It's mechanical keyboard time!

[caLLous]

Ok, my trusty Logitech Illuminated Keyboard is on the way out (the backlights flash randomly and it's not always connected). I want a mechanical keyboard that's nice to type on, doesn't make heaps of noise but is not too shabby on the gaming front either. Numpad would be preferred but not essential.

It costs what it costs.

At a quick glance I've seen the black Corsair Vengeance K70 with brown switches. Thoughts?

 

[ECA]

It's a pretty nice keyboard.

I would advocate brown/black/red switches, blues are wayyy too loud.
That said browns/blacks are not exactly quiet either.

 

[Raven]

I have a CM stealth, very nice but if you use the keypad for stuff non-gaming then it can be a pain, the keypad is combined with the curser, insert, home, end etc keys with a button to switch between the two.

 

[old.Tohtori]

That said browns/blacks are not exactly quiet either.

You racist!

 

[dysfunction]

I have a Corsair K70 with brown switches as well as one with red switches.

The brown switch is noisier but I am undecided as to which is better.
The Red switches seem softer somehow.

The keyboard itself is awseome!

 

[Hawkwind]

I have the Razer Blackwidow Ultimate only use it for certain games, for general use I have a non Mechanical Steelseries Apex and I really like it. I find the Razer very noisy and a bit clunky so general typing is a pain, for games which require precise control it is excellent.

 

[caLLous]

The brown switch is noisier but I am undecided as to which is better.
The Red switches seem softer somehow.

From what I understand that's because the browns have the tactile bump halfway down their travel and the reds don't? To be honest quietness isn't the most important concern but it needs to be a good all-round switch (leaning more towards typing than gaming so I guess the quietness *is* a concern).

 

[Raven]

Mine has browns, you notice it at first but not after a while.

 

[mooSe_]

From what I understand that's because the browns have the tactile bump halfway down their travel and the reds don't? To be honest quietness isn't the most important concern but it needs to be a good all-round switch (leaning more towards typing than gaming so I guess the quietness *is* a concern).

Yeah red and black are linear so have no bump. Blue has the bump and a loud click, and brown has the bump and a quiter click. There's also a bunch of other less common types but it's hard to find a keyboard with any of those.

I used to have a Filco Majestouch with brown switches and I loved it. I think brown switches are pretty good all round for typing/gaming. Otherwise I'd probably try one with red switches.

 

[Fweddy]

I have a Ducky with brown (iirc) switches. It's lovely to use and built like a tank.

 

[caLLous]

I do like the look of some of the Ducky keyboards but omfg their website is shit. Do you know which one you have @Fweddy? I quite like the look of the Shine 3 DK9008 (except for that awful thing on the space bar) and I could probably live with the Premier DK9008P Blue/Grey...

There are pictures on the (shit) website with the key caps removed, I can see LEDs but I'm not sure if they actually light through the keycaps (useful) or if they just do a glowy thing behind the keys (useless). :\ I'm struggling to find pictures of it in the dark.

 

[old.Tohtori]

Shine 3 DK9008


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCf7uTcsEhk

Don't say i never did anything for you

Ah but you probably meant how the leds are in the 9008P. Which, after some inspecting, seems to be lit through(but possibly only wasd and esc).

 

[caLLous]

Yeah I actually quite like the look of the blue/grey DK9008P but it seems to only do WASD and Esc backlighting. To be fair I could live without backlighting, it's just nice to have in a dark environment (which should be the only reason for it imo). I like the Corsair Vengeance K95 but it looks effing massive and I know I wouldn't use those function keys.

I'm now reading Das Keyboard reviews. The 4 Professional looks very nice (no backlighting at all though) but the Ultimate can fuck right off with its hipster blank keycaps.

 

[Fweddy]

I have the 2108, so no lighty goodness for me. I bought it from CCL and their images of the Shine 3 suggest the lights go through the keys.

 

[old.Tohtori]

Yeah I actually quite like the look of the blue/grey DK9008P but it seems to only do WASD and Esc backlighting.

Yeah i don't get it, esc and wasd are probably the only things a gamer doesn't need a light to find besides the spacebar and wasd/esc are kind of "gaming related"

 

[caLLous]

I think I'm going for the Das Keyboard 4 Professional (with brown switches). I'll live without backlights and the pair of integrated USB 3.0 ports is a major plus. Plus it's one of the best-looking and no superfluous gamer shite (macro keys, stupid LED animations etc).

 

[caLLous]

I mean... just look at this... the Corsair Vengeance K70 RGB... it's just stupid... right? Right?

It is kinda pretty though... Look at all those flashy lights!

 

[Fweddy]

That looks like it might be a little distracting while gaming. The Das Keyboard looks like a good choice though.

 

[caLLous]

Ok. I have ignored the pretty flashy lights and ordered the "soft clicky" (brown switches) Das Keyboard 4 Professional. It's going to take a while to get here, it's coming from Germany and they don't have the UK "soft clicky" layout in stock for another week or so. I challenge anybody to find a normal keyboard (ie QWERTY) in France - it's just not possible. AZERTY is the only thing* that makes me look at the French and go "HUH?".







*It's not the only thing.

 

[caLLous]

Hello,

Oh my goodness. We are totally inconsolable and very upset, but we have to tell you that your order"s delivery is delayed by 1 week. Please don"t be as disappointed as we are - we just haven"t received the goods yet. Sometimes it"s like bewitched, although we do everything in our power (and in Yoda"s power, too), the Dark Force plays tricks on us and the producer puts us off again and again Please have a little more patience with us and don"t despair, as soon as we receive your order, we will ship it at once. You"ll also get a tracking code then.

Best regards

*reconsider doing business with these people*

Not sure if it's the overbearing chumminess or the Star Wars references but... ergh.

 

[TdC]

ask them about shoe choices

 

[Ch3tan]

Yeah would put me off, cancel!

 

[caLLous]

OMG this is a sweet keyboard!

 

[dysfunction]

OMG this is a sweet keyboard!

Which one is?

 

[caLLous]

Which one is?

The Das Keyboard 4 Professional. I find myself typing stuff just for the sake of typing stuff. And it's so well-made and premium-feeling.

 

[miri]

http://www.qpad.com/products/keyboards/MK50/ I have this with brown switches. Had it a year now and wouldn't ever consider going back to a non-mechanical keyboard.

 

[Wij]

Had a Das Keyboard for over a year. Couldn't go back to a standard one now.

 

[caLLous]

I've been on this Das for a couple of weeks now and there's just no way I'm ever going back. Typing on my laptop keyboard is now an awful experience.