Keyboard for typing (not gaming) at moderate price?

[danny_m]

Dear all,
I would like some advice: I want to buy a keyboard mostly for typing, so I don't need any fancy wasd highlighting or gamer stuff. What I want is just a full keyboard with US layout, well built and solid and bulky, and hopefully that lasts for a lifetime (ok, or at least some decades). So the thing is, right now at my workplace I am using a Cherry G80-3000LSCEU with blue switches, and I love the clicky feel, but probably for home that would be too loud. I also tried some others cherry g80-3000 with black and clear switches, and I would happily buy something with clears but I can not find anything with these features in Europe (I am in Germany right now). And about browns, some days ago I bought a CM storm with browns and I did not like it that much, I expected it to feel very similar to clear switches but I found out that the tactile feedback was much less pronounced than with the clear switches (anyway I had to return it because they sent me one with german layout...).
So the thing is, right now I can buy a g80-3000 with blacks for about 60 eur, or another one with blues for 110 eur (this price difference is really weird to me, but I digged in tenths of stores and it is impossible to find the model with blues any cheaper). But I was hoping that maybe some of you could point me to something better than these models, not much more expensive (there is no reason for which it should have MX switches, I only refer to that because it is my main experience with mechanical keyboards).
Thanks a lot guys!

[tararais]

Hmm, if you're looking for quality and non-fanciness, a Filco is a good choice. They're slightly more expensive, think $160-180 new, but they have excellent build quality. I'm assuming you're not looking for a QFR, they're cheap but not as lasting.

[danny_m]

Hmm, if you're looking for quality and non-fanciness, a Filco is a good choice. They're slightly more expensive, think $160-180 new, but they have excellent build quality. I'm assuming you're not looking for a QFR, they're cheap but not as lasting.

Thanks! I am considering them, but the only seller I found in europe is from the UK, and with the GBP/EUR exchange the price goes to 135 eur for the filco Majestouch-2, plus 15-20 eur for shipping. And I am comparing for instance with the Qpad MK-50, which costs 90 eur shipping included. This price seems nice to me (and still cheaper than the CM storm XT), but I don't know if the quality would be better than standard Cherry G80-3000 (I always assumed that Cherry stuff was good quality, but it seems that nowadays they are not that high-end).

[SpAmRaY]

The biggest difference between the Cherry G80 boards and the rest you are looking at is the Cherry board has PCB mounted switches and has no plate. The filcos, cm storms etc have a metal plate that sits above the PCB and the switches are reinforced by sitting in the plate.

If you want cherry mx clears you are probably going to want to look for a G80 board.

[tararais]

Hmm, if you're looking for quality and non-fanciness, a Filco is a good choice. They're slightly more expensive, think $160-180 new, but they have excellent build quality. I'm assuming you're not looking for a QFR, they're cheap but not as lasting.

Thanks! I am considering them, but the only seller I found in europe is from the UK, and with the GBP/EUR exchange the price goes to 135 eur for the filco Majestouch-2, plus 15-20 eur for shipping. And I am comparing for instance with the Qpad MK-50, which costs 90 eur shipping included. This price seems nice to me (and still cheaper than the CM storm XT), but I don't know if the quality would be better than standard Cherry G80-3000 (I always assumed that Cherry stuff was good quality, but it seems that nowadays they are not that high-end).

 
Seeing as you're a new member, you can't post in the classifieds yet, but you could definitely make a post on reddit's mechmarket and someone could probably find you a fitting board there. I know there are quite a few Germans there, so you may be able to get a local deal.

[chyros]

Welcome to GH!

It doesn't actually sound like you would like MX switches all that much Oo . That, and Cherry boards like the G80-3000 are not well-built, solid or bulky.

Apart from the noise, it ticks all the IBM Model M boxes. If you want something a bit lighter, you might want to go for Monterey switches (which is also not as noisy). If you want a good quiet click keyboard, I think you should give black Space Invaders a try.

I have video reviews on blue Cherries, the Model M, Montereys and black Space Invaders, if you're interested .

[danny_m]

Thanks for the comments guys!
Well, the model M would be great but it is too noisy (the only reason for which I did not fully decide for MX blues is because of that). Also, when I said that I wanted something "bulky" that is not really a must, probably "solid" is enough. For me the important thing is the tactile feedback first, and then low noise level. So I would choose cherry clears over blues (clears have nice feedback and low noise), but blues over browns (not enough feedback for the browns).
Right now I am looking at CM storm XT, Qpad mk-50, and Ajazz AK47 (this I saw it even with cherry MX green, but I have no idea how the feel compares to MX blue). All these range from 90 eur to 110 eur, except the AK47 with greens that goes to 130 eur. Some comment on the overall quality of these?

[AbrahamLinksys]

I bought a CM storm quickfire TK(it's like the XT but with a "hybrid" numpad) with blues, two weeks ago as my first mechanical keyboard.
I am still surprised with the build quality. Maybe that's because it's my 1st mechanical board but what made me go for it was its sturdiness and the overall build quality I kept reading from other users.

While I was looking for a new keyboard I found a few boards(3 as I remember) with MX clears in Germany and Netherlands, but they cost a bit over your budget.
If you 're interested I can pm u these boards.

[tararais]

Thanks for the comments guys!
Well, the model M would be great but it is too noisy (the only reason for which I did not fully decide for MX blues is because of that). Also, when I said that I wanted something "bulky" that is not really a must, probably "solid" is enough. For me the important thing is the tactile feedback first, and then low noise level. So I would choose cherry clears over blues (clears have nice feedback and low noise), but blues over browns (not enough feedback for the browns).
Right now I am looking at CM storm XT, Qpad mk-50, and Ajazz AK47 (this I saw it even with cherry MX green, but I have no idea how the feel compares to MX blue). All these range from 90 eur to 110 eur, except the AK47 with greens that goes to 130 eur. Some comment on the overall quality of these?

 
 
Greens are even louder than blues, but don't feel very good imo, too heavy. The nice thing about blues are their light click. Definitely would recommend clears or ergo clears, and the Qpad/CM are both decent boards.

[SamirD]

Well, the model M would be great but it is too noisy...

IBM did make an M-style keyboard (looks identical) that didn't have the clicks, but still had a lot of the feel.  I have a few of these and they're quite nice even though they're definitely no M.

[tararais]

Well, the model M would be great but it is too noisy...

IBM did make an M-style keyboard (looks identical) that didn't have the clicks, but still had a lot of the feel.  I have a few of these and they're quite nice even though they're definitely no M.

 
 
A model F would be kind of cool, but it's rare, expensive, and rather difficult to get working without an expensive converter. Which sort of board are you talking about, is it a modified BS board or a rubber dome?

[chyros]

No way he'll want an F is the M is too noisy .

[SamirD]

Well, the model M would be great but it is too noisy...

IBM did make an M-style keyboard (looks identical) that didn't have the clicks, but still had a lot of the feel.  I have a few of these and they're quite nice even though they're definitely no M.

 
 
A model F would be kind of cool, but it's rare, expensive, and rather difficult to get working without an expensive converter. Which sort of board are you talking about, is it a modified BS board or a rubber dome?

This isn't a model F (which most will plug in with a simple din to ps2 adapter, so nothing exotic necessary for those either), but I think a rubber dome version of the buckling spring board.  It's definitely not buckling spring, but still has a lot of the same 'feel' without the noise.

[opensecret]

Since you like the feel of blues, why not try some o-rings on the board you use at work -- that will definitely quiet things down.  If that works, then buy a board with blues and put on o-rings.  (On my one Cherry board, I have o-rings on the three middle rows.  That gives me a feel I like without causing distress to my noise-sensitive spouse.)

[njbair]

I recommend spending the money on a Filco if you can at all swing it. If not, the QFR will have to do. And it definitely sounds like you want MX clears.

[danny_m]

While I was looking for a new keyboard I found a few boards(3 as I remember) with MX clears in Germany and Netherlands, but they cost a bit over your budget.
If you 're interested I can pm u these boards.

That would be great, in Europe I don't remember finding MX clears anywhere, they seem very rare.

[AbrahamLinksys]

Check your inbox.

So that the other guys here can advise you about the boards I sent u links for, the boards with Clears(and some of them with Greens too) I found in the EU are:

KÛL ES-87
KBP V80 TKL
WASD Code - (this is way out of budget though)

[danny_m]

Check your inbox.

So that the other guys here can advise you about the boards I sent u links for, the boards with Clears(and some of them with Greens too) I found in the EU are:

KÛL ES-87
KBP V80 TKL
WASD Code - (this is way out of budget though)

Thanks a lot for the links! 
You are totally right, the WASD Code for 200 eur is waaay too expensive (a pity because seems beautiful). For that price it would be better to order it from the US, and then cross the fingers so that you don't pay a lot on customs.
About that, somebody here in Europe (preferrably Germany) has any experience in ordering from the US, how much would one need to pay for customs fee?

[danny_m]

Also, I just found a Cherry G80-3000LQCEU with MX Clears which would cost 118 eur including shipping. It is in the limit of what I am willing to pay, but maybe for that price I could get something better.
Any more suggestions?

[danny_m]

OK, after two weeks of reading reviews and comments and looking in all online shops of Europe/US and compare prices, I am completely saturated.
So these are my options:

CM Quick Fire XT with MX blues - 96 eur
Cherry G80-3000LQCEU with MX clears - 118 eur
Matias Quiet Pro - 168 eur (way over what I was hoping to spend, but I will consider it if people says is awosome to type there)
KUL ES-87 with MX clears - 145 eur (also a bit expensive, but seems better product than the g80-3000)

In the end I am open to the blues also, if the thing turns out to be too loud then I will try o-rings and that's it.
I looked at Filcos but I can not find any with MX-clears, and the same for Duckys. So if I need to go to blues/browns I prefer something more low profile, I will only spend more than 120 eur if it is THE keyboard for me.
Also looked at WASD, but then I need to order to the US and I am quite afraid that the customs fees will be terrific.

So I will think about it during the weekend and then I will buy whatever it is. If I keep postponing it, there will come the day in which we type with brain implants 
I hope to get some comments on these.

[tararais]

OK, after two weeks of reading reviews and comments and looking in all online shops of Europe/US and compare prices, I am completely saturated.
So these are my options:

CM Quick Fire XT with MX blues - 96 eur
Cherry G80-3000LQCEU with MX clears - 118 eur
Matias Quiet Pro - 168 eur (way over what I was hoping to spend, but I will consider it if people says is awosome to type there)
KUL ES-87 with MX clears - 145 eur (also a bit expensive, but seems better product than the g80-3000)

In the end I am open to the blues also, if the thing turns out to be too loud then I will try o-rings and that's it.
I looked at Filcos but I can not find any with MX-clears, and the same for Duckys. So if I need to go to blues/browns I prefer something more low profile, I will only spend more than 120 eur if it is THE keyboard for me.
Also looked at WASD, but then I need to order to the US and I am quite afraid that the customs fees will be terrific.

So I will think about it during the weekend and then I will buy whatever it is. If I keep postponing it, there will come the day in which we type with brain implants 
I hope to get some comments on these.

 
The XT is a well-built, solid board. The KUL is better, but it's no quantum leap. I'd recommend going for the CM.

[danny_m]

The XT is a well-built, solid board. The KUL is better, but it's no quantum leap. I'd recommend going for the CM.

Thanks a lot! Actually, the KUL would be even more expensive (I forgot to add the shipping). So probably I will end up getting the CM.
Also I just saw a CM Novatouch TKL for 112 eur, but with Spanish layout. I could even use it since I am from Spain, but once I got used to work with the US layout I hate working with any other thing. I just asked if they have the US version, in case affirmative I will think about it.