New to the world of mechanical keyboards

[niff]

Hi all, I was recommended to stop by and ask you gents about keyboards. This is a picture of my current keyboard I have had for the past 15 or so years but been showing its age for a long time (don't use a mac anymore either lol) and I have been looking for a really nice one as a replacement.

Problem is, I really don't know much about keyboards.  From my research I have been looking at cherry browns?  As someone who does a fair amount of gaming as well as general typing, i like the idea of feedback without as much tacktacktack as a model M.  I am open to pretty much anything, the only things I really need is a numpad, but I would like a similar layout to my current keyboard (no weird sized backspaces or anything)

Currently I have been looking at the Das Keyboard Model S Professional Silent and the XArmor U9BL-S but am open to pretty much anything.

I also can attach a sample of my current keyboard noise in regards to not wanting anything much louder. here but I am flexible on that too.

Thanks in advance,

-Niff

[noodles256]

wlcm 2 gh.

das keyboard is good if you are a student since they have a discount

[Wallach]

Daskeyboard is solid, and you can get it pretty cheap if you have a student discount as noodles said.

You can get a few different Filcos with brown switches right now on Amazon. EliteKeyboards still has a few tenkeyless & blank key Leopolds with browns left as well it seems, and those have gotten positive reviews.

[niff]

I have heard some rumors about das keyboards having the text wear off the keys, is that actually a problem?  And is the student discount publicly available?  I did not know about it prior so I sent them an email, but figured I might as well ask here too.

PS: I don't really have a budget, but anything over 160 or so will probably take some convincing.

[niff]

Just don't get the Xarmor.

And be sure to check out the WW Shopping Wiki and Mechanical Keyboard Guide wikis above.  And don't believe anything they say at OCN.

I just found the two wikis and have been checking them out (I live in the usa) and I take OCN is overclockers?

And may I ask about the hate on xarmor?

[greyhounds]

niff,

I just spent 2 weeks on the Daskeyboard silent - my first mechanical since the IBM days.

It's a very high quality unit. Depending on how hard you hit the keys it can go from almost silent to pretty loud if you bottom them out (which it sounds like you do from the clip). Firm soft landing pads from EK will quiet the bottoming clack down about 75% if it's still to loud with your typing style.

Have you listened to the various Youtube vids? There's a bunch comparing Cherry blues and browns to domes and such.

[noodles256]

i thought xarmor rep was solutor

[niff]

niff,

Have you listened to the various Youtube vids?

Ha, never even considered that, thank you and thank everyone else for there input so far, ill be sure to check those videos now, and yeah, for better or worse, I always bottom out my keys...

Also a bit of googleing leads me to believe the student discount is 30 bucks with Das, but I will be sure to post when a rep gets back to me.

EDIT: you mention landing pads from EK?  Still wrapping my head around all these acronyms, I assume you mean http://elitekeyboards.com/ ?

-Niff

[Wallach]

I have heard some rumors about das keyboards having the text wear off the keys, is that actually a problem?  And is the student discount publicly available?  I did not know about it prior so I sent them an email, but figured I might as well ask here too.

PS: I don't really have a budget, but anything over 160 or so will probably take some convincing.

Honestly $160 USD will get you almost any Cherry Brown keyboard you want. Leopolds (tenkeyles) are only $110, while the Filcos on Amazon are $140-150 (and have free shipping option).

[noodles256]

he needs numpad. You can get a DAS for about $110 w/ student discount

22% i think?

[niff]

Honestly $160 USD will get you almost any Cherry Brown keyboard you want. Leopolds (tenkeyles) are only $110, while the Filcos on Amazon are $140-150 (and have free shipping option).

Thats reassuring to know, thank you.  I also have a question about the Model S Professional Silent Keyboard I have seen a few reviews on the site that show em with media keys, but my research shows they have been removed?  Is there a reason for why?  And although I don't really need media keys they are fairly nice to have, since xarmor is probably out due to QC, anyone have personal experience with other nice mechs with media keys? (filco is one of the other brands I have read alot on)

[noodles256]

DUCKYYYYYYYY

they are available at tankguys

[Wallach]

Thats reassuring to know, thank you.  I also have a question about the Model S Professional Silent Keyboard I have seen a few reviews on the site that show em with media keys, but my research shows they have been removed?  Is there a reason for why?  And although I don't really need media keys they are fairly nice to have, since xarmor is probably out due to QC, anyone have personal experience with other nice mechs with media keys? (filco is one of the other brands I have read alot on)

 
I don't remember, but I think it was like they replaced the left Win key with their media key modifier, and people didn't care for it that much. Also that model had some transposition errors I believe, so maybe they went back to an older PCB design or something.

Like Noodles pointed out, I think Ducky 'boards also have media keys.

[jpz]

I just bought a das keyboard and it is 20% discount on the new keyboards and 15% on refurbished.  So it would $108 for a das silent.  The das with the media keys was an older version that was discontinued.

[Backward_Pawn]

If you can get a student discount, go for the Das.  I almost did, but decided it was too large in the end.  If size is an issue to you, look into either Leopold or Filco.  After shipping, Filco is only $15 more ($25 for the Ninja) since Amazon ships for free and people seem to have a slightly higher opinion of them, though both seem to be good choices.  I can't comment personally having only used the Filco.  The Ninja has the advantage of legends not wearing off, but otherwise its the same as the regular Filco.

That's really all I've got.

[The Solutor]

And may I ask about the hate on xarmor?

 

Read the the fox and the grapes and you will find the answer.