Shopping for new Keyboard and Mouse

[RobFRaschke]

I'm completely overwhelmed by the frankly absurd number of options. Here's what I am certain of so far:

 

I love mechanical switches, they are reminiscent of keyboards from way back in the day and is just more comfortable and pleasing.

 

I also want to go TKL. I have a USB numpad for when it's absolutely necessary, but would prefer the extra space and ergonomics. 

 

I played with a few keyboards at best buy the other day. I got really mixed results. The Romer G clicky switches were nice. Travel felt fine, click was noticeable, but not absurd, though higher pitched than the others seemed. The Razer Green had a nice click, short actuation and lower sound to the click, however sounded notably louder than the Romer-G. The Cherry MX blues had a very similar sound to the Razer Green, but I did actually notice the extra travel, which I didn't expect. The Razer Orange however felt mushy comparably, very disappointingly so, since I was really hoping to not have to go to clicky switches to get the sharp feel I miss.

 

For mice, I used an MX518 for a while, then a G5 first gen(single side button) and then a G5 blue(dual side buttons) which have all had long, hard lives and died. I happened to get a steal of a deal on a Razer DeathAdder and have been using it for about 6 months. I loved the shape of the logitechs, didn't completley fill my hand, but did better than most as I'm more of a palm gripper, but with long hands, I claw off the end of most mice a bit. The deathadder while a decent size, has forced me into more of a claw grip, and I'm just not as precise, though I do seem to change direction a bit more quickly. I'd like to retain a little of the claw I've come to use, but get a bit more full of a grip to hopefully get some precision back without having to turn down the dps. I'm not going to hate on the sniper button on some mice, but it's one extra thing to have to do before firing, and I already suck at FPS games.

 

Finally, I bring shame on myself and my family. I want RGB. I have a black and red theme going right now, but I'm upgrading video cards in the not-so-distant future and may not be able to adhere to that theme afterwards. I'm not against color scheme effecting my components, but if there simply isn't a good black and red RTX 2060 that's not in the same price range as a black and green, or silver and green, or whatever the hell else there is, I'm willing to take a hard swing in another color direction as I do not upgrade video cards even as often as I do memory or CPUs.

 

Any thoughts or advice? I'm open to all feedback as it may help steer me in the right direction.

[b emoji]

2 minutes ago, RobFRaschke said:

Razer Orange however felt mushy comparably, very disappointingly so, since I was really hoping to not have to go to clicky switches to get the sharp feel I miss.

 

If you want a sharper tactile switch go for something like Box Royals, T1s, or Zealios. 

[RobFRaschke]

2 minutes ago, b emoji said:

If you want a sharper tactile switch go for something like Box Royals, T1s, or Zealios. 

I do appreciate that feedback, but I'm looking more for reasonably priced, big market keyboard options, in the sub-$150 range. I've looked at the Razer BlackWidow Tournament V2, the Corsair K63 and a few others and am getting whiplash trying to sort through the differences.

 

I guess I'm primarily looking for personal experiences with keyboards/mice in this general vicinity as reviews are all over the place at retailers on them.

[rice guru]

15 minutes ago, RobFRaschke said:

I do appreciate that feedback, but I'm looking more for reasonably priced, big market keyboard options, in the sub-$150 range. I've looked at the Razer BlackWidow Tournament V2, the Corsair K63 and a few others and am getting whiplash trying to sort through the differences.

 

I guess I'm primarily looking for personal experiences with keyboards/mice in this general vicinity as reviews are all over the place at retailers on them.

instead of razer look at ducky one 2 much better built keyboards witch actual cherry keys

[b emoji]

6 minutes ago, rice guru said:

instead of razer look at ducky one 2 much better built keyboards witch actual cherry keys

Cherrys aren't much better, and OP said he wanted sharper tactility without the click, and tactility is something that cherry is quite shit at. 

[RobFRaschke]

6 minutes ago, rice guru said:

instead of razer look at ducky one 2 much better built keyboards witch actual cherry keys

I have looked at the Ducky and was highly enticed, but I've read in many reviews that their RGB implementation is simplistic at best, and downright lacking at worst. Do you have one?

[RobFRaschke]

Just now, b emoji said:

Cherrys aren't much better, and OP said he wanted sharper tactility without the click, and tactility is something that cherry is quite shit at. 

Are there assembled keyboards available with those switches you mentioned, I don't see any of them on MechanicalKeyboards.com and that's about the depth of my experience searching for anything less common than the switches I previously mentioned.

[rice guru]

1 minute ago, RobFRaschke said:

I have looked at the Ducky and was highly enticed, but I've read in many reviews that their RGB implementation is simplistic at best, and downright lacking at worst. Do you have one?

Yeah I have one but I don't care for RGB. almost all my gear has some sort of RGB. But I only use RGB on this keyboard as a backlight. If aesthetics is that important to you buy what makes you happy and grab the most tricked out lighting you can. I bought this keyboard mainly for the build quality and how the stock keycaps feel great and have a normal font unlike gaming keyboard manufacturers

[rice guru]

6 minutes ago, b emoji said:

Cherrys aren't much better, and OP said he wanted sharper tactility without the click, and tactility is something that cherry is quite shit at. 

I agree if your into tactile keyboards stay away from cherry or gaming keyboards find a keyboard that features kailh box switches or if your lucky, alps but those are hard to find RGB seems to be more important to OP anyway than quality

[RobFRaschke]

3 minutes ago, rice guru said:

Yeah I have one but I don't care for RGB. almost all my gear has some sort of RGB. But I only use RGB on this keyboard as a backlight. If aesthetics is that important to you buy what makes you happy and grab the most tricked out lighting you can. I bought this keyboard mainly for the build quality and how the stock keycaps feel great and have a normal font unlike gaming keyboard manufacturers

 

I'm not nearly as worried about fancy RGB as I am in tying the whole system together. That amount of backlight looks perfect, and if I have a good selection of solid colors, I'd be really happy. RGB is more of a nice feature that I think I should be able to get in the price range I'm looking at, than it is a be-all end-all for me, it's just the only real downside I've seen to the Ducky One 2, besides only being available with Cherry Switches, which I think I could settle for if there isn't truly a better option.

[b emoji]

2 minutes ago, RobFRaschke said:

I'm not nearly as worried about fancy RGB as I am in tying the whole system together. That amount of backlight looks perfect, and if I have a good selection of solid colors, I'd be really happy. RGB is more of a nice feature that I think I should be able to get in the price range I'm looking at, than it is a be-all end-all for me, it's just the only real downside I've seen to the Ducky One 2, besides only being available with Cherry Switches, which I think I could settle for if there isn't truly a better option.

If you really want sharper tactility, you could build a GK64 RGB + Box Jades + 60% Case + Plate which would run you maybe 125-200usd. 

[rice guru]

Ducky RGB keyboards are nice because you don't need software to pick colors. You can choose from a spectrum of colors too. You click on+space and you enter this mode which then you press any color you want and the lighting more you were on will then be programmed into that and will be saved to the keyboard internally rather than software.

[RobFRaschke]

4 minutes ago, b emoji said:

If you really want sharper tactility, you could build a GK64 RGB + Box Jades + 60% Case + Plate which would run you maybe 125-200usd. 

I hate the mini/60% keyboards, I always end up mashing the wrong key, especially around right shift. And I'm not entirely against building my own, I just don't see the value in it, likely because I haven't done it yet.

 

Frankly though, I just want a keyboard that works well, is not complete junk, lets me pick a color and isn't going to soak up the next month stressing over switches. I'm pretty anal retentive about a lot of things, but this is not the rabbit hole I want to spend all my time in.

 

I'm seeing some options with backlighting options with KBT, Greetech and Flaretech Switches, do any of them suck less than cherry's?

[RobFRaschke]

2 minutes ago, rice guru said:

Ducky RGB keyboards are nice because you don't need software to pick colors. You can choose from a spectrum of colors too. You click on+space and you enter this mode which then you press any color you want and the lighting more you were on will then be programmed into that and will be saved to the keyboard internally rather than software.

 

That is actually the most helpful information I've found about their RGB in literally a week of looking. There was a video that showed that mode, but didn't really explain what the hell was going on. 

 

So I can set it to a solid mode, then get in there and pick the color, and my backlighting is set?

[rice guru]

2 minutes ago, RobFRaschke said:

I hate the mini/60% keyboards, I always end up mashing the wrong key, especially around right shift. And I'm not entirely against building my own, I just don't see the value in it, likely because I haven't done it yet.

 

Frankly though, I just want a keyboard that works well, is not complete junk, lets me pick a color and isn't going to soak up the next month stressing over switches. I'm pretty anal retentive about a lot of things, but this is not the rabbit hole I want to spend all my time in.

 

I'm seeing some options with backlighting options with KBT, Greetech and Flaretech Switches, do any of them suck less than cherry's?

Try looking for something with gateron I muck prefer their tactile switches over cherry. I'm a clicky key switch kinda guy and prefer the sound of cherry that's why I have this keyboard mainly.

[rice guru]

2 minutes ago, RobFRaschke said:

That is actually the most helpful information I've found about their RGB in literally a week of looking. There was a video that showed that mode, but didn't really explain what the hell was going on. 

 

So I can set it to a solid mode, then get in there and pick the color, and my backlighting is set?

Yeah pretty much

[rice guru]

Just now, rice guru said:

Try looking for something with gateron I muck prefer their tactile switches over cherry. I'm a clicky key switch kinda guy and prefer the sound of cherry that's why I have this keyboard mainly.

You change between modes with fn+f10 and change colors with fn+space 

[RobFRaschke]

1 minute ago, rice guru said:

Try looking for something with gateron I muck prefer their tactile switches over cherry. I'm a clicky key switch kinda guy and prefer the sound of cherry that's why I have this keyboard mainly.

So the Gateron switches that is their equivalent of a cherry blue, I believe is also a blue? How would you compare the sound of a Cherry Blue to a Gateron Blue? Higher pitch, lower pitch, louder, quieter?

[rice guru]

2 minutes ago, rice guru said:

Yeah pretty much

 

4 minutes ago, RobFRaschke said:

That is actually the most helpful information I've found about their RGB in literally a week of looking. There was a video that showed that mode, but didn't really explain what the hell was going on. 

 

So I can set it to a solid mode, then get in there and pick the color, and my backlighting is set?

Here it is in soling neon pink my phone camera can't seem to pick up the color accurately 

[b emoji]

5 minutes ago, RobFRaschke said:

So the Gateron switches that is their equivalent of a cherry blue, I believe is also a blue? How would you compare the sound of a Cherry Blue to a Gateron Blue? Higher pitch, lower pitch, louder, quieter?

Gateron switches are quite a bit smoother than cherrys but have more wobble. Gateron Blue sounds slightly higher pitched but not by much in my use. If you want clicky switches try to look for box clickbar switches. 

[rice guru]

1 minute ago, RobFRaschke said:

So the Gateron switches that is their equivalent of a cherry blue, I believe is also a blue? How would you compare the sound of a Cherry Blue to a Gateron Blue? Higher pitch, lower pitch, louder, quieter?

I find the Cherry's have a lower pitched click and clack combo than gateron which also mostly depends on the chassis the ducky just were the best sounding to me they sounded solid and premium and the gateron somehow reminded me of my old outemu keyboard's sound which made it seem cheaper sound wise it all comes down to preferences. when I was comparing key switches at my friend's house who loves mech keyboards. The one thing I did like about gateron is they feel smooth especially btheir linear and tactile switches. 

[RobFRaschke]

1 minute ago, b emoji said:

Gateron switches are quite a bit smoother than cherrys but have more wobble. Gateron Blue sounds slightly higher pitched but not by much in my use. If you want clicky switches try to look for box clickbar switches. 

Those are like the kaihl box whites? I think I saw those, but can't recall if they were in a keyboard or just on the switch list.

[rice guru]

2 minutes ago, b emoji said:

Gateron switches are quite a bit smoother than cherrys but have more wobble. Gateron Blue sounds slightly higher pitched but not by much in my use. If you want clicky switches try to look for box clickbar switches. 

Kailh is a common brand for these types of switches they also feel pretty tactile

[b emoji]

1 minute ago, RobFRaschke said:

Those are like the kaihl box whites? I think I saw those, but can't recall if they were in a keyboard or just on the switch list.

Box whites are a click bar switch, but I prefer the thick clickbar switches like Box Jades. You can find them in the Anne Pro 2 I think.

[RobFRaschke]

Just now, b emoji said:

Box whites are a click bar switch, but I prefer the thick clickbar switches like Box Jades. You can find them in the Anne Pro 2 I think.

Ok, but why the thick clickbar? The feel or sound? How so?

 

Buying a keyboard should not have to be this hard. This is why people buy Razer and Logitech. They recognize the name, they have a few options, they know what they're getting and it's right there.