Keyboards

Vitaliy_Kiselev

While in camera world we have clear progress year after year, in keyboard business things in mass market are going in reverse.

If you get IBM PS/2 keyboard from 1991 and after working on it you go to your shop and try various keyboards you'll be in shock. Starting from $5-10 crap invented only to type up to 140 symbols a day (makes you understand twitter popularity), to pricey junk "space ships" designed to run video player.

And gaming keyboards. This is long story. Not only you must send all your time down the pipes, but you must do it on cool keyboards. I am not even start the story of motherfuckers who place extra keys in the bottom row, more and more. Inventor of Windows keys (and Fn keys on notebooks) must be found and executed in public using some very paintful way.

This was few thoughts I got after looking at keyboard market and getting Razor BlackWidow (not big choice of localized mechanical stuff is available really).

This is mechanical keyboard based on Cherry MX Blue switches

Razor keyboard is very good example of modern "inventors".

Key size is slightly reduced compared to normal keyboards (whole main block is smaller than normal keyboard).
Typeface used for keys is just awful, not major, really, if you type constantly, but anyway.
As this is "gamers keyboard" it has macro keys that are on the left and placed in such distance that makes harder intuitive use of left Ctrl.
It is glossy and keys are made from quite cheap plastic (if you compare to IBM keyboards)

But overall, of couse it can't be compared to rubber dome crap, even good one as some Microsoft keyboards.

It not have ideal main key block layout like some keyboards:

As Enter is still small.

May be in future we'll see something ideal, like IBM keyboards, but with larger bottom row, no widows keys and with buckling spring or mech switches options.

Available at:

http://www.amazon.com/Razer-Blackwidow-Ultimate-Mechanical-RZ03-00381900-R3U1/dp/B008U5ZNIG

Note: You can get older (not 2013) version, it is cheaper but absolutely the same from practical standpoint

mitkoo

I have MIIIW Dual Mode Bluetooth Mini Keyboard

i can put my laptop under the desk connected via bluetooth and work simultanously with the desktop over wireless connection.

Kind of the same but simpler.

Very convenient for me.

Vitaliy_Kiselev

Xiaomi Mi Wu intelligent Voice Keyboard

Made for voice input mostly, with keys only helping :-)

MikeLinn

New Lenovo keybaord

Vitaliy_Kiselev

If you need portable keyboard -Ultranav One

Can be also used by Thinkpad notes fans, if note is new keyboards and you love old one.

Vitaliy_Kiselev

Corsair K95 RGB Platinum Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Sale for $130

Really good thing with nice drivers.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N5IISXY/

MikeLinn

Amazon keyboard

MikeLinn

Switch sounds

MikeLinn

MikeLinn

IBM Model M Space Saving Keyboard

MikeLinn

Vitaliy_Kiselev

Razer Keyboards BF Sale

BlackWidow Chroma V2 Wired Gaming Mechanical Green Switch Keyboard with RGB $85

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/razer-blackwidow-chroma-v2-wired-gaming-mechanical-green-switch-keyboard-with-rgb-back-lighting-black/5588907.p

BlackWidow Ultimate 2016 Edition, $55

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/razer-blackwidow-ultimate-2016-edition-wired-gaming-mechanical-switch-keyboard-with-back-lighting-black/4814900.p

MikeLinn

Vitaliy_Kiselev

LK Libra mechanical-optical switches

https://www.bloody.com/en/products.php?pid=11

Vitaliy_Kiselev

Very good deal for RGB Mechanical keyboard

Vitaliy_Kiselev

Azio keyboard is available, not cheap

http://www.aziocorp.com/webe/html/products/index2.aspx?num=172

Vitaliy_Kiselev

Sample of such keyboard

Vitaliy_Kiselev

Cherry made MX Low Profile switches

CHERRY, the market leader and expert in mechanical switches in keyboards, is announcing the MX Low Profile RGB. This shallow switch features a brand-new design and combines the well-known characteristics of the MX switch with a low profile. This allows the implementation of mechanical keys in a much more compact format, making the CHERRY MX Low Profile RGB suitable not only for use in notebooks but also for building unusually thin high-end keyboards.

The CHERRY MX Low Profile RGB is the first truly new development in mechanical switches in more than 30 years. The company's R&D department has invested a lot of time and effort in achieving a total height of only 11.9 millimeters without compromising on characteristics and quality. The MX Low Profile RGB is about 35 percent shallower than the standard MX switches, and thanks to its unique design it can be used just as easily for mechanical keyboards in high-end notebooks as for unusually thin mechanical desktop keyboards. The new CHERRY switch was fully developed and built in Germany, its the "Made in Germany" seal representing the best product quality and the highest manufacturing precision.

Typical characteristics and Gold-Crosspoint technology

Despite its low height, the CHERRY MX Low Profile RGB offers the same perfect operation feeling that CHERRY's conventional switches have already established as a gold standard on the market. Although the actuation characteristics remain almost the same, the travel has been reduced from 4.0 to 3.2 millimeters. For a reliable operation, CHERRY has integrated its exclusive, high-precision and long-life Gold-Crosspoint technology. The contacts are self-cleaning and resistant to corrosion, with guarantees over 50 million keystrokes with no loss of quality. This also leads to a shorter bounce time for higher switching frequencies.

Housing with optimization for lighting

The housing for the CHERRY MX Low Profile RGB is transparent and designed for use with SMD LEDs. These compact LEDs sit directly on the PCB to benefit the shallow design of the keyboard. The design of the housing is optimized to ensure a uniform illumination of the entire key cap and to represent all 16.8 million colors of the RGB spectrum accurately.

CHERRY MX Low Profile RGB Red as first variant

The MX Low Profile RGB Red is the first variant that CHERRY will offer. It has the same properties as the regular MX Red variant, such as a linear switching characteristic and an actuation force of 45 centinewtons, making the MX Low Profile RGB Red perfectly suitable for gamers and fast typists.

Vitaliy_Kiselev

Our interview with Cherry at CES

Vitaliy_Kiselev

Gaming Keyboard Mechanical Keyboard K551-N VARA by Redragon sale for $29,6

https://www.amazon.com/Keyboard-Mechanical-Redragon-illuminated-ABS-Metal/dp/B01LXD7STC/

Vitaliy_Kiselev

Zalman ZM-K900M Gaming Mechanical Keyboard Brown Switch RGB Illumination $49 sale

https://flash.newegg.com/Product/9SIABW95YT4218

Vitaliy_Kiselev

On Razer Green Switches

Since around 2014 Razer went the same road Panasonic and Sony are going now. I mean increase margins and management premiums at the cost of consumer.

They did it two ways. First was adding more fancy lighting (total cost around $1) and calling it Chrome keyboards that you can sell at premium. But most important - they replaced industry standard Cherry MX mechanical switches to cheap Chinese wannabes. In our case we will talk about Razer Green Switches.

As you know in capitalism companies protect stuff with patents. So Razer switches only look similar, but internally they have differences. Also to lower cost equipment and quality control had been cheapened. Most savings was on expensive copper made metal parts inside switch. They are of inferior quality and use much less metal.

Result?

Proper single word to describe it - inconsistency. Different switches make different click sound, some can make almost none, keys have slight variations of force needed for click. For mechanical keyboard consistency it is number one thing.

They also jump between manufacturers randomly, see https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/sole-manufacturer-for-razer-green-switches/

To conclude, if you want Razer BlackWidow I really suggest to search for old Cherry MX Blue one. Or get some from reputable brand with Cherry switches.

Small bonus how you can fix non clicky or different clicky keys

See more at https://imgur.com/a/iQxre

Measured difference

https://input.club/the-comparative-guide-to-mechanical-switches/tactile-clicky/cherry-mx-blue/

Vitaliy_Kiselev

The Razer BlackWidow Ultimate Will Be Spill Resistant

Augmented with water- and dust-resistant features, the latest Razer BlackWidow Ultimate is redesigned to be the most resilient gaming keyboard to date. With an IP54 rating, the keyboard has been tested to protect against accidental water spillage and harmful dust particles.

The Razer BlackWidow Ultimate continues to boast individually backlit keys. Each green LED is easily customizable through Razer’s Synapse software, which offers a wide range of dynamic lighting effects which include: Wave, Ripple, Reactive, Starlight and more. Gamers are able to create various lighting profiles via the advanced lighting effect configurator.

The Razer BlackWidow Ultimate also comes equipped with the award-winning Razer™ Mechanical Switches, the world’s first key switch designed specifically for gaming. Available for this keyboard in a single switch variant – the Razer Green Switch – Razer continues to lead the industry with gaming-optimized actuation and reset responsiveness. With a rated lifespan of up to 80 million keystrokes, the Razer Mechanical Switch is engineered for durability and reliably delivers top performance with every key press.

Vitaliy_Kiselev

Very good sale - ThinkPad TK700 ThinkLife game keyboard (Razer Black Widow Ultimate OEM), $59

Make sure to use $3 coupon.

https://www.joybuy.com/3705355.html

Vitaliy_Kiselev

The Tex Yoda II - Mechanical Keyboard with TrackPoint

Vitaliy_Kiselev

Gamers keyboards at Computex

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories

Tags in Topic

Top Posters