Trouble finding a mechanical keyboard...

Unknown-One

Unknown-One

[H]F Junkie
Joined
Mar 5, 2005
Messages
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Sooooo... I'm looking for a keyboard with the following:
  • Cherry MX Brown
  • Costar stabilizers
  • Blue LED backlight
  • Media keys (dedicated or by Fn key)
  • Full 104 key layout
  • Plain black casing (no weird indents or rivets or patterns)
  • Normal Windows keys
Is there anything that fits the bill? So far, I've come up empty....
 
From experience, Cherry stabilizers can feel pretty good if properly lubricated. I've found a lot of sticky Cherrys are actually already OVER lubricated from the factory but users keep adding more lube...
 
well i have good news and I have bad news

I am aware of a keyboard that would have had basically every of your check boxes covered...

the Rosewill RK-9100BR

http://www.rosewill.com/products/2321/ProductDetail_Overview.htm

however near as i can tell it is no longer available...I didn't see any of them for sale on ebay right now but who knows you might find one there if you keep looking or maybe or on geekhack?
 
atarione said:
well i have good news and I have bad news

I am aware of a keyboard that would have had basically every of your check boxes covered...

the Rosewill RK-9100BR

http://www.rosewill.com/products/2321/ProductDetail_Overview.htm

however near as i can tell it is no longer available...I didn't see any of them for sale on ebay right now but who knows you might find one there if you keep looking or maybe or on geekhack?
Click to expand...

The RK-9100BR was supposed to have been superceded by the Rosewill RK-9200. I believe it was announced in early 2013 and has yet to appear despite having been teased at a variety of trade shows.

I'm in pretty much the same boat as the TS (get out of my head!) but so far I haven't really seen anything besides the Rosewill that ticks the boxes.
 
it is still discontinued but it is individually backlit btw
Features

Individually backlit keys with 3 illuminated modes and 4 brightness levels
Click to expand...



isn't WASD supposed to release a back lit variant of the V2 at somepoint also?
 
atarione said:
it is still discontinued but it is individually backlit btw
Click to expand...
Heh, the first picture in the link doesn't make it look like a backlit model. Nice.

...Too bad I can't find it anywhere :(

atarione said:
isn't WASD supposed to release a back lit variant of the V2 at somepoint also?
Click to expand...
Their backlit keyboards are non-customizable, and will only be available with white LEDs
 
Unknown-One said:
Has those goofy custom Windows keys I can't stand :(

Also a weird snake logo on the spacebar, and those mushy Cherry stabilizers... yeah, not brilliant.

The Ducky Shine II was nice and understated, no idea why they decided to go overboard on the Shine III
Click to expand...

The snake spacebar is only for a limited time and it also comes with a more "standard" Ducky version. The Shine 3's stabilizers feel noticeably less "mushy" then the Shine 2's, imo; they state that they're an improved design, but they don't look different top-side (don't plan to disassemble both boards either, haha).
 
Unknown-One said:
Has those goofy custom Windows keys I can't stand :(
Click to expand...

Windows logo is copyrighted/licensed - you might run into this a lot.

Also a weird snake logo on the spacebar, and those mushy Cherry stabilizers... yeah, not brilliant.
Click to expand...

As I mentioned in a previous post, based on personal experience Cherry stabilizers can be excellent. They are often overlubed and feel sticky or hard to press so people add even more lube and then start complaining online. I have both Cherry and Costar MX brown boards. I degreased the Cherrys and replaced with PTFE spray and I can't tell the difference between the two now. On the plus side, keycap removal and reattachment is a lot easier.
 
Surly73 said:
Windows logo is copyrighted/licensed - you might run into this a lot.
Click to expand...
Keyboard manufacturers have had no trouble putting the Windows logo on keys for decades. I don't see why it's suddenly a problem :confused:

Seems to me more like some stupid branding thing on the part of the OEM.

Surly73 said:
As I mentioned in a previous post, based on personal experience Cherry stabilizers can be excellent. They are often overlubed and feel sticky or hard to press so people add even more lube and then start complaining online. I have both Cherry and Costar MX brown boards. I degreased the Cherrys and replaced with PTFE spray and I can't tell the difference between the two now. On the plus side, keycap removal and reattachment is a lot easier.
Click to expand...
I might look into a Shine III, then... if I can get some normal Windows keys and a normal spacebar for it.

Edit: Not a huge fan of the extra keys they've crammed into the top-right corner... and those LEDs look more purple than blue. Also, I haven't been able to confirm how Ducky handles dimming the keyboard (if it's a PWM circuit, the keyboard is a no-go. I'll see the flicker).
 
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Unknown-One said:
Keyboard manufacturers have had no trouble putting the Windows logo on keys for decades. I don't see why it's suddenly a problem :confused:

Seems to me more like some stupid branding thing on the part of the OEM.


I might look into a Shine III, then... if I can get some normal Windows keys and a normal spacebar for it.

Edit: Not a huge fan of the extra keys they've crammed into the top-right corner... and those LEDs look more purple than blue. Also, I haven't been able to confirm how Ducky handles dimming the keyboard (if it's a PWM circuit, the keyboard is a no-go. I'll see the flicker).
Click to expand...

Watch a video on youtube of someone demonstrating it's backlinghting modes. I love the one that lights and then slowely fades after the key is pressed. Seriously looks badass.
 
Unknown-One said:
Keyboard manufacturers have had no trouble putting the Windows logo on keys for decades. I don't see why it's suddenly a problem :confused:
Click to expand...

They paid to license it, presuming they are using it legally. People already complain mech boards are too expensive and they're already a low volume niche market.
 
drklu said:
Watch a video on youtube of someone demonstrating it's backlinghting modes. I love the one that lights and then slowely fades after the key is pressed. Seriously looks badass.
Click to expand...
Watching a video on YouTube is what got me worried in the first place. When the camera panned past the keyboard at low brightness there was an obvious strobe effect.

If that was due to a PWM dimming circuit, then I have to write it off. The flicker is a huge problem.

Surly73 said:
They paid to license it, presuming they are using it legally. People already complain mech boards are too expensive and they're already a low volume niche market.
Click to expand...
I've seen $9 brand-name (Logitech) keyboards with proper Windows keys. It can't be that hard to license :rolleyes:

If I'm paying top-dollar for a mechanical keyboard, they damn well better have sprung to put proper Windows keys on it...

Case in point, WASD mechanical keyboards have multiple styles of Windows key on-tap, at no additional charge. They can do it but Ducky can't be bothered? If that's really the reason, it's not making me want to buy anything from them...
 
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I really don't know what to tell you if modifier styling is such a big deal (it's an easily replaceable piece).

Also, if I'm not mistaken, every backlit mech. with variable brightness settings will use PWM.

You'll likely not find better quality backlit ABS keycaps than Ducky's, and many other manufacturers use LEDs of lower quality as well.

You want an old and time-tested line go with Deck; the legends are ugly as sin by mosts' standards (so you probably won't like it), but they'll last through the oiliest highly-acidic finger cheeses you can throw at them for much longer than any ABS backlit cap could hope to, if that means anything to you.

I'd really suggest either going non-backlit mechanical or find a backlit rubberdome with the features you want for under $40.
 
Skull_Angel said:
I really don't know what to tell you if modifier styling is such a big deal (it's an easily replaceable piece).
Click to expand...
Easily replaceable? Pretty hard to find off-she-shelf keys set up for cherry switches and backlighting. Most of them are solid (killing the backlight on that key if you do a swap)

Skull_Angel said:
Also, if I'm not mistaken, every backlit mech. with variable brightness settings will use PWM.
Click to expand...
*sigh* more cheap crap in expensive products.

How is it that Saitek can get non-flickery dimming in their LED-backlit keyboards, but Ducky can't? That just screams "low quality" to me...

Skull_Angel said:
You want an old and time-tested line go with Deck; the legends are ugly as sin by mosts' standards (so you probably won't like it), but they'll last through the oiliest highly-acidic finger cheeses you can throw at them for much longer than any ABS backlit cap could hope to, if that means anything to you.
Click to expand...
Deck is an instant non-option, they look god awful. They also aren't offered with a blue backlight + MX Brown switches.

Skull_Angel said:
I'd really suggest either going non-backlit mechanical or find a backlit rubberdome with the features you want for under $40.
Click to expand...
I've spent way too much money replacing rubber dome keyboards over the years. They ware out far too quickly.

I might try contacting WASD and see if they'll do a custom job for me. It seems insane that I can't find a keyboard with the above specs...
 
Unknown-One said:
Easily replaceable? Pretty hard to find off-she-shelf keys set up for cherry switches and backlighting. Most of them are solid (killing the backlight on that key if you do a swap)
Click to expand...

Yes, easily replaceable; didn't necessarily mean backlit or having the "windows" logo, but they can be found (though the likelyness of finding a plain "windows" backlit key is small outside of full sets). You may need to find a whole set to have it match; Ducky was selling full 104 key backlit sets with the normal windows key. You can also post a wanted ad on a site like deskthority or geekhack and most likely get responses within hours.


Unknown-One said:
*sigh* more cheap crap in expensive products.

How is it that Saitek can get non-flickery dimming in their LED-backlit keyboards, but Ducky can't? That just screams "low quality" to me...
Click to expand...

I'm not completely familiar with all methods of LED dimming, but from what I gather PWM is pretty standard across all modern electronics with LEDs (even nearly every consumer monitor on the market, iirc). While some are poorly executed with noticeable flicker, this isn't quite the case for all; I can't tell you the hardware used on these keyboards, but I've never encountered noticeable flicker with them.


Unknown-One said:
Deck is an instant non-option, they look god awful. They also aren't offered with a blue backlight + MX Brown switches.
Click to expand...

Agreed on the styling, but the switches are easy enough to mod with some knowledge of soldering though. Imo, Clear stems with lighter springs are more enjoyable than Browns; they have a much more pronounced tactile feel instead of a scratchy resistance, but I prefer linear myself.


Unknown-One said:
I've spent way too much money replacing rubber dome keyboards over the years. They ware out far too quickly.

I might try contacting WASD and see if they'll do a custom job for me. It seems insane that I can't find a keyboard with the above specs...
Click to expand...

Going mechanical can be an expensive endeavor, even more so when you want "the perfect keyboard" for you. You either save money and compromise or spend a lot of time and money finding components and making "the perfect keyboard".
 
I'm pretty happy with my DAS keyboard. If you can do without the blue backlight then you might have a good experience with one.
 
Skull_Angel said:
I'm not completely familiar with all methods of LED dimming, but from what I gather PWM is pretty standard across all modern electronics with LEDs (even nearly every consumer monitor on the market, iirc). While some are poorly executed with noticeable flicker, this isn't quite the case for all; I can't tell you the hardware used on these keyboards, but I've never encountered noticeable flicker with them.
Click to expand...
PWM dimming circuits are, unfortunately, very common. It's a real shame that even expensive products are using such a poor method for brightness control.

I have yet to see an LED PWM implementation that doesn't exhibit noticeable flicker.

Skull_Angel said:
Going mechanical can be an expensive endeavor, even more so when you want "the perfect keyboard" for you. You either save money and compromise or spend a lot of time and money finding components and making "the perfect keyboard".
Click to expand...
Yeah, it just doesn't make sense to me... I want a "normal looking" keyboard, and that facet is what's killing me on choices.
 
Tried out a CM Quickfire TK with Cherry MX Blue switches...

Verdict? Unmitigated disaster. The keys are ungodly loud, and the little bit of plastic that the Blue's have rattling around (to generate the audible click) inside make them all feel broken and/or sticky on the upstroke. Like they're always on the verge of jamming mid-return.

So yeah... that's going back. Going to have to stick with MX Browns...
 
Might as well bump this, I guess...

Still on the look-out for a keyboard that fits the bill. Tried to get a custom one made through WASD, but that went nowhere. :(
 
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