I don't like Cherry. Now what ?

[bbbbqq]

I just don't. I've owned a few boards, and I've just not been impressed. In order of least-bad to worst:
1. Cherry clear with brown springs
2. Cherry clear with clear springs
3. Cherry blue
4. Cherry Black with brown springs (ghettored)
5. Cherry brown
6. Cherry Black (UGHHHHHHHHHH)

None of them feel like an upgrade to me, not even over my MS Ergo 4000. Even that membrane board has more tactile feedback than most of the boards i've owned.
And cherry brown, the most overrated of them all. Nearly no tactile feedback, but still not that quiet while doing so. At least blue has some feeling, but still not as much as I'd like. And black, I like $3 membrane boards more.

Compared to the ducky 1087xm with the new alps greens, it's not even a competition. Downside to the alps is that the switch actuates almost immediately, and that it's loud.

So, what should I do next ? Only real requirement is that it have a normal sized backspace. None of that bull**** giant L shaped enterkey with a one-width backspace.

[laffindude]

Stick with membrane keyboard. Nothing wrong with them if you like the feel. Saves money too.

[cactux]

Topre will be the next move

[bbbbqq]

damnit topre, $350 for a 10keyless board

[Gin]

You planning on selling your keyboards?

Why did you keep getting them if the few first ones aren't even upgrade to membrane? Did you think that mech would be better just because they're more expensive?

[czarek]

What about Buckling Springs? Get yourself a Customizer to try them out. Then if you like it, experiment with other flavours of BS - older and newer Model Ms, Model Fs, etc.

[cactux]

What about Buckling Springs? Get yourself a Customizer to try them out. Then if you like it, experiment with other flavours of BS - older and newer Model Ms, Model Fs, etc.

If he does not like blacks I do not think that BS will be an option for him

[Gerk]

It sounds like you are a pretty heavy typer ... honestly if you like the ergo 4k save yourself the time and money and stick with it.  I don't mind the feel of ergo 4k's personally, but I kill them badly, after 5-6 months the keys are always jamming up on me, especially all the "geek" keys (which happen to also mostly all be on my right pinky which sucks).  Things like []{}\|;:'"?/ ... which unfortunately as a programmer I probably type more often than anything else

[kriminal]

buckling springs... nuff said

[Demofly]

If his list goes from softest to heaviest, I doubt he will like buckling springs unless the tactility literally blows him away so much to where he doesn't care about the 75g actuation.

I'm gonna go ahead and say he will probably like the a perfect stroke logitech board.

Take a look at the Logitech Illuminated.

[itlnstln]

Sounds like you just prefer rubber domes.  The MS Natural 4000 is a great 'board and my personal favorite non-mechanical.

[Gerk]

I was in Fry's at the butt ass crack of dawn this morning and typed on a 4K for a few minutes and came away quite impressed.  Sure they will break down in due time but you can buy a stack of them for what a Filco cost.

And you'd never have to obsess about keeping it clean either!

LOL yep, but they do add up over time  I probably have 5-6 semi-dead ones sitting around right now (but i'm hard on them and also fussy when the keys start jamming up).

[laffindude]

The thing about MS keyboard is to buy a bulk pack of them. Save cash that way and you know you need the spares.

[pitashen]

you can always go back to your rubber dome love...  Scissor switch keyboards are not so bad after all.

[Gerk]

The thing about MS keyboard is to buy a bulk pack of them. Save cash that way and you know you need the spares.

And put up with the keys slowly jamming and getting worse and worse.  Compared to my mech keyboards if I wanted the same smooth action I'd have to change my ms 4k's every other week  Especially compared to this new cherry red board, cloud of b00bs FTW!

[bbbbqq]

You planning on selling your keyboards?

Why did you keep getting them if the few first ones aren't even upgrade to membrane? Did you think that mech would be better just because they're more expensive?

I started with a board with blues, which i sold, and then I got a brown poker, then i got some clear springs and stems, and also a ducky with alps. So, only 2 right now

What about Buckling Springs? Get yourself a Customizer to try them out. Then if you like it, experiment with other flavours of BS - older and newer Model Ms, Model Fs, etc.

Any buckling spring boards with >2kro ?

If he does not like blacks I do not think that BS will be an option for him

I don't like black mostly because there is no feedback. tactile feel is definitely the most important thing

And put up with the keys slowly jamming and getting worse and worse.  Compared to my mech keyboards if I wanted the same smooth action I'd have to change my ms 4k's every other week  Especially compared to this new cherry red board, cloud of b00bs FTW!

Ergo 4000's last me about 6 months, which is gonna get real expensive real fast


Any cheaper topre boards maybe ? What about the ibm m4 ?

[czarek]

Any buckling spring boards with >2kro ?

Any Model F will have true n-key rollover because it uses capacitive switches. I have a terminal Model F with USB adapter for sale if you're interested.

[trax]

Logitech illuminated is good (I use them at work) but bad for gaming.

[Gerk]

Logitech illuminated is good (I use them at work) but bad for gaming.

You avatar gives me a headache LOL.

[hashbaz]

I'd like to point out that a bunch of geekhackers just acknowleged that rubber dome keyboards can be worthwhile.  The OP has obviously put sufficient time and money into keyboards to know what works for him and what doesn't, unlike some other trolls I could mention.

Remember to link this thread if what's-his-face ever gets unbanned.

[nocturn4l3030]

get a keytronic.  best rubber domes imo

[nar]

Any cheaper topre boards maybe ? What about the ibm m4 ?

If your willing to buy used boards, you can get topre boards for around $200, even as little as $100 if you look around in Taobao and aren't too picky about what board.
I know right now someone is selling a 103UB for $220 in the classifieds section.

[bbbbqq]

Logitech illuminated is good (I use them at work) but bad for gaming.

do you mean this one ?

Apple Aluminum!

Actually it sounds like you're just used to the Microsoft Ergo layout.

Just buy a crate of them and toss periodically.  **** Green.

It's not so much the layout (which I do like) as much as the key action. Brown just feels like mush. How is theh apple aluminum board feel ?

get a keytronic.  best rubber domes imo

I would, but the gigantic enter key and tiny backspace ruin it for me. It's not 1980 anymore keytronic

I posted in the Wiki a nice Keytronic.

Still, the OP won't like it because it's not a MS 4000.  My wife is like that.

Guess I'm your wife then

Maybe if keytronic made one with a normal enter and backspace..

[rodtang]

Pistols at dawn.

[Trueepower]

do you mean this one ?



It's not so much the layout (which I do like) as much as the key action. Brown just feels like mush. How is theh apple aluminum board feel ?



I would, but the gigantic enter key and tiny backspace ruin it for me. It's not 1980 anymore keytronic



Guess I'm your wife then

Maybe if keytronic made one with a normal enter and backspace..

Yeah, you might be better off just sticking with whatever is the cheapest. Certainly that is going to save you the most money:) Topre are nice, but they are a risk to purchase with no RMA available. The risk would only be worth it, if you like rubber dome boards, and really want a high quality one. Otherwise, I think you should just stick with whatever you are comfortable with. No sense in spending a lot on keyboards which you don't like. Good luck!

[nocturn4l3030]

I would, but the gigantic enter key and tiny backspace ruin it for me. It's not 1980 anymore keytronic

http://keyboards.keytronic.com/home/Shop/shop.asp?h_ck=TP65N5

i see quite a few without the gigantic enter key and a normal backspace.  i loved those keyboards before i found mechanicals. lemme know if you end up getting one and what you think of it.

EDIT:  if you can afford it, i think you would really like a topre too.  look through the classifieds and see if you can get a good price.

[Nighted]

Happy Hacking Lite seems like a nice little membrane board...or you could use lasers.

[video=youtube;HH8CUTimTvY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HH8CUTimTvY[/video]

[In Stereo!]

You can try to get a rubber dome Model M. I rather like mine ... not really the daily ride type of keyboard for me, but nice to type once in a while. I'd just like to add that I loathe the MS 4K.

[MKB]

We are near identical in our keyboard likes from what I can tell...

OPTIONS:
buckling spring
Filco - Zero
TOPRE maybe...  Realforce and not HKB

The filco zero is my favorite so far.

[bbbbqq]

Pistols at dawn.

Pistols at dawn it is.

http://keyboards.keytronic.com/home/Shop/shop.asp?h_ck=TP65N5

i see quite a few without the gigantic enter key and a normal backspace.  i loved those keyboards before i found mechanicals. lemme know if you end up getting one and what you think of it.

EDIT:  if you can afford it, i think you would really like a topre too.  look through the classifieds and see if you can get a good price.

Hmm,  that actually looks great. How many KRO are keytronic boards ? and, know anywhere in Canada to get one ?

We are near identical in our keyboard likes from what I can tell...

OPTIONS:
buckling spring
Filco - Zero
TOPRE maybe...  Realforce and not HKB

The filco zero is my favorite so far.

Which one is the white fukka alps, the clicky + tactile ? and, why not hkb ?

[cbf123]

Hmm,  that actually looks great. How many KRO are keytronic boards ? and, know anywhere in Canada to get one ?

http://www.ergocanada.com sells one Keytronic board...they may be able to order others.  They also have the Kinesis Freestyle board, which is supposed to be a tactile membrane.

[Gerk]

I think Input Nirvana also has a used Kinesis Freestyle for sale here in the classifieds if that helps.

[Gin]

Have you tried Qsenn keyboards? They're one of the best rubberdomes.

[Lanx]

I consider myself very familiar with the ergo 4k, i "think" like what many have said, you're just accustomed to the way the ergo 4k is split and the way it feels, essentially the ergonomics of it, cuz in terms of tactility it sucks monkey donuts. I found it impossibly difficult to go back to a ergo 4k once i tried cherry browns for a while. Is it really the feel or the ergonomics of the 4k that is swaying your opinion? cuz all regular tenkeyless or 104keyboards really really really suck for ergonomics too, cherry or otherwise.

[dorkvader]

I consider my Olivetti to be the best Rubberdome, though the only keytronic I've compared it with, I wasn't able to use for much.

[hashbaz]

Hearing mention of Olivetti makes me wonder where The Solutor is...