Perfect Keyboard?

Kavalree

Kavalree

Kavalree

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So, on my quest to perfect my desktop, I have got the Perfect Mouse (Saitek RAT 7) and IMHO Perfect Speakers (Fostex PM 04 MK2's).

Now I need the Perfect Keyboard, I have a G15.2 right now, but there is something not quite right about it...

What keyboard can I replace my G15 with that I will love?
 
If it's not a mechanical keyboard it ain't ****. Not to mention the plethora of keyboards now-a-days are tacky crap with useless LEDs, media keys and LCD screens.

It always amazes me that people will spend a fortune building a computer, then spend either nothing on a keyboard or £100+ on a gimpy "gaming" keyboard.
 
Brian8bit said:
If it's not a mechanical keyboard it ain't ****. Not to mention the plethora of keyboards now-a-days are tacky crap with useless LEDs, media keys and LCD screens.

It always amazes me that people will spend a fortune building a computer, then spend either nothing on a keyboard or £100+ on a gimpy "gaming" keyboard.
Click to expand...

I would like Backlit keys if possible, as I game into early hours with no bedroom light on :)
 
Could look at the razer black widow. It's basically a bells and whistles gaming keyboard but with mechanical switches.

It doesn't have nkey rollover though. And I would prefer cherry brown switches.
 
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Boozebeard said:
Could look at the razer black widow. It's basically a bells and whistles gaming keyboard but with mechanical switches.

It doesn't have nkey rollover though. And I would prefer cherry brown switches.
Click to expand...

What a nkey rollovers? And what are all the various 'switches' I am reading about?

Also I would like about 6 macro keys if thats possible, lol.
 
nkey rollover basically means you can press all the keys on the keyboard at the same time. Most non mechanical keyboard will only recognize 2 or 3 keys being pressed at the same time. Although this is often increased around the wasd area. If you type very quickly it can cause problems.
 
Always been a Cherry devotee (no puns please). I have one kb from an early 90's 486DX2 build that is still attached to one of my C2D workhorse systems via an adapter. Its been bashed, coffee bathed, dropped and stood on at least once. I take the keys come off once a year for a good wash and they have never faded. Once clean it truly is as good as new. If it was a car it would have over 300,000 miles on the clock but still be in showroom condition. Yep, I'm a Cherry devotee 101% - through experience.
 
@JaFFa As far as I understand it you can only get full nkro on PS/2 keyboards. USB always chokes. Though for whatever reason I'm not sure. At least that's as much as I understand it from my time on geekhack, but I'm probably wrong.

As for the switches, there's all manner of different types of mechanical switches, from how the switches work, to how they're constructed, to how much force is required for them to register a key stroke.

Examples are: Buckling spring (old IBM keyboards) that feature a spring that makes a distinct click as the spring collapses as the key is depressed. Alps (a type of mechanical switch with membranes that makes a duller more muffled "thunk" compared to the buckling springs "click") Cherry MX switches (full mechanical with different coloured switches denoting various types of switch, blacks are non-clicky and non tactile known as linear, browns are tactile but not clicky known as tactile, blues are tactile and clicky known as clicky. Then there are reds, greens, oranges and clears, all denoting whether they're tactile, linear or clicky and the different forces that are required to depress to make the keystroke).
 
Jaffa_Far said:
Let me ask this.

What are the main differences between a Mechanical keyboard and a 'normal' keyboard?
Click to expand...

Longevity and quality of the typing experience. Mechanicals are capable of something like 50 million keystrokes, whereas even the best membrane keyboards are only capable of 20 million, but you'll notice the membrane going well before the 20 million mark.

A mechanical is expensive, but you'll only ever need to buy one in your lifetime. Though, with all the different switches in various boards, you'll probably find yourself wanting to try more as the mechanical bug bites.

If you spend a lot of time writing, programming, coding, scripting, whatever at your keyboard, you want the best tool for the job. And switching to a mechanical is like having an epiphany. I got my first mech a while back and now I wouldn't type on anything else but a mechanical unless I absolutely have to (like when using a laptop or my brothers computer).
 
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