Mechanical Keyboard

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Krishant007

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#114184 11-Feb-2013 14:08

Could anyone please recommend me a decent Mechnical Keyboard. I would like it to be cheapish (~150).

I am not really a hardout gamer - so dont need too many macro keys. I would like media keys though (i know they are hard to come by in Mech Keyboards)

I would like backlighting if possible.

I tried out a couple of the different coloured keys. I preferred Blue and Brown - but havent spent enough time on any to be decided on any particular one.

Anyone got any advice on these?

Thanks

Lizard1977

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#759523 11-Feb-2013 14:26

My wife bought the Corsair Vengeance K60 keyboard for her new computer. I tried it out last week, and it's fantastic. I'm deeply jealous (my bog standard Logitech G15, which is backlit, looks cheap and plasticky in comparison), and I'm sorely tempted to get one for myself. It uses the Red Cherry key type, but I have no idea what the differences are, TBH. No backlighting, though I think the K90 does backlighting (more expensive, though). It's technically only partially mechanical (I think the Home/End/Pg Up/Pg Dn type keys are not mechanical), but it's got it where it counts.

The K60 has media keys, and has a free rolling wheel for volume control which is very nice. There's also a button to lock out the Windows key, so you don't accidentally hit it when playing games.

It's got a nice solid feel to it, with a metal base and spaces between the keys and the base which should make cleaning easier. You can also replace the WASD and 1-5 keys with special red coloured keys, to make it easier for (mostly FPS) gaming. It's USB3.0, with a pass through on the keyboard that you can connect the mouse to, or presumably plug in a USB stick.

About $170 from Computer Lounge, so not cheap, but I reckon it's good value for a mechanical keyboard with a slight gaming/media focus.

timmmay

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#759530 11-Feb-2013 14:35

I have Das Keyboards for home and work. They're mechanical, with Cherry switches (the quiet ones), but none of the other features you want. They're a decent keyboard, but after 13 months (yeah just out of warranty) some keys start feeling different and making different noises. I don't notice it any more but it bugged me for a while. I think I'd buy something else next time.

I purchased them from Australia who have poor consumer protections, or at least protection is very new and not understood, so I suggest buying in NZ.

Krishant007

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#759536 11-Feb-2013 14:42

timmmay: I have Das Keyboards for home and work. They're mechanical, with Cherry switches (the quiet ones), but none of the other features you want. They're a decent keyboard, but after 13 months (yeah just out of warranty) some keys start feeling different and making different noises. I don't notice it any more but it bugged me for a while. I think I'd buy something else next time.

I purchased them from Australia who have poor consumer protections, or at least protection is very new and not understood, so I suggest buying in NZ.

Thanks a lot for the suggestion. I was looking at the Das ones. I have a mate at work who uses one and I was intrigued by it and started looking it up. But it was further down on my list since it did not have those features. Now I can strike it off my list,

I was considering CM, Razer, the Steelseries, Ducky and Logitech (just the one!).

timmmay

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#759539 11-Feb-2013 14:44

They're not bad, I'm not planning on replacing mine, they should last I think. If you can get them reasonably priced you should probably consider them. I like the quiet but mechanical feel.

Krishant007

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#759540 11-Feb-2013 14:47

They are about $190.. so it is quite a bit higher than what I would like to spend.

timmmay

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#759543 11-Feb-2013 14:51

The cheap ones are $150.

Mechanical keyboards are great for typing, are they really that useful for gaming and such? I use a keyboard all day and wouldn't go back to the rubbish supplied with computers.

Krishant007

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#772098 1-Mar-2013 09:37

I ended up getting a Logitech G710+. They had them at $163.30 at PB Tech last night. Their normal prices are 200 and the cheapest on Pricespy at the time was $182.

The reason I got this one is that the brown keys are quite decent - I had tested them on a CM Storm Trigger TK that is usually on display at PB Tech.

The logitech has dedicated media keys - very few (i think 2 other keyboards) have dedicated media keys.

And this thing has full board backlighting which is a plus. Also, it comes with a wrist rest - not a massive one, but its better than what most other mechanical keyboards come with (they dont).

And finally, with this keyboard (I have a Logitech G9x mouse), I just need to run one software for my keyboard and mouse. Had I gotten a Razer, I would need to run Razer software as well as Logitech.

Used it quite briefly so far, but so far, i been liking it.

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gnfb

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#772205 1-Mar-2013 11:35

Lizard1977: My wife bought the Corsair Vengeance K60 keyboard for her new computer. I tried it out last week, and it's fantastic. I'm deeply jealous (my bog standard Logitech G15, which is backlit, looks cheap and plasticky in comparison), and I'm sorely tempted to get one for myself. It uses the Red Cherry key type, but I have no idea what the differences are, TBH. No backlighting, though I think the K90 does backlighting (more expensive, though). It's technically only partially mechanical (I think the Home/End/Pg Up/Pg Dn type keys are not mechanical), but it's got it where it counts.

The K60 has media keys, and has a free rolling wheel for volume control which is very nice. There's also a button to lock out the Windows key, so you don't accidentally hit it when playing games.

It's got a nice solid feel to it, with a metal base and spaces between the keys and the base which should make cleaning easier. You can also replace the WASD and 1-5 keys with special red coloured keys, to make it easier for (mostly FPS) gaming. It's USB3.0, with a pass through on the keyboard that you can connect the mouse to, or presumably plug in a USB stick.

About $170 from Computer Lounge, so not cheap, but I reckon it's good value for a mechanical keyboard with a slight gaming/media focus.

Just checked out this keyboard only online and they really look "the Bomb!" i think thats what the kids say, might have to get one to replace my aging but faithfull IBM KB

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