As the title states... I'm guessing there isn't and I'm left with trial and error. I live in London. I heard lots of good things about mechanical keyboards, but never actually touched one. I'm thinking about getting better peripherals, but it's hard for me to spend 80-100£ by just reading about them on the web. I do quite a bit of gaming, but except for Bad Company 2 (and BF3 in the near future) it's mostly strategy games and other slower paced titles. Also using Word, Excel and Access quite a bit for work so typing is potentially more important than gaming. I've read reviews of the new Corsair keyboards, but it seems they will be too sensitive since they both use Red switches. I was thinking about something with Brown ones, or just generally midway when it comes to pressure. Again though, this is all just from reading so I might be completely wrong here. I might try and pop to Yoyotech next time I'm around Tottenham Court Road and check whether they have any mechanical keyboards, but I don't have high hopes.
If you go on the FB page, you can ask them. I asked them about mice and they listed all the ones that were in stock and on the shop floor.
I've been to Yoyotech before and they let me play with a Black Widow. Well, they let me had a play with the arrow keys because there's a cutout there. They weren't willing to let me have a go with the Corsair ones though which is fair enough since they'd have to unbox them.
My advice: do some research, pick one and take the plunge. The likelihood of you being disappointed by a mechanical is fairly slim. In the event you are, the resell value is very high.
I'm with lysol, do some reading, then take the plunge If you're not 100% satisfied, just gives you an excuse to buy another
I think that The Keyboard Company who sell Filco keyboards and other mechanical switch stuff used to attend exhibitions with their wares and let people have a try out. If you pop over to the GeekHack forum and ask in the Keyboad Company sub forum they probably reply quite quickly and will be able to let you know if they still do this. Or, "google" their details and give them a ring. Itchy Rim
lol I'm finding it really hard to justify spending that money in the first place. Funds are pretty tight when it come to non-essential spending. I have to get it right the first time if I'm going to spend north of 80£ on a keyboard.
Corsair K series, Thermaltake Meka, Razer Black Widow series, Steelseries 7/6g, there's a few different mechanical boards from bigger name sellers which you might find in shops. From that list you should be able to try out every switch if you can actually find and be allowed to try each. At the very least once you've tried one it can give you a better idea of what others would be like. That's what I did, turned out well. Only afterwards did I stop to think of buying individual switches to at least get a feel of each. Having tried the main four Cherries now (blacks and blues admittedly not on a real board, which makes a difference) I would have been fine getting any one of them, they really aren't as different from each other as I'd imagined.
I can, it's not that much of a detour while on the tube, but why? Can't think of any PC shops around that are. Not that I know it very well. That sounds encouraging. I'm free this Friday to Sunday so I'll pop around their place and see whether I can fondle anything.
At the last iSeries a couple of companies were really helpful. One I forget who had a keyboard with at least 4 switches with keys for you to try. The rep was really helpful and actually wanted feedback as to what gamers preferred. Worth checking out of you ever LAN
