Mechanical Keyboards

[Crabcakez]

What is the best out there for the price?

Razer, Steelseries, etc?

[G_A]

Depends what kind of switch you want.

I made a post on a different forum relating to keyboards, will quote.

Find a list of keyboards that use Cherry MX Black and Blue switches, and work from there. The middleground would be the Brown set IIRC.

For gaming, pick up something that uses Cherry MX Black switches, very linear but as ideal for gaming as can get. And for typing, same again but aa Cherry MX Blue switch set. Tactile, and brilliant to type with.

Cherry MX Blue example.
Cherry MX Black example.


If ever you get the opportunity to compare either to a cheap rubber-dome keyboard, take it. Or, if there's a 2nd hand shop near you, see if you can pick up one of these.

[slowside]

I love my IBM keyboard.... Even if it is a year older than me.

[Asera]

What on earth is the appeal of a noisy keyboard anyway? -_-

[Deleted]

What on earth is the appeal of a noisy keyboard anyway? -_-

Only the blues are noisy.

But then they're the most common ones..
*Munch munch*

[Crabcakez]

most popular gaming keyboards are the Black Widow Ultimate or the 7g

[hedral]

What on earth is the appeal of a noisy keyboard anyway? -_-

It's like sex for your fingers. Just day-to-day typing feels amazing. I just had to transcribe notes from 100 pages of reading into roughly 25 pages of text, and my wrist fatigued before my fingers ever had a chance to. I just wish I had clocked my WPM for further proof of my keyboard's amazingness.

Getting any mechanical keyboard, regardless of switch type, is an improvement. My non-professional argument is that black switches = better RTS/FPS gaming, blue switches = just fine for MMO/RPG gaming. Price will be your limiting factor; most of the blue switch keyboards I've found go for cheaper than the black switch. After that, it depends on how you'll use it (purely gaming or work/gaming, and what kind of gaming?) and what extra features you want on it.

Oh, also, I use the Razer BlackWidow. Not the ultimate, because I didn't want to pay extra for what was essentially LED backlighting and a couple of USB ports.

[Asera]

It's like sex for your fingers. Just day-to-day typing feels amazing.

You might have bigger problems of typing gives you as much pleasure as sex... lol

My friend has a replica IBM clicky keyboard and it is the most irritating piece of equipment I ever had the unfortunate experience listening to. @_@

CLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICK CLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICK
CLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICK CLICK

[Zanod]

i personally like the das keyboard ultimate from thinkgeek though its hard to get used to as it doesnt have any markings on the keys, reminds me very much of the old ibm ones though

[Zeriphal]

You might have bigger problems of typing gives you as much pleasure as sex... lol

Hyperbole, man.

[Stixxz]

The ultimate looks awesome, I want one!

[Adlian]

Im currently using Microsoft Sidewinder X6 and i have to say that is one good keyboard Buttons are nice, the backlighting is nice and all of the other bonuses too

[ayako]

http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?tit...sary+and+Links

/-<

Membrane keyboard are ;_;

[Ruffsnuff]

I'd say you go for the Black Widow, I have the normal one and I must say I don't regret buying it in any way.
I'm never going back to nonmechanical, ever.

[Slummish]

Razer everything is garbage. And if you buy Razer products from Amazon or eBay, Razer sells refurbished equipment without telling you they've been used...

[Zyzzyx]

Razer everything is garbage. And if you buy Razer products from Amazon or eBay, Razer sells refurbished equipment without telling you they've been used...

Just about everyone in the world disagrees with you.

Also on the topic, I am considering a Blackwidow as well, I love the sound of a mechanical keyboard. Tactile response to the extreme is awesome.

[Deleted]

Just about everyone in the world disagrees with you.

Not exactly. Razer are not known for products with durability. Decent performance - but quality issues are common.

[Zyzzyx]

Not exactly. Razer are not known for products with durability. Decent performance - but quality issues are common.

True to an extent, but how many problems are caused by people just being abusive to their products. Granted, a product should withstand some abuse, but some people go through 3 keyboards a year, and others the same one lasts 5 years (still have a logitech, have used this razer keyboard for a couple years so far).

[Deleted]

True to an extent, but how many problems are caused by people just being abusive to their products.

A lot less than competitors. I've seen plenty of quality issues be caused by problematic firmware as well; and Razer still remains the only perepherial company where I see this issue pop up as anything but a one-time exception.

[Salome]

What is the best out there for the price?

Razer, Steelseries, etc?

The first question you need to ask is "which mechanical switch do I want?" to which the short answer is:
- for FPS gaming, Cherry Black (linear switch, rather high actuation force)
- for other gaming and typing if noise is an issue, Cherry Brown (tactile bump, lighter keystroke)
- for other gaming and typing if noise is not an issue, Cherry Blue (tactile bump and audible click, keystroke in between other two)

The proper keyboard companies make keyboards with several different switches, whereas the gaming companies usually only pick one kind of switch. Steelseries are Blacks and Razers are Blue.

My take is that if you're short on cash and want Blacks, get the Steelseries 6Gv2. In any other case, buy Filco, Leopold or Ducky. I have a Steelseries and a Filco (Brown switches, no numpad) and the Filco cost me roughly twice as much and has three times the build quality and four times the typing enjoyment.

Buy proper mechanicals at Elite Keyboards or The Keyboard Company, or import them from Asia.