Mechanical keyboards
Discussion
Lord Marylebone said:
This isn’t aimed at the OP, but it never ceases to amaze me how incredibly tight people are when it comes to spending money on the tools that earn their entire living.
I work with guys who get paid £400-600 a day, for years on end, and getting them to part with £1200 for a new laptop when their old one is faltering is like you are asking them to hand over their life savings.
It is literally the only tool they will use, all day every day, for several years, while earning their living.
I have to remind them that it’s two days wages.
My living depends on my laptop, an external drive, and dual monitors for when I’m working from home and maybe a few other minor bits and pieces. So I buy the very best of everything.
I don't mind this. Until I went permy I was one of your highlighted demographic but its why the replacement is needed. If it's done and no longer functional then it's a no brainer, but it by no means justifies buying the very best of what's available. I will buy exactly what I need at the budget I need to do the job I need. (Fancy keyboards excluded;))I work with guys who get paid £400-600 a day, for years on end, and getting them to part with £1200 for a new laptop when their old one is faltering is like you are asking them to hand over their life savings.
It is literally the only tool they will use, all day every day, for several years, while earning their living.
I have to remind them that it’s two days wages.
My living depends on my laptop, an external drive, and dual monitors for when I’m working from home and maybe a few other minor bits and pieces. So I buy the very best of everything.
Bearing in mind it's likely we are claiming the benefits through limited companies or whatever then it makes perfect business sense to be frugal.
I bought on these these about 4 months ago:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07BYB47J7
The keyboard is okay (need charging a bit too often for my liking) and I like the way it feels and lights up when you go near it.
The mouse is thing to behold !
I also spend 10-12 hours a day in front of my PC for work and non-work so I'm getting my money's worth from it.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07BYB47J7
The keyboard is okay (need charging a bit too often for my liking) and I like the way it feels and lights up when you go near it.
The mouse is thing to behold !
I also spend 10-12 hours a day in front of my PC for work and non-work so I'm getting my money's worth from it.
Cheap Aukey branded UK tenkeyless with clones of Cherry Blue switches. This looks identical with different branding:
Redragon Gaming Mechanical Keyboard K552-N-UK KUMARA, 87 Key Mechanical Keyboard with Blue Switches for PC Gaming (Replaceable Keyswitch) - UK Layout (No light) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07CMJFMW8/ref=cm_sw_r...
Bought it a couple of years ago just to try but it’s absolutely spot on for what I want so finding it hard to justify £100+ for a posh version of the same. Put some nicer key caps on as the originals we fading.
Filco Majestouch would probably be my choice if I was spending big money. Corsair have some nice options that aren’t too “gamer” - some just have switchable red backlighting rather than RGB. Not a lot of choice really if you want proper UK layout with double height enter key etc. If you can live with US there’s loads.
Redragon Gaming Mechanical Keyboard K552-N-UK KUMARA, 87 Key Mechanical Keyboard with Blue Switches for PC Gaming (Replaceable Keyswitch) - UK Layout (No light) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07CMJFMW8/ref=cm_sw_r...
Bought it a couple of years ago just to try but it’s absolutely spot on for what I want so finding it hard to justify £100+ for a posh version of the same. Put some nicer key caps on as the originals we fading.
Filco Majestouch would probably be my choice if I was spending big money. Corsair have some nice options that aren’t too “gamer” - some just have switchable red backlighting rather than RGB. Not a lot of choice really if you want proper UK layout with double height enter key etc. If you can live with US there’s loads.
devnull said:
I have a few.
Keychron K2
Unicomp Classic (clone / continuation of the IBM Model M)
Realforce R2 Limited (Topre Keys)
Happy Hacking Keyboard Professional 2 (Topre Keys)
Ducky One2 Horizon
Plus a corsair K95 and a steelseries which I couldn't get on with.
Out of them all, the Realforce is my favourite. Topre Keys are amazing. The keychron / Unicomp classic are my number two favourites, but are a bit loud for things like conference calls! (I work from home, so pissing off the office with clacky noises is limited to annoying the wife).
I still have a working Model M keyboard but it now sits in a cupboard. It saw daily use for 20 years. I have a Unicomp as a replacement and I still reckon the double spring keyboard is the best: https://www.keyboardco.com/category.asp?man=unicom...Keychron K2
Unicomp Classic (clone / continuation of the IBM Model M)
Realforce R2 Limited (Topre Keys)
Happy Hacking Keyboard Professional 2 (Topre Keys)
Ducky One2 Horizon
Plus a corsair K95 and a steelseries which I couldn't get on with.
Out of them all, the Realforce is my favourite. Topre Keys are amazing. The keychron / Unicomp classic are my number two favourites, but are a bit loud for things like conference calls! (I work from home, so pissing off the office with clacky noises is limited to annoying the wife).
Davie_GLA said:
snuffy said:
You might be right then.
And it super expensive for non mechanical. I guess the money is in the mouse. Davie_GLA said:
What you got?
I have a really old one that has started to go. Double pressing keys, missing altogether etc.
It’s had a decent clean. It to no avail.
It has really loud clicks keys which I don’t mind but those around me have threatened physical violence before.
So, what you got? Budget is no more than £150, not bothered about it lighting up RGB. I’m more interested in the feel, weight and great quality. 104 key a bonus but not a deal breaker.
limited to PC ?I have a really old one that has started to go. Double pressing keys, missing altogether etc.
It’s had a decent clean. It to no avail.
It has really loud clicks keys which I don’t mind but those around me have threatened physical violence before.
So, what you got? Budget is no more than £150, not bothered about it lighting up RGB. I’m more interested in the feel, weight and great quality. 104 key a bonus but not a deal breaker.
I have three C64 keyboards two fully operable. one CBM pet 3032, one BBC, a couple of DEC 440, trs80 model 4. and other odds and sods. all well used all bar one 100% functional.
not bad after 30-40 years of use
Corsair K95 RGB Platinum with MX Speed switches...and while the keyboard is great to use, the reliability of the LEDs leaves a lot to be desired. I have one key that doesn't show the correct colour, and turning the keyboard over can cause others to show the same problem. In most cases the issue disappears by hitting the key a bit harder than normal., but it doesn't say much for build quality.
Corsair K65, but anything Cherry MX based works fine. I like a good click.
Eldest son has an older version of this:
https://www.daskeyboard.com/daskeyboard-4-ultimate...
I can cope with him touch typing prose, but watching him crank out python without looking at the keyboard is just damn annoying.
Eldest son has an older version of this:
https://www.daskeyboard.com/daskeyboard-4-ultimate...
I can cope with him touch typing prose, but watching him crank out python without looking at the keyboard is just damn annoying.
Well, it's here and it is a decent feeling keyboard.
I've got it running on a mac just now and although it was a bit of a faff to get going it's done now and i've got it set to a solid colour rather than the stroke inducing rainbow effect it ships with.
So far it has one annoyance that i'm not sure i'll be able to deal with. When pressing the space bar it has a dull but very noticible "clang", if that makes sense. It's like the sound you make if you bump a metal water bottle lightly with a dull object. This may be a deal breaker....
Will use it for a couple of days and see how it goes but if i can get over that with perhaps some music on in the background then we might be good.
Slight shift in brain co-ordination needed too as there are 5 customisable "G" keys at the extreme left. My brain is programmed to go to the farthest most left position for keys like shift, tab, ctrl etc and i've struck these keys a few times by accident already.
Will report back for those interested.
I've got it running on a mac just now and although it was a bit of a faff to get going it's done now and i've got it set to a solid colour rather than the stroke inducing rainbow effect it ships with.
So far it has one annoyance that i'm not sure i'll be able to deal with. When pressing the space bar it has a dull but very noticible "clang", if that makes sense. It's like the sound you make if you bump a metal water bottle lightly with a dull object. This may be a deal breaker....
Will use it for a couple of days and see how it goes but if i can get over that with perhaps some music on in the background then we might be good.
Slight shift in brain co-ordination needed too as there are 5 customisable "G" keys at the extreme left. My brain is programmed to go to the farthest most left position for keys like shift, tab, ctrl etc and i've struck these keys a few times by accident already.
Will report back for those interested.
mikef said:
On my PCs Filco Majestouch TenKeyless, on Mac a Keychron K1 and a K4. Keychron are a Kickstarter project, solid, cheap (sent from China in a couple of days) and operate wired or Bluetooth. Worth looking up. On all of these you can specify which switches you want
I like the look of these. currently developing on a MB Pro with a dual screen set up and apple magic keyboard that I cant really get on with. do you recommend the K1 or the K4 for a Mac?
I was pondering a mechanical keyboard for a while. My local Currys had the ADX MK0217 (or the 0218) on offer reduced from £40 to £25.00. It has 'red' mechanical key switches - I assume own brand as you wouldn't get cherry reds for that price.
So far I am really impressed. Has a nice key action - not as clicky as the blues (AIUI) but certain sooo much nicer to type on than a membrane keyboard. Its mega heavy as well so stays well put and there is very little flex in it. Has a wrist wrest included in the box.
I have no reference point as this is the first 'proper' keyboard I have purchased but for the price I paid I don't think you can go far wrong. I think Currys have stopped selling them, but found a few for sale on ebay etc.
So far I am really impressed. Has a nice key action - not as clicky as the blues (AIUI) but certain sooo much nicer to type on than a membrane keyboard. Its mega heavy as well so stays well put and there is very little flex in it. Has a wrist wrest included in the box.
I have no reference point as this is the first 'proper' keyboard I have purchased but for the price I paid I don't think you can go far wrong. I think Currys have stopped selling them, but found a few for sale on ebay etc.
SSeeking advice. Currently using a Roccat Vulcan 120, as you can see it' started either registering double presses or not at all on certtain keys SS and T esspecially. I thought it was related to an update of firmware as that was when I first noticed but it sseems that this is a known mechanical issue with this model.
Really annoying.It's going back.
I'm going to go through this thread for suggestions but anything people recommend. Budget is £130ih as that is what I paid.
All errors left in intentionally.
Really annoying.It's going back.
I'm going to go through this thread for suggestions but anything people recommend. Budget is £130ih as that is what I paid.
All errors left in intentionally.
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