New computer, new keyboard

[imorhi]

I am an at home programmer and I have just built myself a new (and wonderful) computer.

However, I was using a laptop previously so after I ordered all the parts I had to rush back onto newegg to buy a keyboard.
Long story short, I didn't know what to get so I just got a $12 scissor rosewell keyboard, and... it sucks.

So I've been looking into getting a good mechanical keyboard that's good for typing and gaming. ( SwToR, BF3, LoL, DotA2, ME3 )

Requirements:

 -  I have to use a Yubikey to log into my work server so usb ports on the keyboard are pretty important

 -  My work room is very poorly lit and my keyboard is under my desk, ie. would prefer backlit ( but not blue! ), but not a total dealbreaker

 -  I was thinking blues or browns ( no reds or blacks please )


So far the only boards that I have come up with are:

* Razor Black Widow Ultimate (Stealth)
    > I just looked at Razor's site today and it looks like there is a Mass Effect 3 BWU coming out with a red backlight but blue switches....
* Ducky Shine DK9008S
* Das Keyboard (something, no backlight :ohwell:)

But I'm open to just about anything

I'm lost, at first I was thinking brown but now I don't know. From everything that I've listened to I can hardly tell the difference between the loudness of blue or brown since they both make the same bottom out sound.

Any help would be appreciated!

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Do you actually need to see the keys to type? There are other daft solutions such as USB-powered desk lights, although that can really show up the shine of the keycaps on a FILCO ;-)

Dim light might have the same key learning effect as a blank keyboard without limiting you to blank models.

[imorhi]

Do you actually need to see the keys to type? There are other daft solutions such as USB-powered desk lights, although that can really show up the shine of the keycaps on a FILCO ;-)

Dim light might have the same key learning effect as a blank keyboard without limiting you to blank models.

It's not that I need to look at the keyboard while typing (Actually, I originally wanted the Das blank)
The problem is, almost every time I take my hands off my keyboard or off wasd, I end up putting my hands down in a different spot and either end up dying in a game or typing gibberish into my code.

Usually when that happens I havet to either use my phone to see where my hands need to go, or flip my desk light on (which glares on my screen)

Although, now that I think about it, I may not need the backlight but mostly because it looks very gaudy and would not fit my plain looking case.

[sth]

It's not that I need to look at the keyboard while typing (Actually, I originally wanted the Das blank)
The problem is, almost every time I take my hands off my keyboard or off wasd, I end up putting my hands down in a different spot and either end up dying in a game or typing gibberish into my code.

Usually when that happens I havet to either use my phone to see where my hands need to go, or flip my desk light on (which glares on my screen)

Although, now that I think about it, I may not need the backlight but mostly because it looks very gaudy and would not fit my plain looking case.

Is there some reason why the landing strips on F and J are not enough?
I usually use those and my pinkies to feel for CL and enter.

[imorhi]

Is there some reason why the landing strips on F and J are not enough?
I usually use those and my pinkies to feel for CL and enter.

It may be that the F and J strips are too thin since my current keyboard is G_A_R_B_A_G_E

[tp4tissue]

It may be that the F and J strips are too thin since my current keyboard is G_A_R_B_A_G_E

Go with the Rosewill 9000 mx-blue, or the CMstorm if you can use tkl,, both are filco clones made by the same oem as filco (costar)

[imorhi]

Go with the Rosewill 9000 mx-blue, or the CMstorm if you can use tkl,, both are filco clones made by the same oem as filco (costar)

But does it have USB passthough? That's pretty important to me

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Get a couple of Ripster's aluminium keycaps for F and J and electrify them ...

[Daniel Beardsmore]

But does it have USB passthough? That's pretty important to me

USB extension lead duct taped to the keyboard cable ... :-)

[Daniel Beardsmore]

I was thinking maybe Matias Tactile One (lovely tactile switches, integrated USB) but the layout is really messed up, and the Tactile Pro 3 is Mac-only layout.

[imorhi]

I was thinking maybe Matias Tactile One (lovely tactile switches, integrated USB) but the layout is really messed up, and the Tactile Pro 3 is Mac-only layout.

I'll actually consider it.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

So my choices are these (with features):

* Razor Black Widow Ultimate (Mass Effect Ed. with red backlight)
   Backlit? - YES
   USB? - YES
   Pros: Looks nice, has macro feature, media controls
   Cons: Keycap durability? (May be fixed with latest version)

* Rosewill RK-9000
   Backlit? - NO
   USB? - NO
   Pros: Filco clone, high quality
   Cons: Boring, no backlight or usb

* Matias Tactile Pro
   Backlit? - NO
   USB? - YES
   Pros: Pretty, unique, ALPs?
   Cons: Mac Layout, ALPs? - Don't know anything about ALPs

* Ducky Shine DK9008S
   Backlit? - YES
   USB? - NO
   Pros:
   Cons: Don't know anything about other than brand name

* Das Keyboard Model S
   Backlit? - NO
   USB? - YES
   Pros:
   Cons: Don't know anything about other than brand name

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Also, I have a 10% off keyboards coupon from newegg that is going to expire soon so if I can't make a decision by this Friday I'm just going to get one.

Right now I'm leaning at the BWU even though it is Razor; it looks like there are a lot of people who really like it.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

It's pretty fair to say that the 10% saved will amount to far less than the total expenditure from the inevitable process of trying each keyboard in the list and more in a vain attempt to decide which suits you more

Personally I consider the BWU grotesque, even by gamer standards (gamers for some reason have no aesthetic sense at all – it's not acceptable unless you have lots of jaunty angles and jagged bits and eyeball raping lights). I prefer elegant and boring (FILCO, Leopold etc but not ABS, Rosewill etc as their logos only suck marginally less than Unicomp). If only Unicomp could get their styling together ...

[imorhi]

It's pretty fair to say that the 10% saved will amount to far less than the total expenditure from the inevitable process of trying each keyboard in the list and more in a vain attempt to decide which suits you more

Personally I consider the BWU grotesque, even by gamer standards (gamers for some reason have no aesthetic sense at all – it's not acceptable unless you have lots of jaunty angles and jagged bits and eyeball raping lights). I prefer elegant and boring (FILCO, Leopold etc but not ABS, Rosewill etc as their logos only suck marginally less than Unicomp). If only Unicomp could get their styling together ...

The normal BWU is  pretty bad but I don't mind the SE one as much
[ Attachment Invalid Or Does Not Exist ] 45246[/ATTACH]

Anyway it is a little hard for me to justify the $100 for the Rosewill when the BWU is $30 more and has a few more nice features (and the same switches)
Also no USB or backlight on the Rosewill and the big Rosewill logo needs to die, I already have a huge one on my current keyboard

[Trent]

Go with the original IBM Model M, can't go wrong with it.

[Human]

The normal BWU is  pretty bad but I don't mind the SE one as much
(Attachment Link) 45246[/ATTACH]

Anyway it is a little hard for me to justify the $100 for the Rosewill when the BWU is $30 more and has a few more nice features (and the same switches)
Also no USB or backlight on the Rosewill and the big Rosewill logo needs to die, I already have a huge one on my current keyboard

For "gamers" bling bling matter.
For most of us here, quality matter more.

Or may be you can just go ahead with your choice now. May be you won't be sensitive and perfectionist enough to detect all those flaws with it.

Lastly, its your money. Just do whatever you want as long as it make you happy.

[Aranair]

I would skip the BWU, I feel that it isn't as solidly built as some of the other similarly priced keyboards...
(It isn't really ugly to me though, used one for most parts of last year)

But, if you aren't absolutely bent on getting backlit (which I think just restricts keycaps choice for me), you can get Filcos/Leopolds depending on where you are situated..
These feel much more solid than the BWU at a similar price line I think.

(could also get black on white keycaps, so it helps with visibility a little)

[Autolyze]

The Das is made by Costar, the same OEM that builds Filcos and Rosewills. I think it's a little bit bulky compared to a Filco, but I'd go with a Das over a Blackwidow any day.

I think that getting blank keycaps might force you to get more used to the feel of the keys and less reliant on looking at where your hands should be. If you still find that you're putting your hands in the wrong places, you can always change keycaps around by flipping them, changing their rows, or mixing keycaps of different profiles. Nippled F/J keys (like the 5 on the numpad) also tend to be easier to feel than the standard landing strip ones.

In any case though, if you're planning on seriously using this keyboard for a while, you're probably going to want new keycaps sooner or later, which is a bit easier with the non-backlit boards.

[Human]

The Das is made by Costar, the same OEM that builds Filcos and Rosewills. I think it's a little bit bulky compared to a Filco, but I'd go with a Das over a Blackwidow any day.

I think that getting blank keycaps might force you to get more used to the feel of the keys and less reliant on looking at where your hands should be. If you still find that you're putting your hands in the wrong places, you can always change keycaps around by flipping them, changing their rows, or mixing keycaps of different profiles. Nippled F/J keys (like the 5 on the numpad) also tend to be easier to feel than the standard landing strip ones.

In any case though, if you're planning on seriously using this keyboard for a while, you're probably going to want new keycaps sooner or later, which is a bit easier with the non-backlit boards.

Or simpler, get metal keycaps. The coldness of metal keycaps should be able to tell you the keys at the very first touch.

[Rinx7]

Why doesn't he just buy a keyboard from WASD keyboards, he can customize it so that his keys are black and his WASD cluster white. That way he can find it in the dark. WASD makes good keyboards and they are at your price point.

[Human]

Why doesn't he just buy a keyboard from WASD keyboards, he can customize it so that his keys are black and his WASD cluster white. That way he can find it in the dark. WASD makes good keyboards and they are at your price point.

Because he can't justify himself paying over 100$ for a normal looking keyboard, without those bling bling.

[Rinx7]

Why does he care? I don't really know much about the Noppoo pro but the Choco Mini is OK so I will send him a link to it. It has
MX-Reds and a Red Backlight.
http://www.vendio.com/stores/E-sports-Gaming-equipments/item/mechanical-keyboard-noppoo/new-noppoo-pro-mechanical-keyb/lid=23343570

Also here is a review of a non Backlit Version with Browns
http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:20275

[imorhi]

Because he can't justify himself paying over 100$ for a normal looking keyboard, without those bling bling.

I'm actually reversing my decision on that, I looked around a lot more and I see that getting a high quality board would be a smarter idea than the BWU.

As of right now I'm leaning at getting a Filco Maj. - or maybe rosewill, but I don't like that big logo for a nice keyboard

The gloss on the Das may annoy me and apparently no one has many good things to say about ducky.

[imorhi]

Why doesn't he just buy a keyboard from WASD keyboards, he can customize it so that his keys are black and his WASD cluster white. That way he can find it in the dark. WASD makes good keyboards and they are at your price point.

A WASD was my first choice initially, however they're out of stock of black keycaps and blues and browns

[vurt]

Get the Filco. You will not be disappointed. =]

[i3oilermaker]

My Rosewill RK-9000 has USB and PS/2

[imorhi]

I was just looking at the CM Storm and I came across the CMStorm Trigger, more gimmicks again but it is the only CM that's not tenkeyless

How does that compare with the QFR which is apparently a Filco clone but much cheaper and less logo-y than the rosewill  EDIT: Looks like there is a ton of branding

[leahim]

maybe you should check out the QPAD MK-85 or MK-80
homepage:http://www.corporate.qpad.se/modules/news/index.php?storytopic=11

It would have all u need usb/backlight(red) and u could choose which switch u want all for a good price.
I just got my a qpad mk-50 for my first mech keyboard witch red switches. Personaly I love it and i can tell its very solid build I think a good keybord but i just have it for 2 days now.

hope this helps maybe

[Daniel Beardsmore]

That's an Xarmor … nice looking board, but I'm not so sure on the quality (cf thread about all the dying Xarmors – could all be FUD though). I was eyeing them up on Fentek, but they only have ANSI models; of course, being European, QPAD have the ISO version.

Fentek sell completely unbranded Xarmor keyboards though; I'm not against elegant branding (Diatec's metal FILCO logo for example) but QPAD, like most companies, just doesn't get it.

[imorhi]

I was just looking at the CM Storm and I came across the CMStorm Trigger, more gimmicks again but it is the only CM that's not tenkeyless

How does that compare with the QFR which is apparently a Filco clone but much cheaper and less logo-y than the rosewill  EDIT: Looks like there is a ton of branding

Looks like I'm still back at the Filco since the Trigger is just a BWU, maybe I can live with tenkeyless for $80 on the CMStorm...

[Rinx7]

Get the Filco, be happy.

[imorhi]

Get the Filco, be happy.

Is the Filco worth the >$70 price jump from the CMStorm QFR?


P.S.
I have also decided to go tenkeyless so I can get my mouse closer to my board

[Autolyze]

While I would personally go with a tenkeyless Filco, the Quickfire Rapid is a much better value if you're okay with all the logos or plan on covering them up. Depends on whether you want to be snobby or want to have an extra ~$70 to spend on keycaps.

[imorhi]

While I would personally go with a tenkeyless Filco, the Quickfire Rapid is a much better value if you're okay with all the logos or plan on covering them up. Depends on whether you want to be snobby or want to have an extra ~$70 to spend on keycaps.

I'm sure I'll move up to a Filco eventually, but for now I'm going with the QFR for $80 with shipping.

Now to get some keycaps......


EDIT: Didn't notice that the QFR comes with media controls, which is nice for me since my setup has no way of changing the vol outside of the taskbar

[Daniel Beardsmore]

I have no need to change the system volume. Winamp has its own binding system, and I use ctrl + num+/num- for that. (I hope Windows 7 knocked some sense into the world; it's really depressing how many programs use waveout, where altering the volume slider in the program alters the global wave level. Even remoting onto a PC via RDP would alter your local wave volume to match the remote wave volume ... and that's all Microsoft code!)

[Acolarh]

Hint: AutoHotKey is a neat little program for Windows that lets you set up hotkeys. The following script:

Code: [Select]

#F12::
Send {Volume_Up}
return

#F11::
Send {Volume_Down}
return
Will map Windows/Super/Meta+F12 to Volume up and Windows/Super/Meta+F11 to volume down, which is not really different than the "media-keys" (e.g. Fn+F12 and Fn+F11) on some mechanical keyboards.
Similar things can be done for media controls like "Media_Next", "Media_Prev" etc. (which WinAmp will respond to as well).

[imorhi]

Hint: AutoHotKey is a neat little program for Windows that lets you set up hotkeys. The following script:

Code: [Select]

#F12::
Send {Volume_Up}
return

#F11::
Send {Volume_Down}
return
Will map Windows/Super/Meta+F12 to Volume up and Windows/Super/Meta+F11 to volume down, which is not really different than the "media-keys" (e.g. Fn+F12 and Fn+F11) on some mechanical keyboards.
Similar things can be done for media controls like "Media_Next", "Media_Prev" etc. (which WinAmp will respond to as well).

Unfortunately I only use Windows a third of the time, I already have a AHK script for things like that, it's just nice to know now it's built in.