Unboxing & Initial Impressions: Filco Majestouch Ninja Tenkeyles

[gl0ry]

Hello everyone,

I got my Filco Majestouch Ninja in today from Amazon.  If anyone here in the keyboard section has followed my posts at all, I've slowly moved up the ladder as I originally started with an Xarmor U9-Plus (blue), then moved on to a Das Professional (brown), and have now made a final movement to a Filco Majestouch Ninja (brown).

I know there is a good following when it comes to the Filco name brand.  When I first decided to go mechanical, I told myself I would never be part of that following and spend over 100 dollars on a keyboard, but I guess that turned out to be a big fat lie.

I got this from Amazon via TheKeyboardCo(UK) and the keyboard came wonderfully packaged by Amazon (as always) and arrived in only two days with Prime.





What a cute little box.  I'm suddenly feeling all light footed and stealthy for some reason!



Designed in Japan, Made in Taiwan.  No More Fading Letters!



Cherry Browns!



Stealthy Filco logo!



Overhead and Rear views of the keyboard make it look "otaku" or "ultimate".



My initial impressions are that this keyboard is of the highest quality.  The keyboard has good weight to it, and the matte finish is something I can really appreciate after coming from the Das.  The keyboard has this quality about it that many other keyboards in the market today fail to achieve.  It has this simplistic yet attractive luxury to it.  Nothing fancy, nothing gaudy, just good old typing goodness.  

I love the key features of the Ninja, which are the front printed legends.  Having owned the Das for a week, the legends were already dirty/being worn off and was just unacceptable for me.  The Ninja's keycaps are extremely smooth and comfortable.  Maybe I'm crazy but I do have to note that the keys/brown switches do feel a tad more resistant than my Das browns.  I don't know what could be the cause of this feeling, but the Das browns were extremely light.  Having this additional 5g resistance (that's what it feels like to me) is fine for me.

The keyboard is extremely stable.  This is probably the most stable keyboard I've owned because the little plastic level adjustments have a nice rubber cover which ensures that the keyboard will not move at all (Both xarmor and das didn't include such a feature and because of that they could shuffle on the desk from time to time).  This is my first time using a tenkeyless and I will have to adjust a bit because I did use the numpad sometimes, but aside from that everything is great.

I do have to note that the cord is very short.  The cord is probably half the length of most average keyboards.  I am going to have to buy a USB extension cable for use with my desktop.  On the note of pinging, I do hear it a little bit on the backspace key, but it doesn't bother me at all.

I do plan on doing some modifications such as colored keycaps and such, but that will have to wait till next time.  Other thoughts or impressions should be covered in my youtube video.  If you have any other questions feel free to ask.

Unboxing

Initial Impressions

Type Racer

[calavera]

You just can't go wrong with a Filco. That's a fact I've been preaching everywhere.

[canon.tk]

Awesome keyboard.  I have one at work and love typing on it.  I look forward to doing things that require a lot of typing.

[daerid]

Awesome keyboard.  I have one at work and love typing on it.  I look forward to doing things that require a lot of typing.

DITTO. Seriously, working on a filco brown is the best decision I've made as far as my work environment goes.

[reaper]

Haha. Thanks for the review.  I didn't know which thread to reply to..  this one or the one over at OCN. lol

[gl0ry]

lol, had to keep it real

[substract]

Grats man.  I got my browns yesterday and love it.  Perfect switches for me being so nice and light and I love the sound.  There's some pinging on mines too but I can only hear it when my ear is right next to the key being pressed.  It sounds more like the springs are making that sound.  I don't notice it at all due to the beautiful clacking sounds drowning it out.

[curzen]

I dig the keys, does look aewsome.

semi OT: how/why do people make 'unboxing videos' and stuff? I just couldn't. New stuff? Must shred packaging and play around with it. no time for cameras.

[gl0ry]

I dig the keys, does look aewsome.

semi OT: how/why do people make 'unboxing videos' and stuff? I just couldn't. New stuff? Must shred packaging and play around with it. no time for cameras.

I dunno, some of those unboxing videos on youtube helped me decide what I wanted in the past, so I figured I would do the same for anyone on the fence.

[Zhuni]

I dig the keys, does look aewsome.

semi OT: how/why do people make 'unboxing videos' and stuff? I just couldn't. New stuff? Must shred packaging and play around with it. no time for cameras.

 
Here's one of my favourite unboxing vid

[The Solutor]

You just can't go wrong with a Filco. That's a fact I've been preaching everywhere.

:pound::pound::pound::pound::pound:

[Lester]

Very nice, enjoy it!

[jnchin]

Is the difference between the ninja and the regular majestouch just the keycaps?

Also, I haven't even gotten my majestouch-2 browns yet and i already want this ninja

[Titmouse]

Keycaps and more stealth badge is what I can see. Don't worry about Ninjas. Get some blank, engraved, or white-on-white keycaps. That's the way to go.

[daerid]

My ninja's logo is definitely dark black, my non-ninja gen 2 logo is darg gun metal. A distinct difference between the two.

[reaper]

^ Yup, here's a pic of Filco logo on Ninja.

][/URL]

[drsauced]

The FILCO on my ninja is a dark black.  However I discovered that it truly is a master of misdirection when photographed.

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[The Solutor]

The Solutor likes to troll

 
I'm not called ripster and we aren't speaking about Xarmor or Ducky, so no trolling involved.

[gl0ry]

Yeah, it's dark grey/blackish.. It blends in with the housing.

[redpill]

You just can't go wrong with a Filco.

True, as long as you like B flat OR residential insulation chemicals.

[keyboardlover]

I prefer Chopin's B-flat to Filco's.

[video=youtube;aBqhH_96Evs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBqhH_96Evs[/video]

[redpill]

trolls > shills

[keyboardlover]

That's good. As long as they keep selling, you are happy =)

[fds]

great review OP. I can't hear the ping at all in your vid, maybe you just don't type as hard as some of the complainers. Either that or your cam mic was too far away.

And wow, 150wpm is really impressive.

[keyboardlover]

Your avatar is very fitting.

[fds]

Your avatar is very fitting.

You no likey Haruhi? It's okay, I will change it for you. You don't have to complain about that too.

[keyboardlover]

I don't recall complaining about anything, really.

Anyway, I likey Taeyeon.

[Aznguyen316]

Thanks for the review just got this keyboard as my first mechanical. Feel like I missed out on the growing process of going up and through keyboards until the top haha

[Tony]

Excellent review. The Filco keycaps will become shiny after a while, so Ninja keycaps are a wise choice.

[daerid]

My Ninja caps are already shiny. But I don't mind. Shiny ABS keys actually feel much better on a brown switch then they do on a blue.

What would be awesome is a PBT engraved ninja-style group buy.

[The Solutor]

so Ninja keycaps are a wise choice.

Better call them with correct name, a patch, a workaround.

[daerid]

Better call them with correct name, a patch, a workaround.

Those aren't names. Those are adjectives. "Ninja" is the correct name.

[The Solutor]

Those are adjectives.

:nono:

[daerid]

Okay fine, technically not adjectives. But they're not names, either. And neither are correct anyways.

[The Solutor]

...And neither are correct anyways.

From wikipedia:

A workaround is a bypass of a recognized problem in a system.

Fits perfectly here

[daerid]

That's one way of looking at it. Another is aesthetic.

[kidwolf909]

From wikipedia:

A workaround is a bypass of a recognized problem in a system.

Fits perfectly here

Seriously?

Why are you such a hater?

Even if Filco's keys didn't wear prematurely, I would still have chosen the Ninja because I love the feel of blank caps, but occasionally I need to look down to see which symbol I need.

I don't see any need for your constant anti-Filco attitude.  Especially in threads like these where people are happy with their purchase and you're just crapping on it.

[daerid]

Especially in threads like there where people are happy with their purchase and you're just crapping on it.

Boom

[The Solutor]

Seriously?

Why are you such a hater?

Hater ?

I'm just helping people to not waste their money, you are free to agree or disagree and to spend your money as you like.

As I'm free to post my opinion in a *discussion* forum.

Even if Filco's keys didn't wear prematurely, I would still have chosen the Ninja because I love the feel of blank caps

Good, so we should call a smart workaround ? a nice workaround ? Cal it whatever you like you cant cancel the fact that the most expensive cherry keyboard comes whith the cheapest keycaps a (supposed) Ferrari with retread tires.

Especially in threads like these where people are happy with their purchase and you're just crapping on it.

If someone is happy, why should become unhappy just because a my post ?

[kidwolf909]

Hater ?

I'm just helping people to not waste their money, you are free to agree or disagree and to spend your money as you like.

As I'm free to post my opinion in a *discussion* forum.



Good, so we should call a smart workaround ? a nice workaround ? Cal it whatever you like you cant cancel the fact that the most expensive cherry keyboard comes whith the cheapest keycaps a (supposed) Ferrari with retread tires.


If someone is happy, why should become unhappy just because a my post ?

So you're saying that Filco's are a waste of money because of the keycaps alone?  The caps just negate the rest of the craftsmanship and inherent quality?

A lot of people on this forum (and others) replace their keycaps almost as soon as they get their boards, regardless of which brand or how good the OEM caps are.

I agree with you that it would be great if they came with better (preferably PBT) caps, but to say the whole keyboard is a waste of money and spread Filco fud is just unnecessary.

[The Solutor]

So you're saying that Filco's are a waste of money because of the keycaps alone?

No also because they cost from 1.5x to 2x any other board, giving not a lot more, sometimes giving less

The caps just negate the rest of the craftsmanship and inherent quality?

What craftmanship ? they are made slightly better than first price boards and exactly as good as most of other brands, they are just mechanical keyboards, not "grand complication" mechanical watches.

A lot of people on this forum (and others) replace their keycaps almost as soon as they get their boards, regardless of which brand or how good the OEM caps are.

Most of the people replace the tires on they Ferrari or the bracelet on their Rolex, but Rolex or Ferrari aren't using this as an excuse to give crap first equipment tires or bracelets.

spread Filco fud is just unnecessary

The more the information is biased in one direction the more different opinions are precious, no matter if we are speaking about Filcos in GH or about communism on the Pravda or whatever.

[aggiejy]

[The Solutor]

Your credibility would be higher if you owned a Filco.

Surely my self respect would be lower, in that case.

In fact, did you ever try one?

So start to play the role of a Filco vendor and gimme some facts, some tell me what I'm missing using full featured, not pinging, squeaking, boards equipped with good keycaps.

Maybe there's something I missed.

Maybe also the steelseries, ducky, leopold, cherry owners are missing something

Explain me why an 80$ board is sold at 160$, showme that 80$ worth details...

Shouldn't be that hard

[kidwolf909]

We should all just stop taking this thread so far off topic and deal with the fact that Solutor has never bothered to try a Filco to base his opinions on.

@OP: Congratulations on your purchase and I, for one, am glad that you are happy with it!  I too recently bought a Ninja and love it!

[The Solutor]

We should all just stop taking this thread so far off topic and deal with the fact that Solutor has never bothered to try a Filco to base his opinions on.

Frankly I'm proud to no spend my money in something sold with a doubled price, just becous is hyped, when you have some facts to confute my opinion you're welcome, until that moment I consider my opinion more valid than yours, because you have to justify the money spend firstly with yourself, and this is usually done with inflated or inexistent arguments

[Aznguyen316]

Surely my self respect would be lower, in that case.



So start to play the role of a Filco vendor and gimme some facts, some tell me what I'm missing using full featured, not pinging, squeaking, boards equipped with good keycaps.

Maybe there's something I missed.

Maybe also the steelseries, ducky, leopold, cherry owners are missing something

Explain me why an 80$ board is sold at 160$, showme that 80$ worth details...

Shouldn't be that hard

Sometimes things that are paid "extra" aren't always physically observed.  The same argument goes with a lot of things, one I see often is why I purchase and use MacBooks when the same hardware can be found in an HP notebook for half the cost.  I, personally will pay extra for build quality, which I have done with my MBP.  I also like the AppleCare service and being able to go right into a store, but anyway. I'm sure many can argue the same for a Filco, however many other people will argue the other way.  The problem I think people have here is this is a Filco initial impressions but you're kind of thread crapping.

[The Solutor]

Sometimes things that are paid "extra" aren't always physically observed.  The same argument goes with a lot of things, one I see often is why I purchase and use MacBooks when the same hardware can be found in an HP notebook for half the cost.  I, personally will pay extra for build quality, which I have done with my MBP.  I also like the AppleCare service and being able to go right into a store, but anyway. I'm sure many can argue the same for a Filco, however many other people will argue the other way.  The problem I think people have here is this is a Filco initial impressions but you're kind of thread crapping.

This is perfectly true.

But the difference between Thinkpad or even a Macbook are all but hidden, some of them are "quiet" some others are pretty evident, say aluminum or magnesium case, steel hinges, airbag protection for the HDD... the list is huge.

The same will apply to a zillion of things even to a stupid Sergio Tacchini T shirt that is not just trendy, will also last ten times than a cloned one.

But where are the differences here ?

[Aznguyen316]

I suppose in my brief time here, I've read a few posts on Filco's solid construction.  I've also seen people knock on Ducky's build quality.  Build quality seems important for many of us as I see it mentioned in all proper KB reviews and I suppose R&D costs go into this.  But I am not educated enough in keyboards.  I liked the look of the TKL Filco's, as well as more than 2-kro which I believe is what are offered on PLU's?  So there's one physical difference, but I cannot comment on other keyboards.

[The Solutor]

Build quality seems important for many of us

Included me, this is why I'll never buy a filco.

I suppose R&D costs go into this

Oh yes, R&D costs must be huge, given that more or less we are speaking about the same keyboard sold 25 years ago, minus the dubleshot keycaps.

Other than a clean design they offers NOTHING, no funky materials on housing, no doubleshot/backlit/super heavvy/whatever keycaps, no additional sw functions, macro keys, media keys, programmable keys, internal stored configurations, no detachable cable, no wireless, no usb ports, no additional constructive things, like dampening materials keycap silencers.
No backlight, no volume knobs.

Think to whatever can made a keyboard better, can differentiate a keyboard from another, or that can show some research behind it and you will find N O T H I N G.
A NOTHING sold @80$

[redpill]

ESPECIALLY now that whole ping fiasco thing has finally died down.

It's not a fiasco, it's a defect.  Shut up about it if you don't want it to become a subject again.