cant make up my mind any suggestions?

[majache]

I'm currently doing some christmas shopping and well i've narrowed it down to Blue switches (ordering in a sampler anyway.) However, as far as a keyboard goes I'm trying to decide between Duckies, Filco and CM QFR. I have a budget of $200.I'm aiming for a gaming keyboard of sorts but will definitely be doing alot of typing. I want to get some custom keycaps or I can just grab a filco with no custom keycaps and it'd be a safe bet. I think whats really getting to me is wanting accessories like a backlight or customization. Also any directions to which online store has the best prices on Filco and Duckies?

[Candyflip]

I am in a similar boat with you, need to find the cheapest QFR out there

[regack]

I have a Ducky Shine 2 and DS3 TKL, both with blues.  I haven't used the boards from Coolermaster or Filco.   Most people seem to really want the costar stabilizers on the Filco vs the cherry ones on the Ducky.   I'm sure someone with experience with all of them can chime in.  In the end, I still rather like my Model M the best, but they're both really nice.  The Shine 3 has some crazy LED patterns, which do nothing other than look pretty.  The WASD Code is another TKL that is backlit with white LEDs, and uses some kind of modified costar stabilizers, so that's another possibility maybe.

Sorry, I forgot, it uses MX Clears.  Also, if you pick up some of these LED Color changers you could have whatever color you wanted (well, from the choices available anyway).

If you're up for it, you might also check out the SPRIT Group Buy : http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=50579.0

[majache]

Are you doing alot of gaming with the duckies and if so any RTS or macro intensive stuff. Speaking of looking pretty the damn corsair k70 almost stole me. I heard the LED's are unreliable as hell and from word it seems the rubber domes are ****.

I am in a similar boat with you, need to find the cheapest QFR out there

Yea all the QFR custom builds on this forum make me want one even more, plus it has backlight.. plus it has a reliable build quality comparable to filco... its only $~90  damn.. IDK

[tuxsavvy]

I think stuff appears on amazon are usually cheaper but not always. Qtan's store is recommended fairly often as retailing fairly cheap prices. With Qtan's store, read carefully the fineprints before ordering. Qtan also has a subforum on this forum where you can ask questions directly with the seller/shop owner.

At the end of the day it doesn't hurt to really shop around. You need to first narrow down and/or gives more precise information as to which models are better suited to your tastes. Not all stores would always sell keyboards constantly at low prices.

[BucklingSpring]

From your mind set - Either Ducky or Filco will do.

CM has decent designs but my experience with them left the impression of lesser quality comparing to the two above.

As for backlit, CM as the worst keycaps along with most gamer boards.

If you can stand the Font, Deck makes the best backlit boards using PBT doubleshot keycaps. (Both the Hassium and the Francium are under 200)
Second best backlit are the Duckies. Apparently their Keycaps are well made even if they use ABS.

Good luck with your selection.

[majache]

Thanks for your input on the QFR. Also will check out qtan's store.
You guys bring up alot of good points.
I forgot to mention Maxkeyboards.com is having a sale right now http://www.maxkeyboard.com/index.php?dispatch=promotions.list
So I'm also currently looking into their boards and will consider them over the QFR as they are about the same price atm.
edit: found this http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=37375.0 changed my mind about maxkeyboards

[Linkbane]

A recommendation, you can get medium-thick PBT caps on Ducky's special edition yellow Shine 3. Comes in classic TKL (same as QFR) and full size, with blank or engraved PBT. Will run in the mid-$150 range, free shipping from mechanicalkeyboards.com's incoming stock, will be in probably early December.

[majache]

A recommendation, you can get medium-thick PBT caps on Ducky's special edition yellow Shine 3. Comes in classic TKL (same as QFR) and full size, with blank or engraved PBT. Will run in the mid-$150 range, free shipping from mechanicalkeyboards.com's incoming stock, will be in probably early December.

that sounds sexy, not a fan of yellow but still that sounds like one hell of a deal.

[Linkbane]

A recommendation, you can get medium-thick PBT caps on Ducky's special edition yellow Shine 3. Comes in classic TKL (same as QFR) and full size, with blank or engraved PBT. Will run in the mid-$150 range, free shipping from mechanicalkeyboards.com's incoming stock, will be in probably early December.

that sounds sexy, not a fan of yellow but still that sounds like one hell of a deal.

I think that's how it is for quite a few people. There are whispers of them being interested in doing another color, but they're Ducky, so that's probably why they started. If you're going to mad cases, though, you could always get a new case for it anyways and the only yellow things would be the keycaps.

[BucklingSpring]

A recommendation, you can get medium-thick PBT caps on Ducky's special edition yellow Shine 3. Comes in classic TKL (same as QFR) and full size, with blank or engraved PBT. Will run in the mid-$150 range, free shipping from mechanicalkeyboards.com's incoming stock, will be in probably early December.

that sounds sexy, not a fan of yellow but still that sounds like one hell of a deal.

What about the Ducky DK9008G2 PRO Dark Grey Version PBT? Not backlit but very nice. I'm currently typing on one of those with Green MX.
BTW it comes all grey, the red WASD are also included (I used them on the 4 upper right extra keys)

[terran5992]

A recommendation, you can get medium-thick PBT caps on Ducky's special edition yellow Shine 3. Comes in classic TKL (same as QFR) and full size, with blank or engraved PBT. Will run in the mid-$150 range, free shipping from mechanicalkeyboards.com's incoming stock, will be in probably early December.

that sounds sexy, not a fan of yellow but still that sounds like one hell of a deal.

What about the Ducky DK9008G2 PRO Dark Grey Version PBT? Not backlit but very nice. I'm currently typing on one of those with Green MX.
BTW it comes all grey, the red WASD are also included (I used them on the 4 upper right extra keys)

Show Image

The WASD cluster dosent fit the theme of the keycaps.  I dont like the idea of semi backlit keyboards

[BucklingSpring]

The WASD cluster dosent fit the theme of the keycaps.  I dont like the idea of semi backlit keyboards

I feel the same. I could of left it all grey but I chose to put the extra WASD on the "new" keys over the numpad.
I have a KVM and I need to double tap the Scroll Lock to switch from one computer to another. I kept hitting the PC key right to the "Calc" key instead of the Scroll Lock. Once I replaced the keys with the WASD, the color differentiation helped me to better target the Scroll Lock.

BTW the organge WASD doesn't even have the same texture and feel as the grey PBT keycaps. I don't recommend using them to replace the original grey PBT WASD.

As for the backlit WASD, it can be switched off.

[randomist]

You asked about gaming on a Ducky. Grubby is a pro Star Craft 2 player and used a Ducky Shine 2 (MX Browns from memory) last I looked.