/mkg/ - mechanical keyboards general

logitech did nothing wrong edition

>Buyer's template for the unenlightened:
pastebin.com/33S1gVkG
Where to Buy:
>pastebin.com/8Yku80VL
FAQs:
>pastebin.com/M5w7QtKp
You are new and want our advice? Use buyers template
>pastebin.com/33S1gVkG
Keyset wiki
>keypuller.com

previous: →

Other urls found in this thread:

amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01DBYNVSY
aliexpress.com/store/product/Tada68-Mechanical-keyboard-gateron-swtich-65-layout-Dye-sub-keycaps-cherry-profils-enjoypbt-keycap-cherry-profile/2230037_32807055607.html
amazon.com/Mechanical-Keyboard-GATERON-Magicforce-Qisan/dp/B01E57PUNA
keyboardco.com/product-images/ibm_model_m_beige_usb_large.jpg
mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=2424
mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=1651
modelfkeyboards.com/
twitter.com/SFWRedditGifs

is this a varmilo va87?
I'm not sure because the keys seem more recessed

>is this a varmilo va87?
no

generic TKL like Filco Majestouch 2 TKL Hakua with DSA Candy

>varmilo va87
I'd like to know. I've been looking for a simple TKL without any LEDs or other bullshit.

I need to pick up a cordless setup for occasional use with my Steam Link. My ideal is a TKL with something tactile or clicky, with slightly inset keys like what looks like, and with LEDs I can toggle without software. Does such a thing exist? I don't mind the DIY route if it's just the assembly, although I've never done it before.

yeah i love the clean look too, hopefully someone knows the model

Drevo Excalibur has everything you're looking for except inset keys. Hella cheap too.

> (You)
>except inset keys
And cordless! Not a bad looking board otherwise though.

Kind of a follow on from the last thread, since I can't get a buckling spring tenkeyless I'm after the next best thing. Some user recommended 'Matias Click' switches, are they the closest thing to a buckling spring or should I go for some kind of ALPS?

When we will sacrifice Unicomp to Gateron God?
We need capacitive buckling springs in discrete form.

anyone have modified chinkforces? It's a comfy keyboard with orings installed.

Matias switches actually are modern ALPS clones. Their click ones are buckling spring levels of tactile and clicky.

Unicomp ultra classic or Cherry G8
Unicomp:
>Buckling springs
Nkro by PS/2

How to minimize ping sounds? My mkg is from OP.

Cherry G80s are only 2kro. Doesn't matter what connector. The PCB has no diodes.

For a poorer and new mechanical keyboarder, is the ducky one a good buy?

Any recommendations for a keyboard that has them? A popular one seems to be the 'KBParadise V80', which I've not heard of but people seem to like.

Since I'm ordering from the US and going to get raped by import fees and shipping, I may as well buy two keyboards. Is there another kind of switch I should look into? Kind of like an insurance in case I don't like the Matias ones.

>

KBP is popular but I hear they have QC issues, particularly with butchering the switches during installation and leading to early switch failure.
Matias themselves used to have a 65% board with clicky switches but they discontinued the PC version.

>Unicomp keyboards have plenty of rollover

With two axes (row and column) and without any diodes to control the direction signals flow in, a keyboard can only be 2KRO. Key rollover means it'll correctly register at least that many keys no matter what combination you press. It is possible for a 2KRO keyboard to register more than 2 keys depending on the matrix layout; it just can't do it over the whole board.

Those diodes cant be added latter right?

Not unless the PCB was laid out with traces for the diodes and there's a way to switch it over from one set of tracks to the other.

Even then the keyboard firmware's anti-ghosting code would still block the key combos you can't get on the 2KRO matrix.

>With two axes (row and column) and without any diodes...
Didn't know it worked like that. I guess its because I do nothing but type and game, when I'm holding keys it's usually just modifiers.

The varmilo va68m is nicer and comfier imo.

Yes, try to get one with white/gray PBT keycaps. I've heard the blue/gray keycaps are only pad-printed, but I don't know if that's true.

I want to get a new keyboard, something small because I'm getting autistic about my hands being perfectly centered to the screen while I type without having the mouse at 1km to my right.

I'm starting to learn web developement, do you thinkg I'll miss the F_ row and/or arrows much?

OEM or Cherry profile?

What kind of Alps is this, 'Alps SKCM Black'?

They are in a Dell keyboard.

yes

no

maybe

I presume that's a Dell AT101W, aka a Bigfoot.

can you repeat the question

Yeah.

Deskauthority says that ones with a Windows key (which these are) all use Alps blacks, so I guess that's what they are.

What about the F77 that was being discussed in the last thread? It's technically navless but the only difference is that it has a few extra keys between the arrow cluster and the navigation cluster which lets that island work as a tenkey if you wanted. Seems close enough to me, unless your autism is set on a true tkl and only that.

Buckling spring or alps?

For that matter, do matias quiets sacrifice tactility, or are they the same thing but quiet?

Hate the case design with its huge fuckoff bezel and the antiquated layout. Really wish they'd made modern boards with the switches instead of trying to make replicas.

Matias quiets are just a little less tactile because the click leaf in ALPS style switches adds slight tactility. They blow away Cherry switches for tactility regardless.

>F77
It's insanely expensive and I need muh F keys, plus it looks to be about as wide as a full keyboard anyway because of the big empty spaces on each side of the keys.

What about the new coolermaster master key S pbt?

I'd get a tada but it doesn't have F-keys or arrow keys which I still use.

Tada has arrow keys though

There's a compact version with normal bezels you mongs

My bad, but I still kind of use the F keys sometimes.

Still no F keys.

>"ultra compact" bezel is still huge

Why would you go on the internet and tell lies like that?

Also the layout is still shit.

>sometimes
If they're not an absolutely integral part of your workflow you'll be fine. I haven't had any problems pressing fn+5 every time I want to refresh my browser for example.
I also added myself a third layer which makes the tada usable as a 40% and I'm actually liking it, makes hitting f keys even easier. You could do something like that, maybe remap fn+home row to f keys if you really use them often.

In the end it's your personal preference, I just want to point out that they're far from unusable and a deal breaker if you're willing to get used to entering them differently.

This shit needs to get chinked, like right now.

>tfw I secretly need F keys not for workflow, but for League, Broodwar, and Dota macros.

>the layout is shit
But it's not? You have the superior version of a tkl where the nav cluster can double as a proper numpad (no idea why that's not more popular), and you have the standard 60%.

I agree about the bezels though, they're definitely bigger than average. I don't mind but if you have limited desk space it could definitely make a difference.

I know, the guy is such a faggot in his Q&A section too.

>why no F keys
>'dude just use Fn+F keys xd'

No, FAGGOT go FUCK YOURSELF. I want my true 87 key buckling spring keyboard, and I'm not about to go buy a thirty year old Model M off eBay for $500 that is covered in sperm.

Fair point

You could still remap some stuff around but I can see why you wouldn't want to do that

So should I get the new masterkey s pbt or the ducky one tkl pbt?

inb4 tada, I want F keys for dota memes and sometimes use them to control itunes, and I'm really afraid of spending 100+ on chink shit with no warranty.

I know, right? It's not like f keys have any effect on mouse placement/ergonomics (the main reason for 60-80% layouts), and it's not like you'll be spending $350 on a giant IBM-sized keyboard to conserve desk space.

Go nuts. Just don't spend the extra $$$ for RGB memes.

Anyone know what kind of Cherry MX copy this keyboard is using?

amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01DBYNVSY

They just say 'blue', which isn't very helpful for determining if it uses Gateron, Kailh or whatever. It looks to just be the 'Easterntimes i-500' being sold under a different name, but I'm not sure if they all

Yeah this is the i-500 that's been mentioned a few times, that uses outemus.

I'm not aware of any of the various rebrands of it using different switches (and why would they, outemu is such cheap chinkshit that at that point nobody will bother making a knock off of THAT). Though if you're unsure, you can always buy it, pull off a keycap to take a look, and return it to amazon if you're unhappy.

Wich one?

aliexpress.com/store/product/Tada68-Mechanical-keyboard-gateron-swtich-65-layout-Dye-sub-keycaps-cherry-profils-enjoypbt-keycap-cherry-profile/2230037_32807055607.html

amazon.com/Mechanical-Keyboard-GATERON-Magicforce-Qisan/dp/B01E57PUNA

>miameme
thought?

Both are nice. Get one's that cheaper.

my mouth waters every time

Tada has actually good keycaps

Magicmeme is for when you want to buy your own, also it's not programmable

>2 Windows keys

haha

>Getting worked up over rubber domes

The tada68 has a 6.25u spacebar, right? Or am I blind and retarded

keyboardco.com/product-images/ibm_model_m_beige_usb_large.jpg

Good mouse to go with this?

>hey senpai how u want ur keyboard logo?

Obviously you've never tried them if you refer to them as rubber domes.

Standard rubber domes have a little nub at the underside of them which hits against a membrane sheet registering a key stroke. Topre domes don't have that, they have a large dome with a spring underneath and it's the spring making contact with the PCB that registers the key stroke. It's a truly great feel, if you can't afford topre at least buy one of the NIZ, Noppoo or Plum topre clones and see for yourself.

>it's another topre user defends his shit keyboard as 'not a rubber dome' episode

>It's another poorfag that can't afford to try topre

>he thinks I'm not typing this out on a gold plated tenkeyless ibm model m

I have. You don't even know how it works yourself. It's the metal in the spring getting closer to the pcb pads in an AC pulsed circuit. Capacitive means no electrical contact by definition. And all that changes is the point of actuation, not the key feel which is 99% same as any other halfway decent rubber dome over PCB. I got an old BTC-5100C for $3 that's 90% of the same experience.

Topre would be a fantastic board at a $30-$50 price point as a premium rubbber dome but they're nothing but meme garbage at the prices they ask for.

>typed from my original IBM beam meme

>tfw you destroyed your black/black unicomp
>tfw they only sell black/pearl now
>tfw you can't even buy black keys for them because they only sell single space coloured keys

Is this guy HIV positive?

Just use your old keys on your new board.

I bought another with the intention of doing so but they don't fit, they moved from a single piece key to a two piece key, and they changed up the sizes of the spacebar and a few other keys.

I own IBM Model M's, F's and Beamsprings but I still appreciate topre for what it is.
I never implied it was the spring that gave it the great feel, It's funny how you try and change what other people say just so you can tell them they are wrong. Obviously it's the weighted domes that change the feel, I've just done a dome swap in my Noppoo 108. Clearly YOU do not know how they work since BTC 5100C dome slider boards are conductive and NOT capacitive.

Apparently you have no reading comprehension because I just said that it being capacitive had shit to do with the feel and a rubber dome is a rubber dome. There's nothing magical about their domes. What I said was their only distinction was their point of actuation compared to other ones. That is their only standout feature.

What I asserted is there is no great feel to their domes compared to other single dome rubber domes, full dead stop.

>I still appreciate topre for what it is
No, you aren't allowed to like it.

And I guess buying my own keycaps would put the price on par if not more expensive.

Actually there is a difference... Like I said in my first post, normal rubber domes are similar except they have a rubber nub at the bottom, when that hits a membrane you get a mushy as fuck feeling. Go find a $10 rubber dome keyboard, take it apart, cut them nubs off and put it together again. You'll notice how much smoother and nicer it feels to type on, similar to how topre feels except it wont function at all because it's not capacitive and it requires physical contact with the membrane sheets. The fact topre and topre clones are capacitive is what makes them so great.

Also BTC Dome with slider are not as good as topre, go watch chyrosrans videos. He said they were comparable, but still not as good. Plus BTC's were expensive as fuck back in the day as well. Point is topres feel great and they are well worth the money, only the poorfags would complain.

Two piece keys have been used on their boards depending on the model since forever. I'm guessing you had the old shorter spacebar and different bottom row modifiers.

What's wrong with your old one anyhow?

>forever
The original one I bought was from 2013, I don't know when they changed over to their new style.

>What's wrong with your old one anyhow?
Spilled beer on it, ended up selling it on eBay for 20% of what I paid for it.

They do sell the black keys, send them an email. They'll sell you all the keys except for the right shift key which you can take from your current board or dye a pebble coloured one.

Step back a second and look at what you're arguing. Are you seriously trying to sell a keyboard on pure bottom out feel when its one unique feature is that you don't have to bottom it out?

Now that's just plain funny.

I mean I had a 2007 model that had two piece keys but the shorter bottom row keys.

Are you retarded? Topre pretty much forces you to bottom out... It the feel and sound that people care about, not the fact you don't have to bottom out to actuate keys. The fact it's capacitive allows them to produce high quality domes without the shitty nubs

Yours looks really nice, I take it you ordered a set of black keys? What did it cost roughly?

I really like the plain looks of these, even got a plain LED cover on mine instead of having the Unicomp logo.

The company is weird though, I bought a Dvorak printed one off them once and it had a converter in it to make Dvorak inputs come out as Dvorak on a Qwerty configured OS. It totally screwed everything up because I had my OS language as Dvorak, so it just came out as nonsense. I had to get them to send me the normal non-messed up part and put it in.

That's weird, mine were definitely one piece, what colour was yours? Maybe all their black ones were one piece, and their black/pearl ones were two pieces?

I want the cheapest possible TKL blank PBT keyboard with cherry blues. (of decent build quality)
Would this $89 ducky
mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=2424
and these $44 gateron keycaps
mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=1651
be a good choice?

Do they ship together if I buy them together?
Also, why are there images of different colorschemes for those gaterons below?
Can I choose a different colorscheme?

Mine was black with pebble keys. I got a white set and a black spacebar to get that two tone look a couple years before they released a similar one on massdrop.

Yeh I got the keyboard itself as a gift from my girlfriend then I asked Unicomp over email if they'd sell a full set of black blank keys, they said I can but I'd need to buy a different coloured shift key so I ended up dying that black to match. Any benefits to using dvorak? Can't say I've ever tried it.

Oh and the black blank keys cost the exact same as a regular blank set.

>Any benefits to using dvorak
I don't really find it much faster than Qwerty (probably like 10-20%, but probably only because I'm so used to it), but it takes way less effort to use and is generally just lazier. The downsides are that shortcuts like ctrl+c etc. are a mess to use, you look like a retard in public when you need to type something up in Qwerty and you haven't used it in weeks or months, and everyone will know you have high functioning autism if they ever use your computer/laptop. It happened to me once while in a group of people in a professional setting, someone tried to type something up on my laptop and looked like they were about to have a stroke.

>Can't say I've ever tried it.
It doesn't take long to learn contrary to popular belief. The first week will be brutal and you'll be down to like 10wpm or less, but it's important to resist the urge to go back to Qwerty or you'll just confuse yourself. I was 'fluent' in probably less than a month.

You've made me want to change everyones keyboards at work to dvorak just to see their reactions. I'll probably switch my model f to dvorak at some point to try it since the board is fully programmable.

Good PBT blanks are around $40, quality printed ones around $70-$80

So yeah tada is actually a great deal in that regard, hence why it's shilled so much around here

Who already pre-ordered Yoda 2?

I did.

>dvorak
Why would you do that when Colemak or even Workman exist?

Thoughts on rantopad mxx?
Gateron reds, metal frame, detachable usb etc

>Colemak
Do I look like a casual to you?

Model M owners on suicide watch

modelfkeyboards.com/

>he thinks people are that elitist
No one cares, cheaper keyboards are a good thing, and we've already had this discussion a few posts up, these keyboards are shit.

>people aren't elitists
>waste hundreds of dollars and rainbow colored meme caps and braided cables

R8 my keyboard

Also where is good place to order SA Grade keycaps if you live in UK?