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(TLDR at the bottom)
My 6ish months old Steelseries 6Gv2 keyboard just broke. The "1" key stopped working. Over the course of about a day, it went from "sometimes not working" to "not working no matter what."
I'm pretty bummed out as I absolutely love how it feels, looks (minimalistic, no flashy lights) and, up until now, performs.
I've looked up the issue and I've tried plugging the keyboard in via both USB and PS2 on multiple computers. I've also tried taking the cap off the key and trying to get it to work that way. No luck.
Here's my issue, I live in Iceland and not a single store here carries Steelseries peripherals. I've checked all the major ones, and, as far as I know, pretty much all the minor ones, as well.
I could probably get something out of the warranty (not sure about the specifics) but in all honesty, with shipping costs and waiting times, I might end up waiting up to two months for something happen, it's just not an option for me.
Now, my actual question is twofold:
1) This is a long shot, I realize that, but does anyone have any suggestions for me to get my keyboard working? It's a real shame, as it's just that single key that doesn't work, and I really do love the design and feel of the 6Gv2
2) Can anyone recommend similar mechanical keyboards from other manufacturers? I've been looking into Razer keyboards, as stores over here actually carry those, but I can only find ones that have flashy lights all over them. I sleep in the same room as my computer, so I need a mechanical keyboard that doesn't have any unnecessary lights and also, doesn't take up too much desk space, similar to the 6Gv2. PS2 connector would be a plus, as well.
I would just get another 6Gv2, but I really didn't like the time it took to ship here, and I'm wary about getting another Steelseries product from this experience. Shipping times (and costs) being what they are, I just can't afford to be messing around with this.
TLDR:
Anyone know of a dark, minimalistic, mechanical keyboard, that's not from Steelseries?
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I personally try to stay away from "gaming" keyboards, but that is my personal preference.
If you don't want or need the extra buttons/flashy lights/etc then I would suggest looking into something else.
I personally use a Filco Majestouch(tenkeyless) but I am not sure about their availability in your location. I have a friend with a Das and he loves it as well, but I've never used them personally.
That being said I also do know a few friends with the black widow and they love it, but like I said I just don't like the typical "ITS GAMING, LOOK AT ALL THE BUTTONS/LIGHTS" peripherals being put out.
I've also heard nice things about Leopold keyboards as well.
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If you want something that will last long, try not to get razer as they have a cheaper build quality.
Try to rego with SS or try out Das/Filco/Ducky keyboards
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6GV2 is the sturdiest keyboard out there for gaming, not sure how you managed to break it.
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if you want something that is similar to the 6GV2 i would go with a rosewill mechanical keyboard. But don't know if you can get it Iceland. you can get the same switches as the 6GV2 too.
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My razer blackwidow is over a 1 and a half years old. Still works. I've read a lot of steel series keys stop working. I think that has to do with the soldering of the switches. I opened my black widow and the soldering was pretty good. I have installed and removed o-ring dampeners. I've also done 2 key cap swaps. The end result is my keyboard is still alive. The letters of the original keys has barely faded. The only cheap build quality portion of the board that i have found is the top outer gloss casing. It makes the keyboard feel cheap and has a little bit of flex.
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On July 13 2012 11:00 Xingke wrote:
I personally try to stay away from "gaming" keyboards, but that is my personal preference.
If you don't want or need the extra buttons/flashy lights/etc then I would suggest looking into something else.
I personally use a Filco Majestouch(tenkeyless) but I am not sure about their availability in your location. I have a friend with a Das and he loves it as well, but I've never used them personally.
That being said I also do know a few friends with the black widow and they love it, but like I said I just don't like the typical "ITS GAMING, LOOK AT ALL THE BUTTONS/LIGHTS" peripherals being put out.
I've also heard nice things about Leopold keyboards as well.
Yeah, all the lights and gadgets piss me off.
I keep hearing good things about Filco boards. Their price is really steep, though.
On July 13 2012 11:04 Soloturtle wrote:
If you want something that will last long, try not to get razer as they have a cheaper build quality.
Try to rego with SS or try out Das/Filco/Ducky keyboards
I agree. I went through the trouble of ordering Steelseries online instead of going for Razer in the first place because the Razer ones just don't seem sturdy enough.
On July 13 2012 11:38 PolishxThunder wrote:
6GV2 is the sturdiest keyboard out there for gaming, not sure how you managed to break it.
If you look around, this is actually quite a common issue with Steelseries keyboards.
On July 13 2012 12:10 Kayn_ wrote:
if you want something that is similar to the 6GV2 i would go with a rosewill mechanical keyboard. But don't know if you can get it Iceland. you can get the same switches as the 6GV2 too.
This is going to sound pretentious, but I can't help it. I came across a Rosewill keyboard very similar to the 6Gv2 but I was turned off by how the logo looked.
On July 13 2012 12:17 m1rk3 wrote:
My razer blackwidow is over a 1 and a half years old. Still works. I've read a lot of steel series keys stop working. I think that has to do with the soldering of the switches. I opened my black widow and the soldering was pretty good. I have installed and removed o-ring dampeners. I've also done 2 key cap swaps. The end result is my keyboard is still alive. The letters of the original keys has barely faded. The only cheap build quality portion of the board that i have found is the top outer gloss casing. It makes the keyboard feel cheap and has a little bit of flex.
Appreciate the input. Black Widow would be a relatively cheap and convenient option for me (as I can just go pick it up and not have to ship it). I just hate how it lights up like a space ship since I sleep in the same room as my computer and it's usually on 24/7.
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On July 13 2012 11:38 PolishxThunder wrote:
6GV2 is the sturdiest keyboard out there for gaming, not sure how you managed to break it.
This is what I was thinking, I have one myself, I think I'd have to use a hammer to get a key to stop working.
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You can always try out a TTesports one. Theres a Meka G1
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Rosewill if you have a small budget and you want to go a step up. Then go grab some filcos. Das keyboards IMO are over rated. Dont go for SS, TTesports or razer shit cuz they have pretty bad quality.
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Well you won't exactly cry over the Blackwidow. A lot of pros still use it. I use it. I've had it for about a year now, a key stopped working (must of been some crumbs) but it must of unjostled as it's back to normal (was 6 months ago). So definitely sturdy keyboard 
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I wouldn't go with the Blackwidow. My friend owns it and it works only around 70% of the time for him (its about 8 months old), and from what I've read from forums all over (including this one), the Blackwidow is known to have some faulty construction compared to other mechanical keyboards.
If your looking into a beautiful, simple mechanical keyboard, I can emphatically recommend the Das Keyboard Professional Model S. It costs a little more than the Blackwidow Ultimate (albeit more than the normal Blackwidow), it's still an amazing keyboard for an amazing price. I know Destiny uses the Das and he likes it a lot, although he uses the Ultimate version. The only thing different about the ultimate version is the fact that it doesn't have letters etched on the keys. It's not only very good for gaming, it is amazing to use for typing. Sometimes I find myself making my essays longer for school just to keep typing on the Das  .
The Das uses Cherry MX Blue switched, which are not known as "gaming" switches, but are regarded as "general purpose" switches, which are different than the MX Black switches that the 6GV2 uses. For specifics on switches, there is a very nice mechanical keyboard guide on TL that you can consult (of course). So I recommend getting the Das Keyboard Professional Model S, but in the end, it's really up to you and what is your preference! Good luck!
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Just bought a Rosewill RK-9000 on newegg because it was on sale. Solid keyboard with Blue switches. no flashy stuff. Similar to the 6GV2 imo. Look it up.
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Das is nice, I have one with the brown switches, good keyboard. I recently got a blackwidow ultimate stealth and really like it.
You say the LEDs are a big problem for you, either buy the non-ultimate version which has no LEDs, or the ultimate itself has a button the keyboard that cycles the LED brightness, and includes an OFF setting. So with the blackwidow you really need not worry about the lights in your room.
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i use a filco and its wonderful.
also, no idea how you broke that 6gv2 keyboard lol. those things are fucking invincible in my experience.
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I'd still contact steelseries and see what they can do for you, it's worth a shot. As far as other keyboards go, the common answer is typically filco. Haven't tried one myself, but I've never heard anything bad about them except for the price. I have a Das myself and I like it alot. If you don't like a glossy finish though, I cant recommend it- other than that, its a great keyboard.
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Appreciate the input from everyone. I've decided on Rosewill RK-9000RE.
I'm in a bit of a pickle, though.
I'm trying to find a carrier who will ship it internationally (to Iceland, specifically).
Amazon.com doesn't ship electronics to Iceland (Amazon.co.uk does, but doesn't carry it).
Mechanicalkeyboards.com ships internationally, but not to Iceland for some reason.
Ebay only has a listing that doesn't ship to Iceland.
Newegg.com doesn't ship internationally.
Rosewill.com doesn't sell them online.
And now I've run out of ideas. Does anyone have any idea of some other site I might try?
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I had the exact same problem withmy 6gv2. Steelseries covered replacing mine under warranty as you suspected. You should definitely utilize your warranty, afterall the warranty costs are bundled into your purchase price. In the states I just had to pay to ship my keyboard to them. It was also pretty fast. I think I was without a keyboard for just a few days over a week.
You should also consider how manufacturing works in general. When everything is assembled according to tolerances and such, it lasts a long long time. If just a few things are out of wack, you have a lemon and it dies quickly. My replacement keyboard has been going strong for almost a whole year now, so all you need to do is get ahold of a properly assembled keyboard and it will last forever.
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EPT
