Mechanical switch keyboards: Worth it?

Yeah, when I first started I was trying to be careful to push the rings all the way down the stem before I put the key back on. Later, I just get the ring sort of on, pop the key back on, and mash down and rapid fire the key to get the ring set. That seemed to work most of the time. My wife thought I was a bit nuts. I let her try out the keyboards but I don’t think she gets it or types enough to appreciate the difference.

Habibi, yeah I get the whole collecting aspect. Thankfully, I think I’m into this purely for the real tangible typing benefits which I’m loving. I just ordered the ducky zero TKL for the study. It’s still out of stock but I see several incoming shipments this month. I also picked up a cheapy numeric keypad in case I ever need it though so far I haven’t missed it. Hmmm… 3 new keyboards in like 2 weeks. I’m fine. I don’t need your help.

Now, that I could see paying for :)

I like the things this guy is doing, too.

Apart from that keyboard, I can’t imagine that Cory Doctorow and Glenn Beck have much else in common.


My ducky zero TKL finally arrived. I’ve already put the o-rings on this time I carefully seated each one with tweezers. I went back and spot checked the other 2 keyboards that I already put o-rings on and they seemed fine with the put it on and mash the keys to seat the ring method.

Anyways, I really think the ducky is a great value. For $92 it has all the critical features I look for including win key disable and NKRO/6KRO toggle. It has LEDs on all the keys that toggle. It works great with my KVM too. Granted, I think the cm storm feels a bit nicer, has a nicer finish, and is heavier to boot. I also like how it feels to type on better. It’s subtle but different from ducky even though both use cherry mx brown and have the same o-rings. But is it $40 better? IMO, no.

Quite lovely indeed, and dat Grifiti wristpad reppin :-D

SOLD!

Sweet cherry switch laptop heaven.

also, First World Problems… Now I want one of those Ducky tenkeyless models all modded out… but I have a brand new K70. (tears)

Update: Now typing on this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823129033

CM Quickfire Rapid-i

Best part - ZERO visible branding.

I’m not a huge fan of all the light that leaks between the keys, but aside from that it’s a pretty perfect tenkeyless with cherry browns. Browns with O-rings under them are about as silent yet still tactile as you can possibly get I think. This allows me typing accuracy (I was horrible on reds!) and also keeps my wife from giving me stinkeye for sounding like a machine gun.

I has a couple of neat “for show” features, like the keys lighting up when struck and then slowly fading to black. Not something you’d use normally. The lighting is adjustable, so in the dark you can tone it down so that it doesn’t glow like you have an alien mothership on your desk.

Real joy to type on. Considering some custom caps.

– Interesting… looking at Wumpus’ personal design, it’s almost identical: http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/index.php/products/code-keyboard/code-87-key-mechanical-keyboard.html

Not a Model M, and therefore, GARBAGE. ;)

Cannot buy a backlit keyboard from Unicomp and they have the exclusive on buckling springs. Therefore, snausages.

Would y’all recommend anything in particular for a dirty environment? Judging by what fell out of my keyboard when I shook it out just now, I apparently cloak myself in shroud of crud, like some middle-aged, desk-bound version of Pigpen from Peanuts.

I’m looking at going back to a mechanical, but I’m hesitant to spend the money if it’s likely to get jammed up and crevulated.

Yes. Corsair K70. There is no “well” that the keys are recessed in. They just stick up off a flat aluminum plate. Thus, you can take a brush and just sweep 100% of everything out of it. No dirt traps.

I’d get one with Cherry Browns, and not the reds though.

To really clean the Corsairs you need to pull the keys off which is tedious though by no means difficult. It does allow you to get the keyboard looking like new though, something that’s really hard with recessed keys, especially if you eat at your desk a lot.

I own two now the K70 (blue) and the K95 (red) and have been very happy with them minus a stupid bug USB3 bug that’s more because of my MB.

Any keyboard that is easy to open/disassemble and does not come with 5000 LEDs and builtin USB hubs. Just do a search on geekhack/youtube. Chances are if its worth using some guy out there has uploaded a video about adding a detachable USB cable or some other mod that requires disassembly.

Thanks, guys. Mainly, I’m glad not to hear “don’t even bother.” Attacking the thing with a key puller isn’t something I’d look forward to, but useful if necessary. “Does not come with 5000 LEDs” goes without saying ;)

Is the Corsair’s aluminum plate set-up much standard construction, or is that an unusual feature?

Many mechanicals opt for a large cutout area for each large block of keys (e.g., letters+numbers, numpad, groups of F-keys, arrow-keys, etc.) rather than separate keywells, and the bulk of high-end mechanicals also use the plate-mounting mechanism. Some smaller or more niche boards have a direct-PCB mount where the key mechanisms are just hovering right on the circuit board, which would complicate cleaning, but that’s the exception, not the norm.

If you are in a rugged and dirty environment, I would suggest NOT to get a backlit mechanical keyboard because of the key caps. Those caps that allow light to shine through is actually coated and have a rubbery matted feel and I’m quite sure they peel off when touched often with oily fingers. Your keyboard will look even shitty. Get a keyboard with PBT (name of plastic material) caps and I think it will be able to withstand the abuse you are going to throw at them.

No, the corsair is pretty unique in this… See how it’s a flat plank of aluminum with the keys hovering above it? Yeah, you can clean that thing out with a small paintbrush and some compressed air and there’s no sides or corners to trap crumbs and stuff.

Update: I love this Quickfire Rapid-i.

This is my first tenkeyless. I didn’t realize how much I used those numpad keys until I was without them. Like, that was my go-to enter key with my mouse hand, and typing a bunch of numbers is super weird now because I basically never used the number row. Anyway, took some adjustment but it’s just so pretty and small, I’m not going back. Browns feel good, much better than reds. I just wish I could get the exact feel of a model-M again with backlighting and quiet.

That Robotech Roy Fokker keyboard setup a couple pages back… oh, so nice. I really like the caps. I just want to touch it. I’d totally get some fancy alternate caps if I could find some nice ones that would backlight. I dig the bi-colored look with the different mod keys.

Pre-Black Friday sale at Newegg.

Rosewill Helios RK-9200BU Dual LED Illuminated Mechanical Keyboard with Cherry MX Blue Switches - $79.99

I pulled the trigger on a K70 RGB Corsair with the Cherry Brown keys yesterday, should be here next week. Very excited!

Ah damn, that’s an amazing price for the Rosewill. . . but alas, I am all keyboarded up.