Buying a new Keyboard

exhaler

Hi fellow geeks,

Recently my 8 year old keyboard has gone berserk :( so i want to get a new one. After some googling i found out that there is new keyboards out there that are mechanical and gamers prefer them instead of the old ones.

i found some razer mechanical keyboards in the shops however they cost around $100.

Basically i want some feedback if anyone of you guys have that kind of keyboard and if it is that different from a regular one.

my main usage is for gaming and web developing.

devilsadvocate

http://static.skattertech.com/files/2009/11/das-keyboard-model-s-professional.jpg

My dream keyboard,its 130$,clicky as hell

Aly

You found Razer products in Lebanon ? I want a razer mouse, i checked Pcandparts but they dont have this brand at all, please tell who sells them.

exhaler

You cant find them at virgin ABC or Downtown, however there are a bit expensive :(

Aly

Thank you very much man, I will check virgin dt, some items at virgin have reasonable expensive prices and others are pretty expensive, i hope the Razer prices are fair ;)

ballad

Aly wroteThank you very much man, I will check virgin dt, some items at virgin have reasonable expensive prices and others are pretty expensive, i hope the Razer prices are fair ;)

they are fair
the razer naga was for about 100$ (80$ on the official website)

PowerPC

i have a mechanical keyboard, and going back to regular membrane switch is unpleasant to say the least.
See if you can try before you buy, as the razer keyboard are loud and clicky. (Cherry MX blue switch).

exhaler

@PowerPC do you prefer a mechanical keyboard or a regular one? also virgin doesn't allow try and buy :(
however razer does have a version that is silent uses Cherry MX Brown switch

PowerPC

Mechanical of course!
and yes if noise is an issue, you might want to stick with MX brown switches. These are the ones im currently using, and i like them a lot. Haven't tried others yet, but i do have a keyboard with blue swtiches on its way!

AvoK95

I just want to ask, what's the difference between a mechanical keyboard and a regular keyboard ?

exhaler

@PowerPC where did you get your mechanical keyboard and what brand is it.

@AvoK95 read this article to that explains the difference between the two http://www.cravingtech.com/mechanical-keyboard-different-cherry-switches.html

PowerPC

i got mine from the U.S shipped to the U.K where i currently live.
That's the one i got:
http://elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=leopold,tenkeyless&pid=fc200rtabn

and for those that i want a nice explanation of the working of mechanical keyboards, here is a great link:
http://www.overclock.net/t/491752/mechanical-keyboard-guide

Mechanical keyboards are certainly much more expensive than regular ones, but given it's one of the peripherals you interact most when you're on your pc, it is worth the price!

xterm

Anyone able to find mechanical keyboards in lebanon? Specifically Cherry MX Red?

AvoK95

I think PCandParts has one or two, I don't know what type of buttons they use though.

DarkNe0441

I have a Razer Lycosa, bought from Virgin for around $80 if I remember well. Great keyboard for gaming, you can customize every single key if you like, and the lighting is just super epic.

d3ad

xterm wroteAnyone able to find mechanical keyboards in lebanon? Specifically Cherry MX Red?

Gigabyte Aivia Osmium Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Link $139.00 mk-27

yasamoka

@exhaler: no matter how much you look, you won't find a keyboard that's perfect for everything. You'll have to compromise:

http://www.daskeyboard.com/blog/?page_id=1458

1) Blacks: Offer most resistance (usually 60g actuation force), no tactile feedback. Good for FPS gaming, not much for typing, generally disliked.
2) Blues: Offer less resistance (usually 45g actuation force), tactile feedback, clicky. Awesome for typing, great for gaming, (double-click is a bit trickier than other types, but you can get used to it), noisiest. Used by the Razer BlackWidow / [Ultimate].
3) Browns: Offer less resistance (usually 45g actuation force, tactile feedback, less clicky than blues. Sacrifices a bit on typing speed and performance to get you less noise. Great for gaming as well. It's used in the Razer BlackWidow Stealth and the Das Keyboard Model S Pro / Ulti Silent. You could see that it's made for "silence" (it's nowhere near silent, but you can probably still type on it quitely if you don't bottom out the keys.)
4) Reds: Offer least resistance, very sensitive, I think tactile feedback. They're generally disliked by gamers and typists and are almost extinct. The Corsair K60 and K90 keyboards use Red. If you have ant legs for fingers, go for Red.

Devil'sAdvocate wrotehttp://static.skattertech.com/files/2009/11/das-keyboard-model-s-professional.jpg

My dream keyboard,its 130$,clicky as hell

I'm probably getting one of these soon. Do you want one?

@xterm: really suggest you avoid Cherry MX Red anyways, except if you like your keys to offer no resistance. They make you produce so many typographical errors that they're almost extinct now. For gaming they're not recommended either. For FPS, Blacks are recommended due to the resistance and no tactile feedback (easier to double-click?), while with RTS, Blues or Browns are recommended (as they provide tactile feedback).

To be less harsh, you should try one before you buy it. You'll love it or hate it. I can't try one and I have decided to skip them, as I'm going to be typing heavily, and I'm going to be gaming. I'm probably going for Browns (good balance between tactile feedback, actuation force, and noise).

As for mechanical keyboards in Lebanon, no I haven't seen any yet.

PowerPC

just to add my 2cents. I have a cherry brown right now and i love it for both typing and gaming. I also had a cherry blue keyboard and didn't click with it ( no pun intended!). it wasn't the noise, but the feel that didn't sit nice with my typing style. So again, just to repeat what others have said, try before you buy.

AVOlio

Ok guys, i know this would be off topic.
But can anyone explain to me what exactly are the Macro keys, that come with these kind of keyboards? And what they are used for?
How do they work etc etc...

nefe_lpmk

Guys I have Gigabyte Aivia Osmium Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Link $139.00 mk-27
It is an awesome keyboard ,
Pros : build quality stability on desk ,noisy but not much , Blue leds in dark are great , hand support is so comfy , Gold connector .
Cons : only issue is that macro keys are kinda hard to reach ( Razer keyboard macros are on the left better )

So if macro keying is not your main goal of purchase I recommend it . Best keyboard quality on the market