Peripherals Want a new Keyboard

Current keyboard is a Logitech G110. 12 years old.. worn, shiny caps... worn stabilisers... sounds terrible. I've not really had much experience with other keyboards, apart from the rubbish at work etc.

I want "thock", but have no interest in 60, 65% or even TKL keyboards, and I want RGB. Does any such thing exist? I don't have a great deal of experience with keyboards, but my wife's is a Steel Series with Cherry Reds (I think, but could be blacks)... they are linear in feel any way. Feels nice, but sounds "thin". My daughter just bought a Logitech Pro with GX Blues, and it feels OK, but not into the light, clicky thing it's got going on.

I want a tactile key with a nice, smooth, bassy "thock". Is this the preserve of the custom crowd, with their blank key caps and 60% boards made from depleted uranium, or can mere plebs like me, who want full size boards, media controls and RGB dream of such dizzying heights?

Anyone got any recommendations that I may not have considered.

Thanks muchly.

 

Oh well.. I guess I'm chasing unicorns then.

 

Depends how much you want to spend, and how far down the rabbit hole you're prepared to go....

Are you looking for an off the shelf board where you're stuck with whatever switches it comes with, or do you want a hotswap board so you can play with different switches easily to tune your typing experience and sound? Hotswaps can be bought fully built or barebones where you add your own switches & keycaps, all just push fit.

Either way it might be worth getting hold of a switch tester , start off working out what switches you definitely like the sound and feel of, and then look for a board with a similar switch.

The first thing that comes to mind is the Mountain Everest Max, meets all your criteria, and is hotswap so you could hunt the perfect switch sound/feel if you didn't like the ones it came with. It aint cheap, and be aware that some configs at least do 'ping' https://forums.bit-tech.net/index.p...th-mx-cherry-red-springy-twangy-noise.383882/ which may be a huge turnoff.

GMMK do a full size hotswap, but you lose media keys, or there's The Drop Shift if you can cope with ANSI layout, also loses media controls though.

I've got a GMMK compact with silent tactile switches (Gazzew Boba U4) and love the sound. There's also a specific thocky version of the U4s (Boba U4T) which seem to be well regarded in the noise department. Silent switches in general are bassier as the rubber damping inside the switch stops the higher pitched clacking frequencies on bottom and top out. Some people complain they feel mushy to type on though.

 

Not that far. The whole custom keyboard thing is nice, but they all seem to be 65s or TKLs, and I really like a numpad. I can input data really fast on a numpad. I've not seen any custom boards in full size except Ducky ones, and I really like a backlit keyboard. While I not a fan of unicorn puke rainbows, I do like the ability to customise my lighting.

I was browsing around just now and also came across the Mountain...

https://mountain.gg/keyboards/everest-max/

It would appear to be modular, so I can buy the core TLK and add a numpad and media controls later, which is cool, but it also uses hot swappable cherry format keys. Can I add films, change the stabilisers.. lube it and stuff?

I'm not after an "end game" keyboard or anything. Just a nice, full size board, that sounds lush and "thoccy", and types really nice. I think that Mountain Everest system may actually be the Unicorn I was looking for. As for price, Scan sell the Core with Browns for £139, which isn't actually all that bad. Thanks for the heads up.

 

Oooh! Just looked at the Drop Shift. Nice.

 

Yup. Think the Everest is standard bottom row cherry plate mount, so any plate mount stabs should fit, and you're good to film and lube switches (another benefit of hotswap- easily getting them out to lube/film). You'll want a switch opener for your sanity though. Opening switches with a screwdriver is possible, but it's fiddly and time consuming.

You can pick up separate mech numpads too, if you're anything like me and only need one for work one of those and a TKL may give you more choice.

 

I don't know what a good Thock means for you and how mine might compare but I have a G915 ( it comes in tactile or clicky, I have tactile) and it has a nice feel and seems like a decent noise, though a bit of rattle due to key caps (not sure how to describe it) , my prior keyboard was also pretty decent tactile feel and slightly less rattle and thump from keys but still good travel etc a roccat horde 2.0 aimo, I only changed as it was a bit wide for my setup.

 

I'm torn. I LOVE the Drop Shift... but it's super expensive. The GMMK Full size is nice, but the full on blingfest options of the Mountain are calling to me I need to think about this a little more. I can't thank you enough for pointing me in the right direction though, as just going into all this as a n00b by Googling stuff just turned up a bewildering array of things that just made my head hurt. Up until now, a keyboard was just a keyboard, after hearing some nice boards on YouTube vids made me realise what a total bag 'o crap my current board is.

I never considered a separate numpad.. I mean as a totally separate thing instead of an option by the manufacturer.

Thanks again.

 

Hmmm... after thinking of some adjectives, I think "creamy" and "mellow" would be a good start. Keyboard number 4 in this video is speaking to me.

 

Yup none of my keyboards sound as good as those, sound can be heard in this review

https://www.rtings.com/keyboard/reviews/logitech/g915-lightspeed

I do like its ability to quick switch between devices, allows me to hope onto my mobile or mini PC via bluetooth very quickly, if I want some quick typing on those devices when using touch is just a PITA. I do have a KVM but that disconnects reconnects devices between machines so not as snappy, this obviously does not.

 

This is the difference between a Gateron Brown (pretty much identical to an MX Brown) and a Boba U4 silent in the same board with PBT caps.


You can also see how much the Gat Browns block LED without clipping a hole in the switch base. Clear/white switches are much better for LED shine through on hotswap boards

 

My MX Browns are a bit quieter than that, with less of the thock. (Filco Majestouch 2)

 

I think that might be down to the board & caps. I've not tried any Filco boards.

I've only got one ABS keycap, which seems slightly higher pitched than the PBT ones, and on my numpad (acrylic plate & case) it's a lot quieter and higher pitched again.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Razer-Hunt...keywords=huntsman+elite&qid=1629914888&sr=8-1

 

I don't think any of the boards from Logitech, Razer, Corsair etc are going to get me what I want. I think it will have to be a customisable job to some extent.

 

I doubt I could type on that. I don't actually touch type... it's a weird hybrid style I just have from 35 years of bashing away at keyboards.

 

Now I've seen quite a few decent separate numpads, I'm starting to revise my opinion that it must be a full keyboard actually.

 

I think I will start some online touch typing lessons of some kind. My style is awful.