Author Topic: Best mech keyboard for gaming for ~$150 (Read 5006 times)

Degree · « **on:** Thu, 07 June 2012, 22:35:45 »

I'm looking to buy my first mechanical keyboard ever, I want to get the MX Browns as it is the most recommended and quietest switch which I want.

Is the Ducky Shines a good pick? Thinking of getting it with White LED.

Thanks!

bazemk1979 · « **Reply #1 on:** Thu, 07 June 2012, 22:53:17 »

if you going to spend $150 for backlit mechanical keyboard that I guarantee you with my head keycaps will get messed up in 6 months if your heavy typist or gamer or maeby 1.5 year if your occasional. Then you will face another problem trying to find the same type of keys + if Ducky finally descide to introduce them or any other brand as a parts order, they will be around $50 maeby more.

Spare your self a headache and order the Deck Legend, they dont have browns but they have clear switches....similar in sound but needs a bit more actuation force to depress a key, maeby 10 more grams. You pay $40 more but you get a board that will never give you any problems and keycaps will never wear off no matter what.

Degree · « **Reply #2 on:** Thu, 07 June 2012, 23:02:24 »

Quote from: bazemk1979;609571

if you going to spend $150 for backlit mechanical keyboard that I guarantee you with my head keycaps will get messed up in 6 months if your heavy typist or gamer or maeby 1.5 year if your occasional. Then you will face another problem trying to find the same type of keys + if Ducky finally descide to introduce them or any other brand as a parts order, they will be around $50 maeby more.

Spare your self a headache and order the Deck Legend, they dont have browns but they have clear switches....similar in sound but needs a bit more actuation force to depress a key, maeby 10 more grams. You pay $40 more but you get a board that will never give you any problems and keycaps will never wear off no matter what.

I'm just looking for the browns, I looked around some more and I saw the coolermaster keyboards, are they good?

silat · « **Reply #3 on:** Thu, 07 June 2012, 23:16:37 »

Deck Legend.. There is no other choice:)

Degree · « **Reply #4 on:** Thu, 07 June 2012, 23:52:47 »

bazemk1979 · « **Reply #5 on:** Fri, 08 June 2012, 00:38:49 »

COOLER MASTER WOULD BE UR BEST PICK WITH BROWNS + IF COOLER MASTER HAVE THE 20% INSTORE DISCOUNT YOU ARE GOLDEN

vvv850 · « **Reply #6 on:** Fri, 08 June 2012, 00:47:08 »

Hey Degree,

I just bought a QPad mech keyboard, the MK-85, red back lit, with cherry brown switches. I have it only for one day, but the build quality feels nice, the whole keyboard has a soft rubbery coating, the illumination is uniform. I have one problem with it though: the mic input emits a hi-pitched sound that is generated only when using the LEDs on low, medium and pulsating, so the jacks are useless for me. See here: http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?32189-QPad-MK-85-Hi-pitched-Mic-sound

QPad also makes the MK-80 which misses the full NKRO and the MK-50 which isn't illuminated. Qpad is the same with Ione XArmor. Unfortunately I cannot vouch for them but, they seem good.

Cheers

Degree · « **Reply #7 on:** Fri, 08 June 2012, 01:03:12 »

Thanks for you input vvv850, I'll look into it.

@baze uhhh I guess I'll look into the coolermaster too, but your all cap sentence is intimidating O_O

Autolyze · « **Reply #8 on:** Fri, 08 June 2012, 04:42:37 »

If backlighting is not a requirement, then Filco is generally regarded as the highest quality Cherry MX keyboard around $150.

While brown switches are quieter than blues if you're typing without bottoming out, in practice you'll find that reds or blacks will actually be quieter. They're also usually considered the "gaming" switches, although browns and blues are often used for RTS games. Most people prefer the softer red switches, since black switches fatigue some people's hands when they're not used to the extra force required.

It's really all a matter of preference though and you won't know which switch works best for you until you try them all, but I think either browns or reds are a safe place to start.

dorkvader · « **Reply #9 on:** Fri, 08 June 2012, 09:23:12 »

Quote from: Autolyze;609666

If backlighting is not a requirement, then Filco is generally regarded as the highest quality Cherry MX keyboard around $150.

While brown switches are quieter than blues if you're typing without bottoming out, in practice you'll find that reds or blacks will actually be quieter. They're also usually considered the "gaming" switches, although browns and blues are often used for RTS games. Most people prefer the softer red switches, since black switches fatigue some people's hands when they're not used to the extra force required.

It's really all a matter of preference though and you won't know which switch works best for you until you try them all, but I think either browns or reds are a safe place to start.

I would amend this to say costar is highest quality. (Costar OEM's the keyboards for filco)

I have tried both red and black for gaming, and I prefer red, it doesn't make a difference in practice, as I pretty much slam the key. After some work, I had a bit softer touch on the keyboard. That said, Reds or browns aren't that different for gaming in practice.

As always, I recommend the CMstorm Quickfire rapid in Red. It's an awesome keyboard. I use it a lot, and it's not wearing out (thanks to the PBT keycaps I put on there)

Degree · « **Reply #10 on:** Fri, 08 June 2012, 11:30:56 »

Do you know what OEM makes Ducky?

Reptile · « **Reply #11 on:** Fri, 08 June 2012, 11:37:59 »

Quote from: Autolyze;609666

If backlighting is not a requirement, then Filco is generally regarded as the highest quality Cherry MX keyboard around $150.

While brown switches are quieter than blues if you're typing without bottoming out, in practice you'll find that reds or blacks will actually be quieter. They're also usually considered the "gaming" switches, although browns and blues are often used for RTS games. Most people prefer the softer red switches, since black switches fatigue some people's hands when they're not used to the extra force required.

It's really all a matter of preference though and you won't know which switch works best for you until you try them all, but I think either browns or reds are a safe place to start.

Quote from: dorkvader;609735

I would amend this to say costar is highest quality. (Costar OEM's the keyboards for filco)

I have tried both red and black for gaming, and I prefer red, it doesn't make a difference in practice, as I pretty much slam the key. After some work, I had a bit softer touch on the keyboard. That said, Reds or browns aren't that different for gaming in practice.

As always, I recommend the CMstorm Quickfire rapid in Red. It's an awesome keyboard. I use it a lot, and it's not wearing out (thanks to the PBT keycaps I put on there)

Listen to these guys; Filco and the CMstorm Quickfire Rapid are both awesome boards.

The_Beast · « **Reply #12 on:** Fri, 08 June 2012, 12:20:25 »

I'd go CM Storm for a TKL board or a WASD for a full sized board

Degree · « **Reply #13 on:** Fri, 08 June 2012, 12:49:02 »

How about the trigger?
Is it good?

It's $119 at Newegg and seems to have everything I need, MX Browns + backlight

domoaligato · « **Reply #14 on:** Fri, 08 June 2012, 12:52:13 »

I wanted the trigger but I desided to go the rapid instead but also check this out

new rosewill with backlit keys

Rosewill RK-9100
http://techreport.com/discussions.x/23062

keyboardlover · « **Reply #15 on:** Fri, 08 June 2012, 13:32:41 »

I'd go for a Filco or Wasd. See my subforum for a switch picking guide.

Degree · « **Reply #16 on:** Fri, 08 June 2012, 13:36:17 »

Quote from: keyboardlover;609828

I'd go for a Filco or Wasd. See my subforum for a switch picking guide.

Isn't the CM Storm Trigger the same as the Filco but with CM branding all over?
They are both made from Costar.

I've been researching for the past 2 hours and that seems to be the case.

yearn4 · « **Reply #17 on:** Fri, 08 June 2012, 13:48:05 »

the best is definitely kbc poker. when you gaming you need as much mouse space as possible so the smaller keyboard the better

Degree · « **Reply #18 on:** Fri, 08 June 2012, 13:59:42 »

Quote from: Degree;609830

Isn't the CM Storm Trigger the same as the Filco but with CM branding all over?
They are both made from Costar.

I've been researching for the past 2 hours and that seems to be the case.

.

Reptile · « **Reply #19 on:** Fri, 08 June 2012, 14:00:11 »

Quote from: 4en;609846

the best is definitely kbc poker. when you gaming you need as much mouse space as possible so the smaller keyboard the better

troll is hungry :preggers:

Reptile · « **Reply #20 on:** Fri, 08 June 2012, 14:04:46 »

Quote from: Degree;609830

Isn't the CM Storm Trigger the same as the Filco but with CM branding all over?
They are both made from Costar.

I've been researching for the past 2 hours and that seems to be the case.

The quickfire rapid would be to the tenkeyless boards yes. The trigger is ugly; Do you really NEED backlighting?

The pure would be the only backlit board I would ever buy, all the other ones are fugly

hxu1 · « **Reply #21 on:** Fri, 08 June 2012, 14:08:53 »

filco

nullstring · « **Reply #22 on:** Fri, 08 June 2012, 14:14:40 »

I'm new here, but I really like my rosewill with MX browns.
Same OEM as filco.

They went on sale recently for $90. I bet it'll happen again.

astr0s · « **Reply #23 on:** Fri, 08 June 2012, 14:18:26 »

Can't do FPS with a full-size anymore. Absolutely loving the Race for them, though, I play a fraction of what I used to.

Degree · « **Reply #24 on:** Fri, 08 June 2012, 15:27:32 »

I'll settle in for the quickfire rapid, thanks for the help!
Even though the branding all over it makes me sick, if I change my mind I'll just pick up a Rosewill.

Wildcard · « **Reply #25 on:** Fri, 08 June 2012, 15:36:15 »

Quote from: Degree;609927

I'll settle in for the quickfire rapid, thanks for the help!
Even though the branding all over it makes me sick, if I change my mind I'll just pick up a Rosewill.

You'll like the quickfire rapid as it's a very good board. Definitely try the reds if you have a chance, you might really like the linear over tactile.

Degree · « **Reply #26 on:** Fri, 08 June 2012, 15:47:25 »

Quote from: RiffRaff;609931

You'll like the quickfire rapid as it's a very good board. Definitely try the reds if you have a chance, you might really like the linear over tactile.

I'm just looking for the quietest keys and going to put in some o-rings on later.

nullstring · « **Reply #27 on:** Fri, 08 June 2012, 16:48:42 »

Quote from: Degree;609937

I'm just looking for the quietest keys and going to put in some o-rings on later.

My understanding is that reds are quieter than browns. (but please let someone else confirm this, I've never used them)
Browns are louder than rubber dome.

dbdynsty25 · « **Reply #28 on:** Fri, 08 June 2012, 22:27:33 »

I much prefer the sound of my reds on my cm rapid over the tkl filco in blacks. Just a quieter board overall. Gonna sell the filco and get another cm rapid w reds for work too now. The quality is almost identical so for the price you cannot beat the cm rapids.

marodox · « **Reply #29 on:** Mon, 11 June 2012, 02:48:09 »

Not to hijack or anything, but where should I buy a Filco in the US?

domoaligato · « **Reply #30 on:** Mon, 11 June 2012, 12:01:15 »

Quote from: marodox;611102

Not to hijack or anything, but where should I buy a Filco in the US?

amazon.com they are sold by the keyboard company. see there vendor forum.

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Author Topic: Best mech keyboard for gaming for ~$150 (Read 5006 times)