Choosing a mechanical keyboard

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Alceister

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Jan 12, 2014
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So I am looking for a mechanical keyboard to replace my current one, which is about 12-13 years old and came from a restaurant. The one I am using at present is not responsive enough for my needs, not to mention a few sticky keys and some unspeakable crud in the cracks.

After some considerable dithering and research on the subject of mechanical keyboards, I have formulated the following requirements:

- Around or under $100 CAD before taxes.
- Soft-to-moderate pressure with feedback (I'm thinking Blue or Brown switch)
- Buttons or keys dedicated to volume control and system functions
- Full 108 key layout
- Black or dark grey colour; any LED lighting should either be white or blue
- Backlighting is not required
- Understated aesthetics
- Easy to clean
- To be used for both typing and gaming (non-competitive RTS if there is such a thing anymore, a few MMOs, and the occasional FPS)

With these requirements in mind, I am considering the following keyboards for the time being:

Ducky DK2108SZ
Corsair K70
Metadot Das Keyboard Professional

At this point in time, I would like some feedback regarding Blue or Brown switches, as well as to whether or not the keyboards that I am looking at will be able to meet my requirements.
 
Solution
byza
All of those keyboards are very good. The K70 is probably the easiest to clean and has the best media buttons, but it is also the most aggressive styling.

Blues are noisier than the other switches and are heavier than browns. Both are very good typing switches, personally I would choose browns over blues as I prefer lighter keys and less noise. You seem to have done your research so there isn't much to say other than if it's possible, go to a store and try out the two switch types you're looking at. At only 5g difference in pressure in both the stroke and overcoming the actuation point, you wouldn't think there is much difference but you can feel it and will probably prefer one over the other.
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byza

byza

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Sep 7, 2013
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All of those keyboards are very good. The K70 is probably the easiest to clean and has the best media buttons, but it is also the most aggressive styling.

Blues are noisier than the other switches and are heavier than browns. Both are very good typing switches, personally I would choose browns over blues as I prefer lighter keys and less noise. You seem to have done your research so there isn't much to say other than if it's possible, go to a store and try out the two switch types you're looking at. At only 5g difference in pressure in both the stroke and overcoming the actuation point, you wouldn't think there is much difference but you can feel it and will probably prefer one over the other.
 
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Alceister

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Jan 12, 2014
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I have tried out a few keyboards, actually. The K70 (Red) is one of the keyboards that I have given a try, along with the basic CM compact (Blue), Roccat (Black) and Razer (Green). I like the K70 quite a bit, but I found that I liked the feel of Blue switches better than the Reds.

In regards to noise, I feel that the Blue is not at all distracting. For reasons I cannot quite understand, I actually rather like the clickety sounds, which seem to help me keep pace with my typing. However, I do feel that it may be problematic for late-night use and does offset any benefits from having this computer built for silence.

I have some miserly tendencies, so I'll probably end up waiting an age on whatever keyboard I do eventually choose to see if the price drops. At the moment, the Ducky is selling cheaper than the other two, so I'm wondering if it would be a good idea to go for it or to wait it out longer on this old keyboard of mine.

As for the whole LED thing, I'll probably ease off on that a little, but I definitely do not want any lighting to clash excessively with existing LEDs. Red might be tolerable, but green, magenta or orange are not.
 
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Alceister

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Jan 12, 2014
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Well, I would like some feedback on Das Keyboard and Ducky brands. Yes, I hear that they are good, but I want to know about the personal experiences of others with their products.
 
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