Leopold FC660M

[jcoffin1981]

I have 5 or 6 mech boards, but they are all V60's or Pokers with some variation of keycaps or switches.  So I don't need a new board at all and with bills I really shouldn't.  However, I've been looking at this board for over 1 year and it's driving me crazy.

Does anybody have any comments or feedback to help me solidify a decision?  i.e. "Legends wear off," or "quality keycaps" or "firmware issues or chatter," or "stabilizers well made," or "intuitive key placement."  You get the idea.  Oh btw, can the caps lock be made into an Fn Key?

Oh fudge, just realized that it has adjustable legs instead of lying at a fixed angle.  This is kind of a turnoff.  They always pop down and give a less solid typing feel.  I'd love to hear from other owners.

[merlin64]

Have you thought about the Clueboard made by skullydazed? It's basically that but with more customization options

https://geekhack.org/index.php?board=183.0
His store: https://shop.clueboard.co/

Keep an eye on this IC as well

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=82944.0

[Tactile]

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=85624.msg2296189#msg2296189

[Corsa1r]

I just got my FC660M last week, I was looking at it for some time as well.  I got the navy-blank version with mx reds from mechanicalkeyboards.com for $109 shipped.  It's a really nice board.  I was considering it and the Varmilo VA68M, but I'm not too fond of the aluminum case or the ridiculous price, so I went with this.  In my experience, Leopold has the smoothest red switches, and they feel and sound even better due to the noise-dampening material that is used inside the board. I heard alot about the pad-printed legends eventually wearing down (not sure about actual longevity there), but I bought the navy blanks-version so I wouldn't have to deal with that.  The stepsculpture 2 keycap profile is phenomenal and might be my new favorite profile.

 The PBT is smoother than many others I have tried, but feels very high quality. All in all, a really solid board.  I bought it as an answer to giving my Type-S a rest from paper-writing and wanted linear switches for more general-purpose gaming and other stuff, along with having the dedicated arrow cluster.  The feet are fine, for me anyway.  I usually let my board lay flat anyways while using a Heart 60% wood wrist rest.  The stabilizers are cherry, and some of mine need worked in still, and others are very crisp, or becoming more crisp with use.  Caps lock on this board can be switched to left ctrl (which I love and is part of the reason I bought this, too), but no, not an FN key.  I would have to look but I think you can turn left the left windows key into an FN key.

Anyway, hopes that helps in some way.

[jcoffin1981]

Okay, this is the kind of information I was looking for.  I was kind of hoping for poor opinions so I wouldn't buy it.  I have a V60 which I switched to Leopold keycaps and they are out of this world.  I really do like the dedicated arrows.  I've gotten used to them behind a function layer, but I still prefer it.  I'm not so crazy about pad  printed legends.

My aftermarket Leopold keycaps are Cherry profile and slightly lower profile than OEM and they are really fantastic.  Caps Lock to lft Ctrl huh?  I've never seen this.  I'm so    used to reaching for Fn with my left pinky.  I have several Pokers and I liked the case at first, but after said and done I think I prefer the plastic case of the V60.  Yes this is helpful, thank you.  I just have to find the board with the blank legends.  Do  you know what style or profile the keycaps come in?  How would u  rate it vs. other boards in the class such as Ducky Shine, V60, and Pok3r?

Thank you for  the links.  I don't think the Clueboard is really for me.  Watching the gentleman type with the Cherry Reds makes me want to get one.  I was always afraid to buy a board with reds for fear that I wouldn't like it.  I know I don't like a distinct tactile bump- something much more subtle, but non-existent?

[merlin64]

The Clueboard is essentially a PCB and plate for the FC660m. A lot of people have taken apart their fc660m and put in a clueboard and plate so that they can program it anyway they want and swap switches whenever, and have LEDs. Just something to think about.

[merlin64]

Literally just landed on massdrop today too! haha

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/clueboard-keyboard-kit?mode=guest_open

[Corsa1r]

Wow, the Clueboard does look nice, if not a little pricey.  I could see justifying the price for the features and style/kind of quality keycaps if one was interested in that stuff.

[Tactile]

I just got my FC660M last week, I was looking at it for some time as well.  I got the navy-blank version with mx reds from mechanicalkeyboards.com for $109 shipped.  It's a really nice board.  I was considering it and the Varmilo VA68M, but I'm not too fond of the aluminum case or the ridiculous price, so I went with this.  In my experience, Leopold has the smoothest red switches, and they feel and sound even better due to the noise-dampening material that is used inside the board. I heard alot about the pad-printed legends eventually wearing down (not sure about actual longevity there), but I bought the navy blanks-version so I wouldn't have to deal with that.  The stepsculpture 2 keycap profile is phenomenal and might be my new favorite profile.

 The PBT is smoother than many others I have tried, but feels very high quality. All in all, a really solid board.  I bought it as an answer to giving my Type-S a rest from paper-writing and wanted linear switches for more general-purpose gaming and other stuff, along with having the dedicated arrow cluster.  The feet are fine, for me anyway.  I usually let my board lay flat anyways while using a Heart 60% wood wrist rest.  The stabilizers are cherry, and some of mine need worked in still, and others are very crisp, or becoming more crisp with use.  Caps lock on this board can be switched to left ctrl (which I love and is part of the reason I bought this, too), but no, not an FN key.  I would have to look but I think you can turn left the left windows key into an FN key.

Anyway, hopes that helps in some way.

What are the reds like compared to the Type S?

[jcoffin1981]

I don't have much of a need for reprogramming many keys.  I would like to swap out the Leopold case with one without feet, but it's not gonna fit in any standard 60% case.  I would just have to live with the placement of the Fn key.  I don't care for the pad printing so I'd probably get the blank keys, but then you don't know where the layer functions are.  Always a toss up.

[Corsa1r]

I just got my FC660M last week, I was looking at it for some time as well.  I got the navy-blank version with mx reds from mechanicalkeyboards.com for $109 shipped.  It's a really nice board.  I was considering it and the Varmilo VA68M, but I'm not too fond of the aluminum case or the ridiculous price, so I went with this.  In my experience, Leopold has the smoothest red switches, and they feel and sound even better due to the noise-dampening material that is used inside the board. I heard alot about the pad-printed legends eventually wearing down (not sure about actual longevity there), but I bought the navy blanks-version so I wouldn't have to deal with that.  The stepsculpture 2 keycap profile is phenomenal and might be my new favorite profile.

 The PBT is smoother than many others I have tried, but feels very high quality. All in all, a really solid board.  I bought it as an answer to giving my Type-S a rest from paper-writing and wanted linear switches for more general-purpose gaming and other stuff, along with having the dedicated arrow cluster.  The feet are fine, for me anyway.  I usually let my board lay flat anyways while using a Heart 60% wood wrist rest.  The stabilizers are cherry, and some of mine need worked in still, and others are very crisp, or becoming more crisp with use.  Caps lock on this board can be switched to left ctrl (which I love and is part of the reason I bought this, too), but no, not an FN key.  I would have to look but I think you can turn left the left windows key into an FN key.

Anyway, hopes that helps in some way.

What are the reds like compared to the Type S?

It's hard to compare the two. I thought they might share alot of characteristics.  The only similarity is the actuation force, but I feel like the reds take less force to press than the Type-S and I know that's in my head because they are weighted the same.  The Type-S' feel of cup rubber collapsing is the main difference when you initially push down on the key.  The reds feel smooth from the beginning through the end of the stroke. Topre and Cherry just don't feel all that similar.  Another thing that contributes to the difference in feel is the mounting method.  I have never used a Topre board that has plate-mounted switches.  The HHKB switches are case mounted and feel very organic and bouncy, while every cherry board i have used has a steel plate for mounting switches, which makes the typing experience feel static and solid. I would imagine that plays a big role in difference of feel, too.  The FC660M has a heavy plate in it, and as a result is very weighty, which lends to making it feel like a quality product.  The HHKB is featherlight, in comparison, but by its own right, feels like a perfect piece of craftsmanship.  To me, anyway. 

And jcoffin, I have never used a V60 or Poker, so I can't comment on those, but I do have a Ducky Shine, and I would say it's on par, if not a higher quality product if you're looking at quality of components used.

[AndyEatsCocoa]

Hello! To be honest, I don't really have any idea where the mechanical keyboard market is heading towards... So far the actual Cherry MX switches seem pretty reasonable and there is a variety of them for each of us: blue, red, brown and black. Let's just hope the big companies figure out some insane-new-evolutionary standard

[Puddsy]

I mean, it's a Leopold. If you're looking for a reason not to buy it, you're gonna have to go with layout, or that there aren't really any custom cases for it. They're good boards.

[Corsa1r]

I mean, it's a Leopold. If you're looking for a reason not to buy it, you're gonna have to go with layout, or that there aren't really any custom cases for it. They're good boards.

This. Leopold is one of the best, I think.  The only reason not to buy one is if you really don't need it or if you're deciding between feeding your family and a keyboard, lol.

[Erzegovaz]

I mean, it's a Leopold. If you're looking for a reason not to buy it, you're gonna have to go with layout, or that there aren't really any custom cases for it. They're good boards.

This. Leopold is one of the best, I think.  The only reason not to buy one is if you really don't need it or if you're deciding between feeding your family and a keyboard, lol.

ahahah +1
I need another Leopold

[Erikdayo]

Leopold makes great stuff, yea. But regarding the FC660M something mentioned in the OP is true. The legends will wear. At least the white version is pad printed. Not sure about black and navy. You may consider swapping out the keycaps for the front printed variation at some point if you decide you really like the board. You could also go with keycaps from elsewhere, but the profile Leopold uses is so nice.

[Jumie]

And you can buy aluminum case for fc660m which drop regularly on MD

[euclydian]

And you can buy aluminum case for fc660m which drop regularly on MD

I'm waiting on my third one of these.  They're excellent, as is the FC660M.

[jcoffin1981]

I replaced the keycaps on another board with with Leopolds, cherry profile and they are truly the best quality keycaps I have used.  I'm disappointed that this model uses pad printed legends, so I may just get the blank keycaps.  I would  not rather have the expense of replacing the keycaps.  It's been a long time since I've had a new keyboard.  I've only repaired a few boards I've spilled Heineken or Coca Cola on.