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[Mechanical Keyboards] Clickity Clack! We build them ourselves now!

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Posts

  • ConstrictorConstrictor The Dork Knight SuburbialandRegistered User regular
    I am finally going to have disposable income again. I am eyeballing these Happy Hacking keyboards, anyone have any opinions?

    I just picked up the Logitech G710+ for $149.00 on Amazon and I'm loving it so far (2 whole days of ownership).

  • Curly_BraceCurly_Brace Robot Girl Mimiga VillageRegistered User regular
    Borrowing a slightly older model keyboard at work this week. It has Cherry Blue switches and I think I prefer them over the Reds. I might get one to replace my current model I use at home... or at least get one for at-work use.

  • VariableVariable Mouth Congress Stroke Me Lady FameRegistered User regular
    Borrowing a slightly older model keyboard at work this week. It has Cherry Blue switches and I think I prefer them over the Reds. I might get one to replace my current model I use at home... or at least get one for at-work use.

    I admit I haven't tried the other one's extensively but I luuuurve blues. been using them for years now. so satisfying.

    BNet-Vari#1998 | Switch-SW 6960 6688 8388 | Steam | Twitch
  • AkilaeAkilae Registered User regular
    Help me guys! The wife is threatening to do horrible things to my beloved Unicomp keyboard and its buckling springs. I need to find a silent/vewy quiet replacement that ideally offers the same tactile feedback. So far, my quest has led me to Cherry switches. Does anybody have any insight on which of the Cherry's would offer what I want?

  • RollsavagerRollsavager Registered User regular
    edited December 2016
    Akilae wrote: »
    Help me guys! The wife is threatening to do horrible things to my beloved Unicomp keyboard and its buckling springs. I need to find a silent/vewy quiet replacement that ideally offers the same tactile feedback. So far, my quest has led me to Cherry switches. Does anybody have any insight on which of the Cherry's would offer what I want?

    There isn't really a quiet Cherry tactile switch. Blues feel pretty good but have a very pronounced click; Browns don't have the click but still make an echoey crunching sound when you bottom out. Clears are probably the best you'll get from a Cherry switch (more resistance and more cushiony than Browns, still not as tactile as the Blues).

    I'd actually recommend you check out Matias and Topre switches. Topre is a bunch more expensive but some people swear by it. Matias is newer, but to me it strikes a much better balance between noise and tactility than the Cherry switches.

    EDIT: I haven't tried them but I've heard good things about Zealio switches as a quiet, tactile Cherry-like switch. The downside being that they're not built into any pre-made board (you'd have to solder them yourself)

    Rollsavager on
  • mtsmts Dr. Robot King Registered User regular
    aren't greens supposed to be more tactile?

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  • MugsleyMugsley DelawareRegistered User regular
    I have seen boards with Zealios recently, so they are out there. Also I don't have experience with them, but I know that Cherry makes MX Silent switches; though they may be more like Reds than Blues (i.e. less tactile). I also don't know where MX Clears sit on the spectrum, but they could be another option.

  • DelduwathDelduwath Registered User regular
    Yeah, r/mechanicalkeyboards is crazy about Zealios. I recently assembled my Infinity ErgoDox kit, which I got with the 65g Zealio switches, but I haven't had the time to really use the keyboard heavily yet, so I can't vouch for the real typing experience. They are certainly much smoother than Cherry switches, that much is evident from just idly pressing on them. If you press a Cherry switch down very slowly, you'll feel it rubbing against the housing. A Zealio's slider is smoother than a Cherry slider (you can actually see the difference in texture here), so there's less friction in each keystroke; furthermore, I think the springs are supposed to be pre-lubed at the factory (don't quote me on this), which adds to the smoothness.

    They're also purple, which for me is a plus.

  • hsuhsu Registered User regular
    Akilae wrote: »
    I need to find a silent/vewy quiet replacement that ideally offers the same tactile feedback.
    I ended up modifying my Cherry brown keyboard by adding firm rubber pads (rubber O-rings are also common) between the keycap & switch to deaden the buttoming out sound (the loudest portion of the keystroke) as well as a small foam mousepad placed underneath the keyboard to deaden echoing sounds bouncing off the wooden desk. It's quiet enough now that you don't really notice typing when outside the computer room.
    http://elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=access,slpads&pid=sl120_cf

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  • AkilaeAkilae Registered User regular
    So something like a CODE keyboard with either Cherry Clear or pre-modded Green would probably do well?

  • BigityBigity Lubbock, TXRegistered User regular
    edited December 2016
    What is a good enty-level kind of mechanical keyboard that would be used mostly for gaming (Elite: Dangerous mostly) and some general use - surfing, ordering crap online, forums, etc.

    I'd like something with headphones/mic pass-through, maybe a USB pass-through, and something that isn't too loud. I don't need programmable keys or programmable lights or anything like that.

    I'm thinking something in cherry MX or brown?

    Bigity on
  • bowenbowen How you doin'? Registered User regular
    Bigity wrote: »
    What is a good enty-level kind of mechanical keyboard that would be used mostly for gaming (Elite: Dangerous mostly) and some general use - surfing, ordering crap online, forums, etc.

    I'd like something with headphones/mic pass-through, maybe a USB pass-through, and something that isn't too loud. I don't need programmable keys or programmable lights or anything like that.

    I'm thinking something in cherry MX or brown?

    http://www.corsair.com/en-us/strafe-mechanical-gaming-keyboard-cherry-mx-brown

    not a doctor, not a lawyer, examples I use may not be fully researched so don't take out of context plz, don't @ me
  • BigityBigity Lubbock, TXRegistered User regular
    Thanks!

  • bowenbowen How you doin'? Registered User regular
    I'm a corsair whore.

    Also I've noticed a lot of people talk about headphone/mic passthrough but I've never seen a keyboard with those, let alone a mechanical one. Is this a common thing??

    not a doctor, not a lawyer, examples I use may not be fully researched so don't take out of context plz, don't @ me
  • LD50LD50 Registered User regular
    bowen wrote: »
    I'm a corsair whore.

    Also I've noticed a lot of people talk about headphone/mic passthrough but I've never seen a keyboard with those, let alone a mechanical one. Is this a common thing??

    I had a logitech with them. They were nice when I was using corded headsets.

  • bowenbowen How you doin'? Registered User regular
    must be a logitech thing

    logitech were my favorite before corsair

    still logitech for mice

    haven't found a mouse I like better than a mx5## style

    not a doctor, not a lawyer, examples I use may not be fully researched so don't take out of context plz, don't @ me
  • LD50LD50 Registered User regular
    Corsair has some really nice mice too, but Logitech has macro software programmable in lua, so...

  • MugsleyMugsley DelawareRegistered User regular
    My K70 has volume controls but no passthrough. Still nice.

  • LD50LD50 Registered User regular
    Yeah, the corsair mechs have USB passthrough, which I use for my mouse and it works out really nicely for my desk layout.

  • ZekZek Registered User regular
    edited December 2016
    I have a keyboard question - my fairly new Chromebook has dead zones on either side of the spacebar, a couple centimeters from both edges don't work which happens to be where I habitually press it. I've taken it off and replaced it multiple times with no change. It seems to be snapping into place properly as far as I can tell, and the doohickies seem to be in position: http://i.imgur.com/j7Fk8Hp.jpg

    I'm not entirely sure how the "distribute presses on the edges of the button into the center" mechanism works though. Anybody have any ideas?

    Edit: I tried it one more time and now it works. Technology! My only theory is that the orientation of the spacebar is important and I put it in the wrong way every other time.

    Zek on
  • jungleroomxjungleroomx It's never too many graves, it's always not enough shovels Registered User regular
    Got a g710 for xmas.

    I am in lurv.

  • CasualCasual Wiggle Wiggle Wiggle Flap Flap Flap Registered User regular
    I have been trying to choose a new keyboard for WEEKS. I just can't do it, god help me I actually love the swicthes on the razer blackwidow chroma but they've moved the "@ and "" keys and I just can't.

    All I want is a mechanical keyboard with blue/razor switches, backlighting, a volume control and a standard UK layout. I can find ones that have some of those things or even most of them but not all. :(

  • LD50LD50 Registered User regular
    Casual wrote: »
    I have been trying to choose a new keyboard for WEEKS. I just can't do it, god help me I actually love the swicthes on the razer blackwidow chroma but they've moved the "@ and "" keys and I just can't.

    All I want is a mechanical keyboard with blue/razor switches, backlighting, a volume control and a standard UK layout. I can find ones that have some of those things or even most of them but not all. :(

    http://www.corsair.com/en-us/vengeance-k70-fully-mechanical-gaming-keyboard-cherry-mx-blue

    Like that?

  • CasualCasual Wiggle Wiggle Wiggle Flap Flap Flap Registered User regular
    That is actually what it would be replacing (albeit the one i currently have has red switches).

  • LD50LD50 Registered User regular
    Do you dislike the k70? I'm using a k95 and am pretty happy with it. It comes in all switch colors, although some are harder to find than others.

  • CasualCasual Wiggle Wiggle Wiggle Flap Flap Flap Registered User regular
    I found it kind of hard to type with and now that I've spilled water on it and trashed it the time seems right to try something new.

  • LD50LD50 Registered User regular
    I only ask because getting one with the switches you want might be your best bet (mechs with media keys are less common than you'd expect). Unless there was something about the design of the k series keyboards that you didn't like I'd say shoot for another one but with blues instead of reds.

  • XeddicusXeddicus Registered User regular
    I dunno about the UK layout, but a G.SKILL RIPJAWS KM780 has the rest. Plus some macro keys.

  • CampyCampy Registered User regular
    I might be wrong here, but could you just swap the key caps around so that they're in the proper true configuration?

  • jungleroomxjungleroomx It's never too many graves, it's always not enough shovels Registered User regular
    Campy wrote: »
    I might be wrong here, but could you just swap the key caps around so that they're in the proper true configuration?

    CODE and WASD all have UK layouts available.

  • bowenbowen How you doin'? Registered User regular
    Is it easy to change a cherry mx red to brown with corsair keyboards or does it involve like soldering and other bullshit?

    I can't seem to find a definitive answer to this.

    Where do you buy the caps if you wanted to do this?

    not a doctor, not a lawyer, examples I use may not be fully researched so don't take out of context plz, don't @ me
  • jungleroomxjungleroomx It's never too many graves, it's always not enough shovels Registered User regular
    edited December 2016
    bowen wrote: »
    Is it easy to change a cherry mx red to brown with corsair keyboards or does it involve like soldering and other bullshit?

    I can't seem to find a definitive answer to this.

    Where do you buy the caps if you wanted to do this?

    It would involve soldering.

    If it's plate-mounted, you have to de-solder every single switch on the keyboard. If it doesn't feel creaky and springly, it's likely plate-mounted.

    You'd be better off just getting a new keyboard with brown switches.

    jungleroomx on
  • bowenbowen How you doin'? Registered User regular
    that sucks

    friend accidentally ordered red, looks like they're stuck with it oh well

    not a doctor, not a lawyer, examples I use may not be fully researched so don't take out of context plz, don't @ me
  • jungleroomxjungleroomx It's never too many graves, it's always not enough shovels Registered User regular
    edited December 2016
    bowen wrote: »
    that sucks

    friend accidentally ordered red, looks like they're stuck with it oh well

    Oh well.

    I mean, the Reds are a pretty great. If the tactile bump of feedback Browns give you isn't a world-ending emergency, then he should be just fine. I found them a bit distracting when I got a sample board of the different Cherrys.

    I'm a fan of the blues myself. Clack.

    jungleroomx on
  • OldSlackerOldSlacker Registered User regular
    The weirdest thing for me when switching to the US layout was the teensy weensy Enter key.

  • Uncle_BalsamicUncle_Balsamic Registered User regular
    Casual wrote: »
    I have been trying to choose a new keyboard for WEEKS. I just can't do it, god help me I actually love the swicthes on the razer blackwidow chroma but they've moved the "@ and "" keys and I just can't.

    All I want is a mechanical keyboard with blue/razor switches, backlighting, a volume control and a standard UK layout. I can find ones that have some of those things or even most of them but not all. :(

    Ducky Shine 5? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ducky-Channel-Mechanical-Keyboard-Lighting/dp/B018LVLIFU?th=1

    2LmjIWB.png
  • Mai-KeroMai-Kero Registered User regular
    Currently using a Corsair k70, but it's having some physical issues. It's also sort of a pain to use with my KVM switch because I have to put it into a weird mode that doesn't allow for volume control if I want it to work with both computers. Any opinions of moving to a Strafe vs a RGB k70, or maybe even a logitech?

  • hsuhsu Registered User regular
    edited February 2017
    Synergy or Microsoft's Mouse without Borders replaces KVMs over 99.9% of the time, in my experience. These are software packages that let your share a mouse & keyboard across multiple computers, effectively pretending you have one computer with multiple monitors. My preference is Mouse without Borders, if you have only Windows boxes, as it's practically seamless. I bought a tiny touchpad for my second computer, for the rare times I need to restart the software.
    https://symless.com/synergy/
    https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=35460

    hsu on
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  • CokebotleCokebotle 穴掘りの 電車内Registered User regular
    Has anyone tried out those Razer Mecha-Membrane keyboards? Any thoughts?

    I'm looking at getting a mechanical keyboard after trying out a colleague's at work. It was just so satisfying to use!

    工事中
  • MagicPrimeMagicPrime FiresideWizard Registered User regular
    LD50 wrote: »
    Do you dislike the k70? I'm using a k95 and am pretty happy with it. It comes in all switch colors, although some are harder to find than others.

    I have a K70 with Cherry Reds and I love it. Even for typing.

    BNet • magicprime#1430 | PSN/Steam • MagicPrime | Origin • FireSideWizard
    Critical Failures - Havenhold CampaignAugust St. Cloud (Human Ranger)
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