After building up a new PC I am also considering upgrading my keyboard. Right now it's a logitech wireless KB... going on 10 years now. I love this keyboard (wireless, very simple design with no extra BS keys, and the batteries literally last forever... like 2 years per set) but recently I have noticed maybe some of the limitations. Maybe it's because I have better PC hardware that is more responsive or maybe it's just psychological, but sometimes when playing star trek online I get in a situation where my character keeps strafing to the left/right etc. as if the "a" or "d" key was held down. Not sure if it is lag or a problem with the game (I don't really notice it in other games) or what but maybe it's time for me to retire the KB along with the rest of my old hardware.
I am a believer in the concept of spending good money on a quality input device since the input is such a major part of the computing experience. That said I think I would enjoy a mechanical keyboard. I'd also benefit from a tenkeyless version for this computer since the desk it's on has this keyboard tray, and as it is now my keyboard has to hang a little off the left side to accomodate the mousepad. If I had a tenkeyless it would right just right on the keyboard tray. Since this is a gaming PC I don't really need the numberpad. I do my real work on another computer.
However it doesn't seem like they offer wireless tenkeyless mechanical keyboards, so I might have to retrograde to a wired KB. Since I'd be stuck with wired anyways, I thought maybe it would be cool to get a backlit tenkeyless, if any are available? The only backlit mechanical I could find is the Razer BWU, but if it comes down to it I'd rather have tenkeyless than backlit.
So I am strongly leaning towards the Leopold tenkeyless with Cherry MX brown's from elitekeyboards.com. From reading the mechanical keyboard sticky thread I think the browns will have a good compromise between tactile response and noise, and gaming vs typing "feel". I don't play many fast paced games so I'm not looking for extreme response times or fast key action. I would like something reasonably quiet and with a good feel. With that in mind, the browns are probably the safest bet?
Lastly, how long is the USB cable that comes with the Leopold tenkeyless? The standard 6-footer or is it longer?
I am a believer in the concept of spending good money on a quality input device since the input is such a major part of the computing experience. That said I think I would enjoy a mechanical keyboard. I'd also benefit from a tenkeyless version for this computer since the desk it's on has this keyboard tray, and as it is now my keyboard has to hang a little off the left side to accomodate the mousepad. If I had a tenkeyless it would right just right on the keyboard tray. Since this is a gaming PC I don't really need the numberpad. I do my real work on another computer.
However it doesn't seem like they offer wireless tenkeyless mechanical keyboards, so I might have to retrograde to a wired KB. Since I'd be stuck with wired anyways, I thought maybe it would be cool to get a backlit tenkeyless, if any are available? The only backlit mechanical I could find is the Razer BWU, but if it comes down to it I'd rather have tenkeyless than backlit.
So I am strongly leaning towards the Leopold tenkeyless with Cherry MX brown's from elitekeyboards.com. From reading the mechanical keyboard sticky thread I think the browns will have a good compromise between tactile response and noise, and gaming vs typing "feel". I don't play many fast paced games so I'm not looking for extreme response times or fast key action. I would like something reasonably quiet and with a good feel. With that in mind, the browns are probably the safest bet?
Lastly, how long is the USB cable that comes with the Leopold tenkeyless? The standard 6-footer or is it longer?