Full-size, black, and clicky?

[arbrandes]

Hey folks,

Been lurking for a week now, reading reviews and threads with the intent of buying a good clicky keyboard (no brown cherries or topres for me, thanks).  I want one with the numpad (ruling out HHKs and Realforces), and would also like it to be completely black (rules out Model M's and Customizers), preferably with blank keys.  N-key rollover is not a concern, although it would be nice to have.  Am I to understand that my only options are the Das III and the upcoming Majestouch with blue cherries?

Thanks,
Adolfo

[CX23882]

I believe that you can order the Unicomp Customizer 104/105 with blank black keys.

[IBI]

There's the Cherry G80-3000, the Filco, the Unicomp, the DAS, the left-handed keyboard at Fentek, the Matias Tactile Pro 2.0 and of course you could buy any of the new or second have ones that come in white and then dye their plastics.

[arbrandes]

Unicomp with blank keys?  Sounds good to me.  Thanks, CX23882.

IBI, I might be mistaken, but the G80-3000 seems a little hard to come by (as well as a Das II).  The available Filco's seem to be all brown cherries or topres, though it is rumored there'll be a blue-cherried one in June.  Didn't like the look of the Matias, and I'm not left-handed so no Fentek.

All in all, seems to me that right now my options are the Das III Ultimate (yes, I'm aware of the key transposition issue) or the Unicomp with blank keys.  I'm probably gonna get both (one for home, one for work), and eventually a blue-cherry Filco.

Thanks for the quick replies!
Adolfo

[wheel83]

I think a Unicomp with blank key caps is a very good choice.

[IBI]

IBI, I might be mistaken, but the G80-3000 seems a little hard to come by (as well as a Das II).  The available Filco's seem to be all brown cherries or topres, though it is rumored there'll be a blue-cherried one in June.  Didn't like the look of the Matias, and I'm not left-handed so no Fentek.

That depends on which country you're in, given the reference to Blue Cherry Filco's in June I assume you're talking about EliteKeyboards.com and you're in Canada or the USA.

As for the left-handed one don't be put off by the marketing - the only reason the standard layout is the way it is is presumably because the numpad used to be more important than the mouse so most people would want it under their dominent hand and nobody's bothered to move it out of the way on newer keyboards now that the mouse is in first or second place. I don't know anything about your use, but if you just want the numpad for completeness and occasional use then you may find it the more sensible layout.

[arbrandes]

It doesn't take that long (the Filcos key supports may be a bit tricky but after the first one it'll go quicker).

Can I order blank Filco keys?  I was willing to live with the stenciled letters when the blue-cherry Filcos are readily available, but if I can get them blank, even better!

Thanks for the "additional info" on blank Unicomp keys.  I'm definitely getting one, if only to brag about having a manly Made-in-Kentucky keyboard.

Never had a keyboard blue screen a PC before.

Already ordered the Das.  Let's hope mine's not THAT bad!  Besides, I probably won't get blue screens: Linux at home and at work.

[arbrandes]

I assume you're talking about EliteKeyboards.com and you're in Canada or the USA.

Yup, I meant elitekeyboards.com, but I'm in Brazil.  Nevertheless, the cheapest I can get these keyboards is from the USA.  Anything directly from Europe or Japan would be more expensive.

I don't know anything about your use, but if you just want the numpad for completeness and occasional use then you may find it the more sensible layout.

Actually, I have to have it on the right.  My right hand has already "memorized" the location of the numbers.  I'd have a hard time touch-typing numbers with the left.  Thanks for the info, though!

[ssb]

Already ordered the Das. Let's hope mine's not THAT bad! Besides, I probably won't get blue screens: Linux at home and at work.

Personally I never had any problem with Das and still like it a lot more than other mechanical keyboards I own.
I've heared about boot issues, probably due to usb hub incompatibility with specific bios/boards but honestly never experienced such a problem with my hardware setups. Maybe I'm just lucky!

[IBI]

Yup, I meant elitekeyboards.com, but I'm in Brazil.  Nevertheless, the cheapest I can get these keyboards is from the USA.  Anything directly from Europe or Japan would be more expensive.

That's fine if you're speaking from previous experience in importing, but I wouldn't assume anything. You may even be able to get it locally.

P.S. No comments on "leet girl"?  Boy, all the  20 year olds must be out this weekend.

She looks rather ill.

[DrunkenDonut]

Yeah, regarding point 1) The Das 3 has its own USB hub, so it'll need/want some power. Dunno about the older Das models. I don't recall them having a built-in hub though.

2) Ouch. That's just a PITA... I've never seen a keyboard cause BSOD before, but that's gotta be better than the Logitech V450(? I think) mouse + 10" Aspire One combo that I had to deal with. Occasionally, if you either unplugged or plugged in the receiver, it would cause the machine to shut down after a few seconds - screen goes dark, machine reboots. Upon booting up, you will discover that you can't. I couldn't recover directly from the recovery discs. I had to first recover the partitions, then use the recovery discs - I couldn't recover data either, but it was early on, so no problems with lost data. I banned him from unplugging or plugging that receiver when the machine was on. It happens on multiple machines (there was a small buying spree around that time), so that leaves just the receiver but so far it has only happened on the Aspire Ones.

3) I scratched it. Oooh, it's gonna hate me now.

[bigpook]

Personally I never had any problem with Das and still like it a lot more than other mechanical keyboards I own.
I've heared about boot issues, probably due to usb hub incompatibility with specific bios/boards but honestly never experienced such a problem with my hardware setups. Maybe I'm just lucky!

Same here. My wife is using the das III with absolutely no issues. Maybe I got lucky with the one I got or something but it has been working fine.

[bigpook]

Yeah, I'll promise to stop spreading FUD someday.  Not yet.  Notice I don't do the N-key rant in my posts because I don't see it.  The glare from the shiny keyboard slows me down.

Hey, I didn't say it was FUD : )


I don't think my wife cares about N-key rollover either.

I agree on the shiny though, that and the asymmetrical design and the numpad keep it off of my desk.

[ssb]

Hey, I didn't say it was FUD : )

@ripster: Neither did I! Honestly I didn't mean your experience to be some sort of FUD. We all know the problems of Das III logic; It's just I've never noticed them myself. :smile:

[DrunkenDonut]

Yeah, I actually have a small set of that polish from awhile back. I haven't gotten around to using it though. Nothing I scratched was worth the effort of clearing out the scratches.