• Some users have recently had their accounts hijacked. It seems that the now defunct EVGA forums might have compromised your password there and seems many are using the same PW here. We would suggest you UPDATE YOUR PASSWORD and TURN ON 2FA for your account here to further secure it. None of the compromised accounts had 2FA turned on.
    Once you have enabled 2FA, your account will be updated soon to show a badge, letting other members know that you use 2FA to protect your account. This should be beneficial for everyone that uses FSFT.

Apple keyboard vs mechanical

V

valewmilan

n00b
Joined
Nov 8, 2012
Messages
4
Hello,
I'm thinking of buying an Apple keyboard for my pc if the keys fire faster than a mechanical.
I know many will think I'm crazy for looking at Apple for gaming but still that's a bit closed minded.
Not to mention I need it for typing as well, which doesn't sound too good on a cherry red, but I never tried.

So, my question is: has anyone compared Apple's keyboard key travel distance to actuation and actuation force to those of a mechanical keyboard (say cherry red or black)?

Some timings would be nice also: http://www.mathsisfun.com/games/reaction-time.html
 
Last edited:
Same travel distance to actuation. The cherry red's are easier to press though, and easier to get repeated actuations because you dont have to wait for a dome to reset.

For what you're talking about, I'd go with a mech with cherry reds. I love typing on my reds, much more than anything else really.
 
thesecond said:
Same travel distance to actuation. The cherry red's are easier to press though, and easier to get repeated actuations because you dont have to wait for a dome to reset.

For what you're talking about, I'd go with a mech with cherry reds. I love typing on my reds, much more than anything else really.
Click to expand...

Hmm but with reds you can't know for sure when the key has registered since it's not tactile, am I wrong?
I don't want to press the keys all the way down.
 
There's no way to really measure whether either will "fire" faster, and even if one did it would be humanly indiscernible.

You could argue that Cherry MX Red would be easier and quicker to repeatedly press since there's no tactile mechanism to hinder you from hovering at the actuation point, but then you can also argue that there's no way to accurately know when you activate the switches either.

Having tried both Scissor and MX Red switches I can say they both have their advantages/disadvantages, but I prefer the MX Reds for my every-day driver. That's not saying you'll feel the same way about them; you should try out the boards/switches that interest you before buying or purchase from a place that has a good return/exchange policy, you'll be much happier about your purchase in the end.

note: Be aware that Cherry MX spring rate tolerance has a wide margin (around +/-10g), so actuation force may not feel the same on different boards. And, there are many factors that change the way these boards feel, from case construction to key cap material.
 
Apple KBs are shit quality. I have about 30 of them that have all broken one way or another at my old work place. Get a good quality mech kb.
 
soulesschild said:
Apple KBs are shit quality. I have about 30 of them that have all broken one way or another at my old work place. Get a good quality mech kb.
Click to expand...

I'm curious. Was there a pattern to breakage?

Anyway I have force number here.

EUCc9.jpg


5.00g x12 = 60g

But remember, WORK = FXD or the integral under the force curve.
 
Thank you for your answers, I think I'll go with a CM Storm Quickfire Red with additional O-rings to reduce bottoming out.
Has anyone tried to stack 2 or more of them? They reduce travel distance by only 0.4mm while I wanted the key to stop right under the actuation point.
 
valewmilan said:
Thank you for your answers, I think I'll go with a CM Storm Quickfire Red with additional O-rings to reduce bottoming out.
Has anyone tried to stack 2 or more of them? They reduce travel distance by only 0.4mm while I wanted the key to stop right under the actuation point.
Click to expand...

Let me clear out some stuff you might not know, not having reds with o-rings. Disclaimer: i have reds with o-rings (the thickest ones from WASD), this is all from experience, nothing empirical was measured.

0.4mm travel reduction only really counts if you seriously squish the o-ring down, and then fully compress it when you press the key, which is difficult to do. I do believe i get almost a full 1mm of travel reduction. Key goes down, you feel the touch of the o-ring, and then you release. You do not compress the o-ring, its a waste of effort and time. Infact, they provide a nice surface to bounce the key off of. I do believe the travel reduction is greater than 0.4mm, especially if you have light fingers.

On the topic of light fingers, your fingers will seriously lighten up as you get used to the reds. Theyre very easy to press, and with the o rings you get a tactile response of bottoming out sooner, so your typing should lighten up.

Doubling up your o-rings does not produce a consistent effect. I thought my L key was dying because i was unable to get consistent actuations out of it. I pulled the key to discover that i had accidentally put 2 o-rings on it.

Mind you, all of this is with my stock KBC keys, which have some extra framing around the key stem. I have a doubleshot key and a titanium spacebar, both of which do not have that extra framing, and they drop a little lower with a single o-ring, and could stand to have a second o-ring.
 
The travel reduction depends on the key profile, in most instances; some cheaper companies use a standard design, but a non standard stabilizer size or stabilizers that don't come out uniform due to poor molding (I've only seen these on poorly made chinese boards though).

When installing o-rings, it's easier to fully press them into the key rather than put them around the base of the key stem and use the switch housing to press them into place. This makes sure the key travel is uniform through out the board and cuts down the risk of damaging o-rings when installing them.

It's possible to use multiple o-rings, but this can depend on how snugly the keys fit onto the switch stem; if it's too snug chances are that you won't be able to successfully use multiples and seat the key properly.
 
Very informative :)

Now I only have to decide between the CM Storm Quickfire Red and the KBT Pure...
The only other 10 (or more) key less Cherry Red I saw is the Choc Mini but there isn't much point in importing from China (I live in Italy).
Any suggestions?
 
valewmilan said:
Very informative :)

Now I only have to decide between the CM Storm Quickfire Red and the KBT Pure...
The only other 10 (or more) key less Cherry Red I saw is the Choc Mini but there isn't much point in importing from China (I live in Italy).
Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

I have the CM QF Red and I love it. No O-rings for me though. I have the WASD o-rings for my black widow however.
 
Ripster55 said:
I'm curious. Was there a pattern to breakage?

Anyway I have force number here.

5.00g x12 = 60g

But remember, WORK = FXD or the integral under the force curve.
Click to expand...

It's mainly when people type a little too forcefully (some people rage out and hit the KB too :p) and the little plastic thingy that holds the keys to the switch/dome snap. And Apple doesn't sell replacement keys individually so it's difficulty to replace without frankensteining other KBs. And sometimes you might not be able to get the letter you want.
 
I had one of the newer Apple Keyboards before I went to my Corsair M60. The reason I went to it is because the Apple Keyboard failed on me within a 2 years time. The G key, which I wouldn't think would fail to register anymore because I use the WASD the most would fail first. It wasn't just that, but every so often it just spaz out and not work and end up having to unplug it for a few hours and then it go back to working again. "Spaz out" best way I can describe it, just that I wouldn't be able to type on it or use it until it was unplugged and the cache on the keyboard cleared. I do have to say for the short period I used it it was great to type on and that's where it should stay, just for typing. Don't use it for Gaming, go with a Mechanical keyboard.
 
I had piles of apple chicklet boards at my last job. Some users would go through 2 a year.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top