Author Topic: The perfect keyboard... Sort of  (Read 4281 times)

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Offline planeswitch

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The perfect keyboard... Sort of
« on: Wed, 08 August 2012, 23:43:57 »
I'm starting a video game company soon and I'm trying to build amazing workstations for everyone. To this end I've tried a number of keyboards. I have some observations and a question or two.

1.Filco Majestouch II MX Brown.
I got this one in blue about 7 months ago. I love it its just about right. Not too loud, good feeling.

2.Topre Tenkeyless Silent Variable Weight
This keyboard is very interesting. It has a very solid feeling and its extremely quiet; More so than even laptop keyboards.  It has a very heavy feel to the keys though.

3.Topre Fullsize Variable Weight
This keyboard is even more interesting then the silent version. It feels better to me. I didn't expect that. It feels like it has a lighter keypress though it could be more than that. I think this is my favorite keyboard here though the Majestouch with browns are right there. It feels cheaper than the silent tenkeyless. the keys chatter on the release which isn't something the silent ones do and the rubber pads are terrible. I've had it two days and one pad is missing already. Really what is with the pads? I like the sound. 

4. Razer Black Widow Ultimate
This was the first mechanical keyboard that I bought. It was very nice but I don't really care about back lights and I don't like the USB and audio cables. My systems are setup with DAC's, Amplifiers, and real USB hubs so I don't need a route to the back and I find the presumption a little annoying. Also modified 2KRO is not cool. 

5.Razer Black Widow Standard
Same as above but without the backlight and extra ports. Its a good board and cheap which is nice but still 2KRO isn't cool.

6.Rosewill RK-9000 MX Blue
I like this board a lot. I really like the red plate inside. otherwise it feels good. it's alot like my filco which is not surprising given that they are both from costar. I should mention that blues are really quite loud when used in an open office environment so they are out of the running.

7. Leopold FC-500 MX Blue
The Space bar feels high up and heavy. I don't like this board because of that.

I need to try reds and blacks.

Is Topre going to release a new fullsize soon? Elite keyboards only has two types in stock and I could have sworn there were more a few months ago when I started doing this.

Why do the silent and non-silent Topres feel so different?

One of my future software engineers has what he calls Mr.Burns fingers(weak) His favorite keyboard is the wired apple keyboard just because its easy. He didn't like my MX Brown. I found a DHARMA POINT keyboard somewhere in japan thats 30g constant which would be awesome but I can't seem to source it. Are there any other keyboards that are particualrly good for weak typists? I'll go with whatever makes him happy but I want the best I can get for him. They need to be fullsized since pretty much everyone but design uses numeric pads in game development.

I wish Filco still had those Italian red keyboards. It would take me about half a heartbeat to buy one of those.


« Last Edit: Wed, 08 August 2012, 23:47:56 by planeswitch »

Offline Tenkey

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Re: The perfect keyboard... Sort of
« Reply #1 on: Wed, 08 August 2012, 23:51:03 »
I wouldn't put razer in there...

Offline planeswitch

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Re: The perfect keyboard... Sort of
« Reply #2 on: Wed, 08 August 2012, 23:58:41 »
Why on earth not? I've tried them both. They really were quite good and I can source them easily. They the non-backlit version is 30% cheaper than the next closest thing on this list. They have their issues but they were hardly a bad board.

Offline WRXChris

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Re: The perfect keyboard... Sort of
« Reply #3 on: Thu, 09 August 2012, 00:06:27 »
Welcome to GH and good luck with your venture!!

You definitely should try mx reds; you can get filcos with reds on amazon right now.  I think your guy with Mr. Burns fingers (lol) will like them a lot.

If I were you, I would go filco or realforce all the way. Highest quality keyboards to help inspire some high quality coding!  Realforce also has 45g weighted versions which might be worth trying since you mentioned that the 55g keys on the variable boards felt a little heavy to you.  I prefer the lightest switches possible on days that I find myself clacking away relentlessly for 12 hours; reds or browns in my case as I don't have any topre boards yet :(

Offline cactux

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The perfect keyboard... Sort of
« Reply #4 on: Thu, 09 August 2012, 00:10:22 »
As soon as you have the chance to try some vintage boards, such list wont look the same ;-)
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Offline planeswitch

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Re: The perfect keyboard... Sort of
« Reply #5 on: Thu, 09 August 2012, 00:13:26 »
Interestingly I find the standard variable Topre just about perfect its the silent ones that feel heavy. I am definitely going to test an all 45g Topre.

It was the red color board that I was referring to but yeah I was thinking the engineer might like the red switches as well.

Yeah good equipment clears the path for long hours of good work. It would be silly of me to cheap out on gear when people are actually the biggest expense.

Offline planeswitch

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Re: The perfect keyboard... Sort of
« Reply #6 on: Thu, 09 August 2012, 00:16:27 »
The subject probably should have been "Searching for the perfect board" Those are the keyboards on the list are the ones that I've tried for at least a couple of days if not more. Vintage boards aren't on the docket because they are more difficult to source long term for a growing company besides the layout of our office is an open affair to aid teamwork. Even blues are probably too loud for that. A model M would just be over the top.

Offline jwaz

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Re: The perfect keyboard... Sort of
« Reply #7 on: Thu, 09 August 2012, 00:20:53 »
Coolest boss ever! What if you bought a sampler or stocked an inventory and let people pick/ rotate different boards?

What about Kinesis advantage or HHKB? better yet, ErgoDox!

edit: What kind of games are you making?
« Last Edit: Thu, 09 August 2012, 00:22:56 by JesuswasaZombie »

Offline planeswitch

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Re: The perfect keyboard... Sort of
« Reply #8 on: Thu, 09 August 2012, 00:24:14 »
I've thought about it and we probably will eventually. We will likely do that with chairs as well since everyone is a little different. But I'm tailoring for the run ahead crew right now.

Offline nala

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Re: The perfect keyboard... Sort of
« Reply #9 on: Thu, 09 August 2012, 02:34:40 »
Filco for life.
Collection: Filco Majestouch-2 TKL ~ Filco Majestouch-2 TKLRazer BlackWidowUltimate

Offline planeswitch

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Re: The perfect keyboard... Sort of
« Reply #10 on: Thu, 09 August 2012, 11:43:19 »
I've considered the HHKB, I haven't heard of the ErgoDox but I have to reject the idea. We need to stay with generic keyboard layouts wherever possible because developers will be frequently moving between development and testing stations with the dev stations representing the high end and testing representing the low end. I don't know anyone outside this forum who has even heard of the Happy Hacking Keyboard so It would throw off our testing as well.

It's not an FPS ;)

Filco for life.
I wouldn't put razer in there...

I pride myself on not being a fanboy. I always take a look back and question why I chose something and if I should continue using it. One of my Filcos is the only Mech keyboard I've ever had die on me. I've never seen any of my friend's Razers die.

Offline MMB

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Offline nala

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Re: The perfect keyboard... Sort of
« Reply #12 on: Thu, 09 August 2012, 13:19:27 »
I've considered the HHKB, I haven't heard of the ErgoDox but I have to reject the idea. We need to stay with generic keyboard layouts wherever possible because developers will be frequently moving between development and testing stations with the dev stations representing the high end and testing representing the low end. I don't know anyone outside this forum who has even heard of the Happy Hacking Keyboard so It would throw off our testing as well.

It's not an FPS ;)

Filco for life.
I wouldn't put razer in there...

I pride myself on not being a fanboy. I always take a look back and question why I chose something and if I should continue using it. One of my Filcos is the only Mech keyboard I've ever had die on me. I've never seen any of my friend's Razers die.

I'm not a fanboy, but I hate the big 'gaming' companies (read: Steelseries and Razer mostly). I just bought a Topre silent which I know I'll probably love. By the way, I had a Razer die on me after RMA'ing twice.
Collection: Filco Majestouch-2 TKL ~ Filco Majestouch-2 TKLRazer BlackWidowUltimate

Offline Daniel Beardsmore

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Re: The perfect keyboard... Sort of
« Reply #13 on: Thu, 09 August 2012, 16:59:09 »
It's an interesting question, because everyone has a personal preference – I tried to tempt someone the other day with the assortment of keyboards at my desk (blue ALPS, black ALPS, Fukka white ALPS, Topre variable, MX brown) and she thought they (except the Topre I guess) were all far too noisy, and she also demands very bouncy switches. Some people only want scissors, others want ALPS.

See, I would suggest soundproof cubes and get everyone Unicomp Ultra Classics: for coding you really want something meaty to thrash out on and buckling springs are the ultimate pound-away switch for hammering out code. A workplace with the freedom to have a noisy keyboard is all I desire – I can buy my own keyboard, I just need to know that I'm not driving someone insane with the noise.

In terms of percentage acceptance, Topre is your best bet IMO – it's pricey, but it's quiet and it won't come as shock to people accustomed to domes: it will be like heaven compared to what most of them will be used to. Cherry MX brown is quite painful to type on until and unless you get used to the soft touch it requires (the switch mechanism has a very abrupt stop upon bottoming out that you don't get with ALPS/Topre/BS). You can pound away on Topre without feeling like you're stabbing a brick wall as the domes cushion the keystrokes. No need for Topre silent – normal Topre is quiet enough.

(Soon you'll also have Matias dampened ALPS as another option for a relatively meaty but quiet PC keyboard, but that's probably too late for you.)
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Offline sth

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Re: The perfect keyboard... Sort of
« Reply #14 on: Thu, 09 August 2012, 17:01:00 »
Topre topre topre. Amazing non-obnoxious work board.
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Offline Daniel Beardsmore

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Re: The perfect keyboard... Sort of
« Reply #15 on: Thu, 09 August 2012, 17:15:46 »
I need to rotate back to that. I have my Topre, Majestouch and TP3 all connected at the same time. The TP3's USB ports come in handy since I've stuffed all the available orifices with keyboard cables.
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Offline daerid

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Re: The perfect keyboard... Sort of
« Reply #16 on: Thu, 09 August 2012, 20:57:01 »
Topre topre topre. Amazing non-obnoxious work board.

If you can afford it, THIS. Topre's really are the Bentley's of the keyboard world. Super easy on the fingers, and easy on the ears :-)

Offline Okita

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Re: The perfect keyboard... Sort of
« Reply #17 on: Fri, 10 August 2012, 14:27:13 »
Holy crap I know you can write these off as business expenses, but buying everyone a topre?! That's awesome. I'd definitely suggest a topre, not even the silent version, if you can afford them. Definitely suggest the uniform weighted keys w/ the numpad if there's a lot of coding going on.