After 25+ years with PCs, finally bought my first mechanical keyboard

[rchunter]

I like cherry blue switches or bs the best for serious typing work. I have Filco, ducky, and unicomp boards.

 

[Crono]

I've been using Cherry Brown switches for past ~6 years (Filco Majestouch, Corsair Strafe), but I just ordered a custom color scheme keyboard from WASD Keyboards with Cherry MX Clear switches, and a new Seasonic Topre Realforce RGB keyboard off ebay. One keyboard is for home and the other for work. Total price (WASD: $160 + shipping, Topre: $220) is close to more than I've ever spent on keyboards thus far combined, but hopefully worth it. I've never used either switch type, but after doing some research I think they'll suit my needs better than the Brown, which is more of a "jack of all trades, master of none" type of switch.

The Topre Realforce RGB has custom actuation points (1.5mm, 2.2mm, 3mm) per key controllable in software, but I'll likely use 1.5mm for most keys and use higher for numpad to lessen accidental keypress during number entry. I think I'll change the keycaps at some point with higher quality PBT ones, though, judging by reviews.

 

[DigDog]

i didn't know that Seasonic co-branded Topre boards.

I find the backlighting horrid, and i dont like full sized kbs, but i do like the idea of lower actuation, and would probably use it on 3mm all the time.

i believe your kb will have MX mounts, which is good. you can buy PBT MX mounts for like, $30~40 .. good luck finding Topre mount keycap sets for anything under $100.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Although I have a Unicomp, for some reason I was compulsively driven to purchase the Havit keyboard Anandtech reviewed last week.

https://www.anandtech.com/show/11632/havit-kb395l-rgb-mech-keyboard-review

I'm in lust. This is coming to work with me where my Unicomp can't see it and get jealous.

I need to read the manual though, because this pulsating, color-shifting RGB is giving me a headache.

 

[Nashemon]

I've had the Strafe RGB for about a year. The one thing that bothers me with this keyboard is the textured space bar. It irritates my thumbs after awhile.

Agreed. I don't understand that design choice. I also don't like the larger lettering on the new one's keys, either. Makes it look like an old person's keyboard, so they can hunt and peck the keys easier.

I'm a fan of Corsair, and have used their K65 RGB for a few years now. That one had a smooth spacebar. I've been having an issue with it that they call "chatter" where a few keys will double type from a single press. It's covered by their warranty, but I didn't feel like being without a keyboard while I send it in, so I bought another one. The new one has the textured spacebar, so I ripped it off and put the smooth one from my old keyboard on it. I'm sure you can get a replacement without the texture that will fit it.

 

[DigDog]

I have a Unicomp

would you be willing to review it? i've been wondering what they are like, compared to the ol' model M.
Chyrosran (the guy who does all those keyboard reviews) wasn't particularly moved.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

would you be willing to review it? i've been wondering what they are like, compared to the ol' model M.
Chyrosran (the guy who does all those keyboard reviews) wasn't particularly moved.

Well, the model M's I have to compare it to are of a slightly newer (early '90s) variety. Key feel is the same, as you'd expect. I love typing on it, as I'm a very, very tactile person.

The product is solid, but the fit and finish is a bit on the not-premium-looking side (molding lines, plastic has that bumpy unfinished texture.) It came with a letter in the box that said (paraphrasing), "FYI, sometimes keys pop off during shipping. Don't freak out, if you're missing one it probably fell on the floor. Contact us if you need to order more." which kinda tells you what the attitude of the company is; they make a product, they believe in it, and it's functionally an excellent product, but when it comes to the niceties, they're kind of the anti-Apple. They're certainly not going to spend time and money doing something as silly as designing better packaging when they could be building more keyboards.

I watched the Chyrosan review, and w/r/t his specific complaints - there are no obvious gashes or scratches on the plastic, the key-caps do not show the fuzziness his did, and most of my keys are of the removal-cap variety (not one-piece.)

 

[DigDog]

well i find it surprising that they only charge about $90 for the M clone, since most other mechanicals are in the $120-150 range.

The Model F clone is a whopping $350 !!!

 

[sdifox]

Model M

 

[dave_the_nerd]

well i find it surprising that they only charge about $90 for the M clone, since most other mechanicals are in the $120-150 range.

The Model F clone is a whopping $350 !!!

It's not a "clone" - it's a Model M. Made by the same people in the same factory for decades now.

They've cheaped out on the case plastics, basically, but it's otherwise very much the same keyboard.

I think it might actually be quieter than the HAVIT. It certainly sounds less "sharp."

 

[VirtualLarry]

Model M for $90? Where???

 

[Thebobo]

Years ago I was at a building and they had a dumpster full of old computers in the basement loading dock full of with Model M keyboards I tried to take a few keyboards but security yelled at. What a waste..

 

[DigDog]

Model M for $90? Where???

from the very ashes of the IBM plant, the same people, with the same tooling, (allegedly) have formed a company called Unicomp, which produces Model M clones.

http://www.pckeyboard.com/page/product/UB4044A

i I HAVE WORKED at the Greenock center, and the plant is now a set of unroofed, partly demolished buildings sinking in the swamp, so i strongly doubt that they operating out of there.

(it could possibly be the lexington plant, but, if i admit that, i don't get to make any funny remarks. so i will ignore that possibility)

Anyway, it's not a IBM model M, it's an IBM CLONE. Clone. clone clone clone.

It's a very good clone, made by many people who made the original, but hey, it's still a clone.

 

[Bird222]

I wish I could find an old IBM at a garage sale or something.

 

[MrSquished]

Here's a video of a 1959 Cherry mechanical switch for your viewing pleasure http://digg.com/video/1959-cherry-switch

 

[dave_the_nerd]

from the very ashes of the IBM plant, the same people, with the same tooling, (allegedly) have formed a company called Unicomp, which produces Model M clones.

http://www.pckeyboard.com/page/product/UB4044A

i I HAVE WORKED at the Greenock center, and the plant is now a set of unroofed, partly demolished buildings sinking in the swamp, so i strongly doubt that they operating out of there.

(it could possibly be the lexington plant, but, if i admit that, i don't get to make any funny remarks. so i will ignore that possibility)

Anyway, it's not a IBM model M, it's an IBM CLONE. Clone. clone clone clone.

It's a very good clone, made by many people who made the original, but hey, it's still a clone.

No clone, no clone, you're the clone.

Their address is on the website you linked to.

 

[Crono]

My custom WASD keyboard came in. First impressions: I like the build quality. Solid and weighty, with good grip on my mat. The MX Clear switches feel very much like heavier versions of the Browns (same category of tactile, not clicky switches) I'm used to, but time will tell if I really love them. Just getting used to them right now, though I suspect I'll prefer the Topre keyboard (coming in tomorrow) for the longer periods of typing I do at work.

 

[DigDog]

you will probably need keycaps soon. i was very disappointed by my WASD keycaps, they took the shine after just a couple of months.

 

[Crono]

you will probably need keycaps soon. i was very disappointed by my WASD keycaps, they took the shine after just a couple of months.

That's unfortunate, but good to know. I wonder why they use ABS and don't offer other options like PBT.

 

[DigDog]

i solved the problem by buying my PBT caps off of eBay, they came in at $34 US (i had to pay shipping, you won't need to) and i'm very satisfied. Just look around, you will see many sellers selling the same caps, same photo, they are everything you expect a PBT cap to be.