I Want a Mechanical Keyboard - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Hack&Lube · 07-17-2010, 12:23 AM

Does anybody here have any experience with mechanical keyboards? I am tired of dome and scissor switch keyboards causing typos and finger strain. There is not much selection in terms of modern day versions, basically a few ones with Alps, Unicomp Bucking Springs, and Cherry MX Black, Blue, Brown, etc. switches. I am leaning toward some Cherry Blue switches.

Mechanical keyboards are not cheap, they average $100-$200 and it's frustrating not knowing how one feels before purchasing one. I'm having a hard time even finding one. The only ones with Cherry Blue switches carried by NCIX have no markings on the keys!

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=54108

Does anybody here know what I am talking about?

sclitheroe · 07-17-2010, 12:28 AM

I use a Das Keyboard and really like it. Well built, nice and clacky, not too fancy - just a straight up old school keyboard with a clean modern look to it.

Hack&Lube · 07-17-2010, 12:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

I use a Das Keyboard and really like it. Well built, nice and clacky, not too fancy - just a straight up old school keyboard with a clean modern look to it.

Which model DAS do you use? Where did you buy it? I'm having a hard time finding one with marked keys aside from some US vendors who ship UPS and will ream me on shipping + brokerage.

SebC · 07-17-2010, 02:16 AM

This is the first time I've ever heard of a mechanical keyboard... they don't seem too expensive compared to normal keyboards. I will definitely file this in the "good to know" category of my brain.

Hack&Lube · 07-17-2010, 02:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SebC

This is the first time I've ever heard of a mechanical keyboard... they don't seem too expensive compared to normal keyboards. I will definitely file this in the "good to know" category of my brain.

They can run up to $200 for a backlit mechanical keyboard...actually I've seen $1500 mechanical keyboards on ebay which are custom jobs done in fancy wood.

Info for you:
http://www.overclock.net/computer-pe...ard-guide.html

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1468692

http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?tit...rted+By+Switch

I'm using an Apple Aluminum Keyboard right now and it's a POS. I've also got a Logitech S520 keyboard and I've gone through a lot of other dome and scissor switch keyboards and they are all terrible and feel like typing on mush or in the case of the Apple keyboard, slamming my fingers into a brick table.

FlamingStuffedTiger · 07-17-2010, 12:34 PM

You could try these guys: http://elitekeyboards.com/. They are based in the US, but they do ship their keyboards to Canada. Shipping appears to be based on the weight, so you will probably have to check their FAQ section for details.

sclitheroe · 07-17-2010, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Which model DAS do you use? Where did you buy it? I'm having a hard time finding one with marked keys aside from some US vendors who ship UPS and will ream me on shipping + brokerage.

NCIX: http://ncix.com/products/?sku=54110&...acture=Metadot

If you’re looking for a mechanical keyboard, I think you’d be happy with that one. It’s certainly met my expectations. It doesn’t have quite the retro chic of the Unicomps, but it doesn’t look ugly and embarassing on your desk top like the Unicomp would.

Hack&Lube · 07-17-2010, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

NCIX: http://ncix.com/products/?sku=54110&...acture=Metadot

I've tried the backorder thing with NCIX before for obscure things that are out of stock and they go through an obscure supplier to get. Took months and month last time for me to get a refund or for them to admit that they were never actually going to get stock.

Because of that experience, I'll probably get a Filco from elitekeyboards. The price works out to almost the same if Filco doesn't ship via UPS.

sclitheroe · 07-17-2010, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

I've tried the backorder thing with NCIX before for obscure things that are out of stock and they go through an obscure supplier to get. Took months and month last time for me to get a refund or for them to admit that they were never actually going to get stock.

Because of that experience, I'll probably get a Filco from elitekeyboards. The price works out to almost the same if Filco doesn't ship via UPS.

The Das isn’t obscure though - there’s no reason they should have difficulty getting one.

Tekgear.ca claims to have five in stock, why not give them a call and confirm..It might even have been Tekgear that I used to order mine - it’s been a few years now and I don’t honestly remember.

Check this out, they recently lowered their price on the DAS: http://tekgearblog.blogspot.com/2010...-keyboard.html

SebC · 07-17-2010, 07:20 PM

Lots of places have the Steelseries 7G, but it's not Cherry Blues.

FanIn80 · 07-17-2010, 07:41 PM

18K gold-plated switches imo.

http://www.steelseries.com/us/produc...7g/information

HPLovecraft · 07-17-2010, 07:46 PM

What's a professional gaming keyboard?

FanIn80 · 07-17-2010, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HPLovecraft

What's a professional gaming keyboard?

Wtf knows.

Hack&Lube · 07-17-2010, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FanIn80

18K gold-plated switches imo.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HPLovecraft

What's a professional gaming keyboard?

A marketing gimmick.

All Cherry switch keyboards have gold plated switches. The Steelseries uses Cherry Blacks where are linear and silent. That is supposedly better for gaming than tactile (variable force) clicky/noisy Cherry Blues. Cherry Browns are in between.

NKRO (n-key rollover) would also help in gaming if your keyboard's WASD matrix overlapped and you often press various modifiers like shift for running during gameplay but USB limits NKRO to 6 and that's why you should hook up via PS/2 if good NKRO is supported and important.

Hack&Lube · 07-17-2010, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

The Das isn’t obscure though - there’s no reason they should have difficulty getting one.

Tekgear.ca claims to have five in stock, why not give them a call and confirm..It might even have been Tekgear that I used to order mine - it’s been a few years now and I don’t honestly remember.

Check this out, they recently lowered their price on the DAS: http://tekgearblog.blogspot.com/2010...-keyboard.html

Thanks for the link. Yes they have 1 in stock and with shipping, it works out to almost $50 more expensive than NCIX shipped. I've also been reading Geekhack and they seem to prefer Filcos. The DAS has a glossy surface also doesn't it? Does it get smudged with finger prints often?

FanIn80 · 07-17-2010, 08:27 PM

Ahh... I didn't get the difference between black, blue and brown. I kept wondering why anyone would care what colour their switches were, unless they were using clear keys. I could've looked it up, but... well.

Cool though. I do miss the old clackers.

Hack&Lube · 07-17-2010, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Ahh... I didn't get the difference between black, blue and brown. I kept wondering why anyone would care what colour their switches were, unless they were using clear keys. I could've looked it up, but... well.

Cool though. I do miss the old clackers.

Yeah, it's kind of funny how these things are named. Crazy Germans.

This geekhack poll shows the preference is for Cherry Blues with Buckling Springs coming in second:

http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?t=6626&page=40

Cherry MX - Black (linear + silent)
Cherry MX - Blue (tactile + clicky)
Cherry MX - Brown (tactile + silent)

I'm guessing the polls are also slanted towards typing for writing and programming than for gaming. Linear means the force you use to push down the key is the same all the way until it bottoms out. With tactile keys, the force varies with the depth of the key and it will register a click when the key registers as well which helps for touch typing so that you know when you've entered in a key (instead of waiting for it to appear on the screen to make sure you've typed the right thing) and you also don't need to push it all the way down to register which is good for speed + reducing strain and fatigue.

The Apple Aluminum Keyboard I am using right now actually uses dome membranes and not scissor switches like I had thought. It's so flat that it bottom's out instantly when I push but the membrane is also sticky and I often make typos because I don't know if I've fully hit a key or not even though I might hear a sound, the capacitive contact didn't register, consequently, I have to hit each key very hard and it's like slamming my fingers into my desk.

sclitheroe · 07-17-2010, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Does it get smudged with finger prints often?

Yes, it matches my iPad.

If I was you, regardless of what keyboard you get, I wouldn’t hang up on shipping costs - get the quality keyboard you really want, regardless of model - it’s going to last you as long as PC’s have USB ports, that’s the reality with any of them.

SebC · 07-17-2010, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HPLovecraft

What's a professional gaming keyboard?

Believe it or not, there are professional gamers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_sports

Quote:

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

Yes, it matches my iPad.

Hack&Lube · 07-17-2010, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SebC

Believe it or not, there are professional gamers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_sports

Yeah, I watch Starcraft 2 tournaments on youtube sometimes before I goto sleep

. I wish the Korean ones were subtitled.

I think I've decided on a Filco Majestouch Tactile Click NKRO with blue WASD keycaps and Cherry Blue switches although Cherry Browns would probably be better for gaming. It'd be nice to have a keyboard that will last years for typing or programming. I'd get the DAS but I am not a fan of fingerprint and dust loving glossy surfaces.