Mechanical Keyboard Recommendations?

Hi I'm looking to change my keyboard. I will use the keyboard mainly for typing documents and also for games like Guild Wars 2, Diablo 3 and Borderlands. I also have the habit of bottom-ing out my keys, having used the Razer Blackwidow I found out that I don't really enjoy using Cherry MX Blue switches. And portability has become a big issue as I carry my keyboard around with me very frequently; Maybe a tenkeyless keyboard? I don't really use the macro buttons/ numpad, I could do without them.

Any advice/ recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Not too sure on what switches would be good for me. Brown seems to be interesting though.

 

Whats your budget like? Also when you say you dislike Cherry switches what do you dislike about them?

You could try something like Leopolds for mx browns, or even filcos which seems to be loved by alot of people.

 

I would suggest asking this question over at geekhack or deskthority. TKL works really well or if you want to go even smaller a noppoo choc mini or a keycool 84 is nice too. A poker is even smaller.

But as city said; what is it you didn't like about the mx blues?

 

Hi City,

My budget would be USD130 anything less is better. Dislike the Cherry Blue switches as they are too ''clicky'' for me.

Thanks I'll take a look at those products you mentioned.

 

You could take a look at the CMStorm Quickfire Rapid, ot comes with either, blue, browns, blacks or reds depending on the version you decide to get. It still has the arrow and navigation keys though so you can even find something smaller like a HHK.

 

To JaccoW, seems like the product range is getting wider. Maybe better to decide on the switch type first? Are red switches really that sensitive that you often make mistakes while typing documents?

Thanks Tijo the CMStorm Quickfire Rapid looks like a viable option and is easily available to me (living in Singapore).. now to choose the switches.

 

There is also the Ducky Year of the Dragon edition TKL keyboard. It looks really cool and has some unique features.

 

They have even smaller keyboards than TKL like my KBC Poker X that fights right in my bag and right on the palm rest of my laptop so I do not use any extra desk space.

I have KBC Race on the way witch is just a bit bigger w/ LED backlights that I will review soon.

 

Thanks for the recommendations guys. I have more or less decided on a TKL keyboard. And yes Vicious the KBC Race looks really nice as well. Will either go for the CM TKL or KBC TKL and Razer seems to be coming up with a new TKL series but not sure when will the Stealth version be available. Narrowed down the switch types to either brown or red. How is gaming on the red?

 

Brown is a better middle ground switch for typing and gaming, and with your budget I would second the Leopold TKL mx brown from elitekeyboards

 

Cooler Master has some nice TKL models, but so is (in order of more expensive to cheaper) Filco, Leopold, Keycool and HPE.

I currently have a Keycool in white with mx clears and it is an excellent keyboard. Especially for the price.
Take a look here. Qtan is a reputable seller.

I second browns as a good beginner switch.

Keep in mind that a good plate mounted mech kb can be quite heavy. 1kg is not unusual. Might be something to look at if portability is an issue.

 

Red is my favorite switch for typing & gaming. Only for data entry do I prefer blues because I do not look at what I type and the click helps me know I never missed a keypress.

I type faster, easier, and with less fatigue on the reds, and for gaming it feels natural and intuitive. It was not till I did an o-ring mod to reduce key travel that the reds really felt perfect to me though.

 

Hey everyone thanks once again for all the valuable replies. I've taken heed to all the advice and slowly went through all the brands I also went to the local shops to check the prices and the key feels. Yes JaccoW the mechanical keybards are indeed heavy, thankfully length is more of a concern than weight for me. Most of the time when I travel the keyboard takes alot of beating; good to be built like a tank.

Black keys felt good but after much fiddling around on the Ducky/Rosewill and Steelseries keys I felt they were not my type for typing. Tried the Brown switches on a Rosewill too felt good and yes it was enjoyable typing on it until I tried the reds. For the browns the tactile ''bump'' was quite redudant to me and I initially stated I bottom out my keys most of the time got quite tiring after a while, the Red keys however responded well with little/no resistance. I could ''float'' my keys easily as well, double tapping too.

Note that I tried all the keys for the feel of it, afterwhich I went around to see which TKL keyboards were available. Final decision, I went with the CM Storm Quick Fire Rapid TKL(Black keyboard) (Red Switches).

Cheers to all!

 

I hope you'll like it as much as i like mine.

 

One thing you have to bear in mind is that a lot of these mech keyboards - including the more-compact-than-TKL ones like the Noppoo Mini - weigh 1.5lbs or more. That's two 6-cell batteries. Even the Filco TKL weighs a whole kilo (2.2lbs).


EDIT: Oh... didn't read the 2nd page, someone beat me to the weight issue.

 

Yeah they are heavy. I don't really carry my mechs with me anyways except on a few occasions, but considering the weight of my laptop, the weight of the kb isn't that much of an issue.

 

I carried around my keycool 87 with a 2.7 kg HP laptop from work for a few months and the weight never really bothered me. I did hate the laptop though.

enjoy the CM!

 

My CM will arrive tomorrow but will only use it much for games when GW2 releases. Hey and Vicious I see a warrior as your avatar seems like you're awaiting the release too?
Wow Jacco you seem to lug a handful around from work. Same to Tijo.. the G73... carrying it around. ._.''
I was using a Macbook Pro 15 inch but its retired and waiting on my Mythlogic Pollux 1612 to arrive later this month. Looks like I'll be carrying dumbbells around like you guys soon. Hahaha!
My Blackwidow.. is pitiful. When I travel I bring it around as I dislike using the keyboard of my laptops. The space bar has flown off, the right shift key is wobbly who knows whats going to fly off next. And yeap I travel a lot.. its been in my luggage ever since.

 

Yeah I will be a big GW2 player (see my sig as well) and I would totally have gotten the TKL CM Quickfire if it was out when I got my first few keyboards.

The Poker/Race are best for my laptop bag but I still want MX Red for my desktop use and prob will go with CM. Not sure if I want TKL or not, extra mouse space is great, but I do use the numberpad regularly.

 

Don't you have a nostromo? You could always use that as a numpad, but it would take getting used to or you could get a USB numpad if they still make those. Anyways, for work nothing can replace a numpad sometimes.

 

Argh! I so wished I saw your post regarding the 10% off Guild Wars 2 earlier! I'm having a very hard time picking between the ranger and guardian. Otherwise, my keyboard has arrived and I'm using it to type right now, must say I need some time to get used to typing on the reds. Soft on touch and keys get registered easily. Gaming wise its great!

 

My last time I tried to type on the reds:


This was first run too

By far the best for typing for me, soft press, no tactile bump, lets it be as ergonomic and as efficient as possible.

 

Wow you do have some really fast typing speed there. Yes my fingers are starting to turn lazy typing on the reds, so sensitive.

 

Use of 10fingers to evaluate keyboards is only relevant if you're typing the same thing time after time. If it's an assertion of your e-peen on the other hand, sure