Looking for a new keyboard! Any suggestions?

[julayyy]

So I've been working at my new job for about 3 months now and feel like its time to bring my cmstorm TK to work since the membrane keyboard they have at work is mehh and the full keyboard size factor feels odd.  I do use the numpad a lot of work so thats why I thought my TK would work perfect at work. 

Once I was done with college, I haven't used my numpad at all so theres no more use for a numpad.  I mostly just search the web, chat with my friends, and play league so I was thinking of getting a TKL keyboard or something.  I also want to try something new.  My TK had cherry MX reds.  I have tried browns before but didn't really like them.  Blues are too loud since I skype chat with my friends while playing league.  I was looking at MX Clears since it seems like they're both good for typing and gaming, however, I can't find that many keyboard that has clears and doesn't go past my budget.  Topre seems interesting but $300 for a keyboard is just too much for me and I don't know if they're good for gaming either. 

So far, I looked at the KUL TKL Clears, Poker II w/clears, and Leopold FC660M with clears.  I thought the Leopold FC660M had a really cool layout but I can't really find any for sale anywhere with clears. 

Anyway! What are your guys thoughts? Should I go for Cherry MX Clears? Or maybe I should venture onto other type of switches?  Also, I'm using a macbook, so macbook compatible would be nice.... and under $125...

[MrFex]

I love brown's, do you own one of those switch tester's?

http://www.maxkeyboard.com/products/parts-and-accesssories/sampler-kit.html

I believe you get it for free if you purchase a keyboard with that shop afterwards.

[tp4tissue]

ERGODOX

[julayyy]

I love brown's, do you own one of those switch tester's?

http://www.maxkeyboard.com/products/parts-and-accesssories/sampler-kit.html

I believe you get it for free if you purchase a keyboard with that shop afterwards.

I had a cm storm stealth with brown but I didn't really like it. I kept misclicking keys. It might be the Keycaps profiles though

ERGODOX

I don't know how to build my own keyboard

[julayyy]

Hmmm what do you guys think about Gateron switches? On Massdrop they have the KBparadise V60 with Gateron swithces https://www.massdrop.com/buy/kbparadise-v60-mini-gateron?mode=guest_open

[absyrd]

You can read gateron reviews in the OP as well as a ton of feedback from GB end-users toward the end of this thread:

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=68943.0

There is also a few comparisons in the Reviews section of the forum.

[tp4tissue]

I love brown's, do you own one of those switch tester's?

http://www.maxkeyboard.com/products/parts-and-accesssories/sampler-kit.html

I believe you get it for free if you purchase a keyboard with that shop afterwards.

I had a cm storm stealth with brown but I didn't really like it. I kept misclicking keys. It might be the Keycaps profiles though

ERGODOX

I don't know how to build my own keyboard

You can sign up to preorder on ErgodoxEZ, it's all built

[ml_]

Another really good keyboard which is somewhat similar to the Ergodox is the Matias ErgoPro.

[julayyy]

You can sign up to preorder on ErgodoxEZ, it's all built

Another really good keyboard which is somewhat similar to the Ergodox is the Matias ErgoPro.

Not really looking into the ergonomic keyboard but more of the 60% or tkl. Right now I have my eyes on the Leopold fc660m mx clears but it looks like they're discontinued so it's going to be hard to find them :/

and then the poker 2/pok3r with clears. If I get a poker 2 I'll save money since it looks like people are selling it for cheap since they're getting the pok3r.  Also the pok3r doesn't have dedicated media keys and so that's a downside as well ;/ I don't think I need all 4 layers that the pok3r offer so idk save money and get the old one maybe....

[False_Dmitry_II]

There are some smaller Matias dampened keyboards. I'd suggest that. Especially if you've only used cherry switches.

http://matias.ca/products/

[Oobly]

Qtan has these in his online store:

http://www.vendio.com/stores/E-sports-Gaming-equipments/item/shop-mechanical-keyboard-by-sw/leopold-fc660m-mechanical-keyb/lid=36810036

White Leopold FC660M with Clear switches for $120 

He also has this Varmilo TKL with Clears:

http://www.vendio.com/stores/E-sports-Gaming-equipments/category/cateogry1-name/catId=4369375

It's essentially a rebranded Leopold, very good quality board.

Qtan is a GH member and has a very good reputation here.

[julayyy]

Qtan has these in his online store:

http://www.vendio.com/stores/E-sports-Gaming-equipments/item/shop-mechanical-keyboard-by-sw/leopold-fc660m-mechanical-keyb/lid=36810036

White Leopold FC660M with Clear switches for $120 

He also has this Varmilo TKL with Clears:

http://www.vendio.com/stores/E-sports-Gaming-equipments/category/cateogry1-name/catId=4369375

It's essentially a rebranded Leopold, very good quality board.

Qtan is a GH member and has a very good reputation here.

I saw those but the clear options were out of stock. I asked qtan about it and he said they're discontinuing them

As for the varmillo keyboard, it's not Mac compatible

[demik]

HHKB

[Oobly]

Qtan has these in his online store:

http://www.vendio.com/stores/E-sports-Gaming-equipments/item/shop-mechanical-keyboard-by-sw/leopold-fc660m-mechanical-keyb/lid=36810036

White Leopold FC660M with Clear switches for $120 

He also has this Varmilo TKL with Clears:

http://www.vendio.com/stores/E-sports-Gaming-equipments/category/cateogry1-name/catId=4369375

It's essentially a rebranded Leopold, very good quality board.

Qtan is a GH member and has a very good reputation here.

I saw those but the clear options were out of stock. I asked qtan about it and he said they're discontinuing them

As for the varmillo keyboard, it's not Mac compatible

Pity. It's a solid board. There's still the ES-87 with Clears: http://elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=keyed_up_labs,tenkeyless&pid=es87u_cc_bbb_al

[julayyy]

HHKB

I'll get a HHKB when I'm rich and famous..... Which is not anytime soon

[julayyy]

Qtan has these in his online store:

http://www.vendio.com/stores/E-sports-Gaming-equipments/item/shop-mechanical-keyboard-by-sw/leopold-fc660m-mechanical-keyb/lid=36810036

White Leopold FC660M with Clear switches for $120 

He also has this Varmilo TKL with Clears:

http://www.vendio.com/stores/E-sports-Gaming-equipments/category/cateogry1-name/catId=4369375

It's essentially a rebranded Leopold, very good quality board.

Qtan is a GH member and has a very good reputation here.

I saw those but the clear options were out of stock. I asked qtan about it and he said they're discontinuing them

As for the varmillo keyboard, it's not Mac compatible

Pity. It's a solid board. There's still the ES-87 with Clears: http://elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=keyed_up_labs,tenkeyless&pid=es87u_cc_bbb_al

Yeah that seems to be the best choice for now thanks for your help!

[hwood34]

Qtan has these in his online store:

http://www.vendio.com/stores/E-sports-Gaming-equipments/item/shop-mechanical-keyboard-by-sw/leopold-fc660m-mechanical-keyb/lid=36810036

White Leopold FC660M with Clear switches for $120 

He also has this Varmilo TKL with Clears:

http://www.vendio.com/stores/E-sports-Gaming-equipments/category/cateogry1-name/catId=4369375

It's essentially a rebranded Leopold, very good quality board.

Qtan is a GH member and has a very good reputation here.

I saw those but the clear options were out of stock. I asked qtan about it and he said they're discontinuing them

As for the varmillo keyboard, it's not Mac compatible

Pity. It's a solid board. There's still the ES-87 with Clears: http://elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=keyed_up_labs,tenkeyless&pid=es87u_cc_bbb_al

Yeah that seems to be the best choice for now thanks for your help!

+1 on the KUL, super solid board, especially for the price

[loki993]

Im going to put this out there because I was in your position a while back. I did all the reading and saw all the things that said that clears were so good. I got 2 keyboards with clears and honestly I hate them, well hate may be strong, but i don't really like them to say the least. I don't use either of them and Ive went back to my QFR with blues on my main computer for gaming and typing. They are way stiff, I tried to give them a chance to break in but they're still stiff. Granted I bottom out a lot, so there is that. I tried o rings to reduce the travel and they helped a little but not enough. Still got way to many errors from the heavy keypresses though. I figured I could just put the lighter springs in if they're too stiff, problem is it seems that 90 percent of these keyboards are plate mounted and you cant swap springs easily on them. Again my fault for not researching that properly, but still.

With all that said I think I would really like them if I could lighten the springs out a bit and Im try to find a way to do that before I just give up Hmmand sell them off. So just putting that out there, if you have a light touch on the keys they may not bother you. but if you type hard its going to be a bit fatiguing. 

[Oobly]

Im going to put this out there because I was in your position a while back. I did all the reading and saw all the things that said that clears were so good. I got 2 keyboards with clears and honestly I hate them, well hate may be strong, but i don't really like them to say the least. I don't use either of them and Ive went back to my QFR with blues on my main computer for gaming and typing. They are way stiff, I tried to give them a chance to break in but they're still stiff. Granted I bottom out a lot, so there is that. I tried o rings to reduce the travel and they helped a little but not enough. Still got way to many errors from the heavy keypresses though. I figured I could just put the lighter springs in if they're too stiff, problem is it seems that 90 percent of these keyboards are plate mounted and you cant swap springs easily on them. Again my fault for not researching that properly, but still.

With all that said I think I would really like them if I could lighten the springs out a bit and Im try to find a way to do that before I just give up Hmmand sell them off. So just putting that out there, if you have a light touch on the keys they may not bother you. but if you type hard its going to be a bit fatiguing.

Clears are at their best when modded, but it is a lot of effort to do. I always add trampolines (silicone balls from imsto), stickers, 62g springs and shave the sliders. Then they're awesome.

[Lpwl]

[...]
Clears are at their best when modded, but it is a lot of effort to do. I always [...] shave the sliders. Then they're awesome.

Never heard of this before.

Could you please describe the process ?

[Nai_Calus]

IBM Model F AT.

There are keyboards that aren't Model Fs, but, well, they aren't Model Fs.

Your coworkers would hate you for using it at work though. Suckers are loud.

[julayyy]

Im going to put this out there because I was in your position a while back. I did all the reading and saw all the things that said that clears were so good. I got 2 keyboards with clears and honestly I hate them, well hate may be strong, but i don't really like them to say the least. I don't use either of them and Ive went back to my QFR with blues on my main computer for gaming and typing. They are way stiff, I tried to give them a chance to break in but they're still stiff. Granted I bottom out a lot, so there is that. I tried o rings to reduce the travel and they helped a little but not enough. Still got way to many errors from the heavy keypresses though. I figured I could just put the lighter springs in if they're too stiff, problem is it seems that 90 percent of these keyboards are plate mounted and you cant swap springs easily on them. Again my fault for not researching that properly, but still.

With all that said I think I would really like them if I could lighten the springs out a bit and Im try to find a way to do that before I just give up Hmmand sell them off. So just putting that out there, if you have a light touch on the keys they may not bother you. but if you type hard its going to be a bit fatiguing.

Which keyboard did you end up getting  with clears? And yeah while I heard good things about clears, I also heard people complaining about stock clears and it's better to mod it but I'm a noob so i won't be able to do anything to it. Idk I just want to try it to see what the hype is about. I was also considering the Novatouch to see what topre is all about but I'm going to limit myself to just 2 keyboards. 1 for work and 1 at home. So I'll just research about it more I guess.

[Oobly]

[...]
Clears are at their best when modded, but it is a lot of effort to do. I always [...] shave the sliders. Then they're awesome.

Never heard of this before.

Could you please describe the process ?

I use a sharp scalpel to shave the mold lines smooth and round over the far outside bottom edge a touch. There are 4 that can affect the smoothness / scratchiness of the switch, the vertical ones on the far outside edges and the horizontal ones on the outside edges on the side with the legs that contact the leafs. This essentially does the same as wearing them in (at least partially) and gives you smoother switches. It's a bit of a delicate process and hard to get really consistent results. Still, it makes the wear in time less anyway, so I put up with the slight inconsistency as they even out in smoothness with use.

Don't get me wrong, I like stock Clears, but modded ones are even better

[vivalarevolución]

I recommend Matias, then you dont have to mod the switches in order for them to feel tolerable.  Unlike every Cherry switch.

http://matias.ca/miniquietpro/pc/

[julayyy]

I ended up buying a kbparadise v60 w/clears. Even though it's similar to the poker series, I wasn't into programming my own keys and just needed the daily essential and multimedia keys which the pok3r didn't have yet.  Was considering matias but mechicanicalkeyboards.com didn't have the matias quiet clicks in the v60 because I didn't like how matias keyboards look like.  So I just went with the clears for now. Hopefully I chose well. Took forever researching and finding one that had the right price that was in my budget.