Gaming keyboard for £70ish
- Thread starter Rob_brum
- Start date
Ducky Zero is a great keyboard - reviewed one myself. The "S - Shine" version is nice if you want some backlighting.
Do you know what switch you would like? I personally prefer the tactile brown or blue switches, but reds are pretty decent for gaming and typing.
Do you know what switch you would like? I personally prefer the tactile brown or blue switches, but reds are pretty decent for gaming and typing.
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I've just gone through the same search and found that availability of switch type is the limiting factor. I wanted Browns but they are hard to find in stock. Went for the CM Storm Quickfire TKL with Browns for £70-ish in the end because it was the only one that ticked both Browns and £70ish. Its my first mech KB since an IBM KB in the early 90s and I'm not convinced that mech is OMG SO MUCH BETTERZ than a decent rubber dome KB, but I'm in the minority on that.
Anyway, if you are after Reds there are a few more options available in terms of manufacturer and size. Good luck with your search!
Anyway, if you are after Reds there are a few more options available in terms of manufacturer and size. Good luck with your search!
What do you think of it so far?
Im in two minds between the brown and the red switches, again still trying to decide between the two keyboards, although I think im leaning towards the CM storm.
Backlighting would be nice, which i think is one think thats leaning towards the CM storm, not sure I can justify the extra cost of the "S- shine"
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Jury is out for me still, 5 days in.
I'm not educated in 'the way of the keyboard' and have been using an 8yo MS membrane keyboard until now, so am probably not the best person to judge quality, but the build seems very solid and generally how you'd expect everything to be in a premium peripheral: keys are consistently spaced, relatively little play, fairly even weight to them, etc.
No qualms with build quality.
The Ten Keys Less thing is a mix between the benefit of having the mouse a couple of inches closer in, and the occasional annoyance of not having the numpad or arrows work how I expect. Mainly in spreadsheets. I think this solution is better than doing away with numpad altogether (e.g. the Rapid).
The Brown switches were probably the right option (vs the other colours) for me but I must say that mech keyboard hasn't been easy to get used to. The tactile feedback of the Brown is very feeble, especially compared to the rock wall you hit 2 mm later. Internet People say that the user needs to use less pressure on a mech keyboard to avoid bottoming out... I guess the idea is you don't use the full travel. But the sensitivity you need to develop to give it 50 grams to activate it but stop pushing before it goes through maybe 5 mm of travel and hits the backplate --- Wow. IMO its a whole lot easier and faster to have a KB that is cushioned so that your finger gets bounced back off. Typing on this keyboard has been really hard work over the last few days.
A related issue is that if you hit a key at a slight angle when typing fast then it offers higher resistance as there is additional pressure against the slider in the switch, and therefore additional friction. So if some keys need 70 grams to activate because you hit them at a slight angle then you either end up bottoming out everywhere or missing keystrokes, or I guess adjusting your typing style again to hit the keys straighter.
So that is where I'm at: Not sure that all this effort to adjust is actually worth it. I realise that is a very personal thing, and more related to mech vs membrane than choice between individual keyboards, but you might as well hear from someone that isn't living the mechanical dream like most owners apparently are
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Oh yeah, the backlighting is useful. I used it the other night and it was a definite plus over my old KB. One lower illumination setting would have been nice though, but its still fine. And I would have preferred red to white, but you don't get a choice: its red with Reds, white with Browns. Better than brown background light though.