As was foretold, we've added advertisements to the forums! If you have questions, or if you encounter any bugs, please visit this thread: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/240191/forum-advertisement-faq-and-reports-thread/

Help me pick out a mechanical keyboard and a new mouse

PacificstarPacificstar Registered User regular
So, when I built myself a new computer in March, I picked up this keyboard & mouse combo:

http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DKXXAAQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

IT IS UTTER SHIT

The spacebar squeaks, and the mouse is defective and clicks twice instead of once all the goddamn time. The RMA webpage is a piece of shit, and never processed my request for a new spacebar. Rather than continue to fuck around with this thing I think I want to replace both the keyboard and mouse with something that will last for a long time.

Here's a list of my requirements on the keyboard:

1) mechanical - I think i'd like "brown" level of resistance or whatever
2) does not need to be a "gaming" keyboard
3) needs 10 key numpad since I do a lot of work in Excel
4) Not more than $150 - this could change if you can make the case that the keyboard will change my life

For the mouse:
1) something with some side keys
2) Ergonomic-ish would be sweet
3) Maybe not more than $50-$60? I don't really know the range on reasonable mice

Thanks for your help in advance!

Posts

  • MechMantisMechMantis Registered User regular
    edited September 2014
    As for keyboards, I've been having a great time with my Max Keyboard Nighthawk X8. Backlit, 10key, Cherry MX in whatever type you want (mine has Cherry MX Browns), under $150. Before shipping anyway.

    As for mice, while I would recommend that Logitech MX518, they don't make them anymore. Some quick googling says that the Logitech G400 series is the direct successor, and those can be found for about $50, again, before shipping.

    EDIT: Oh and did I mention that the Max Keyboard Nighthawk has N-key rollover? Cause it has N-key rollover.

    MechMantis on
  • Liquid HellzLiquid Hellz Registered User regular
    Been really happy with my CMSTORM http://www.amazon.com/Storm-QuickFire-Rapid-Tenkeyless-Mechanical/dp/B0068INSUM

    and Logitech G700.. its a bit heavy and the battery doesnt last long but the plug in sits right there next to the mouse for when it dies.

    http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Gaming-Mouse-G700/dp/B003VAM32E/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1411652196&sr=1-2&keywords=g700

    What I do for a living:
    Home Inspection and Wind Mitigation
    http://www.FairWindInspections.com/
  • BouwsTBouwsT Wanna come to a super soft birthday party? Registered User regular
    I've been a big fan of my Mad Catz Rat7 Mouse, the adjustments are a godsend to get that fit juuuuuuust right.

    http://www.amazon.com/Mad-Catz-T-7-Gaming-Mouse/dp/B0095D1CM8/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1411657534&sr=1-1&keywords=mad+catz+rat+7

    I don't have a recommendation for a keyboard, but I would say to stay away from the Levatron Mech series keyboards. I have a 4, and I absolutely HATE how it types. It is also painfully loud, where my friends have requested that I turn PTT on because all they can hear is the "clackity-clackity"... And I hate it too, but I can't PTT myself =(. Can't wait to get a new one, but this one still works, so my Dutch blood won't let me replace it yet.

    http://www.amazon.com/Azio-Levetron-Gaming-Keyboard-KB588U/dp/B00B1AWVGO/ref=sr_1_sc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1411657871&sr=8-2-spell&keywords=levatron+mech+5+keyboard+4

    Between you and me, Peggy, I smoked this Juul and it did UNTHINKABLE things to my mind and body...
  • JasconiusJasconius sword criminal mad onlineRegistered User regular
    I have a Razr BlackWidow and no complaints whatsoever. Although I'm a mechanical newbie. There are no annoying defects though like you're describing

    just very satisfying clicky clack noise and key weight

    the only thing I would change is adding a wrist rest

  • AiouaAioua Ora Occidens Ora OptimaRegistered User regular
    Jasconius wrote: »
    I have a Razr BlackWidow and no complaints whatsoever. Although I'm a mechanical newbie. There are no annoying defects though like you're describing

    just very satisfying clicky clack noise and key weight

    the only thing I would change is adding a wrist rest

    Be warned, current gen BlackWidows are not so great. The first round Razer made were fairly high quality, but after they got goodwill on the "BlackWidow" name they switched to a cheaper OEM and don't even use Cherry switches any more.

    life's a game that you're bound to lose / like using a hammer to pound in screws
    fuck up once and you break your thumb / if you're happy at all then you're god damn dumb
    that's right we're on a fucked up cruise / God is dead but at least we have booze
    bad things happen, no one knows why / the sun burns out and everyone dies
  • BlindZenDriverBlindZenDriver Registered User regular
    2nd hand IBM Model M is the keyboard to get.

    Bones heal, glory is forever.
  • Eat it You Nasty Pig.Eat it You Nasty Pig. tell homeland security 'we are the bomb'Registered User regular
    edited September 2014
    I use a CM quickfire XT, which is basically just a quickfire rapid with a numpad. The build is pretty solid and it wasn't too expensive, although it's not exactly feature rich.

    I was gonna get a R.A.T. mouse, but various concerns about Mad Catz' quality control kinda scared me away. I'm using a corsair M60 now. I take 'ergonomic' to mean that you probably want a palm-grip friendly mouse, which means your options are a bit limited. Logitech mice are pretty unimpeachable quality wise though, and they have several models with side buttons all over the place

    Eat it You Nasty Pig. on
    NREqxl5.jpg
    it was the smallest on the list but
    Pluto was a planet and I'll never forget
  • CreamstoutCreamstout What you think I program for, to push a fuckin' quad-core? Registered User regular
    I've had a Das Keyboard with Cherry MX Blue Switches since 07/31/2011 and have had no problems with it. They also sell a Cherry MX Brown Version. I spend about 12 hours a day on the computer between programming and gaming, cost me around $150 but the quality and the lack of sore fingers pays off in the long run. Don't go cheap.

    I use a Razor Death Adder mouse, pretty good performance don't have any complaints. I'd stay away from anything MadCatz.

  • Eat it You Nasty Pig.Eat it You Nasty Pig. tell homeland security 'we are the bomb'Registered User regular
    edited September 2014
    yeah the das 4 is hot as hell; if spending ~170 bucks isn't an object I would get one of those (I'll probably get one this holiday season, see if the price comes down on them at all)

    Eat it You Nasty Pig. on
    NREqxl5.jpg
    it was the smallest on the list but
    Pluto was a planet and I'll never forget
  • PacificstarPacificstar Registered User regular
    edited September 2014
    Been really happy with my CMSTORM http://www.amazon.com/Storm-QuickFire-Rapid-Tenkeyless-Mechanical/dp/B0068INSUM

    and Logitech G700.. its a bit heavy and the battery doesnt last long but the plug in sits right there next to the mouse for when it dies.

    http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Gaming-Mouse-G700/dp/B003VAM32E/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1411652196&sr=1-2&keywords=g700

    Thanks! As far as CoolerMaster, I've had such a horrible experience with them on my current keyboard and mouse, I'll never buy a from them again.

    @Creamstout‌ I was also looking at the Das keyboards. Seem like they have good reviews without too many bells and whistles.

    Edit: When I say ergonomic for the mouse, I mean something ideally that keeps my hand so that the thumb is raised higher than the rest of the hand. As opposed to the usual basic mouse where your faces entirely downward.

    Pacificstar on
  • BouwsTBouwsT Wanna come to a super soft birthday party? Registered User regular
    edited September 2014
    I was gonna get a R.A.T. mouse, but various concerns about Mad Catz' quality control kinda scared me away.

    I've always had a negative stigma against Mad Catz for that, but for whatever reason I have had stellar luck with this mouse. I don't think I'd buy Mad Catz for anything else but my friend picked one of these up and once I palmed it, I KNEW I wanted one for myself. :smile:
    Edit: When I say ergonomic for the mouse, I mean something ideally that keeps my hand so that the thumb is raised higher than the rest of the hand. As opposed to the usual basic mouse where your faces entirely downward.

    The R.A.T. 7 has a little thumb shelf that I wouldn't game without, now that I've had it. Also, the Logitech MX series (though not gaming feature rich...) also has brilliant ergonomics.

    http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Performance-Mouse-Mac/dp/B002HWRJBM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1411687325&sr=8-3&keywords=logitech+mouse

    BouwsT on
    Between you and me, Peggy, I smoked this Juul and it did UNTHINKABLE things to my mind and body...
  • Eat it You Nasty Pig.Eat it You Nasty Pig. tell homeland security 'we are the bomb'Registered User regular
    yeah the reviews for R.A.T.s were a mix of 'great mouse, love it!' and 'it broke almost immediately and RMA was a nightmare!', with a lot of the latter kind. And I couldn't find anywhere local that carried them for easy returning, so I wound up not getting one

    NREqxl5.jpg
    it was the smallest on the list but
    Pluto was a planet and I'll never forget
  • Donovan PuppyfuckerDonovan Puppyfucker A dagger in the dark is worth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered User regular
    I've seen that a lot too. My R.A.T. 7 has been perfect for nearly two years now, and yet there are approximately infinity reviews of "this iz da wurst mouse EVAR!"

    On the other hand, everyone I know with a Ducky Shine 3 (including myself) won't shut up about how awesome they are, so I strongly recommend you get one with brown or red switches, depending on whether or not you want a 'tactile' switch.

  • DerrickDerrick Registered User regular
    I went with a Logitech G700 for a mouse. Lots of programmable buttons and wireless were what I was sold on.

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826104839&cm_re=logitech_G700-_-26-104-839-_-Product

    I also have a BlackWidow keyboard, but it's the older style so it's probably not applicable to a new purchase.

    Both items have served me well, however. Good luck!

    Steam and CFN: Enexemander
  • spool32spool32 Contrary Library Registered User regular
    ready to strangle someone with the cord of my RAT5 mouse. It feels like perfection but sometimes it loses the ability to track in the vertical. I've had it happen on two mice, with two different PCs, and it's killing me.

    Also the little smooth pads on the bottom wear off, and leave gunk all over.

  • PacificstarPacificstar Registered User regular
    but then again, why take a risk and random mouse and get the Logitech instead

  • AkilaeAkilae Registered User regular
    Y'all outta be ashamed of yourself. All this talk of mechanical keyboards, and nobody mentions Unicomp? Everything else (Das Keyboard, Cherries, etc...) is just marketing smoke and mirrors. Unicomp makes new Model Ms to plug into modern USBs. Cheap too, less than $100 for a solid keyboard that will last you forever.

  • DhalphirDhalphir don't you open that trapdoor you're a fool if you dareRegistered User regular
    If you're looking for something cheap and well built, a Steelseries 6gv2 can be a good choice.

    And you can rarely go wrong with a Razer Deathadder.

  • FremFrem Registered User regular
    but then again, why take a risk and random mouse and get the Logitech instead

    Lesser known mouse brands aren't necessarily worse. There are a number of niches that Logitech doesn't fill well. I will hear no ill spoken of my Thermatake mouse, and I didn't even know that Thermatake made mice before I bought it.

    If you have a Frys or a MicroCenter or something like that near you, nothing beats actually using the input device in question, or something similar. Particularly if you've never owned a mechanical keyboard before! I thought I would love Cherry MX Brown before I actually tried a keyboard that had those switches and discovered that I kind of hated them.

  • GaslightGaslight Registered User regular
    SteelSeries 6GV2 here. No frills, no fancy lights, no complaints.

  • Great ScottGreat Scott King of Wishful Thinking Paragon City, RIRegistered User regular
    I wasn't aware of this until recently, but Unicomp (IBM OEM) never went out of business. In fact, real new buckling spring keyboards are cheaper than most Cherry-based ones. See: http://www.pckeyboard.com/

    I'm unique. Just like everyone else.
  • DhalphirDhalphir don't you open that trapdoor you're a fool if you dareRegistered User regular
    Gaslight wrote: »
    SteelSeries 6GV2 here. No frills, no fancy lights, no complaints.

    CM Storm QuickFire XT is another similar keyboard. It does have a red baseplate which can be seen between keys, but it's quite cool.

  • PacificstarPacificstar Registered User regular
    Dhalphir wrote: »
    Gaslight wrote: »
    SteelSeries 6GV2 here. No frills, no fancy lights, no complaints.

    CM Storm QuickFire XT is another similar keyboard. It does have a red baseplate which can be seen between keys, but it's quite cool.

    I will never buy another CoolerMaster peripheral again. I had such a horrible experience with the one I've got.

  • Eat it You Nasty Pig.Eat it You Nasty Pig. tell homeland security 'we are the bomb'Registered User regular
    I'm not telling you that you have to get another CM board, but if you're totally writing off manufacturers on the basis of a bad RMA experience you will shortly be unable to buy peripherals from anybody

    NREqxl5.jpg
    it was the smallest on the list but
    Pluto was a planet and I'll never forget
  • mere_immortalmere_immortal So tasty!Registered User regular
    When it comes to mice I will sing the praises of the old Logitech MX518 and it's current incarnation the G400 all day. Fits in my hands perfectly, no crazy lights or millions of side switches. 4 buttons, one scroll wheel, 2 dpi buttons and a really good price and excellent build quality.

    I have a coolermaster quickfire tk which does have a keypad that has the arrow keys combined with it. It's not put a step wrong yet and it's really well built. I got mine with red switches but I think brown are available too.

    Steam: mere_immortal - PSN: mere_immortal - XBL: lego pencil - Wii U: mimmortal - 3DS: 1521-7234-1642 - Bordgamegeek: mere_immortal
  • PacificstarPacificstar Registered User regular
    I'm not telling you that you have to get another CM board, but if you're totally writing off manufacturers on the basis of a bad RMA experience you will shortly be unable to buy peripherals from anybody

    It's not just the RMA experience, it's also that the mouse has gone defective and clicks twice instead of once continuously. This is a known problem and common complaint about the product. They responded to my bad review on Amazon, and sent me to the POS RMA website. They have eroded my goodwill and trust in their product, so I won't be buying from them again.

Sign In or Register to comment.