Cannot decide on a keyboard

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Okay so very recently I decided to order a new headset and keyboard, both turned out to be a little disastrous for different reasons.

I had ordered the Corsair Raptor keyboard, https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=m...biw=810&bih=408#q=corsair+raptor+k40&tbm=isch which was set to replace my Microsoft digital pro media keyboard https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=m...QbalIEQ&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg&biw=810&bih=408

This keyboard (which I play without the rest) I have had for I don’t even know how many years, it's very comfortable, has a handy mute sound / volume control on the left for your naturally free hand and of course after so many years fits me perfectly. Its main failing point is that it’s now really old, quite faded as you can imagine and of course bottlenecked to 3 key presses at once.

The corsair's failing for me was that I had this near inability to type on it - every single key felt out by one space and I kept mistyping by one key. Furthermore reaching for the caps lock and tab key for some reason always had me hitting the macro buttons to the left. The F Keys seem to start a few centimeters away from the Microsoft keyboards position, which again proved annoying.

I have been searching and searching and I literally cannot find something that suits my requirements.

Preferences

Cost - not really an issue, I just want a quiet, comfortable gaming keyboard.

Macro keys - I have no use for these, I don’t mind them being on the keyboard, just not to the left of my hand.

Lighting - Really doesn’t bother me at all, easy either way.

Numpad - I would really prefer a numpad for key bindings in MMOs. I always find they are nice buttons to bind rarely used skills to.

Comfort - I really need something with a near identical layout / key spacing to the previous Microsoft keyboard. I am sat here now typing on a standard HP works keyboard, with no issues whatsoever.

Noise - I really would like something quite quiet for when the girlfriend is sleeping in the next room and I'm busy hammering away on the keys.

Volume Control – Really a must because it’s nice to be able to mute sound with one a key press instead of having to grab for your headsets mute button.


Apologies for the rather lengthy post, maybe I am far too picky but I do really love my gaming time and want to maximise its enjoyment :)
 
rjkoneill

Well I dont really have a budget, though I think spending £100+ on a keyboard seems a little excessive. I do not mind paying the extra premium for sound, graphics and performance but a keyboard really just has to be comfortable and quite quiet.

Stuie,

That keyboard looks perfectly reasonable, though as I said I did actually return the raptor K30, but maybe given the K70 has no macro keys on it, I might get on better with it and my brain can just adjust to the different placement of keys. I also notice the K70 has the standard F key positioning which is nice. How difficult are these o-rings to fit? Are they readily available?
 
o-rings are available on ocuk and come in different strengths depending on how hard you mash the keys and what resistance you want, fitting is easy pull the key, slide on o ring and replace key id probably suggest doing one at a time so as not to mix up keys.

Mechs come in different types of keys so the tricky part is knowing what key you would like reds and browns are popular mesh replacements blacks are good if you want something a little firmer there is a sticky guide. If the corsair isnt your thing then you could look at duckys but they dont have dedicated media keys, remember though the raptor isnt a mech so the k70 is a totally different experiance
 
Well they are certainly louder than I was expecting! I think I will order the K70 here on OC-UK and if required, ordered the o-rings later. I dont have a particularly hard key tap, I just want them to be a little quieter. No doubt they arent as loud as that in reality but we shall see.

Thank you so much for all your input. One final question, the keyboard im typing on today (bog standard HP), does it have tactile feedback? I'm leaning towards the red, seconded by the brown.

I shall go order :)
 
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I personally really like the browns they have a very slight bump halfway through the press so you know that youve hit the switch, membrane keyboards are all mushy so dont have feedback at all

EDIT: Dont forget to let us know how you get on, the jump to mech is a big one but not for everyone but id be interested to know how you get on
 
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A ducky with blacks and o-rings. :)

Superb quality, good linear feel, quiet, no silly macro keys, can have a numpad if you wish, they are available with no backlighting.
 
ACME speaketh the truth except for the cherry blacks part :D

i use Reds but I can't see myself replacing the ducky without spending a lot more money.

I made the mistake of typing on a HHKB PRO 2 with topres :o
 
I like the blacks because they offer a little more resistance vs the reds. Typing with reds, to me, felt too much like typing on an expensive membrane keyboard.
 
this is ocuk though it was probably hand delivered at 9am by dusky maidens clutching haribo between their ample bosoms
 
So did it arrive? What do you think?

It has indeed arrived! Will take some getting used to, keys are a few mm away from what I am probably used to but it feels very well built and my hand certainly feels very comfortable :)

Not quite as noisy I had anticipated but could still do with being quieter still :D

What are the differences in the o-rings?

*edit*

currently munching my haribo haha :D
 
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