gaming keyboard advice needed

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zanthia

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Jan 17, 2004
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I just got a new PC and my current keyboard from previous pc is one of those super ultra cheap ones. I would like to get a gaming keyboard but do not want to spend fortune on it.

One thing that is very important to me is that the keys are not loud or clicky ones. A mechanical keyboard is out - i tried it in the stores and way too loud.

I am leaning toward the logitech g110. Frys had it out on display so was able to test the keys. it is currently on sale at newegg for 65 with free shipping ( regular price 80).

what is your opinion of this keyboard. I am very open to other suggestions in a similar price range.
 
I have the g110 myself, and I honestly like it a lot. If you can survive a little longer on the super ultra cheap one, you might be able to catch a Logitech dented box sale (the product itself is fine, usually so is the box!) or a Newegg deal. I got mine on Newegg for about $40 last fall.
 
Love my Steelseries 7G
, bulletproof, w/ digital audio routed through it. I think if I needed to I could even fend off attackers with it.

I couldn't recommend a G15, as after about 18 months the keys on right-hand side started randomly dropping out, whether in BIOS, windows, or on other machines...gave it away, lol.
 
ChRoNo16 said:
I'm just using a Saitek Eclipse II, works nice, back lit.
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That's all you need IMO for a gaming keyboard. keyboard + back light. But if you fancy spending 2-4 times the amount, knock yourself out.

I have a sidewinder x6, got it for under $30 on a deal. Has some issues, but nothing that effects my button layout :p
 
BurntToast said:
That's all you need IMO for a gaming keyboard. keyboard + back light. But if you fancy spending 2-4 times the amount, knock yourself out.

I have a sidewinder x6, got it for under $30 on a deal. Has some issues, but nothing that effects my button layout :p
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Dunno why anyone would "need" a backlit keyboard for gaming. It's nice, but by no means a necessity. If you are a serious gamer then chances are you don't even have to look at the keyboard.

I'd personally go mechanical, do it right the first time and call it a day. There are "quiet" switch types out there; not all of them are loud.
 
can u give me names of quiet mechanical ones. I would have to be able to test it. the ones i tried in stores were extremely loud so at a home setting would be that much louder as you don't have all the sounds around you that a store has.
 
i have a g110, its a great keyboard, but mechanicals are wayyy better. i have a razer blackwidow myself. there is a companycalled DAS keyboard, they make a silent model, but its like 130 bucks
 
Steelseries 6GV2 is mechanical, but is not loud. It uses black keys (which give a bit more resistance, but are not clicky like the blue keys that a lot of other mechanical keyboards use). It's built like a tank and I like it very much
 
The 6Gv2 is probably your best bet. Built well as said and Cherry MX Black switches will last you for years. Also the heavier nature of the MX Black switches are more suited for gaming.
 
FemmeFatale said:
Doesn't the Razer blackwidow catches keys?
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I don't know what that means but I've got a Razer Black Widow on my test bench and it uses Cherry MX blue switches. Though for some reason it isn't as loud and feels slightly mushier than my Das Keyboard Professional.
 
img_101451_microsoft-sidewinder-keyboard.jpg


I bought this a year ago, and really love it. After going through many many keyboards over the years, this is the best quality I've encountered. It's survived 2 separate beer floods with out any ill effect.
 
All membrane based keyboards are technically spill proof. It does make them durable in that sense, but the membrane lasts less than half the time quality mechanical key switches do. They also feel shitty to type on.

Mechanical FTW. If you don't mind the noise get something with Cherry MX Blues. If you don't like the noise but want something almost as tactile, the Cherry MX Browns are for you. If you don't want the noise or the tactile response, Reds or Blacks are what you want. As for the beverage risks, well when you invest in a high quality mechanical keyboard, you won't be so careless around it. :)
 
I totally agree that mechanical keyboards are superior to their non-mechanical counter parts. That being said, after actually having read OP's original post, he clearly states that mechanical are out as they're way too loud. The X6 will last for a VERY long time, most likely 5+ years, but probably longer. I've gone through three Saiteks, all of them with the same issue: poor design of the LED's power traces causing them to burn out. I doubt many people will care if their keyboard will last 20+ years, only us basement dwelling geeks really care. Much like shoes, most people, will want a change of pace.
 
We have to make sure that the keyboard is suitable for right-handed or left-handed people and placement of the programmable keys so we could always reach the keys easily without having to actually look at the keyboard and slow down our response time in-game.
 
Razer Lycosa is excellent & has all the bells & whistles you will ever need & then some. But it is big & loud. So I switched to this- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823204028 -iRocks 6820-E-WH. It's smaller, quieter, has an on/off switch for blue led backlighting (so you don't have to turn off the PSU) & none of the bells & whistles, but I never used them anyway & it is only 15.5" wide. Only con to having a white keyboard is you can't eat Cheetos while gaming, but they do make a black one with get this, orange backlighting, so you're all set. Pass the Cheetos. :D
 
razer blackwidow keyboard. use it for wow and sc 2. amazing. kinda loud, but i like it. helps me acknowledge key response.
 
Dan_D said:
All membrane based keyboards are technically spill proof.
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What an absurd thing to say. Membrane keyboards still have electronics in them and they can still be damaged by having conductive liquids spilled on them.
 
wow that sidewinder keyboard is ugly as hell.

if you are anything like me and are not really into the all the flashy backlighting and neon crap that seems to be the norm in the pc enthusiast community Id take a look at Cherry. you can find their whole line on newegg and you can generally get a mechanical keyboard from them cheaper than you can from any of the "gaming" manufacturers. the best part is that Cherry is the company that makes the switches in almost every mechanical keyboard out there, so you are getting the same keystroke feel and you can select a keyboard with the exact switches that will meet your needs. most gaming mechanical keyboards use cherry mx blues as other people have said, but there are many different types of switches out there. cherry keyboards come in two color schemes: beige or black. no flashy lights, no stupid lcd screen, just a keyboard.

i just ordered a cherry xs complete g84-5200 with cherry ML switches which are supposed to be lighter and quieter than the standard cherry MX switches. no one on these boards seems to be able to tell me anything about them, so ill be posting a little review when the keyboard arrives later this week. it could be just what you are looking for(or it could be terrible i really have no idea).
 
ive had a g110 for 4 months. its showing no sign of wear but neglect? yes! my razer blackwidow is getting all of the attention. :p
 
Zero82z said:
What an absurd thing to say. Membrane keyboards still have electronics in them and they can still be damaged by having conductive liquids spilled on them.
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Well that's how they were initially marketed. And even though they do have electronics, they usually aren't where the liquids go. Yeah you could still kill one by shorting it out but on those things it's hard to do.
 
Liquids usually go everywhere, including where the electronics are. That's how fluids work. And no, it's not hard to kill one by shorting it out.
 
Zero82z said:
Liquids usually go everywhere, including where the electronics are. That's how fluids work. And no, it's not hard to kill one by shorting it out.
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Depends on how the keyboard is setup, (feet or not feet, at an angle etc. unless you are suggesting that liquid defies gravity) and I've never seen one shorted out or killed when drunken roomates spilled beer and Mountain Dew into them constantly. I've also seen plenty of people put the whole keyboard in the dishwasher to clean them with success.
 
Dan_D said:
Depends on how the keyboard is setup, (feet or not feet, at an angle etc. unless you are suggesting that liquid defies gravity) and I've never seen one shorted out or killed when drunken roomates spilled beer and Mountain Dew into them constantly. I've also seen plenty of people put the whole keyboard in the dishwasher to clean them with success.
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Just because you've never seen something doesn't mean it's never happened. And when you put a keyboard in the dishwasher, it isn't powered.
 
Zero82z said:
Just because you've never seen something doesn't mean it's never happened. And when you put a keyboard in the dishwasher, it isn't powered.
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I didn't say it never happened but you claim it's easy to short one out and so far I've never seen it. My experience simply tells me something different than yours. Simple as that.
 
Just get an X4 or an X6, you wont have buyers remorse over either, i probably would if i bought one of these mechanical bricks and didnt like the feel of the keys.
 
I bought a Logitech G110 to replace my G15 that I spilled coffee on and killed. Doh!

My G110 doesn't work with my Gigabyte EP45-UD3P, Gigabyte H67 itx board, nor my Asus P8P67-M Pro, so it's a big brick for me. It's not defective, as far as I can tell, since I've tested it with a couple other systems in the house and it works with those. It works for getting into BIOS on the P67/H67 boards, it just won't work in Windows 7 at all (yes, I installed the drivers, using my 10-year old PS2 keyboard).

If you go with the G110, I would suggest googling for problems with your motherboard first. Seem to be a lot of people who have it and like it, some who needed to tweek BIOS settings to get the keyboard to work, and people like me who can't use it.

So I got a Razer Black Widow for $60 because I needed a keyboard that just worked. I'm still not sure about it - I like the clicky keys, but I'm still getting used to it. I'm always hitting the caps lock key instead of the "a" key, but getting better.
 
piXel said:
Just get an X4 or an X6, you wont have buyers remorse over either, i probably would if i bought one of these mechanical bricks and didnt like the feel of the keys.
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you would probably have buyers remorse if you purchased a product and ended up not liking it? wow what a novel concept, but it begs the question: what if you did like it? kind of hard to offer an opinion on a product which you dont own and have never tried. reminds me of when i was a kid and my cousins visited. my mom cooked a meal with shrimp and they refused to touch it. when asked why they said "we dont like it." i asked them if they had ever eaten shrimp before and they said no. how can anyone know if they like something or not if they havent tried it? you are also assuming that he is going to like the microsoft sidewinder keyboards. to me the x4 looks alright, but the x6 is so ugly i wouldnt allow it within 100 ft of my desk. so who is to say he wouldnt have buyers remorse over purchasing one of those?
 
What I hate about the Logitech G110 is that the pop up feet as so small they're nearly useless.
 
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