Which keyboard?

[justalex81]

Want a backlit mechanical keyboard that's used for both typing and gaming equally.

Bought my mum a qpad mk80 recently as she's a writer and kills cheap keyboards for fun. It felt really nice. I paid £90 for it about 6 weeks ago and then the price shot up again. Now the qpad mk85 is on offer and is in the same price range.

So i suppose it all comes down to the type of switch. Heard so many for and against arguments for all types of switch but from what i can gather, it comes down to red or blue. So which do you guys recommend?

 

[Ryan-3]

As I posted into this thread, I recently bought a sample for the main four switches so I could find out which I liked most. It seems the best for both typing/gaming are Brown's, and reds being more gaming orientated, but would all come down to your personal preference.

 

[smurf300]

Logitech K120 is best keyboard I've ever used and it costs less than a tenner .

EDIT - you'd need custom lighting

 

[Kosmiche]

Unless you want your rig to look like the star trek bridge, backlighting isn't that amazing.

I've never seen a backlit keyboard that had bright backlighting like you see in promotional shots, its always dissapointingly dim on all the backlit keyboards I've used.

If you have your keyboard on a keyboard tray where light is not shining from the monitor onto the keys it might prove handy, otherwise its pretty useless as a monitor will light up most keyboards adequately enough.

Saying that you should remove the mk80 from your mum's grasp and get her something a bit more basic, like a logitech or ms business keyboard.

 

[linwelin]

Unless you want your rig to look like the star trek bridge, backlighting isn't that amazing.

I've never seen a backlit keyboard that had bright backlighting like you see in promotional shots, its always dissapointingly dim on all the backlit keyboards I've used.

If you have your keyboard on a keyboard tray where light is not shining from the monitor onto the keys it might prove handy, otherwise its pretty useless as a monitor will light up most keyboards adequately enough.

Saying that you should remove the mk80 from your mum's grasp and get her something a bit more basic, like a logitech or ms business keyboard.

Totally disagree with this, i have never used a backlit keyboard until last week when i bought the steelseries merc stealth, rubbish during the day as you would expect (the lights that is), but at night it makes typing so much easier, and more so gaming! i use to have to keep my lamp on beside me when gaming but now i play in complete darkness

 

[justalex81]

i currently have a logitech illuminated keyboard. i like backlit keys esp when working at night with the lights off.

I had read that the browns were the middle ground for both gaming and typing. Which backlit keyboards use them?

Unfortunately i can't take the mk80 off her as it was me that bought it (along with the pc, monitor and speakers). I'm not too fussed about the cost. just don't like to pay over the odds that's all!

 

[miceormen]

To all:

Step 1. Buy a standard apple chiclet keyboard.
Step 2. Learn to touch type.

I'm not just trolling either, I had the Saitek Eclipse II which was the best of the cheap illuminated 'boards -- but gave it away. Better to buy a quality keyboard and learn to type without needing illumination.. If you want decent lighting put the money saved towards a better screen = )