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Looking to buy a new Mechanical keyboard

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I want to buy a new mech. keyboard. I was considering the Razer blackwidow chroma. I also considered the Corsair k95vsk70.

What would be the very best performing/looking keyboard to get right now?
Are these 2 (the ones I listed) the best to consider or have I overlooked one?
 
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Nyan cat keyboards? My Cooler Master Quick Fire Pro has backlighting and I don't even use it.

just buy the one you like the most. you can't really go wrong with a mechanical keyboard :)
 
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My view is only you can determine what "feels" right at the end of your finger tips. You can read reviews to determine if a product might fall apart in a few months but when it comes to mice and keyboards, they have to feel right to you, not me, not Joe or Sally.

Things you also need to consider is, do you want cabled or wireless? Also, some keyboards are HUGE? This may not matter to you but for example, I have a keyboard tray under my desktop and some keyboards - especially gaming keyboards with extra keys - that I have no room for my mouse. So, for example, if I wanted the Chroma, I would have to get the Tournament Edition Chroma if I wanted my mouse on the same level as my keyboard.
 

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What are you going to be using the keyboard for? Different types of switches are preferred for certain applications. For example, the RK-9100 I have has Cherry MX blue switches which are clicky and are are bit better for typing as opposed to gaming. There are browns which are similar to blues but are only one piece where blues have two parts. These both offer tactile feedback in the sense that you know when the switch has activated. Then there are switches like the reds and blacks which are perfectly smooth and offer no tactile feedback, so you don't know when it activates. Some say that red/black are good for gaming because it's more important that the key goes down as fast as it can (response time, gaming, less activation force, makes some sense,) where blues offer a better typing experience (in my opinion). Some say that browns are a good in between but, it depends on what you want to be typing on.

If you're using your keyboard a lot, it's going to be a preference thing. I tried out different keyboards with different switches and ended up liking the blues the most (I tend to type more than I game as well,) so that's what I went for.

I would recommend reading into the different kinds of mechanical switches there are and see if you can go to a store and try some out. If not, I would at least try to learn as much as you can so you can make an informed decision. Mechanical switch keyboards tend to start at 80 USD and run up pretty fast from there so, it's something worth investing time to research in my opinion. We can only tell you what we like and there is no certainty that you'll like what I like.
 
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Just talked to a couple gamers that have keyboards with the rainbow wave (animated) lighting effects and both said they were really cool - at first! But it was not long before the lighting effects became distracting. Both have since changed them to one solid color (one blue the other red) and no animation. Both said monochrome backlit keyboards are nice, but neither will another keyboards with animated or rainbow colors again unless the fancy effects can be turned off and don't add to the cost.

I am not a gamer but that still make sense to me and goes along with my own ideas that cases don't need fancy lighting either. After all, I prefer to pay attention to what's on my monitors and don't want to be distracted by fancy lights that do nothing for performance.

Just something to chew on.
 

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I am not a gamer but that still make sense to me and goes along with my own ideas that cases don't need fancy lighting either. After all, I prefer to pay attention to what's on my monitors and don't want to be distracted by fancy lights that do nothing for performance.
I will sometimes see the reflection of my keyboards backlighting in my displays. It can sometimes be *really* annoying if you have a glossy display. Most keyboards let you turn it off though.
 
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Most keyboards let you turn it off though.
Yeah, that's good. But still, that is paying extra for unused features. And I wonder what would happen if the controller for those unused featured failed - would it also take out features you do use?

Pretty sure I could live with such reflections if they didn't change - like seeing the refection of a window behind you in a TV or monitor - unless mirror like or it totally washes out the image, you learn to tune it out. But if animated or color changing, not sure I could put up with it for very long. For me personally, I don't care to even try.
 
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Just talked to a couple gamers that have keyboards with the rainbow wave (animated) lighting effects and both said they were really cool - at first! But it was not long before the lighting effects became distracting. Both have since changed them to one solid color (one blue the other red) and no effects.

Same here: at first i made it look like a Christmas three and now solid lights only, no animations.

 
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I would pass on the BlackWidow immediately, it's so overpriced. I haven't tried the newer one, but I've heard in general the newer switches seem to be of, inconstant quality to the real Cherry switches. I haven't per say heard they are bad, but most of the professional reviews up on it are typical biased. Also the keycaps that Razer uses on all of their boards are like beyond cheap.

Corsair/Cooler Master are probably the best quality of American brands, they aren't too bad to recommend. Corsair is definitely price fixing a bit, it's part of why the Razer Chroma costs so much in my opinion. Cooler Master makes better actual quality keyboards, some of their mechanicals that you can get around like 80 are nearly a steal.

Mostly though I generally would recommend things like Ducky if you want flashy backlights, which are really overrated. I understand a static backlight but elsewise I generally don't see people staring at their keyboards in awe in the middle of Starcraft II or DoTA.

Ducky ships with not horrible quality keycaps even though they're still ABS, they're known for probably having the best build quality overall of a backlit keyboard, as well as they typically cost as much or less than Corsair/Razer competition.

Below Ducky though, most of the really good brand keyboards don't have the "swag" that you likely are looking for.
 
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I have a razer blackwidow ultimate with Cherry Blues and one with Razer oranges. I like both of them and the razer synapse software is nice because I use each keybboard on a different PC but all my macros and rebinds transfer over. However razer keyboards take some time to get used to typing on. IDK why but whne I don't use the blackwidow for a long time and com back to it typing is awkward for an hour or two.
 

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I can only speak of the Corsair Vengeance K70 as I own one. Been liken it for a couple years now and no regrets. A little noisy...
 
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I'll drop this here:
https://rejzor.wordpress.com/2015/06/25/logitech-gaming-keyboards-for-2015-are-rubbish/

It made 3 Logitech fanboys butthurt to the max so I guess I did it right. I wonder if other manufacturers have them so badly made and get a free pass just because they are mechanicals and everyone should bow down to their superior mechanisms...

How much side to side travel do you consider unacceptable? Because if I push the keys on my BWU with Cherry Blues they go about 0.5-1mm in every direction and I think my other BWU with the razer switches is the same. I never found this a problem and I think it's inherit to the mechanical key switch because if you take them apart you will notice that when they aren't pressed down the stabilization stem on the inside is held in place very minimally.
 
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Saying: "Uh oh, it's how it is" is lazy thinking. I just know I'd never buy ANY keyboard with so wobbly keys. And whoever will make them properly will charge even more than already overpriced mechanicals...
 
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My cherry and kailh switches have slight wobble as well. It never bothered me. But if it's a problem for you then maybe you should try a mechanical keyboard with a different switch type like for example topre.

Sent from my CM Storm Quickfire Rapid-i mechanical gaming keyboard with Cherry MX Brown switches
 
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I use this, the Tesoro Durandel. It's got red switches so there is no extra click. The sound drives me nuts with the tactile feedback switches (brown, etc.) But when the keys bottom out they are still pretty loud with the reds







So I got a pack of dampners. The thickest they've got. I think 0.4mm reduction in travel length. Which is nice since the keys activate in the first 1/4 of travel anyway. And it makes the keys much quieter than other mechanical keyboards. My 2 cents!



 

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I use this, the Tesoro Durandel. It's got red switches so there is no extra click. The sound drives me nuts with the tactile feedback switches (brown, etc.) But when the keys bottom out they are still pretty loud with the reds







So I got a pack of dampners. The thickest they've got. I think 0.4mm reduction in travel length. Which is nice since the keys activate in the first 1/4 of travel anyway. And it makes the keys much quieter than other mechanical keyboards. My 2 cents!




I have enjoyed my Tesoro how ever i am nor sure if it's all of their keyboards but as much as i enjoy using the Lobera Supreme there is some thing bad about it which would be putting o rings on it.

Though out the years i have taken many keyboards apart and keys like the shift \ enter \ space bar you typically find a metal bar to balance the key how ever the keyboard has it but it all so has really small fiddly plastic clips so much i am amazed they don't break.

Some thing else i noticed just going to their website the keyboard is no longer listed, and another thing i can say is bad is the firmware updating was very poor made me think of win95 days lol.

So if you plan to put o rings on be really careful.

Razer Blackwidow that i have is the worsted piece of hardware i ever bought due to failing keys keys losing their click down to really cheap plastic used and to make that worse the keys are very close to each other so when you remove the key cap you push against another key which in my case the key cap shattered ( no joke ). O year keys went really shiny too.

O yeah they use the old way to do the space bar and shift keys too but that way is not as bad.

ROCCAT MK PRO i been though hell and back with mine but this ones actually lasting and come with a 2 year warranty in the US all so the keys are really simple to put o rings on with no silly metal levers or crappy pieces of plastic and actually have fake switches so the key press stays good. I would wait if i was going to get another ROCCAT keyboard as if they have not already are bringing one to the market soon with new software to boot.

If i ever need a new keyboard i would surely check a Corsair one out if i could get one that's actually fully programmable.
 
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Depends if you like a light or heavy keypress, the "actuation force".
Check if you like that click sound you get with Blues or not (easy just youtube for a sound sample of typing on them)
Linear swiches press all the way down and you don't feel the actuation point (the point where the keypress is registered)
Tactile switches you can feel the actuation point about half way or more down pressing a key (on my browns when you reach the actuation point it feels like a little bump because the force gets heavier after that point) you can type without bottoming out if you have tactile keys.
LASTLY consider the type of lettering on the keycaps; some keyboards use double shot keycaps, printed, laser, stickers, all with advantages and disadvantages.

Common switches are Black which is linear but heavy, Reds which are lighter Blacks, Browns which are light and tactile, Blues which click at the actuation point are tactile and heavy, Greens are pretty heavy i think the heaviest switch and are linear.
This page breaks down all the common key switches for you,
http://www.keyboardco.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/an-introduction-to-cherry-mx-mechanical-switches/

I say Reds and Browns for gaming. Never used Greens but apparently they are very weighty so fatigue easily.

Razor i would avoid, i don't know if their Blackwidow has quality issues now but it DID have at release plus most of their gear is just tacky plastic affairs "gamer" type crap. Some Corsairs had premature LED death, where they die within a few months. Coolermasters 2015 boards are apparently a bit shit.

Really good manufacturers are in no particular order...
  • DAS
  • ROCCAT
  • Q PAD
  • Filco
  • Ducky
  • Cherry own brand
  • Coolermaster before 2015
  • Zowie (which i use) are built like tanks but the keys are laser etched so will fade away however the lettering will come back if you clean them (isopropyl or something), pain in the ass but built well.
  • Novatouch
  • Matais
  • OZONE
  • Corsair (okay boards, i think back when they didn't have so many varieties they made better boards but their okay if the price is right and your LEDs don't crap out)
Can't think of any others at the moment bar ROSEWILL in America and i don't know enough about that to say good or bad.

Other tips are, if a board is Otaku it means it has blank key caps and if a board is tenkeyless it lacks a number pad.
 
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As a ROCCAT Ryos MK Pro owner, I'm very pleased with my purchase. My roommate uses a Corsair deck (k70 I believe) and he has no issues with it.
 
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I've had mechanical keyboards from Thermaltake (Meka G-Unit), Corsair (K95, K70 RGB) and Coolermaster (Trigger, MECH and Quickfire TK).

- Tt G-Unit failed after about a year where keys would behave like they were being held down, sold for parts and went to a CM Storm Trigger.
- CM Storm Trigger suffered the same fate after 1 year but within warranty this time, returned for a Corsair K95.
- Corsair K95 had an LED break after each day of ownership, returned it for a K70 RGB.
- K70 RGB suffered 2 dead LEDs after about 3 months, returned it for a CM Storm MECH.
- So far the CM Storm MECH is going strong after about 7 months and has the best build quality of any of the keyboards I've had.

The Quickfire TK I use at work and have had for about 6 months.
The CM Storm Trigger and MECH have been my favourite KBs to use with the Tt Meka G-Unit being outright last due to crappy plastics used and the design made it hard to clean. The MECH is expensive for a non-RGB KB but the build quality and other features make it worth it for me.
 
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I have Razer Blackwidow Chroma and I can recommend that keyboard. Reaction time and anti-ghosting is impressing. I'm playing CS:GO lot and I feel really good while using it.
Should be more macro keys(5 more) and keys color should be have option to toggle color. Anyway it's a good keyboard imo.
 

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I bought my brother a Corsair K90 with red switches and he likes it a lot, except for a number of leds starting to die out. I've seen others complain about this, as it must not be all that uncommon. I've used it for a short period of time, and I don't think red switches are for me, very light.


I've used brown, black, and blue switches extensively over the past few years, and they all have a different feel. At first I liked the blacks, but they were too firm after a while. Browns were pretty nice with a nice tactile feel and a good light weight, an overall very good feel. Too bad the micro-usb port on the QuickfirePro kb gave me so much trouble.

Currently running blue switches on a Das Keyboard, and they've been great. The only disclaimer on blues is that they're loud, and that can be annoying for anyone else that has to hear it. My wife complains all the time while I'm typing/gaming at night! However, the quality of the Das has been unmatched in my experience, definitely would buy again.
 
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Solaris17

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I had a black widow ultimate 2013 got rid of it and went with Ducky. I enjoyed it so much I got the DKS4 only recently. Some of teh guys in the mechanical keyboard thread might be able to help you out. I personally like ducky because I do alot of work at night and enjoy the back lights. The effects are nice but I never use them. however the function style media keys are nice. and honestly I really do enjoy that its basically a normal 108/k keyboard no WTF awesome 130/k KB with 9 rows of useless macro buttons and 133mb worth of software . It feels nice, it sounds nice, it looks nice, its built well, it allows me to open up my calculator and hit next on my media player. IMO after 25 or so the hype of crazy awesome chameleon status macro loaded 'gaming' keyboards wears off.
 
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Somewhat on topic with this thread:

Are Deck Keyboards still good? I had a Deck Legend years ago and it was the only thing that even came close to my model M in feel with N-key rollover. I'd like to try one of the more recent Hassium Pro products, but would like opinions on if they are still a solid company and manufacturer. They do COST a pretty penny, but that can be money spent poorly without research, like all things... ;)
 
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