Hi all
I just took delivery of my first mechanical keyboard and thought I would share my first thoughts.
I went for a QPad MK-50, because it was:
- full layout
- UK layout
- affordable
- not Cherry Black (too risky for me, after everything I have read)
- would have loved a Filco, but can't afford one right now.
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This QPad is the "lowest" of the 3 mechanical keyboards they do between the MK-50 (red keys), MK-80 (blue keys + blue backlight + rear USB, mic, headphone) and the MK-85 (red keys + red backlight + rear USB, mic, headphone + macro keys + macro software).
No bells, no whistles (even the rear USB/mic/headphone port is there but blanked out - a cost cutting measure from QPad's MK-80/MK-85) but ignoring all of this:
Goodness me. It's nothing like I have ever typed on. I had no idea it would feel this different. This is my first ever real test of a mechanical keyboard and, as everyone here has always said, there will be no going back now.
The cherry reds feel beautiful (boobs indeed) but I have nothing to compare the reds with right now. They're the only switches I have ever used.
They are great for light key press typing (so I can see the gamers' appeal); it really is a case of wanting to type things, as I have read elsewhere. I feel I am more careful, more gentle with this keyboard over my previous rubber dome. Because they are so light, however, they are at the moment easy to make mistakes with. Perhaps this will improve my typing? Perhaps accuracy, perhaps not speed.
The sound is wonderful; at the moment I cannot get over how lovely it feels. The keycaps feel a little "rough" - almost scratchy on the surface. Anyone know what the proper description of this is?
It's heavy, hardly slips on my fake wooden desk surface, and it is a pleasure to use. The first time I have used that word about a keyboard!
So, so far, all good. If this is regarded as a poor cousin to the Filco, god knows what a Filco feels like. I have the bug and might well pursue another switch type in future (I shall certainly keep an eye on QPad's products if they're all like this). For now though, I hope to use this as my primary driver for a long time.
I kind of kick myself for not having jumped in sooner and, as expected, I now wonder what the other switch types would feel like. I suppose I started to wonder what other keys would feel like about 10 minutes into using this one!
In summary then:
+
goodness me
-
very light keys, but I knew it was a red.
Cheers
-DT-
