Hey everyone, I've been off and on this site many times over the years but never registered so decided I'd sign on to get some useful information here. My keyboards have expectedly all been membrane keyboards, the first nicer membrane I bought was the original Saitek keyboard with backlighitng and the command pad. After that wore out, I bougt the newer version. I had an interest in mechanical keyboards a bit back, and found the ABS M1 keyboard on Newegg for about $30 IIRC so I gave it a shot. I hated that keyboard. The keys were too tall, too stiff, and I made infinitely more mistakes typing on that than I ever did with a regular keyboard. So I ended up boxing it up, selling it on Craigslist and after using the Saitek for awhile longer I bought a G15 on sale because I wanted the screen.
The G15 is my current keyboard, and I honestly don't have any real complaints. I don't use the macro keys, but I knew I probably wouldn't. The screen I use to monitor my GPU usage and FPS which I find handy to know how a game is performing without having to enter console and turn on FPS through the game. I used to have a problem with my graphics card software not ramping up the fan speed so I used this to monitor it - however I have resolved that issue. I don't have a problem with the way this keyboard feels, but I'm interested in having a more durable keyboard. I believe the Cherry Red switches are what I might enjoy most, but I am absolutely not a fan of black Alps and will never buy another one.
I'm very picky about a few things with my keyboards though layout wise. I hate keyboards with a double row sized enter key - I prefer the single row sized enter key strongly (It wouldn't necessarily prevent me from buying a keyboard if the rest was as I wanted though). Another quirky thing I enjoy is the caps lock key with a small dip between the tall part of the key and the A key which leaves room for a finger to rest. I like to rest my pinky in this gap and it helps me as I type to positionally keep on track. This is a dealbreaker for me, unless literally every keyboard does not have this (Which I find hard to believe, as I've had a bunch of membrane keyboard that had it). I also don't mind the Windows key, I actually use it so if possible I'd like a keyboard that still has a Windows key - but I could get used to not having it if the rest was alright.
Backlighting is entirely optional, it would be cool if I can get it just because I like the looks - I'm a touch typist though so I don't really need them. On that same note, blank keys are fine with me, I know where everything is and in a way I enjoy the idea of having a keyboard like this just because I know anyone else will look at it and wonder how on earth I know what I'm typing. As far as tenkeyless, I strongly prefer it to have tenkeys - my mouse is located on my desk and not on the same little pull out drawer as my keyboard (Though I suppose if the keyboard was tiny enough I could put it on the drawer...hmm, I won't rule this out so I guess moot point). I have indeed seen the mechanical keyboard guide, but I would like a bit more personalized help. I have an old IBM Model M keyboard which is laying around and works fine, I tried using it but I'm not a fan of all the noise and especially not the looks (It distracts me while I'm looking at the monitor with its ugly giant beige enclosure) - on this note I'd prefer a black keyboard or dark grey over a beige, but I've seen some of the beiges that are much more mellow that I could deal with. More than anything this just probably rules out the big old keyboards.
I have an extremely hard time making myself spend the kind of money the nicer ones go for ($300+) especially since I'm not sold on mechanical keyboards yet. The $150 and under range is where I'm looking at, and if at all possible a place that offers a return policy would be great - as I'm afraid I'll have buyer's remorse again like with the ABS M1 (Except this time I'll have an expensive keyboard no one on Craigslist will bu - shoot it took me a long time to get what I paid back out of that ABS M1...). Can anyone name me some suggestions to consider? I know the Cherry Reds are probably the more difficult to find ones, so I'm not even sure how many options I'd have. How do the Cherry Blacks compare to the Black Alps? I might be ok with MX Browns as well. Any input is appreciated here, just know I personally don't hate membrane keyboards like some people do - but I did find the IBM Model M to be a kind of neat feeling keyboard in the actuation. I always liked those keyboards as a kid at school because as a fast typer back then when I was typing I'd be making a ton of noise and people were always like "Whoa look at how fast he's typing!" but this is just going to be in my home so I don't need to hear all that racket.
EDIT: Just a bit of looking and I really am digging these little guys
http://elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=leopold,tenkeyless
Only thing I don't like, their no return policy...I can't complain about $100 and offering Red and Brown but I don't even know which I prefer. Are these decent keyboards?
Also, could someone please tell me what makes HHKBs so expensive? I'm sure it's something that I'm just not seeing, or are they just expensive because they're a popular tenkeyless?
Edited by Vistance - 9/19/12 at 9:48pm
The G15 is my current keyboard, and I honestly don't have any real complaints. I don't use the macro keys, but I knew I probably wouldn't. The screen I use to monitor my GPU usage and FPS which I find handy to know how a game is performing without having to enter console and turn on FPS through the game. I used to have a problem with my graphics card software not ramping up the fan speed so I used this to monitor it - however I have resolved that issue. I don't have a problem with the way this keyboard feels, but I'm interested in having a more durable keyboard. I believe the Cherry Red switches are what I might enjoy most, but I am absolutely not a fan of black Alps and will never buy another one.
I'm very picky about a few things with my keyboards though layout wise. I hate keyboards with a double row sized enter key - I prefer the single row sized enter key strongly (It wouldn't necessarily prevent me from buying a keyboard if the rest was as I wanted though). Another quirky thing I enjoy is the caps lock key with a small dip between the tall part of the key and the A key which leaves room for a finger to rest. I like to rest my pinky in this gap and it helps me as I type to positionally keep on track. This is a dealbreaker for me, unless literally every keyboard does not have this (Which I find hard to believe, as I've had a bunch of membrane keyboard that had it). I also don't mind the Windows key, I actually use it so if possible I'd like a keyboard that still has a Windows key - but I could get used to not having it if the rest was alright.
Backlighting is entirely optional, it would be cool if I can get it just because I like the looks - I'm a touch typist though so I don't really need them. On that same note, blank keys are fine with me, I know where everything is and in a way I enjoy the idea of having a keyboard like this just because I know anyone else will look at it and wonder how on earth I know what I'm typing. As far as tenkeyless, I strongly prefer it to have tenkeys - my mouse is located on my desk and not on the same little pull out drawer as my keyboard (Though I suppose if the keyboard was tiny enough I could put it on the drawer...hmm, I won't rule this out so I guess moot point). I have indeed seen the mechanical keyboard guide, but I would like a bit more personalized help. I have an old IBM Model M keyboard which is laying around and works fine, I tried using it but I'm not a fan of all the noise and especially not the looks (It distracts me while I'm looking at the monitor with its ugly giant beige enclosure) - on this note I'd prefer a black keyboard or dark grey over a beige, but I've seen some of the beiges that are much more mellow that I could deal with. More than anything this just probably rules out the big old keyboards.
I have an extremely hard time making myself spend the kind of money the nicer ones go for ($300+) especially since I'm not sold on mechanical keyboards yet. The $150 and under range is where I'm looking at, and if at all possible a place that offers a return policy would be great - as I'm afraid I'll have buyer's remorse again like with the ABS M1 (Except this time I'll have an expensive keyboard no one on Craigslist will bu - shoot it took me a long time to get what I paid back out of that ABS M1...). Can anyone name me some suggestions to consider? I know the Cherry Reds are probably the more difficult to find ones, so I'm not even sure how many options I'd have. How do the Cherry Blacks compare to the Black Alps? I might be ok with MX Browns as well. Any input is appreciated here, just know I personally don't hate membrane keyboards like some people do - but I did find the IBM Model M to be a kind of neat feeling keyboard in the actuation. I always liked those keyboards as a kid at school because as a fast typer back then when I was typing I'd be making a ton of noise and people were always like "Whoa look at how fast he's typing!" but this is just going to be in my home so I don't need to hear all that racket.
EDIT: Just a bit of looking and I really am digging these little guys
http://elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=leopold,tenkeyless
Only thing I don't like, their no return policy...I can't complain about $100 and offering Red and Brown but I don't even know which I prefer. Are these decent keyboards?
Also, could someone please tell me what makes HHKBs so expensive? I'm sure it's something that I'm just not seeing, or are they just expensive because they're a popular tenkeyless?
Edited by Vistance - 9/19/12 at 9:48pm
