Never knew that a site like this existed!

[atomcracker]

Hey everyone,
I am new here, and I was shopping around for keyboards when I somehow managed to stumble upon mechanical keyboards which lead me to this website.

This took me aback and brought me relief.

There are so many different keyboards and I was having a hard time narrowing down my needs.

I am currently using a Logitech G110 and at work I used a Lenovo KB1021.

I do love the keystrokes of both, but I have found that the G110 is too large of a keyboard and that something inbetween the feel of the G110 and the KB1021 would be awesome.

I thought that a gaming keyboard would suit my needs, but after gaming with it and playing AutoCAD, I have found that I rarely used the additional G keys, and that to me they do not feel intuitive. I am also highly disappointed with the backlight of the G110.

So I am looking into selling my keyboard and going with a smaller one that can sustain heavy use and is comfortable to use.

My budget is around $120 preferably lower. After researching the different switches, I think that the brown switches would work best for me, but then again I am not as educated as you all are.

Any advice?

I know you guys probably get asked this a lot, but many thanks in advance.

[chrisyou]

No matter how good your first mechanical keyboard purchase is you will always be left wanting.

This is true. I'm on my second one in 3 days. Bug bit me hard.

[spolia optima]

Your Logitech and Lenovo are pretty similar boards... similar in that they're both really not very good at all.

A few questions:
Do you require backlighting?
What's the ratio of typing/gaming you're looking at?
How often do you use the tenkeypad?

[alaricljs]

No matter how good your first mechanical keyboard purchase is you will always be left wanting.

That's not necessarily true.  1+ years on and I'm still on 2 identical keyboards (one home, one work)  Filco 87key browns.

If you're in the US and if you can deal with a full size board for a relatively cheap price NewEgg has the Rosewill RK9000BR on special for $80 w/ coupon EMCNDJH83

[atomcracker]

Your Logitech and Lenovo are pretty similar boards... similar in that they're both really not very good at all.

A few questions:
Do you require backlighting?
What's the ratio of typing/gaming you're looking at?
How often do you use the tenkeypad?

Backlighting only serves as an accessory for me, it looks nice but I don't really need it.

I use the tenkeypad often while typing to make the following symbols °, →,↑, etc, but I have been looking for alternative ways to use the tenkeypad functions on a keyboard without it.

60% typing/ 40% gaming

[fohat.digs]

Different strokes for different folks is never more true than it is around here.

Even fundamental questions such as whether tactility is essential are hotly debated.

At the minimum, you need to try something tactile and something linear, "try" meaning several hours of your standard use, at least.

[spolia optima]

Filco 87 w/ Browns is probably the most popular intro board with the highest success rate.

QFT

I hesitate to recommend the Rosewill though - too many damaged USB connectors for comfort.

This is nonsense. The Rosewill is every bit as good as the Filco. IIRC they're made on the same gosh darn assembly line with the same gosh darn parts.

[spolia optima]

Backlighting only serves as an accessory for me, it looks nice but I don't really need it.

I use the tenkeypad often while typing to make the following symbols °, →,↑, etc, but I have been looking for alternative ways to use the tenkeypad functions on a keyboard without it.

60% typing/ 40% gaming

I like the tenkeypad for those same reasons... and I don't understand why EVERY tenkeyless keyboard don't come with a fn-activated tenkey layer. Even the cheapest notebook keyboards have them! It's so simple!

One more question: what type of games? FPS? RTS?

[spolia optima]

...Unless competitors are teabagging them on Newegg...

:lalala: I hate the internet.

[jdcarpe]

Well, my advice you, since you use the 10-keypad quite a bit, would be to get a full-size board (104-keys) with plate mounted brown switches and Costar stabilizers. Either a Filco, distributed in the US by Amazon.com, or a WASD from WASDkeyboards.com. You could go with a Leopold from EliteKeyboards.com, but some people don't like the feel of the Cherry stabilizers.

If $120 is the maximum you can afford to spend, you can get the WASD for $119. I would personally recommend the Filco, but I know you might not be able to afford it right now.

The Rosewill is also made my Costar (same as the Filco and WASD), so it could also be a budget friendly option. Sold at NewEgg.com.

Just one man's opinion.

[atomcracker]

I like the tenkeypad for those same reasons... and I don't understand why EVERY tenkeyless keyboard don't come with a fn-activated tenkey layer. Even the cheapest notebook keyboards have them! It's so simple!

One more question: what type of games? FPS? RTS?

hahaha I'm saying...

When I found out that you can use the fn+key plus alt to use altcodes on a laptop I screamed at work. The person whose laptop I was service looked at me as if I was a crackhead haha.

And if only these rare keyboards also had the numbers on the inside face of the keys as opposed to restricting the use to the top row numbers.

As for gaming I love my FPS and action games.

Thanks for your help again man

[spolia optima]

OK Here's some food for thought..

If you don't mind the FEEL or rubber domes, and just want a better product, consider BLACK or RED MX switches. The linear feel isn't something most ppl rave about, but linear switches are PERFECT for action gaming.

And don't discount Leopold. They're just as good as Filco, with an improved design and BETTER stabilizers.

[jdcarpe]

Yeah, black and red switches are supposed to be good for gaming, with the preference toward blacks for the better reset. I don't know, because I don't do any PC gaming.

FYI, I owned a Leopold with clears for about a week. I still own 3 Filcos, and I'm about to get another.

[spolia optima]

Majestouch and Leopold are both top-tier MX 'boards... Both designed by the same dude too... hmmm...

The Leo has the edge when it comes to technical specs and visual aesthetics.... but...
the Filco has the retro design and street cred, though..
Hmm... basically Filco is great if you're a keyboard hipster. Goes perfectly with a pack of Parliaments and a fixed-gear bike...:wave:

[YouGotRioted]

No matter how good your first mechanical keyboard purchase is you will always be left wanting.

Only discovered geekhack recently and now own a Das Silent and a CM QFR with MX Reds. Now wanting a Filco, my poor wallet.

[spolia optima]

Rioted, what makes you want a Filco when you already have two almost identical keyboards?

If you're just now getting into keyboards, why not try a Topre or a Unicomp or a Cherry next?

[jdcarpe]

Majestouch and Leopold are both top-tier MX 'boards... Both designed by the same dude too... hmmm...

The Leo has the edge when it comes to technical specs and visual aesthetics.... but...
the Filco has the retro design and street cred, though..
Hmm... basically Filco is great if you're a keyboard hipster. Goes perfectly with a pack of Parliaments and a fixed-gear bike...:wave:

I don't consider myself a hipster at all, but I do prefer the squared edges of the Filco to the rounded edges of the Leopold. Just a personal preference. But either would make a good choice for the OP. Both are quality boards.

Like I said, i don't think you could go wrong for your first mechanical keyboard purchase with any of the choices suggested, either the Filco, WASD, Leopold, or Rosewill. I would lean toward brown or red switches. Blacks can feel heavy for typing, which the OP says is 60% of his usage. Blues are not good for gaming, in my opinion, because they don't always reliably reset.

I don't ride a fixie, but I would if I lived in a more bike-friendly place. Either a fixie or a single speed.

[atomcracker]

Where can I buy these?

Are there any specialist websites?

[thegunner100]

The squared edges do feel a bit better to me too. A filco MJ1 TKL mx browns was my first purchase, and now it is the least favorite switch out of all the keyboards that I own; I do have to say that I loved the browns when i first made the switch from my logitech G15 though.

[jdcarpe]

Where can I buy these?

Are there any specialist websites?

Filco: Amazon.com
WASD: WASDkeyboards.com
Leopold: EliteKeyboards.com
Rosewill: NewEgg.com

[thegunner100]

Dont forget the CM Quickfires (MX blue, brown, red), available from:

http://www.cmstore-usa.com/keyboards
http://www.amazon.com
http://www.newegg.com
http://www.superbiiz.com
http://www.us.ncix.com/

[spolia optima]

I don't consider myself a hipster at all, but I do prefer the squared edges of the Filco to the rounded edges of the Leopold. Just a personal preference. But either would make a good choice for the OP. Both are quality boards.

Like I said, i don't think you could go wrong for your first mechanical keyboard purchase with any of the choices suggested, either the Filco, WASD, Leopold, or Rosewill. I would lean toward brown or red switches. Blacks can feel heavy for typing, which the OP says is 60% of his usage. Blues are not good for gaming, in my opinion, because they don't always reliably reset.

I don't ride a fixie, but I would if I lived in a more bike-friendly place. Either a fixie or a single speed.

I was total joking about the hipster s**t dude lol... Don't know you at all honestly..

You're correct tho, you know ur s**t. Blues are not perfect for FPS games... for the exact reasons you noted. But PPL shouldn't avoid blues 'cause they heard they were bad for gaming; some gamers swear by them I've heard. Problem is, some FPS gamers "ride the actuation point" on a keyboard... which you can't really do on a Blue MX switch. That's the only real down fall.

[YouGotRioted]

Rioted, what makes you want a Filco when you already have two almost identical keyboards?

If you're just now getting into keyboards, why not try a Topre or a Unicomp or a Cherry next?

I'll have a look into those. Mainly wanted a nice TKL keyboard for work.

[spolia optima]

The squared edges do feel a bit better to me...

Until you put one of your eyes out on 'em.. Like I did.
Those sharp edges were a death trap.

[TexasFlood]

I just bought a Rosewill RK-9000RE with Cherry Red MX switches when Newegg had a coupon making them $64, couldn't pass it up.  It's strange to me not to have a click at all but I'm getting used to it.  In the process of pulling all the keycaps and putting dental elastic bands on them to reduce the cap clack a bit.  Should be very close to perfect for me then.  What I was looking for was a quiet mechanical board that I can use while on conference calls without overly disrupting the calls.  Now, my Lenovo keyboard is pretty good but sometimes I leave it at one desk and RDP to it from a desktop at another desk and that's where I need this.

[spolia optima]

I'll have a look into those. Mainly wanted a nice TKL keyboard for work.

I have plate mounted TKL black MX 'boards at 2/3 of my work computers. They seem to have won out in the endurance contest...

[atomcracker]

I am going with the Leopold tactile touch keyboard with red keycaps for my wasd and my esc keys.

Their red, green and blue keycaps for my ctrl, shift, alt, and windows keys are sold out

[spolia optima]

Lame.
There might be another RGB set somewhere tho... wasd maybe?

[thegunner100]

Until you put one of your eyes out on 'em.. Like I did.
Those sharp edges were a death trap.

But now you can be a badass pirate!

[jdcarpe]

I am going with the Leopold tactile touch keyboard with red keycaps for my wasd and my esc keys.

Their red, green and blue keycaps for my ctrl, shift, alt, and windows keys are sold out

Full size, or tenkeyless? It's a good choice either way. You can get all the custom keycaps you want from WASDkeyboards.com. You can even design your own with every different color on the same keyboard, if that's your thing.

[atomcracker]

fullsize and yeah I am going through designing it right now lol

[spolia optima]

While not a priority in your case, you should know that one should never underestimate the power of cherry-made ABS/PBT keycaps.
imho No 3rd party caps feel half as nice as Cherry Corp ABS 2Shots... They have a unique resonance to them; almost lego-esque.
Best way to find them? Scour ebay for older keyboards OR buy a set from someone (like me who coincidentally has a few) on geekhack.

[atomcracker]

Hey everyone,
I am sorry that I dropped off the forum right after I joined.

I heard the next day that that my current job wanted to hire me and I got so excited that I forgot to come back.

Sorry about that.

[dorkvader]

That's okay, atomcracker. Good to have you back.

What keyborad did you end up going with again? or do we need to convince you to spend all your money By buying keyboards in celebration ofcourse)?

[Deekin]

Go for Mx Red. Its good for........ anything :O

[atomcracker]

That's okay, atomcracker. Good to have you back.

What keyborad did you end up going with again? or do we need to convince you to spend all your money By buying keyboards in celebration ofcourse)?

I bought a Leopold Tenkeyless with brown switches.

Dude, I had a fingergasm when I started typing.

I am thinking of the Linear Touch Otaku Tenkeyless as a secondary, but I have never used nor do I no where I can try out a red switch keyboard.

[atomcracker]

I brought my keyboard into work and my coworker bought a Topre the following week.

[mushupork]

Had to one up you, huh?  I think I worked with that jerk once

Once the bug bites don't be surprised when you buy a new keyboard and the old home keyboard goes to the office/work full time.  Then you get keyboard three and begin a stack in the closet, gifting to friends or selling them in online forums.  )

[daerid]

I brought a Das Keyboard into work last year, and now 2 other guys have mech boards (Ducky / Thermaltake), and a bunch of my friends have black widows now.

Spreadin the good word!

[dorkvader]

I have been banned from discussing keyboards at work. The Information Systems people also won't let me bring one in. Maybe I should demand an ergonomic keyboard, and offer to bring my own.

[Hyde]

Once the bug bites don't be surprised when you buy a new keyboard and the old home keyboard goes to the office/work full time.  Then you get keyboard three and begin a stack in the closet, gifting to friends or selling them in online forums.

lol omg this is already happening to me, just this year I bought 2 keyboards already, and as soon I got my 2nd keyboard my 1st one went to work.  Lately I've been waiting for Filco to come up with a backlit board, that or I'll get a Topre next 

[atomcracker]

Hey guys,  I have been gone for a while, but I wanted to say thanks to all of you for all of your assistance.

Sorry for reviving  an  old thread to say thanks, but THANKS!

[Linkbane]

Backlighting only serves as an accessory for me, it looks nice but I don't really need it.

I use the tenkeypad often while typing to make the following symbols °, →,↑, etc, but I have been looking for alternative ways to use the tenkeypad functions on a keyboard without it.

60% typing/ 40% gaming

Look, everyone here pretty much is biased towards their switch of choice. That's why I'd recommend Blues, because you type more than game, but Browns would be great (honestly probably better) also depending on the nature of the game. I've never had issues using Blues in League or RTS, but they weren't good on FPS.

If you want numpad functionality, take a look at the CM Quickfire TK. It has a unique TKL design, by having a numpad with the nav cluster and arrow keys integrated, so you actually end up using num lock a lot. Plenty of good features like lighting up the arrow keys only when numlock is off, an Fn lock only lit when in use same with the Windows Lock. Fully backlit, and generally under $100, great quality for me.

They have white/black versions, white has white backlighting and black has it the same as the switch color (brown is white, no black).


EDIT: Man, didn't see how old this is. What'd you end up getting?

[gameaholic]

My advice is to leave now while you still can.  You're better off taking up something less addictive like hardcore drugs. 

[SpAmRaY]

My advice is to leave now while you still can.  You're better off taking up something less addictive like hardcore drugs. 

+1 This is the truth.

[gameaholic]

My advice is to leave now while you still can.  You're better off taking up something less addictive like hardcore drugs. 

+1 This is the truth.

See what I mean?  It only took 27 seconds for my point to be +1'd.  This website will destroy your life.  Sure it starts pretty innocent with a QFR or a Filco but pretty soon you're checking the site every day and living on top ramen and working two jobs so you can get your fix.  At least with drugs you can hit rock bottom.  Here it seems to be a bottomless pit of Korean customs, Aluminum cases, keyset group buys, Ergo Doxi (is that the proper plural?), and Click Clacks.  Sure you can take this post as humor but you won't think so in a year or two.  Quit now.  Think of your family. 

[fohat.digs]

My advice is to leave now while you still can.  You're better off taking up something less addictive like hardcore drugs. 

Beats collecting Legos or Beanie Babies.

[rowdy]

My advice is to leave now while you still can.  You're better off taking up something less addictive like hardcore drugs. 

Beats collecting Legos or Beanie Babies.

Or having kids that collect those.

And one that collects keycaps too - give up now!

[fuzzybaffy]

The squared edges do feel a bit better to me too. A filco MJ1 TKL mx browns was my first purchase, and now it is the least favorite switch out of all the keyboards that I own; I do have to say that I loved the browns when i first made the switch from my logitech G15 though.

What's your favorite switch of all the keyboards? If it's Topre, what's your favorite MX switch? I'm asking because I'm considering getting an MX board myself, too (on top of the Topre that I have).

[Tony]

Try a Filco brown right from start. It will save you money and effort eventually.