So this summer i have a very nice paying job and im looking to expand my gaming setup with building a pc, I already have a beautiful monitor which im getting another one (asus v236h i think) and death adder. now its time to add a nice keyboard seeing as im on a laptop now.
After much researching, i have come to the conclusion that filco is the way to go but i am not quite sure what to get. I like on the quieter side of keyboards but im not sure which one that exactly would be.
Really would like some feedback seeing as i know you guys are knowledgeable!
Just choose what type of switch you want, linear is black switch, tactile is brown and click is blue. I think you should try out the new version ninja, it looks really really decent.
Yeah Elevenst got to the link before I did, pretty much not much to explain, everything is in there.
Black is more designed for gaming, but you will not FEEL much of a difference between that and a regular one. I would have gotten the brown, you get the feeling of a mechanical switch while not having a clacky sound (that is if you do not like it).
It is preference to be honest, if you want a sound you would get the blue. I used a Brown and White Alps switches, they are all pretty decent. To appreciate the keyboard, I would probably get keys with a tactile feeling, the rest comes down to whether you want a clicky (and loud) sound or not.
Blacks arent 'designed' for gaming, they are more oriented towards games in which you have to hold a key press for an extended period of time, this is because it's linear. This actually makes it quite poor for rts games, which require rapid presses of keys. Blacks require you to nearly bottom out the key for it to actuate, while blues and browns are actuated half way, giving you the ability to touch type. Overall blacks require the most force and put the most strain on your hands. Browns and blues are overall the more popular choice for SC2, blues are loud and have an audible click, and browns are more subtle (but any mech keyboard makes noise when you press keys).
On June 12 2011 12:42 Phayze wrote: Blacks arent 'designed' for gaming, they are more oriented towards games in which you have to hold a key press for an extended period of time, this is because it's linear. This actually makes it quite poor for rts games, which require rapid presses of keys. Blacks require you to nearly bottom out the key for it to actuate, while blues and browns are actuated half way, giving you the ability to touch type. Overall blacks require the most force and put the most strain on your hands. Browns and blues are overall the more popular choice for SC2, blues are loud and have an audible click, and browns are more subtle (but any mech keyboard makes noise when you press keys).
Blacks also actuate half way. Please make sure you know the facts before telling it to someone else.
On June 12 2011 12:42 Phayze wrote: Blacks arent 'designed' for gaming, they are more oriented towards games in which you have to hold a key press for an extended period of time, this is because it's linear. This actually makes it quite poor for rts games, which require rapid presses of keys. Blacks require you to nearly bottom out the key for it to actuate, while blues and browns are actuated half way, giving you the ability to touch type. Overall blacks require the most force and put the most strain on your hands. Browns and blues are overall the more popular choice for SC2, blues are loud and have an audible click, and browns are more subtle (but any mech keyboard makes noise when you press keys).
Blacks also actuate half way. Please make sure you know the facts before telling it to someone else.
Yep, blacks, blues, and browns actuate halfway as do reds and clear. This thread has a ton of great info the switch types.
Blues. Why get a mechanical keyboard if it can't sound mechanical? Same thing as browns, except you get to have audible feedback too. I'd never switch from my blues. They are perfect.
On June 12 2011 12:33 Quanbsn wrote: Just choose what type of switch you want, linear is black switch, tactile is brown and click is blue. I think you should try out the new version ninja, it looks really really decent.
Yea, should definitely go for the ninjas. I regretted not waiting for them.
Anybody actually notice an improvement in APM or play from their upgrade to mechanical from rubber dome? I have a saitek eclipse 2 which has very soft keys and basically is meant for gaming but it's kind of old now and considering to go mechanical. I'm questioning though whether or not it's even worth the extra money...
Some testimonials on how mechanical keyboards helped any players plz?
I'm loving my cherry mx blue TBH. It all depends on the person and the feel you like. Sadly, without trying out different keyboards, you won't know which switch is best for you.
Personally, blue is my best. I like the feel of blue better with the games I play, but Cherry MX Browns are known as one of the best for gaming since most gamers ALWAYS bottom out during the heat of the moment.
Your best best: Find a place or find people who own different switches. Try each switch out.
Obviously thats a long shot. From everything I read or heard before I bought my keyboard, Blue is the best place to start, but, as I said, most gamers prefer the browns.
All in all, try the browns (yes, I know I just made my whole post useless).
On June 12 2011 15:47 Zapdos_Smithh wrote: Anybody actually notice an improvement in APM or play from their upgrade to mechanical from rubber dome? I have a saitek eclipse 2 which has very soft keys and basically is meant for gaming but it's kind of old now and considering to go mechanical. I'm questioning though whether or not it's even worth the extra money...
Some testimonials on how mechanical keyboards helped any players plz?
I have felt an APM increase since I got my Filco (about a week ago). In tetris I started setting new records after about 3 days. I definitely feels better to play tetris.
For stepmania I took a huge hit in timing when i switched but after a day I started to get back to the same level that I was before. Now I'm getting better scores than before.
I don't notice a difference when i'm playing starcraft but I feels pretty good when I type. I have a Filco Brown btw.
On June 12 2011 14:39 gulati wrote: Blues. Why get a mechanical keyboard if it can't sound mechanical? Same thing as browns, except you get to have audible feedback too. I'd never switch from my blues. They are perfect.
The second of which is that there is a clear audible feedback from using the browns if you bottom out. You make it sound as if the browns are compeltely silent. The browns are light enough that you'll be bottoming out 100% of the time when playing starcraft. Trust me have a brown and it still makes noise and feels good.
On June 12 2011 15:47 Zapdos_Smithh wrote: Anybody actually notice an improvement in APM or play from their upgrade to mechanical from rubber dome? I have a saitek eclipse 2 which has very soft keys and basically is meant for gaming but it's kind of old now and considering to go mechanical. I'm questioning though whether or not it's even worth the extra money...
Some testimonials on how mechanical keyboards helped any players plz?
Mine was a decrease. I noticed myself not spamming as much, which is both good and bad. My keyboard movement is slower than before and it's much more tiring for long games. I even felt that I'm compensating my slower keyboard movement with my mouse movement.
My main issue is probably the long travel distance of the keys to bottom out and I was a user of flat keyboards. I've put in some conscious effort into not bottoming out. But in the heat of the games, it just wouldn't work. Sometimes, a 20 min game felt like a 30 min game. Still working on this after 2 months.
What I like about it: -typing on it felt really good -love it for fps games -build quality is second to none
It's a trade-off that most people have to deal with.
On June 12 2011 15:47 Zapdos_Smithh wrote: Anybody actually notice an improvement in APM or play from their upgrade to mechanical from rubber dome? I have a saitek eclipse 2 which has very soft keys and basically is meant for gaming but it's kind of old now and considering to go mechanical. I'm questioning though whether or not it's even worth the extra money...
Some testimonials on how mechanical keyboards helped any players plz?
I've heard people say they type faster since all the keys are more responsive. But actual game-play I'm not so sure.
I believe most people think you can get up to 10 WPM increase in typing. I think I've gone from a 90 WPM to 110, but that's a rather unscientific sample of one for me.
On June 12 2011 15:47 Zapdos_Smithh wrote: Anybody actually notice an improvement in APM or play from their upgrade to mechanical from rubber dome? I have a saitek eclipse 2 which has very soft keys and basically is meant for gaming but it's kind of old now and considering to go mechanical. I'm questioning though whether or not it's even worth the extra money...
Some testimonials on how mechanical keyboards helped any players plz?
I upgraded from a rubber dome to a Leopold FC200RT with Cherry Browns.
Specifically in terms of game play, the biggest improvement for me was 1a2a3a'ing. With a rubber dome, often times, one of the a's wouldn't register due to the speed at which I pressed the buttons. However, that hasn't been the issue with a Mechanical keyboard (for obvious reasons).
Other than that, it's just much more pleasant to type and play on. My fingertips are most pleased.
If you have the money to spend on the upgrade, I would do it - assuming the durability and build quality of mechanicals is as advertised (mine is not old enough for me to make a judgement regarding that).
I have a keyboard with cherry browns and another with blacks. For RTS and general typing, go with brown or blues. Since you like quieter keyboards, go for browns.
I know a lot of people use cherry blacks for SC2, and I sometimes use them too when I'm too lazy to swap keyboards. Nothing wrong with it, but browns feel much better.
If you can, see if you can try them out somehow in stores. Although I doubt stores will carry Filcos or Leopolds.
On June 12 2011 17:53 skp wrote: I have a keyboard with cherry browns and another with blacks. For RTS and general typing, go with brown or blues. Since you like quieter keyboards, go for browns.
I know a lot of people use cherry blacks for SC2, and I sometimes use them too when I'm too lazy to swap keyboards. Nothing wrong with it, but browns feel much better.
If you can, see if you can try them out somehow in stores. Although I doubt stores will carry Filcos or Leopolds.
Trying out blacks and blues aren't too hard. For me at least, my local Frys Electronics had a display model SS 6GV2 (Which use Cherry MX Blacks), and a display model Razer Blackwidow (which use Cherry MX Blues).
The browns on the other hard are a bit harder to get a hold of. The only "gaming" keyboard that uses browns are I believe the Zowie, though I think the XArmor also has a Cherry MX Brown ones, and I don't think either of those brands are popular enough to be stocked by your average chain computer store.
For Browns, I pretty much had a friend who decided to get a mechanical keyboard and figured, FD couldn't be wrong and he took the leap of faith and bought one.
On June 12 2011 17:53 skp wrote: I have a keyboard with cherry browns and another with blacks. For RTS and general typing, go with brown or blues. Since you like quieter keyboards, go for browns.
I know a lot of people use cherry blacks for SC2, and I sometimes use them too when I'm too lazy to swap keyboards. Nothing wrong with it, but browns feel much better.
If you can, see if you can try them out somehow in stores. Although I doubt stores will carry Filcos or Leopolds.
Not sure regarding the stock in the US, but here in Asia, Filco/Leopold/Zowie/Qsenn are aplenty.
just get a razer laycosa or arctosa, theyre really good, or you could get blackwidow, they will go pretty well with youre deathadder, filco keyboards look very hard to press, believe me its easier to play on more flat buttons that push freeley!
On June 12 2011 21:10 S.O.U.L wrote: just get a razer laycosa or arctosa, theyre really good, or you could get blackwidow, they will go pretty well with youre deathadder, filco keyboards look very hard to press, believe me its easier to play on more flat buttons that push freeley!
This tells me you have never used a mechanical keyboard because if you had, you would have never recommended membrane keyboards over one ^_^
On June 12 2011 21:10 S.O.U.L wrote: just get a razer laycosa or arctosa, theyre really good, or you could get blackwidow, they will go pretty well with youre deathadder, filco keyboards look very hard to press, believe me its easier to play on more flat buttons that push freeley!
This tells me you have never used a mechanical keyboard because if you had, you would have never recommended membrane keyboards over one ^_^
Well, Lycosa at least has little springs under the keycaps to give a tactile response, but it's definitely not the same feel.
And anyways, there's inarguable benefits with regards to ghosting, ignoring all the retarded issues Lycosa software has, and the fact that it feels cheap.
And doesn't a Blackwidow use the heaviest activating Cherry's?
However one thing i was suprised about is how much *less* pressure is required to type than a normal dome keyboard.
I play guitar so like to think that i have qute well tuned fingers when it comes to fingers.
However i still find it hard to feel where the actuation point for the switch is and end up bottoming my keys out a lot - whilst typing. If you just rest your finger its like a decent cameras 'take photo' button. There is a bit of slack for maybe 0.5mm then the press - its esay to feel when not typign at 120 wpm - takes practise to adjust totally though. I am gettign better at this for typing, but in game lol i just bottom out all the time
So if you really want to get faster and lighter typing i would perhaps of prefferred the blue (but really dont like clicky noise ... the sound of my wife pounding on her keyboard one finger at a time drives me nuts)
That said this keyboard is one of the nicest keyboards i have ever typed on. IT is rock solid, if someone breaks into my house i can beat them to death with this thing AND not miss a beat on my macro.
when you bottom out on a rown it does make nose. If you do not it is a nice silk should of realy solid robust mechanical movemetn sound of keycap being pressed.
It doesnt look or feelike the key caps are lazered though ... best part is the velcro cable tie ... i
Very happy with it. It should last a good few years - only prob is that i now dont like smoking over it lol.
I have been using keyboards for about 20 years .. used eerythign from the old IBM and mechanical spring ones to membrane with spring to membrane. Hadn't used cherry switches before ... I am very impressed and prefer it to the legendary buckling spring (although my keyboard like that is 20 years old - and still works btw).
On June 12 2011 15:47 Zapdos_Smithh wrote: Anybody actually notice an improvement in APM or play from their upgrade to mechanical from rubber dome? I have a saitek eclipse 2 which has very soft keys and basically is meant for gaming but it's kind of old now and considering to go mechanical. I'm questioning though whether or not it's even worth the extra money...
Some testimonials on how mechanical keyboards helped any players plz?
My APM went up about 30 after getting them. And I also became a LOT more accurate in pressing keys cus the keys I pressed would actually work and not bug out. I used to have problems when using membrane keyboards cus they wouldn't react or would skip a command if i pressed a new key too fast or something.
On June 12 2011 21:10 S.O.U.L wrote: just get a razer laycosa or arctosa, theyre really good, or you could get blackwidow, they will go pretty well with youre deathadder, filco keyboards look very hard to press, believe me its easier to play on more flat buttons that push freeley!
This tells me you have never used a mechanical keyboard because if you had, you would have never recommended membrane keyboards over one ^_^
Well, Lycosa at least has little springs under the keycaps to give a tactile response, but it's definitely not the same feel.
And anyways, there's inarguable benefits with regards to ghosting, ignoring all the retarded issues Lycosa software has, and the fact that it feels cheap.
And doesn't a Blackwidow use the heaviest activating Cherry's?
No, its actually quite low. 45g actuation force I believe while the black switches (i.e Steelseries 6VG 7G) are 70g actuation force.
On June 12 2011 21:10 S.O.U.L wrote: just get a razer laycosa or arctosa, theyre really good, or you could get blackwidow, they will go pretty well with youre deathadder, filco keyboards look very hard to press, believe me its easier to play on more flat buttons that push freeley!
This tells me you have never used a mechanical keyboard because if you had, you would have never recommended membrane keyboards over one ^_^
Well, Lycosa at least has little springs under the keycaps to give a tactile response, but it's definitely not the same feel.
And anyways, there's inarguable benefits with regards to ghosting, ignoring all the retarded issues Lycosa software has, and the fact that it feels cheap.
And doesn't a Blackwidow use the heaviest activating Cherry's?
No, its actually quite low. 45g actuation force I believe while the black switches (i.e Steelseries 6VG 7G) are 70g actuation force.
Fair nuff. Thought they were the heavier ones. I'm not one of the keyboard nuts though. Just know the Lycosa is a rather poor substitute for a mechanical keyboard.
by the way, for you all who said that razer blackwidow aint a mechanical keyboard look again, theres an razer blackwidow expesrt mechanical keyboard! thats what's said there! hahahaha :D
On June 13 2011 04:59 S.O.U.L wrote: by the way, for you all who said that razer blackwidow aint a mechanical keyboard look again, theres an razer blackwidow expesrt mechanical keyboard! thats what's said there! hahahaha :D
Nobody said that, your reading is as pathetic as your punctuation.
We said Lycosa and Arctosa aren't and are bad substitutes for one.
wow, thank you everyone for your overwhelming support. It seems like most people tend to either favor blues or browns with a few blacks in there. I think im going to go ahead and order browns, I do like backlit ones but it seems that you pay quite alot extra just for the backlighting. I was looking for some majestouch but the places i looked they seemed to be out. Can anyone suggest some decent brown keyboards?