Bloody "infrared switch" keyboard (doubleshot / color light / NKRO)

[STR8_AN94BALLER]

I noticed that a4tech has been teasing this keyboard (and the switch technology) on facebook and found it on sale at amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Bloody-Strike-Mechanical-Gaming-Keyboard/dp/B014EEWEA6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1441373772&sr=8-1&keywords=bloody+light+strike

One of their "flagship" model is currently listed on amazon, the other models haven't been put up for sale.

Promotion page / product line: http://www.bloody.tw/usa/productsKEY.php?pid=11&id=46

Also shows keyboard dust protection around the switches. Keycaps are doubleshot / double mold as far as I can tell.

Here's a video showing dust and moisture effect on the keyboard: http://www.iqiyi.com/w_19rrpoyotd.html

I don't see any indication of RGB lighting, so it might be fixed color.

Weirdly they have "hybrid" keyboards that doesn't have the infrared switch on all of the keys, probably as a cost saving alternative.

Some of the models have NKRO, but others like the B700 (10keyless) doesn't have NKRO mode.

Website also claims that the IR switch is faster than a Cherry 6 board by around 0.2ms



I'm interested on the B700 tbh, even though it only has 6KRO. If this goes on sale it will replace my old B540 by the same manufacturer (Greetech black switch, 10key).


What do you guys think?

[Computer-Lab in Basement]

that is one of the ugliest keyboards i have ever seen, ever

[STR8_AN94BALLER]

that is one of the ugliest keyboards i have ever seen, ever

I couldn't care less about visuals imo.

But that's just me.

[Computer-Lab in Basement]

that is one of the ugliest keyboards i have ever seen, ever

I couldn't care less about visuals imo.

But that's just me.

i respect your honesty

[Zeal]

I've typed on it at Computex, and it's the most plastic feeling keyboard you'll ever feel. Due to its IR tech, you're restricted to linear switches only.

The whole casing is made of glossy plastic, including the switch housing.

[hwood34]

Is there really that big of a population that likes these sort of aesthetics?

[esoomenona]

.

[ika]

Is there really that big of a population that likes these sort of aesthetics?

Given Razer's popularity - yes.

[saturnotaku]

Given Razer's popularity - yes.

Razer's keyboards aren't half as gaudy as this thing.

[STR8_AN94BALLER]

I've typed on it at Computex, and it's the most plastic feeling keyboard you'll ever feel. Due to its IR tech, you're restricted to linear switches only.

The whole casing is made of glossy plastic, including the switch housing.

Can you describe "plastic"? Like really rattly and hollow (product doesn't have any weight)?

Is the switch housing (the actual switch, not keyboard chassis) made from glossy plastic? From the video and images it looks to use the same plastic (not glossy) as MX / razer switches that I've seen.

[hwood34]

Given Razer's popularity - yes.

Razer's keyboards aren't half as gaudy as this thing.

Yeah, some of these are really pushing the limits of how l33t gam3r they can get

[Zeal]

I've typed on it at Computex, and it's the most plastic feeling keyboard you'll ever feel. Due to its IR tech, you're restricted to linear switches only.

The whole casing is made of glossy plastic, including the switch housing.

Can you describe "plastic"? Like really rattly and hollow (product doesn't have any weight)?

Is the switch housing (the actual switch, not keyboard chassis) made from glossy plastic? From the video and images it looks to use the same plastic (not glossy) as MX / razer switches that I've seen.

The typing experience just wasn't the same as other mechanical switches. The bottom outs felt hollow, despite the lack of a metal leaf, the stem still wasn't as smooth as Gateron. Overall construction just looks like a fingerprint magnet. Did not feel like a quality product.

The video wasn't the best quality, but it is glossy.


"under the skirt" shot




You can see the switch housing is pretty much moulded into the whole construction of the case. That's how they achieved a "spill-proof" design.

[tofgerl]

Look, Crack was one of the biggest sale hits in the history of the world... This isn't quite as bad for you, but it's probably still going to sell like hotcakes to idiots.

[FoxWolf1]

You can see the switch housing is pretty much moulded into the whole construction of the case. That's how they achieved a "spill-proof" design.

I'm fairly sure that the switches themselves are discrete units-- here is a teardown of the switch-- but on the 700 series the keyboard has an additional layer of plastic covering the sides and tops of the switch. Kind of like how Azio's Mech4/5 line, and more recently various Aula keyboards, put an extra layer on top of Cherry or generic switches for the same purpose.

That said, the extra layer may very well affect feel. Rapoo's new V510 model, for instance, has a similar waterproofing system, and uses extra-tall keycaps to compensate for it. If Bloody is using off-the-shelf keycaps with an over-switch waterproofing layer, that would explain why the bottoming out felt wrong.

This keyboard is too ugly for me (especially given the fixed rainbow lighting), and the incompatibility with 3rd party wrist rests is annoying...but I do like the idea of the switches, enough to be a little bit tempted anyway. Because a) screw chatter, seriously, and b) faster is better. Don't care if the difference can be felt or not, because feeling faster isn't the goal; being faster, is. Now if only someone would shoehorn a ProWorld or ALPS-style click leaf into the switches, and then put the switches into something somewhat less crazy looking...

[STR8_AN94BALLER]

You can see the switch housing is pretty much moulded into the whole construction of the case. That's how they achieved a "spill-proof" design.

I'm fairly sure that the switches themselves are discrete units-- here is a teardown of the switch-- but on the 700 series the keyboard has an additional layer of plastic covering the sides and tops of the switch. Kind of like how Azio's Mech4/5 line, and more recently various Aula keyboards, put an extra layer on top of Cherry or generic switches for the same purpose.

That said, the extra layer may very well affect feel. Rapoo's new V510 model, for instance, has a similar waterproofing system, and uses extra-tall keycaps to compensate for it. If Bloody is using off-the-shelf keycaps with an over-switch waterproofing layer, that would explain why the bottoming out felt wrong.

This keyboard is too ugly for me (especially given the fixed rainbow lighting), and the incompatibility with 3rd party wrist rests is annoying...but I do like the idea of the switches, enough to be a little bit tempted anyway. Because a) screw chatter, seriously, and b) faster is better. Don't care if the difference can be felt or not, because feeling faster isn't the goal; being faster, is. Now if only someone would shoehorn a ProWorld or ALPS-style click leaf into the switches, and then put the switches into something somewhat less crazy looking...

The non waterproof models might have normal key structure and doesn't have this "protective wall" over the switch.

I'm pretty sure that the feel would be similar to their greetech switches, I might be wrong but I'm ready to take on a gamble and buy the B700 if it ever comes into NA market.

[FoxWolf1]

Hm. I wonder if the barrier wall is easily removable-- I could see that making cleaning the keyboard a lot easier. Pull the keycaps, take the barrier over to the sink, wash it off, dry it, reinstall, done. It'd also let the people who don't like the feel of the barrier get rid of it. Something of a missed opportunity if this isn't possible (but an opportunity that most manufacturers of keyboards with similar systems also seem to miss).

I should also note that it's possible to make optical switches inherently waterproof. No reason why they couldn't seal in the sensors and close up the housing; if drainage or air pressure are concerns, they could always make it drain through the stem's bottom housing, so that water drains to below the PCB. If they'd done it that way, they wouldn't have needed the barrier in the first place (unless they wanted to help with cleaning as described above) and would have even better waterproofing-- but it probably would have been more expensive, thanks to involving additional parts and labor and a greater deviation from the basic MX design.

[spectre]

Nice tech, bad implementation.

[Data]

that is one of the ugliest keyboards i have ever seen, ever

Wow, it really is.  I'm sure the Pr0 Gam3rs are eating it up.