£100ish to spend, Cherry MX Brown TKL/75% Keyboards

[Krydel]

Hi guys,

I'm new here; been lurking for the best part of a week and ever since it has become impossible to decide what i want with the wealth of information on here! That said, I thought i'd start up a thread and get some tailored advice if possible. Apologies if I've missed a similar thread, didn't find anything as specific as this.

I'm looking for a TKL or 75% design cherry mx brown UK/ISO layout. This would be my first mechanical keyboard. What exists with the following features that is suitable?

*F Keys - games utilise them.
*Backlit - Preferably red to match other peripherals + the PC, don't care about fancy lighting modes really, constant w/ brightness settings is enough. Could settle for white.
*Regular sized backspace and delete key in usual place. I also use arrow keys all the time.
*Nice keycaps - I've been looking at QFR-i ('rubberised' feel?) though white-only backlight. Not fussed about changing keycaps other than WASD, or maybe if its a programmable keyboard then the F key row to make media keys?
*Media Keys - Ducky Shine 3 TKL has red backlight and is meant to be good, but doesn't have as many media keys as the QFR-i. Play, skip track and volume controls would be great. The original QFR had great media key placement up on the F keys, but they're not backlit and impossible to find in brown ISO over here.

As noted, I've focused my attention on the CM Storm Quickfire Rapid-i which has everything apart from a red backlight, or the Ducky Shine 3 TKL which has a red backlight, but less media keys. In an ideal world, I would still be able to buy a Ducky Shine II w/ browns and red LEDs and be done with it, as thats pretty much perfect for me!

[Freebird]

If your heart is set on a TKL with a backlight you have got both what my choices would be in your sights. I would probably go with a Ducky shine 3, the rapid-i does look good too though.

To get nice keycaps you would need to have PBT rather than ABS but as far as I am aware there are no 75% boards that have backlit PBT's.

I originally wanted to get myself a Shine 3 but ended up going for a Poker II in PBT (no backlight) and soldered in my own LED's (easy job). In my opinion it is so much more pleasurable typing on PBT caps than ABS. I am unsure of your particular set of needs but I got used to not having dedicated arrow keys and function row pretty quickly, I thought I may have been taking a gamble on getting a 60% layout but in all honesty now I am so glad I did. You can program your own media keys and stuff on it too as far as I am aware, I have not played with the programming myself though.

Back to your original post and choices I would just go with the Ducky, not heard a bad thing about them.

[stakiman]

Keycool II 84 LED
Search around for it. It can be bought from amazon, too.

[Krydel]

Keycool II 84 LED
Search around for it. It can be bought from amazon, too.

If that comes with red LEDs in uk layout that is my perfect keyboard! Can't seem to find it for sale with a quick search though, only the Kailh ones.

If your heart is set on a TKL with a backlight you have got both what my choices would be in your sights. I would probably go with a Ducky shine 3, the rapid-i does look good too though.

Back to your original post and choices I would just go with the Ducky, not heard a bad thing about them.

Thanks, its still up near the top of the list unless I find something else 

[frosty]

is backlit a must?
in my opinion
• hurts your eyes if you playing in the dark, which already is bad for them.

•adds to manufacturing costs

•abs keycaps almost all the time

i'd recommend a filco, from keyboardsco, or a KUL tenkeyless. both are great boards with great build quality, you can't go wrong with them.

[Zacapa]

Is there even a 75% keyboard with ISO layout being produced?

[Krydel]

Is there even a 75% keyboard with ISO layout being produced?

Perhaps not, you'd know better than i! TKL *or* 75% is fine, though.


(Sidenote: the max keyboard blackbird tkl in red are lovely, but no UK layout  )