Cheap Mechanical Keyboard for a noob

[zootylicious]

Hey, I've never owned a mechanical keyboard before and want to get one.

What keyboard should I get, and where is the best place to get them if I live in the UK? It would be great if it didn't cost much money (less than £90 if possible), thanks!

[tp4tissue]

Hey, I've never owned a mechanical keyboard before and want to get one.

What keyboard should I get, and where is the best place to get them if I live in the UK? It would be great if it didn't cost much money (less than £90 if possible), thanks!

filco TKL.. call it a day..

[uzoc]

No sure about the UK, but in the US the company who probably produces more of them (making them cheaper) is Cooler Master, specifically their Quick Fire Rapid (QFR) models.

- Relatively cheap (specially when they go on sale around US$60).
- TKL (Ten Key Less),
- All common switch options,
- The most popular mechanical TKL (pretty sure)
- Standard 87 key keycaps.

[mooswa]

I second the CM QFR recommendation.  Do try different switches first though.  Monoprice has a cheap mechanical keyboard too.

[Computer-Lab in Basement]

I second the CM QFR recommendation.  Do try different switches first though.  Monoprice has a cheap mechanical keyboard too.

Third the QFR.

[ynrozturk]

I can never get over the excessive branding of the QFR. I'd go with Filco.

[Computer-Lab in Basement]

I can never get over the excessive branding of the QFR. I'd go with Filco.

The new ones don't come with all the branding: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823129002

[PointyFox]

Used Cherry keyboard.

[ynrozturk]

I can never get over the excessive branding of the QFR. I'd go with Filco.

The new ones don't come with all the branding: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823129002

Oh sweet. That is a huge improvement.

[zootylicious]

Used Cherry keyboard.

Where could I find a decent one? Would eBay be a good place?

I can never get over the excessive branding of the QFR. I'd go with Filco.

The new ones don't come with all the branding: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823129002

Oh sweet. That is a huge improvement.

That looks great! Is it easy to change all of the keycaps on that?

[RabRhee]

For the UK, the Cooler master QFR is hard to beat if you want black switches, or brown switches via mail order. Any other switches can be hard to track down but sometimes local stores hold them. the coolermaster TK has more switch options and backlight but isn't as well rated.
The Filcos are 114-120 quid new here and often 90 secondhand, so a bit out of your ideal range.
Poker 2s are often listed at around the 90 pound mark if you want the small sized keyboard.

If you want a full size 104 then coolermaster has the pro and trigger in your range but they aren't as well rated as the QFR.
Cherry g80-3000s are around 60 pounds new, the other sizes like the g80-1800 are similar price.
Corsair, Qpad and others exist here with usually one or two switch choices. Barring that there are the Razer blackwidow and the logitech g710 which are pricey and not well rated. If you can do without the UK iso layout, ordering one from asia is a cheap option, often around 60-70, such as the HPE and others from suppliers like Qtan.

eBay are pretty good for used cherry boards, although they can still pass the 45-50 mark for black ones. Beige ones usually cheaper. Theres a 3000 (blue switches I think) listed cheap atm but it will probably hit 45 with postage by the finish - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/331080556939?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

I would suggest choosing a layout and if you need or want backlights and macro controls, and then go from there. Doing without lights and macros usually means a better quality board for the price.

[ynrozturk]

Looks to be the standard layout so yes, very easy indeed.

[zootylicious]

I'm looking at some old cherry keyboards on ebay, and one of them has "double shot keycaps" in the title but it does have a full keyboard in the picture. Does this mean I will only get the keycaps from this keyboard, or am I going to get the full thing?

[RabRhee]

I'm looking at some old cherry keyboards on ebay, and one of them has "double shot keycaps" in the title but it does have a full keyboard in the picture. Does this mean I will only get the keycaps from this keyboard, or am I going to get the full thing?

Not all cherry keyboards are mechanical, and some (like the G81s) are poor mechanical. Mostly you will want a G80 of some sort to know you have the MX switches. As far as the doubleshots, it may be just the caps or the whole board and the seller is mentioning the doubleshots as a feature. The modern boards are laser etched, the doubleshots are the older ones and often considered better to have.

[Linkbane]

I'm looking at some old cherry keyboards on ebay, and one of them has "double shot keycaps" in the title but it does have a full keyboard in the picture. Does this mean I will only get the keycaps from this keyboard, or am I going to get the full thing?

Still though, it would be a good idea to try out switches. The CM storm key tester might be good, as it has 6 of the most common switches (classic four + clear/green), costs $15, looks pretty good in my opinion, and comes with a $15 coupon for any CM product.
I recommend the QFR, as others. Filco isn't worth the extra price, in my opinion.

[RabRhee]

I'm looking at some old cherry keyboards on ebay, and one of them has "double shot keycaps" in the title but it does have a full keyboard in the picture. Does this mean I will only get the keycaps from this keyboard, or am I going to get the full thing?

Still though, it would be a good idea to try out switches. The CM storm key tester might be good, as it has 6 of the most common switches (classic four + clear/green), costs $15, looks pretty good in my opinion, and comes with a $15 coupon for any CM product.
I recommend the QFR, as others. Filco isn't worth the extra price, in my opinion.

For the UK, it would probably have to be the euro tester, which is €13.95 plus €12.95 postage (or €33 postage for highlands ). And their only qfr is black switches, although they offer blue red and brown for the TK and others. Also, they don't sell UK layout keyboards so if that is an issue, no use.

[C5Allroad]

CM Storm QFR. If you're unsure about which switch to get, CM storm has a switch tester also.

[theMANtonio]

CM Storm QFR. If you're unsure about which switch to get, CM storm has a switch tester also.

You can catch pretty good prices on NewEgg and Amazon. If you decide to buy the switch tester from Cooler Master for $15, they give you a $15 credit to use on a keyboard directly from their webstore.

[Linkbane]

I'm looking at some old cherry keyboards on ebay, and one of them has "double shot keycaps" in the title but it does have a full keyboard in the picture. Does this mean I will only get the keycaps from this keyboard, or am I going to get the full thing?

Still though, it would be a good idea to try out switches. The CM storm key tester might be good, as it has 6 of the most common switches (classic four + clear/green), costs $15, looks pretty good in my opinion, and comes with a $15 coupon for any CM product.
I recommend the QFR, as others. Filco isn't worth the extra price, in my opinion.

For the UK, it would probably have to be the euro tester, which is €13.95 plus €12.95 postage (or €33 postage for highlands ). And their only qfr is black switches, although they offer blue red and brown for the TK and others. Also, they don't sell UK layout keyboards so if that is an issue, no use.

That's wonderful. I was merely suggesting that he should get a switch tester, not what the shipping to highland Scotland was.
Thank you for pointing out this, I'm sure it'll be useful for him.

[zootylicious]

Thanks for all of the advice! I bought an old cherry keyboard with whites from eBay for £20.

[Linkbane]

Thanks for all of the advice! I bought an old cherry keyboard with whites from eBay for £20.

What a steal!
Hope you like it, and you could probably sell the switches for more than you got it for. 

[joelk2]

hope you like it.

i would also recommend a QFR though.

or if you wanna go 60% look on amazon. you can get the KBT Pure or the KBC Poker for around the £80-£90 mark.

alternatively most of the big computer companies sell them. ocuk, scan, dabs etc.

[RabRhee]

That's wonderful. I was merely suggesting that he should get a switch tester, not what the shipping to highland Scotland was.
Thank you for pointing out this, I'm sure it'll be useful for him.

The guy lives in the UK. perhaps in the Highlands of Scotland, UK. How is that less useful than you pointing out US pricing and US discount coupons that utterly don't apply?

Grats on your cherry keyboard, zootylicious

[Linkbane]

That's wonderful. I was merely suggesting that he should get a switch tester, not what the shipping to highland Scotland was.
Thank you for pointing out this, I'm sure it'll be useful for him.

The guy lives in the UK. perhaps in the Highlands of Scotland, UK. How is that less useful than you pointing out US pricing and US discount coupons that utterly don't apply?

Grats on your cherry keyboard, zootylicious

It's more relevant, seeing as the population of the Highlands are about 200,000, which is about 0.3% of the UK's population. The likelihood of your post being relevant was infinitesimally small.
In comparison, the annual number of British visitors to the US every year is about 5.5 million, making my post over 25x more likely to be relevant. Thanks for using reasoning. 

[RabRhee]

That's wonderful. I was merely suggesting that he should get a switch tester, not what the shipping to highland Scotland was.
Thank you for pointing out this, I'm sure it'll be useful for him.

The guy lives in the UK. perhaps in the Highlands of Scotland, UK. How is that less useful than you pointing out US pricing and US discount coupons that utterly don't apply?

Grats on your cherry keyboard, zootylicious

It's more relevant, seeing as the population of the Highlands are about 200,000, which is about 0.3% of the UK's population. The likelihood of your post being relevant was infinitesimally small.
In comparison, the annual number of British visitors to the US every year is about 5.5 million, making my post over 25x more likely to be relevant. Thanks for using reasoning. 

That's wonderful. I was merely suggesting that he should get a switch tester, not what the shipping to highland Scotland was.
Thank you for pointing out this, I'm sure it'll be useful for him.

The guy lives in the UK. perhaps in the Highlands of Scotland, UK. How is that less useful than you pointing out US pricing and US discount coupons that utterly don't apply?

Grats on your cherry keyboard, zootylicious

It's more relevant, seeing as the population of the Highlands are about 200,000, which is about 0.3% of the UK's population. The likelihood of your post being relevant was infinitesimally small.
In comparison, the annual number of British visitors to the US every year is about 5.5 million, making my post over 25x more likely to be relevant. Thanks for using reasoning.

Thats some weak-ass justification, if purchasing in the US was a factor the whole post wouldn't refer to UK pricing and UK sources Just admit you kicked your dolls out the pram and got pissy for no good reason, or perhaps missed the original OP UK references. Its more likely than that post-mortem attempt to justify your lame sarcasm.

[ideus]

Thanks for all of the advice! I bought an old cherry keyboard with whites from eBay for £20.

What a steal!
Hope you like it, and you could probably sell the switches for more than you got it for. 

You meant whites or clears?

[Linkbane]

Thats some weak-ass justification, if purchasing in the US was a factor the whole post wouldn't refer to UK pricing and UK sources Just admit you kicked your dolls out the pram and got pissy for no good reason, or perhaps missed the original OP UK references. Its more likely than that post-mortem attempt to justify your lame sarcasm.

I hope you feel quite good that you can type out slang and other bull**** when the purpose of your first post was just to stick your nose where it didn't belong.
It's impossible to make fools face the facts; you can believe exactly what you will. You've clearly wasted his time, but I will not continue to further waste mine. I wish you the best in impressing people by barking at the wall.

[zootylicious]

Thanks for all of the advice! I bought an old cherry keyboard with whites from eBay for £20.

What a steal!
Hope you like it, and you could probably sell the switches for more than you got it for. 

You meant whites or clears?

Whites

That's wonderful. I was merely suggesting that he should get a switch tester, not what the shipping to highland Scotland was.
Thank you for pointing out this, I'm sure it'll be useful for him.

The guy lives in the UK. perhaps in the Highlands of Scotland, UK. How is that less useful than you pointing out US pricing and US discount coupons that utterly don't apply?

Grats on your cherry keyboard, zootylicious

It's more relevant, seeing as the population of the Highlands are about 200,000, which is about 0.3% of the UK's population. The likelihood of your post being relevant was infinitesimally small.
In comparison, the annual number of British visitors to the US every year is about 5.5 million, making my post over 25x more likely to be relevant. Thanks for using reasoning. 

No, I don't live in the highlands 

[ideus]

Thanks for all of the advice! I bought an old cherry keyboard with whites from eBay for £20.

What a steal!
Hope you like it, and you could probably sell the switches for more than you got it for. 

You meant whites or clears?

Whites

That's wonderful. I was merely suggesting that he should get a switch tester, not what the shipping to highland Scotland was.
Thank you for pointing out this, I'm sure it'll be useful for him.

The guy lives in the UK. perhaps in the Highlands of Scotland, UK. How is that less useful than you pointing out US pricing and US discount coupons that utterly don't apply?

Grats on your cherry keyboard, zootylicious

It's more relevant, seeing as the population of the Highlands are about 200,000, which is about 0.3% of the UK's population. The likelihood of your post being relevant was infinitesimally small.
In comparison, the annual number of British visitors to the US every year is about 5.5 million, making my post over 25x more likely to be relevant. Thanks for using reasoning. 

No, I don't live in the highlands 

Even better deal I think. And guys fighting: Just forget it. We all try to be of help. Mistakes apart, we always appreciate fellows jumping to try to provide us with useful information, is what counts at the end.