MX Brown keyboard in the UK + small G710+ rant

[iixwh3l4nxii]

well for months now i've been looking for a decent MX Brown keyboard, I've never used a mechanical keyboard in my life but MX Browns look the best, I want tactile feedback for typing and gaming but can't have the noise of the blues or my room mates would murder me

So anyway i've been looking for ages, for some reason, manufactures must think that reds and blacks are the best keys, because 9/10 keyboards use red or blacks... -_- I think the sales figures show blues and especially browns are the most common switch when given a choise


but anyway I really haven't come accross anything untill about a week ago, I found the Qpad MK series, specifically the MK-85 (mx)Brown and the Logitech G710+

The Qpad has mixed reviews, some saying military quality others returning it because they felt the quality was too poor

the G710 looks amazing, like seriously drool all over it, but it's £149 in the UK, most places sell it for £159

Why on earth is it $139 USD on Amazon.com but £149+ in the UK? if currency was converted properly then surely it should be £82/£92... making it the cheapest backlit mechanical keyboard in the UK, but no, they made it stupidly expensive

So anyway I'm thinking should I save the £40+ and get the mk-85, hoping someone has used it or ship a US one and save about £30 and get used to the US layout (on that note can anyone find any UK layout pictures of the G710? I'm starting to doubt there is a UK layout and it's just marketing)

or does anyone know a better keyboard? sure there's Filco and stuff but they are just like £10 keyboards with a metal plate inside and MX switches, not worth the £100+ price tag... sorry

[akuJIWA]

If you convert it like that, then the QFR would costs like 40£ =_= Why not get the Raptor K1 Gaming keyboards? Aren't they like.. 60£ there? Oh wait.. it's black switch..

[iixwh3l4nxii]

can't find one in UK layout and I think they're only available in MX blacks

[fruktstund]

I don't think you can say that $139USD would not be £82, since you have 20% (or 21%?) VAT in the UK, if I recall correctly. Still shouldn't be more than £110 then, but we have to live with inflated prices here in Europe it seems. :>

I've tried a Qpad MK-50 with reds a couple of times since my brother owns one, and while I can't say it's the most qualitative keyboard I've ever tried, it'll still serve it's purpose well for anyone, maybe not people used to Filcos as much as newcomers to the world of mechanical keyboards.
As for the G710... I tried it about a week ago at an exhibition here in Sweden (it had a Nordic/ISO layout by the way so it should be available in UK layout too), and it honestly wasn't that great. The one I tried had brown switches, so I couldn't really help but compare it to my Filco with browns. In this specific case of brown switches I'd definitely pay more and go with a Filco instead. If I personally were to choose between a Qpad keyboard and a G710 though, I'd probably pick the cheapest one since I feel they both are about the same quality. Then again I don't think either of these keyboards look that great, so in that regard I wouldn't be biased to buy one only for the looks.

[YMSNoms]

Just get a filco job done.

[spacecase]

You have at least one good option for buying keyboards in the UK

http://www.keyboardco.com/

Their website is Aweful but I've ordered from them twice before without issue. They also stood by one of my Filco boards when it died unexpectedly and I'm all the way in California.

For as much as the G710+ is you could actually buy a Realforce board...
http://www.keyboardco.com/keyboard_details.asp?PRODUCT=790 (£160)

[spacecase]

These are their UK MX Brown Filcos

http://www.keyboardco.com/keyboard_details.asp?PRODUCT=932 (£105) Full Size
http://www.keyboardco.com/keyboard_details.asp?PRODUCT=933(£100) Tenkeyless

[chewyfruitloop]

Just got a blue das from kustompc.co.uk in Scotland, they have browns too
The difference between our prices and the yanky ones is VAT, they tend not to show it on list prices