowledgeable about the product he's selling. He's also worked hard to get accessories (leather wristpads, the blank keys, etc.) and he has a good relationship with Diatec.
So, in the end, the RK-9000 is a very attractive option at the sale price. At the price I got it, it was an easy choice.
At retail, the differences start to come through. At $100 vs. $146.50 shipped (within the US) for the RK-9000 vs. the Tactile Click Filco, the choice becomes less obvious.
Will this put a dent in Filco sales? Probably - three digits versus two digits is pretty tempting. At the same time not everyone wants MX Blues (although as an MX Brown user I must admit that I'm very fond of them), as well as the factors I mentioned earlier, distinguish the Filco as a more premium product. Whether that premium is worth the cost is a decision you'll need to make.
