Elitekeyboards Replacement for the Filco Tenkeyless - The Leopold FC200R

[hyunbina]

Since the razer black widow is out you can pretty much go to any electronic (even at best buy) store to try it out.

[MrSneis]

I hate to say it but that level of "playing" and the atmosphere isn't exactly the same experience of having the board in your own setting under your exact usage!  I'm a little concerned with how much it would bug my co-worker ~ so far browns are safe.

[hyunbina]

Maybe if the rosewill comes back I might try that one out since it's a lot cheaper and how that goes

[Floob]

I've had my otaku browns for awhile, and I do like the key caps a lot better than the filco I know.  

These stabilizers do make the keys feel a little mushy though. =S  I'm fine with them though, no biggie.

[chodaboy]

without wrenching too much into it... I want to take the cover off my Leapold. I have a friend that works in an autobody shop.  I'd like to give it a white coat.  Do I have to unscrew the bottom three screws?

[Nautilus]

So, I have spent time comparing my Das Professional S (with Blues), my Leopold Tenkeyless with Blues, and my Filco Tenkeyless with Browns.

I want to keep this short because I have more papers to finish and other things to do, so...

The Filco is a really nice board but I cannot say that I like it more than the Leopold. As I have mentioned earlier, I have had no trouble with the stabilizers on my Leopold (only slightly stiffer than on the Das and Filco and they have actually loosened up to feel the same now). I also cannot say that I like the Filco less than the Leopold. In my opinion, I think both keyboards are equal, the Filco's quality a tiny bit higher but also lacking the useful removable USB cable on the Leopold.

Note that I am fairly new to this whole mechanical keyboard scene, only about a month's experience with my first (the Das) so I may not be noticing nuances that others might.

Verdict: I love them all.

[bonecandy]

Sooo, this Leopold is my first mechanical keyboard and I'm really liking it so far. I don't look forward going to work anymore because I have to type on a piece of junk mushy Dell (I'm a software developer) so I'm thinking of picking up a Filco tenkeyless brown for work. :biggrin: I came from a chiclet Apple mini keyboard, which I think has scissor switches? Either way, I'm sort of used to hitting the keys a little hard, but the brown switches actually feel pretty good. Not tiring at all. I wish someone would make an ergonomic keyboard with these switches in the style of the Microsoft Natural 4000.

Anyway, if anyone is interested it took about 10 (11 if stacking one by one very lightly) nickels to push the up arrow key all the way down, 9 to rest on the actuation point.

[hyunbina]

sweet it's great to live right next to elitekeyboard location getting mine tomorrow ordered yesterday

[daerid]

So they're shipping now? EK should update it's website haha

[hyunbina]

Just received mine

some shots

[NimbleRabit]

I'd just like to recommend everybody here (since it seems lots of people are receiving some brand new leopolds) that they try reversing the spacebar.  All it involves is taking off the spacebar and turning it around, as seen here:

Filco Reversed Spacebar

This might not be for everybody, but I'm willing to bet there are other people out there who had sore thumbs just like me.  This simple modification is amazing and actually increases my enjoyment from typing on this board significantly.

[NimbleRabit]

Somebody take a profile pic of their Leopold spacebar sometime.

Is it sharper than normal or something?  Only one I consider sharp is the Signature Plastics one (in gray - OWWW).

I'm not sure if it's sharper than "normal", but a lot of people might be like me and be more used to much flatter keyboards.  Every keyboard I've had before this one had significantly shorter keys which I think that has a lot to do with making the spacebar bother me, and I figure that might be true for others as well.

[RiGS]

I'd just like to recommend everybody here (since it seems lots of people are receiving some brand new leopolds) that they try reversing the spacebar.  All it involves is taking off the spacebar and turning it around, as seen here:

Filco Reversed Spacebar

This might not be for everybody, but I'm willing to bet there are other people out there who had sore thumbs just like me.  This simple modification is amazing and actually increases my enjoyment from typing on this board significantly.

+1

[Natron]

Just joined to add myself to the list. Leopold with blues ordered. It says no stock but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

[reaper]

^ Welcome to Geekhack and I'm sure they'll ship you one as soon as they have it in stock.

[hyunbina]

So I've been typing/gaming for about 3-4 days. The letters especially S and D are a bit darker than the other ones even with all the care washing hands every hour or so. Wiping with water towel not seem to be working. Any suggestion?

[BlacK.OuT]

Doesn't look sharper than normal, think it's just people unused to high keys or whatever...I've used a rubber dome with raised keys for awhile so I don't have problems with it.

[Oqsy]

Walk left more. You're getting shot walking in counter-clockwise circles

[hyunbina]

Alcohol does take some off but still not as white as the other ones. I also tried windex and that didn't work either.

[Natron]

Nice. EK ships fast. It already showed up today. I've been spending the day trying to get used to it. One thing I wasn't prepared for is just HOW loud the blue switches are. Hahah. It's not terrible but it certainly does alert every coworker of mine within earshot of any keystrokes I make. It feels great to type on though. Definitely happy with the purchase so far after a full workday of typing on it.

[Gfresh404]

So is there a general consensus on these yet?

Despite the little review I've heard overall the Filco's seem to be better.

[canon.tk]

Filcos cost more and are a bit better.  Leopolds are a good value especially stacked against the Ducky.

This I think most people can agree on.

This pretty much sums it up.

[xenonrider]

Ugh, I was about to pull the trigger on a Leopold and they raised the price to 109.

[MissileMike]

I notice my A and S keys are starting to fade a little after very little use- how far will they go?  I was hoping for better life from laser keycaps.  Maybe they just go until they're flush with the rest of the key?

[toast]

I use my alt key for push to talk and I use it a lot.  So far I've worn through the infill that sticks out of the key almost completely.

Here's two quick pics of the difference.  ((I just swapped the alt keys so the brighter one has a slight bit of wear already, not much though))  It looks to me like it will stop wearing so much once the infill is flush with the key.  On a different note my spacebar hasn't shined up at all yet.  : )

[MissileMike]

Ah... good now I don't need to post pics.  My experience with S and A is the same as with your alt key.  Now I just have to wear down all the other letters to the infill.

[daerid]

Does Leopold make a TKL Otaku w/ Blues?

[GosuBuckets]

Does Leopold make a TKL Otaku w/ Blues?

otaku is browns only

maybe buy a reglar blues and recap?

[Gfresh404]

Does Leopold make a TKL Otaku w/ Blues?

I actually emailed them about this. They said they would actually be offering one for sale within the next couple of months.

[daerid]

I actually emailed them about this. They said they would actually be offering one for sale within the next couple of months.

Oh hell yes. I'm really interested in trying browns, but the Blues are still my fav

[canon.tk]

I like my Leopold otaku with browns.

[nadvil]

Just received a FC200R with Cherry browns today.  Still getting used to it, mainly because it's missing the extra width.  I used a $5 keyboard for 12 years and was happy enough, but it broke and all available free replacements were noticeably gummy.  Thanks to everyone here for making a $100+ computer keyboard sound like a sensible idea.  The obsessive personalities here are fun!

[Philth]

Has anyone heard any rumors as to whether or not there are plans to release a leopold tenkeyless with cherry reds in NA?

[kaiserreich]

The leopold English website does not show any Leopold tenkeyless with Reds. Just the fullsized one has the red switches

[kaiserreich]

I was told that the full-sized ones are low on stock. And that Leopold is trying to expand in the East Asian Market i.e China, Korea and Japan.  The manufacturer can't keep up since the full-sized ones are the new models.
Then again, my words can't be trusted, since I don't want to reveal my sources, so take it with a grain of salt.

[MrSneis]

I tend to notice more of the critiques here of the Leopold's but I just would like to add some new positive impressions based on a Leo blue.  I was lucky to get to swap my Leo brown board for a Leo blue board from member Poco (Thanks Poco!). After typing on the Filco blue for about a week AND now the Leo blue for a little bit, IMO the feel and sound of the Leopold I actually prefer to the Filco.  Each keypress on the Filco was very distinct and it almost felt a bit like my typing was a little sluggish. Not so much with the Leo, it seems more fluid to my fingers/brain.  I know a few moments isn't really enough to get the most involved impressions but so far I like it!  

I'm wondering if this is due to the difference in keycaps, maybe I'll do some experimenting when I get the chance.

[canon.tk]

I'm starting to like the way the Leopold feels over my Filcos.  Sad but true.

[MrSneis]

I would but waiting on imsto!! Now you've got me worried that I'll rip my keyswitches out if I get too ambitious.

[canon.tk]

I'd love to have a nice set of black on black but the group buy thing doesn't seem all that fun.

[fullofenergy]

I just received my Leopold brown tenkeyless, am I supposed to bottom out on it? I am used to the apple keyboard from my MBP right now and I keep bottoming out the brown.

Also, my wpm went up by around 10 with this keyboard!

[wanabe]

these are performing enhancing keyboards

bottoming out is a personal preference

[BucklingSpring]

I just received my Leopold brown tenkeyless, am I supposed to bottom out on it? I am used to the apple keyboard from my MBP right now and I keep bottoming out the brown.

Also, my wpm went up by around 10 with this keyboard!

Maybe the WPM went up because you are bottoming out :-)

[NimbleRabit]

You can bottom out or not, it's up to you.  I wouldn't think about it and just do what feels natural.

[fullofenergy]

I have heard rumors yes.

Also about Obama's birth certificate.

Now that Obama's birth certificate is released... what about the leopold reds?

[mrbill]

Even though I've already got two Filco tenkeyless browns with the Geekhack custom double-shot keycap sets, I bit the bullet and ordered a Leopold a few days ago just to see how it compares.  So far, so good - it may just be "new keyboard clackyness noise" and "ooh shiny" factor but I might like the Leopold *better*.  Give it a couple weeks of ~80-100wpm and we'll see what I think then... I do like the more-rounded edges.

[sam113101]

Not even subtle.

[SecrtAgentMan]

Oh um gee asun escorts?

[Oqsy]

Escorts R Fords. Dey R Amurucun.

[HighNoon]

Lol. They're bumping old threads now?

[alaricljs]

I suppose there's some thought that an old thread with a new post might get more attention... how I long for the days when you knew who TP'd your yard so you could give them proper payback.