Peripherals Mechanical Keyboards

Oh the Carnival Cougar. What a board!

 

Hey folks

My logitech solar keyboard stopped working this morning (or at least stopped charging), its done me proud for the last 5ish years but as I need to replace it I might as well bite the 'one-more-cable-on-the-desk' bullet and go mechanical I've got some noob questions though which I bet have been asked a million times before on here.

Ill be using the keyboard at home for mostly gaming (MMOs mostly so lotsa typing) so I was thinking Red or Brown switches? I earn my pennies writing SQL so for those occasions when I remote into work from home Im guessing that neither of these switches would hold me back? Is there a common popular choice for a gaming focused keyboard switch type?

Is it worth me buying one of those mech switch samples for £15 ish to try the different switches before I buy?

Brand wise I dont really know much about the different types so I was just going to go Ducky / Filco as even I have heard of these and Id like the thing to last. Good idea? Ill be getting a full keyboard rather than TKL because job.

I want some yellow keycaps to match my mouse mat (I know I know), I cant seem to find UK custom keycaps makers other than this, which isnt really the colour that I want. Where do you uk guys normally buy your keycaps from?

I recently bought a fountain pen because I thought that it would be nice to use in meetings and whatnot and now I cant stop buying the bloody things (and ink, oh god the ink). This isn't going to be that addictive, is it?

 

Oh dear...

 

Nurse! We need a another bed on the Mech ward, stat!

 

Well, that escalated quickly.

 

Scroll to the top of the page and you'll see my picture of that exact keycap set that you linked.

 

Hi chaps, looking at getting my first mech after Christmas. Been reading as much of this thread and others as possible. I think I'm down to deciding on either reds or browns but until I try them I guess I just won't know.

We've got one of these on a machine in work and I quite like the feel of the keys.




Looking on the website for that model number it just says "G80-11900LTMUS-2
Black 16″ PS/2 keyboard with touchpad. US 104 position key layout, two PS/2 connectors. Option for serial touchpad interface with included adapter. MX gold crosspoint key-switches." Does this mean they are gold switches, as I've only really seen red/blue/brown mentioned. So just wondering if anyone knows what colour switches these are so I have at least one point of reference. Thanks in advance

Sent from my Xperia Z5

 

They are likely to be MX black switches. Pop one of the caps off to check.

 

I'll have a look later when I go back in (work nights) are they the actual colour underneath? I wondered why they were named the way they were.

Where do blacks sit in the grand scheme of keys in comparison to the others

Sent from my Xperia Z5

 

Here's a useful resource for Cherry MX switches - Wiki Clicky

...and this is the page for MX Blacks

 

The description is a little misleading, but the "gold" refers to how the electronic connection is made - the contacts inside the switch are gold-plated. In that regard, all MX switches are gold, and they use it in their marketing blurb.

Regarding black switches and where they fit in the MX lineup, they use stiff springs and are linear, so there's no tactile feedback and no audible feedback. Of the four most common switch types (red, blue, brown, black), blacks have the highest actuation force.

Black switches are commonly used on EPOS keyboards (I have one) and they used to be relatively common in gaming keyboards, but reds grew in popularity and are now the go-to switch for gaming.

Edit: Ninja Spreadie beat me to it!

 

Switches (any excuse):



Tactile grey
Linear grey
White
Ergo clear
Clear
Red
Black
Blue
Brown
Green

Welcome to the wonderful and weird world of mechanical keyboard enthusiasm

 

Brilliant, thanks for your help chaps

Sent from my Xperia Z5

 

Just because I was looking at it anyway: http://deskthority.net/wiki/Cherry_G80-11900

I'm a fan of black switches. I never find the high actuation force a problem and they're relatively quiet, especially once you get used to the fact you don't have to fully depress them to register.

 

Merry Christmas keyboardy people!

Sent from my XT1092 using Tapatalk

 

I got myself a Filco Majestouch MINILA Air, wireless with cherry red. Let me know if anybody have any questions

 

Stupid question, TKL refers to the removal of the num-pad, what's the name for the removal of the cursor key section (or when its combined into the main block)?

 

I believe they are commonly referred to as 70-60% keyboards, depending on whether the F row has been removed as well.

 

thanks!