Looking for a simple mechanical keybord

[Nosrelo]

Hi!

At my workplace we have Cherry Keyboards that are labelled "Cherry MX 3000 USB on". Since I started using those I started to realize how bad my cheap 12 year old membrane Logitech keyboard is. So I started looking into mechanical keyboards. I don't know exactly what switches the keyboards at my workplace use but i believe they are MX blues or similar. They are pretty clicky and loud. It feels great for typing but I'd like to have something a little more quiet for my home.

So I think I will go for MX brown or similar switches. I like playing csgo but also type a lot so the keyboard needs to be an allrounder. I know the MX browns will not be as loud, but do they feel similar to the blues? Is there a big difference in feel for typing? Unfortunately, I can't just try them out in a store as we are on a serious lock down atm. So I think I'll take the risk and if I dislike what I ordered I'll have to return it.

For the layout I want a numpad. 100% or 110% does not really matter to me. I like back light, preferably white. I don't care about RGB and would probably set it to white anyway.

There's so many options available that it's hard to get an overview. The DasKeyboard 4 Professional looks nice but isn't backlit. The Ducky One 2 looks perfect, but is not available anywhere right now.

So what are your recommendations? Should I be open to any other switch manufacturer? Any help is appreciated.

Thanks and have a great day!

 

Edit: Forgot to mention budget. 100€ would be great, 150€ is okay if I like everything about it.

[Lord Sephington]

I personally use a corsair K70 MKII with MX red switches (linear) and i love it as its quiet but every keystroke is registered without issue. i have pudding caps on for more light (as i play alot at night) but generally my opinion is corsair and hyperx are both solid choices to go with for boards that are available. as some more boutique boards either are totally out of stock or are stupidly expensive.

 

i hope this helps a little bit with helping you narrow down choices for you.

[seon123]

38 minutes ago, Nosrelo said:

I don't know exactly what switches the keyboards at my workplace use but i believe they are MX blues or similar. They are pretty clicky and loud.

Do they make a distinctive click sound if you push a key down slowly? So it's not just from bottoming out? If yes, then that would be MX Blue.

39 minutes ago, Nosrelo said:

It feels great for typing but I'd like to have something a little more quiet for my home.

So I think I will go for MX brown or similar switches. I like playing csgo but also type a lot so the keyboard needs to be an allrounder. I know the MX browns will not be as loud, but do they feel similar to the blues? Is there a big difference in feel for typing? Unfortunately, I can't just try them out in a store as we are on a serious lock down atm. So I think I'll take the risk and if I dislike what I ordered I'll have to return it.

How quiet? Do you just not want the click, or do you want silenced switches? The quietest silenced stock tactile switch I've tried is the Boba U4. It does however have an opaque housing, so it may not work as well with backlighting.

42 minutes ago, Nosrelo said:

For the layout I want a numpad. 100% or 110% does not really matter to me. I like back light, preferably white. I don't care about RGB and would probably set it to white anyway.

There's so many options available that it's hard to get an overview. The DasKeyboard 4 Professional looks nice but isn't backlit. The Ducky One 2 looks perfect, but is not available anywhere right now.

Das Keyboard is great if you want a keyboard that uses horrible keycaps, bad/mediocre switches, is not built well, and comes from a particularly anti-consumer company.

I would suggest the GMMK. It's in stock for €75 (ISO version) or €70 (ANSI) on Caseking. To that, you would add switches (€70 for Boba U4, less for tactile non-silenced options) and keycaps (cheap doubleshot PBT ones for like €20 on Aliexpress).

[Nosrelo]

Thanks for your replies!

16 hours ago, Lord Sephington said:

...but generally my opinion is corsair and hyperx are both solid choices...

I like the Hyperx Alloy Origins but the only shop that has it available in Germany (not even in stock - it says in three weeks) does not tell which switches the one they offer uses. And I think I would prefer the Aqua switches.

15 hours ago, seon123 said:

Do they make a distinctive click sound if you push a key down slowly? So it's not just from bottoming out? If yes, then that would be MX Blue.

How quiet? Do you just not want the click, or do you want silenced switches? The quietest silenced stock tactile switch I've tried is the Boba U4. It does however have an opaque housing, so it may not work as well with backlighting.

Das Keyboard is great if you want a keyboard that uses horrible keycaps, bad/mediocre switches, is not built well, and comes from a particularly anti-consumer company.

I would suggest the GMMK. It's in stock for €75 (ISO version) or €70 (ANSI) on Caseking. To that, you would add switches (€70 for Boba U4, less for tactile non-silenced options) and keycaps (cheap doubleshot PBT ones for like €20 on Aliexpress).

I am not sure. I will try to check later today.

I honestly don't know how quiet I'd like them but I don't want to become one of the annoying guys on Discord with an incredibly loud keyboard. I really want backlighting so I think the Boba is out for me.

What you write about Das Keyboard is exactly what i am looking for so I think I will go with that.

Seriously, though. The GMMK looks cool and I like the idea of a custom keyboard. I'll have to look into which switches I want. I just watched a review saying that the Gateron Brown switches are closer to MX reds than MX browns. So I don't think that's what I want. Also do you think it's important to get PBT caps instead of ABS? 

[Nosrelo]

I just stumbled upon the Logitech G610 Orion. And it's in stock with MX browns for 117€!
I'll research a little more but I am strongly leaning towards going with the Logitech. I like the simple design and the white backlighting. Only thing I'm not sure about is if the key caps are of nice quality. Why is this board so much cheaper than anything in the same class?

[Automobili3XF]

Just now, Nosrelo said:

I just stumbled upon the Logitech G610 Orion. And it's in stock with MX browns for 117€!
I'll research a little more but I am strongly leaning towards going with the Logitech. I like the simple design and the white backlighting. Only thing I'm not sure about is if the key caps are of nice quality. Why is this board so much cheaper than anything in the same class?

I wouldn't get it, the keycaps are cheap and thin with a proprietary bottom row (which doesn't allow you to change all the keycaps for better ones), the case is hollow and plasticky.

Could you, by any chance, get a Leopold? With them you'd get the simple design and the build quality at the same time, with a sturdy case and double shot PBT keycaps.

[Nosrelo]

1 hour ago, Automobili3XF said:

I wouldn't get it, the keycaps are cheap and thin with a proprietary bottom row (which doesn't allow you to change all the keycaps for better ones), the case is hollow and plasticky.

Could you, by any chance, get a Leopold? With them you'd get the simple design and the build quality at the same time, with a sturdy case and double shot PBT keycaps.

Hollow and plasticky sounds bad. I've read some reviews though and all of them said it's built quite well. Have you used this particular model before? I've also read about the proprietary bottom row. But I honestly don't know why I would ever change the keycaps. Is there any good reason to? Do you guys actually wear them down? On my twelve year old cheap keyboard some of the letters get harder to read but that's about it.

The Leopold website is pretty bad and makes it hard to find out which models would fit me. It seems like most of their keyboards are not backlit. Also the availability seems to be quite poor atm. Why is everything out of stock? I get it with the GPUs and stuff but are keyboards that hard to make?

[Automobili3XF]

Just now, Nosrelo said:

Hollow and plasticky sounds bad. I've read some reviews though and all of them said it's built quite well. Have you used this particular model before? I've also read about the proprietary bottom row. But I honestly don't know why I would ever change the keycaps. Is there any good reason to? Do you guys actually wear them down? On my twelve year old cheap keyboard some of the letters get harder to read but that's about it.

The Leopold website is pretty bad and makes it hard to find out which models would fit me. It seems like most of their keyboards are not backlit. Also the availability seems to be quite poor atm. Why is everything out of stock? I get it with the GPUs and stuff but are keyboards that hard to make?

Yes i have, i owned one for about 2 months before i sold it to a friend.

Unfortunately Logitech lacks quality when it comes to keyboards, i also had the G603 and it was the same thing, except it had worse switches (Romer Gs), the same hollow plastic shell and same thin ABS keycaps, i haven't managed to make a keyboard entirely lose its print, but these Logitechs in particular "shine" pretty easily, give it two or three weeks before your most commonly used keys start to become shiny from use, and there's no solution to it either, its the material starting to wear out.

Leopold unfortunately does have a bad website, they should work on that, but MechanicalKeyboards.com has pretty much all of their models for you to check out.

Also, besides Leopold, i would recommend Filco, Ducky, Durgod and IKBC, they're all well built keyboards made to last, Leopold and Filco focus more on classic keyboards, while the other ones don't shy away from going all out on the RGB, which may suit you taste, if that's what you're looking for.

[Nosrelo]

Thanks again for your answers! I will look into it a bit more. 

I have actually been disappointed by Logitech products before but they somehow still hit a nerve for me.

Unfortunately availability is really bad right now, at least in Germany. Maybe I should just order the Ducky One 2 and prepare to wait for a month or two...

[seon123]

7 hours ago, Nosrelo said:

I honestly don't know how quiet I'd like them but I don't want to become one of the annoying guys on Discord with an incredibly loud keyboard. I really want backlighting so I think the Boba is out for me.

I... actually somehow forgot that there is an RGB version of the switch.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001809357064.html

8 hours ago, Nosrelo said:

I just watched a review saying that the Gateron Brown switches are closer to MX reds than MX browns. So I don't think that's what I want.

If you do have Cherry MX Blues and like the tactility, MX Browns or Gateron Browns are probably not for you. They are barely tactile.

8 hours ago, Nosrelo said:

Also do you think it's important to get PBT caps instead of ABS? 

ABS keycaps tend to shine over time, while PBT keycaps do not. There are high end ABS keycaps, but you're likely better off with PBT ones.

[Dr0y]

I have tried countless time to like cherry brown and there's no way I will ever like them.  They don't have tactility and feels like a scratchy linear ... I would stay away from them if I were you ... I don't know about gateron brown but I know about kailh brown and they are way better than cherry ... still on the weak side of tactility but better than cherry brown. 

 

The gmmk is a really nice barebone, I like mine a lot, it's quite nice to be able to swap the switches when you are tired of them.