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Mechanical Keyboard Guide
- Thread starter WorldExclusive
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I'm not convinced that mechanicals are anything more than a gimmick and fad yet. Test your WPM on a solid membrane keyboard and a wobbly noisy mechanical one and see which one scores higher. All I want is 500-1000hz at this point.
It is quite beyond me that the blackwidow is considered a gaming keyboard when the wasd is more cramped than my laptop's wasd, it has no wrist support, terrible F key placement, and ridiculously bad quality control for how expensive it is.
It is quite beyond me that the blackwidow is considered a gaming keyboard when the wasd is more cramped than my laptop's wasd, it has no wrist support, terrible F key placement, and ridiculously bad quality control for how expensive it is.
1. I jumped from 72wpm on my dell membrane to 102wpm on my kbc cherry red keyboard.
2. ps/2 ports are interrupt based, faster response than usb and do not rely on report rate. Most mechanicals support ps/2.
3. the black widow is considered more or less to be the worst mechanical on the market. 2kro over usb is sad. Most mechanicals offer 6kro over usb, and nkro over ps/2.
in summary, i think you aren't convinced because you havent tried one yet. And trying a razer blackwidow is a bad example of mechanicals. In my opinion, that would be like driving a honda civic with a broken wheel and then considering all cars a fad and a gimmick.
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BurntToast
2[H]4U
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I don't use WASD and find the Blackwidow awesome. I've tried other more legit mechanical keyboards and just didn't like the feel. I'm hoping that the Blackwidow goes on sale for around $65 this holiday. Highly doubt it :/
jeremyshaw
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well, the most recent BWU Stealth (Cherry MX black, iirc?) promises full 6kro, no ghosting combos (one was present near the WASD region of the BWU, iirc).
IMO, get what you like. If you love mushy membranes so much.... stick with them. Personally, I'm waiting on a backlit (I keep my desk well lit, I just like backlighting
) WASD/elite board.oh, and I added a slight addition to your post that I feel is relevent.
(and yes, I'm somehow logically addressing several people o.0 - need sleep or something).^lol
Yea I still use a PS/2 keyboard because I trust what I feel over the marketing numbers.
It feels like 1000hz might be faster than PS/2 though. Not that I don't trust you but I want to look into that more.
I might just stick with my good old microsoft multimedia keyboard forever.
Yea I still use a PS/2 keyboard because I trust what I feel over the marketing numbers.
It feels like 1000hz might be faster than PS/2 though. Not that I don't trust you but I want to look into that more.
I might just stick with my good old microsoft multimedia keyboard forever.
well, the most recent BWU Stealth (Cherry MX black, iirc?) promises full 6kro, no ghosting combos (one was present near the WASD region of the BWU, iirc).
IMO, get what you like. If you love mushy membranes so much.... stick with them. Personally, I'm waiting on a backlit (I keep my desk well lit, I just like backlighting
oh, and I added a slight addition to your post that I feel is relevent.
6kro on the black widow stealth would be a great improvement. its funny, with my mechanical, i find myself pressing more keys at once than i did with my membrane, because the actuation point is halfway instead of at the bottom. Just an interesting observation.
And thanks for the edit. I liked it
From my reading, the ps/2 runs at the equivalent of 10-16khz (10,000-16,000hz) Got this from here: http://www.computer-engineering.org/ps2protocol/
The thing that makes usb "faster" is that it can send larger information loads than ps/2. However, it sends information in large packets - by default every 8ms. From my reading, ps/2 seems to operate by sending very tiny packets many times per ms. It would stand to reason, that ps/2 responds faster, but does not send as much data, and therefore is considered slower from a bandwidth standpoint.
But this is only from brief reading, i don't have a full understanding yet. Hopefully somebody can verify.
Anyways, back to mechanical topic, seriously man, if you can, try one. Go down to best buy and find a black widow and click away on it. The keyboard itself isnt great, but the switches are very interesting, and it provides a good idea of what you can get into. I was all against the mechanical hype until i tried a BW at best buy, and then i had to have a keyboard with clicky switches, so i ordered a Das. Moving down the line a couple months, i decided that i liked my das for work stuff, but wanted a mini keyboard for gaming so my hands wouldn't be apart. Quite soon after, i saw WorldExclusive here post about the KBC Poker and i decided to read up on it. After a day on geekhack reading all of the cherry red "cloud of boobs" threads, i bought one just out of interest with intent to sell if i didnt like it, and now my Das is collecting dust.
I would say that the cherry red keys are a huge improvement over my laptop scissor, or dell membrane switches, and even a decent improvement over the cherry blues. I'm thoroughly addicted.
BababooeyHTJ
Supreme [H]ardness
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StatutoryApe
Limp Gawd
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Another new mech.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823839010
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823839010
WorldExclusive
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Until I see some reviews, I'm not going to post it in the OP.
I have concerns about the design and quality.
WTF? I like the fact that the 10 key can be removed for those who don't want it and those who do, but seriously? WTF is with the design? Beyond that at $119.99 I don't have high hopes for quality. Even if the switches are quality, the key caps probably aren't. Not at that price.
danielisawinner
n00b
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lololololololol wut?
Everything about that board just screams "IM A PRO-GAMER4LYFE LOLOL L337". It looks like something that would be branded by Fatal1ty.
Seriously... Levetron Mech4? Was LASERBOARD PUNCHKEY MAX already taken?
If I didn't already have a cherry brown based keyboard I'd offer to buy it off of you for your loss
To each his own though. After going mechanical I don't think I could ever go back.
I don't have a cherry brown board yet
Lol.
How long have you had it? If it's just a couple of days I'd say you need to give it a little more time. I noticed over the past couple of weeks that I have been getting better with my mechanical (also a Leopold w/Cherry browns). I don't bottom out as often (which makes it quieter overall) and also my typing speed has improved such that it seems about equal to my old keyboard as well. I daresay the mechanical keyboard is actually growing on me
I ordered a Leopold with Cherry clears which I got yesterday but I haven't opened it yet. I ordered it thinking I'd like the stiffer response of the clears better but I'm thinking of maybe not opening it and trying to return it instead. But I'm not sure yet, I may end up liking both and using the other KB for a different computer or something.
I ordered a Leopold with Cherry clears which I got yesterday but I haven't opened it yet. I ordered it thinking I'd like the stiffer response of the clears better but I'm thinking of maybe not opening it and trying to return it instead. But I'm not sure yet, I may end up liking both and using the other KB for a different computer or something.
Eltocliousus
Weaksauce
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Got my AT102w the other day, wow, amazing, and I love the way it looks in contrast to my modern setup too.
I have had the Leopold with Browns for almost a month now. I loved it at first, but after using my old keyboard the other day, I think I prefer it. Maybe my expectations with a mech keyboard were just too high. The $120 price tag was not worth it.
I am sure the board will last a long time, but nothing really feels special about it, and I liked the shorter keystroke of the "laptop style" boards. My apple aluminum keyboard did only last 2 years, but for the price I could buy two apple keyboards for less than one Leopold.
Maybe I will try a mech with different switches. Anyone around Indianapolis want to have a keyboard meet and greet?
I am sure the board will last a long time, but nothing really feels special about it, and I liked the shorter keystroke of the "laptop style" boards. My apple aluminum keyboard did only last 2 years, but for the price I could buy two apple keyboards for less than one Leopold.
Maybe I will try a mech with different switches. Anyone around Indianapolis want to have a keyboard meet and greet?
BababooeyHTJ
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I have had the Leopold with Browns for almost a month now. I loved it at first, but after using my old keyboard the other day, I think I prefer it. Maybe my expectations with a mech keyboard were just too high. The $120 price tag was not worth it.
I am sure the board will last a long time, but nothing really feels special about it, and I liked the shorter keystroke of the "laptop style" boards. My apple aluminum keyboard did only last 2 years, but for the price I could buy two apple keyboards for less than one Leopold.
Maybe I will try a mech with different switches. Anyone around Indianapolis want to have a keyboard meet and greet?
If you prefer that short throw scissor switch then a mechanical keyboard probably isn't for you. A month is a fair amount of time so you gave it a fair chance. Its all about personal preference.
I'm considering picking up a mechanical keyboard to help offset finger joint issues (They already start to hurt in the cold and I'm young). I don't want anything too loud which is pointing me towards reds or browns. I'm unsure which one to pick up (I'd probably go WASD semi-custom). I've been trying to find people with mechanicals on my campus to try but so far no luck so I'm asking you guys for advice. So Reds or Browns better for gaming/reducing joint pain?
i have a board with reds, and one with blues
i prefer the reds. I find that the tactile response of the blues slows me down a bit, especially how they reset slightly slower than they activate because the reset point is actually higher than the activation point. My fingers just fly over the reds. Very easy to get used to after using a membrane board, and sure you do bottom out, but you get used to doing it very gently and quickly and it becomes a breeze. I added key dampeners to my red board and it made it quieter and softer to bottom out, and reduced the key travel by something like 0.8mm, which made it feel ever so slightly faster to type on.
What i can say for sure is that my WPM has gone from ~70 on rubber dome to ~105 on the reds. Blues werent that much of an improvement, but they were fun because you could hear and feel them register.
i mostly agree here. I've used cherry blues and topres and I'd say I use much less pressure when I type now since the actuation force is reliable and I don't have to mash membrane keys.
If you're having joint problems, go for the root causes. Fix your posture, use an ergo keyboard like the kinesis, etc. Mechanical keyboards in the standard layout are almost entirely a pleasure/speed related purchase.
You should look at scissor switches, which have the shortest throw of any switch type. They're also quieter than any mechanical. I think the Logitech Wireless Illuminated uses scissors.
I thought that if I picked up something like the reds which were linear I wouldn't have to press all the way down to get the button to register, aka less impact per button. I'm on a laptop now so I'm using scissor switches currently and I don't really like the impact of them. I'll definitely take a look at the kinesis you mentioned.
I got a DAS Ultimate S w/ browns from Newegg this past week...coming from linear (blacks) TKL Filco I'm not happy with the DAS so it's going back...#4 on numpad is mushy, completely bottoms out, only one port on the USB hub functions properly and the DAS looks like it's been used (small hairline scratches throughout the body)...I would used extreme caution if your planning on picking up a DAS from Newegg.
I'll probably go back to TKL Filco w/ browns or a Leopold with reds, but more than likely the camo or ninja edition from KBC
I'll probably go back to TKL Filco w/ browns or a Leopold with reds, but more than likely the camo or ninja edition from KBC
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^^^ was your last one linear or tactile? Theres no such thing as linear tactile.
Shortest throw, but same registration point (2mm depressed) as mechanicals. Scissors also take a lot more pressure to depress than mechanicals. I can 100% say that cherry reds are easier and significantly faster to type on.
Shortest throw, but same registration point (2mm depressed) as mechanicals. Scissors also take a lot more pressure to depress than mechanicals. I can 100% say that cherry reds are easier and significantly faster to type on.
Reds are great, but not for everyone. Once again, it comes down to personal preference. I liked blacks for gaming, but they just wore my fingers out during prolonged BF3 gaming, as well as typing.
Cool
And I totally agree.
But i would also say that reds are a definite upgrade over blacks. I found blacks too stiff, and i bottomed out on them too often because they required that much force to get them down, and that in turn made it a louder sounding keyboard. Very tiring. Reds are less tiring, and with less force required to press them you can be gentle and reduce the noise made by bottoming out more easily.
This makes me want to leave work so i can get off this membrane board and go home to my KBC poker red
So I've been going back and forth between a Leopold TKL with Browns and Clears for maybe a couple of weeks now. It's hard for me to pick. I definitely feel more confident/faster when typing with the clears, because the higher spring resistance lets you type more freely without fear of bottoming out. This also seems to manifest itself in online typing tests as I seem to score consistently higher wpm and accuracy with the KB with clears.
For gaming the two are pretty close, the clears obviously have more resistance but I did not notice much in the way of finger fatigue when playing. However, moving from clears to browns, the lighter spring makes actuation that little bit easier. I honestly don't think there is much of a difference in terms of feel between reds and browns, and I think I can see why reds are gaining popularity in gaming keyboards.
Neither feels anything like the blues, which have a very distinct tactile click feel, remeniscent of the "old school" mechanicals. I am beginning to wonder if, noise aside, blues are the best for typing since they have the best "feel".
I guess I'd have to say I prefer the clears for typing, but that the browns have a slight edge for gaming. Problem is I don't really want to get rid of either. I honestly feel though that if I only had experience with one of the two, I would be fine with either. Only by comparing directly between the two do I notice the differences. I am tempted to keep the brown TKL because I will be primarily gaming with this keyboard, and although the Clears is a nice KB, if I get a KB for typing I'd want a fullsize model with a numpad. But at the same time, the clears seem to work fine for gaming too, and that way when I do type on that computer, I'd be using the superior clears...
P.S. Still working on the keypad sampler. I am supposed to be receiving sets of different switches in the mail but they are coming from overseas so it might take a while to receive them. I bought a used mechanical numpad from amazon that has blue keys as a base. All I need is to order some clear switches and I should have all the parts. Wondering if I should start a new thread to get a passalong chain going?
For gaming the two are pretty close, the clears obviously have more resistance but I did not notice much in the way of finger fatigue when playing. However, moving from clears to browns, the lighter spring makes actuation that little bit easier. I honestly don't think there is much of a difference in terms of feel between reds and browns, and I think I can see why reds are gaining popularity in gaming keyboards.
Neither feels anything like the blues, which have a very distinct tactile click feel, remeniscent of the "old school" mechanicals. I am beginning to wonder if, noise aside, blues are the best for typing since they have the best "feel".
I guess I'd have to say I prefer the clears for typing, but that the browns have a slight edge for gaming. Problem is I don't really want to get rid of either
. I honestly feel though that if I only had experience with one of the two, I would be fine with either. Only by comparing directly between the two do I notice the differences. I am tempted to keep the brown TKL because I will be primarily gaming with this keyboard, and although the Clears is a nice KB, if I get a KB for typing I'd want a fullsize model with a numpad. But at the same time, the clears seem to work fine for gaming too, and that way when I do type on that computer, I'd be using the superior clears...P.S. Still working on the keypad sampler. I am supposed to be receiving sets of different switches in the mail but they are coming from overseas so it might take a while to receive them. I bought a used mechanical numpad from amazon that has blue keys as a base. All I need is to order some clear switches and I should have all the parts. Wondering if I should start a new thread to get a passalong chain going?
Bob Santana
n00b
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Cool
And I totally agree.
But i would also say that reds are a definite upgrade over blacks. I found blacks too stiff, and i bottomed out on them too often because they required that much force to get them down, and that in turn made it a louder sounding keyboard. Very tiring. Reds are less tiring, and with less force required to press them you can be gentle and reduce the noise made by bottoming out more easily.
This makes me want to leave work so i can get off this membrane board and go home to my KBC poker red
When I read these sort of statements I wonder what I am doing different from other people or what they are doing wrong because I experience none of those symptoms on my MX Blacks. For me, the strong force at the bottom but relatively light at the top makes it so that bottoming out is softened or even prevented altogether.
Also, even after hours of typing, my fingers feel much less tired than on a standard membrane board.