** The Official OcUK Mechanical Keyboard Thread **

jaybee said:
I don't understand the lack of backslash key and instead a wider left shift key on the majority of these keyboards. Does nobody use backslashes or pipes? I use this daily for administering unix environments and could no way do withtout this key.
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As has been said, the pictures are often of american keyboard layouts. I have a Corsair K60 and it has all of the proper symbols in the correct places. I tried an american keyboard once and it made coding a nightmare.
 
FrenchTart said:
As has been said, the pictures are often of american keyboard layouts. I have a Corsair K60 and it has all of the proper symbols in the correct places. I tried an american keyboard once and it made coding a nightmare.
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Hmm, it's a shame the pics don't represent the final product you receive. I've been keeping away from buying a mech kb based on the fact that they almost all "appeared" to have the long left shift and short return keys.
 
BigChief said:
Hmm, it's a shame the pics don't represent the final product you receive. I've been keeping away from buying a mech kb based on the fact that they almost all "appeared" to have the long left shift and short return keys.
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Yup. I was quite worried about it too and ended up googling stuff like the name of the keyboard and "uk english layout" and such. It can be worthwhile looking around a computer shop that has such things on display to get an idea too.
 
I bought an American layout simply because at most I will type on my PC, but mostly for games or general use where I can make use of the longer left shift. Plus, you can only get mine with that layout :p

But if it was for coding and actual computing, it would be a bloody nightmare. Different symbol layout and I now have to find the pound sign elsewhere, as I have no key for it [and no number pad].

But as long as they have stated you will be receiving a UK layout or an ISO layout you should receive one. [as mistakes are made, etc..] :)
 
Which colour switch do you want? I picked up the cherry G80-3000 keyboard which has blue switches for £65. Its a plastic keyboard but has metal keys. Seen as cherry make all the mechanical switches for every manufacturer of mechanical keyboards, I thought I'd go simple and pick one of their own keyboards up. No fancy stuff on it, just literally a rather nice keyboard. I've used blue switches before so I'm use to them, but if you aren't sure which switch to buy I'd highly recommend going somewhere that has them in stock so you can try first.
 
My god it is hideous.

For cheapest, you could try the Cherry branded keyboards, QPad's MK50, or a CoolerMaster QuickFire Rapid if you aren't in need of a number pad. My keyboard doesn't have one, but after a few days its easy to see why you really don't need one*. But the QuickFire rapid is a very good quality keyboard for the price, and can be available in all switches [even MX Green!]. Qpad's MK50 is also available in all 4 switch types [and has a number pad]. :)

But don't jump at the Zalman K500 keyboard, as it is not cherry switches!**

*Unless you like entering a lot of numbers.
**Therefore inferior! ;)
 
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Interesting review on the live OCUK website for the Zalman ZM-K500:



"Reviewed by: J. Crossby (Blackburn)

I ordered this keyboard when I was off work for depression issues.

Things got worse and I eventually planned to hang myself, however before I did the deed I wanted to try out a mechanical keyboard - so the plan was to write the note using this keyboard.

I couldn't bring it to myself to end my life knowing how great this keyboard feels when typing.

I can't stop smiling, everytime I use this keyboard it feels like my fingertips are being massaged, and with the tactile feedback I hardly ever make a mis-type.

Great keyboard considering the price!"
 
Cheapest backlit with MX Brown and MX Red I'd say is the CoolerMaster QuickFire TK. But it has the shortened layout which you may (or may not) like.

Full size keyboards seem about £20 more, or about 10 more for tenkeyless, such as the Ducky keyboards - which are said to be good and not built by quack engineers :p
 
Also just a heads up at a NEW Filco that has came out.

The Filco MINILA.

I'm guessing its built like a tank, but its price is far too much. Same as a TKL MJ2. And the layout seems a bit... odd. Shame, as it could have been much better. All they needed was the standard keyboard, but just remove all function keys, and those to the right of enter. Proper typist keyboard. :)
 
I have had a Ducky Shine 2 Keyboard for the past week and it's easily the best keyboard I have ever used! I got it with Red Cherry Switches and also Red LEDS!

Would highly recommend the Ducky Keyboards to anyone and they have fantastic build quality!

10dbcs2.jpg
 
I can't tell entirely from pics, but can someone confirm if the QPAD MK80 mech keyboards (and/or any other mech keyboards) have a concave profile? By this I mean, the keys arc inwards in the middle so the space bar row and horizontal number row would be higher than say the middle row FGHJ ? I don't want this. I want a mechanical keyboard that has all of the keys flat and the same height if that makes sense.

I'm finding this a bit of a mare to buy a mechanical keyboard in the UK that I want. Every keyboard I find has a problem/compromise.

EDIT: How to the "media" keys work where companies have just painted play/stop/ffwd etc onto normal function keys like F9-F12? Is the paint there just as a guide and you configure them yourselves? What happens if I am in an app where I want to actually use a function key as its normal function, rather than as a media key?
 
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My QPAD Mk-85 is pretty much flat (with the feet folded away), and all rows of keys are at the same height, all be they angled slightly differently, other than the horizontal number row which is slightly raised (1-2mm)
 
It seems almost all mechanical keyboards now have the sculpted keycap design, and each row of keys get slightly higher towards the back. I personally find that much better than when I used an old membrane that was totally flat (personal preference of course).

For the media key functions, if they are on the Function key row, you will have a button labelled FN/Fn (often left windows key [or right windows key], or where the right click key thing is), and by holding that, press the Function key with the command that you want, and it acts as a media key. I find this better than designated media keys :)
 
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