the 60% dilemma...

[skuko]

hi guys...

i'm looking into the 60% boards and have become stuck between

poker II
poker X
FC660M

poker 2 is plated mounted, but doesn't have the arrow key lock for the bottom right keys. poker X does, but is PCB mounted and has flex issues and pretty much requires either a dampening mod, or a custom case.

i'd get th eleopold in a heartbeat, if it wasn't for the odd spacebar (can't really be arsed to mod the stems, just want a hassle free keycap swaps)

i haven't ever used a 60% before, so i can't really say if i could adapt to using WASD for arrows or not.

any suggestions to help me out with this would be awesome

thanks

[concept73]

Hey,

I have been using my Poker 2 REDS for about a month now, and love it so much!
i dont find there to be any flex in the keyboard but i plan on getting a alu case, (not becuase its not strong enough) but becuase they look pretty

I cannot comment on the others as ive not used them, but i do love my poker, good build quality and im very happy with it

[skuko]

poker 2 doesn't flex, it has a steel plate. poker X (an earlier version) does.

http://kbtrace.com/kbtpure/popular-products/kbc-poker-60-mechanical-keyboard-ansi-us-international.html

on the other hand, poker X's PCB mount enables one to replace switches without soldering, so yeah....i'm torn....


question to the guys with poker X - how severe is the flex in the default case?

[kenmai9]

What does flex affect? Is it only possible to tell when you're manhandling the keyboard? If so, why does it matter? Does it change the feel?

[skuko]

i wouldn't know, never used a poker X. only read about them having a flexing PCB problem, which is alleviated with a dampening foam mod to the inside of the case under the PCB. it was solved in poker 2 with the plate mount.

[Binge]

Poker 2 has programmable layers and the others don't.

 

[pichu23]

+1 for Poker II.
It's mod-able if you fancy bling bling.

[zoolzoo]

poker II brahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[CPTBadAss]

I vote for Poker 2 as well.

[dorkvader]

I would submit for your consideration the pure. I especially like the arrow keys in the corner. It also doesn't have as much pcb flex as the poker X since there is a stabilizer in the middle.

One reason I prefer it over my poker 2 is that I dislike the location of the arrowkeys on the poker 2: much harder to use.

the poker 2 is mostly programmable but you can't programs the location of the arrow keys to be in the corner there.

[spiceBar]

i wouldn't know, never used a poker X. only read about them having a flexing PCB problem, which is alleviated with a dampening foam mod to the inside of the case under the PCB. it was solved in poker 2 with the plate mount.

I have modded a Poker X a few days ago, using a shower mat to fill the bottom of the case and using firm landing pads under the keycaps. It's a very easy job.

Now it feels like it has a plate. It can be slightly flexed if you hold it in your hands and twist it hard, but once on the desk it feels exactly like a model with a plate (I have two Pure Pro, which are very close and have a plate, so I know how a Poker with a plate feels and sounds).

The Poker X is surprising good. Like others have said, I don't want a Poker II because of where they have put the arrow keys. I'm not a gamer, so WASD makes absolutely no sense for me, and even less because you need to hold the Fn key. Two words: STOOO-PEED.

[AKmalamute]

I keep wishing there was a good way to make the HHKB-Lite2 as a mechanical. Dedicated arrow keys that are very nonstandard. Cherry ML maybe? The layout is just perfect for me except it's a upper-range membrane kbd. And now that I'm got a Monoprice w/blues at home I can feel the membrane squishing, unsquishing ... never used to notice. Still don't on my desk kbd (the H-Lite) but when I type on a coworker's kbd? O.o

[kgrad5]

I have a Poker II and a FC660M.

I use the Poker at home and the Leo at work. I find the keys feel nicer on my poker 2, but it is very nice and convenient to have the arrow keys on the Leo. My suggestion: get both!

[Britney Spears]

As the owner of a Ducky Mini (basically an ISO layout Poker II) here are my two cents: While placing the arrow key function on WASD was certainly not the smartest keyboard design decision ever, you will get used to it. It certainly depends on the programs you use. I never miss dedicated arrow keys while coding as I use a VIM-like editor and  I don't miss them in normal text processing like writing long emails or the like. Using the function layer arrow keys to fiddle around in the shell or JavaScript console (changing parameter and so on) is a bit more challenging on the other hand. The HHKB approach to arrow keys seems to beat the Poker II one in terms of usability.

[pichu23]

^ gotta accept that statement. it's britney spears yoo.

[spiceBar]

... The HHKB approach to arrow keys seems to beat the Poker II one in terms of usability.

Another way of saying how bad the Poker II approach is!

[nickr]

What will you be using the keyboard for mainly?

I have a Poker II and I extensively use the arrow keys.  It took me around 2 weeks to get to a point where I felt up to speed.  So if you're look for a seamless transition then it might be worth skipping over it.

Another thing to keep in mind about the Poker II is that there's no way to disable the Fn + Spacebar combo, which switches the arrow keys to WASD.  From time to time, I accidentally hold down the Fn too long, hit the spacebar and then find the cursor jumping around instead of actually typing W, A, S or D.

All in all, though, I love mine and I miss it after typing on a different keyboard.

[skuko]

thanks for all the opinions guys.

i don't use arrows THAT much, i just use them in total commander for browsing files, plus doing key combos to mark text such as ctrl+shift+arrows/home cluster, but not THAT much....which makes me think that i could get used to the wasd -> arrows.

my daily drivers are a full size filco with reds at work and a TKL filco with reds at home.

i'm probably going to pull the trigger on a poker II after my next paycheck

[bueller]

I would submit for your consideration the pure. I especially like the arrow keys in the corner. It also doesn't have as much pcb flex as the poker X since there is a stabilizer in the middle.

One reason I prefer it over my poker 2 is that I dislike the location of the arrowkeys on the poker 2: much harder to use.

the poker 2 is mostly programmable but you can't programs the location of the arrow keys to be in the corner there.

Another vote for the Pure, I honestly don't understand why they don't get more praise around here.