Keyboard Recommendations? Programming/Gaming

[connorkincaid]

I know next to NOTHING about switches and mechanical keyboards, and just need a little help finding something reasonable and suitable for my use-case. 

 

Budget: $150-200 (MAX)

Since I don't know much about them, I don't have a great way to gauge how particular key presses might feel. I cannot stand keyboards that register an entry with the slightest bump. I need something that "guarantees" that I cannot accidentally press another key. I mainly play shooters when I do game, and like the specificity that those particular keys give me. 

 

Some irrelevant preferences that I don't put much weight into would be a white color and RGB backlighting that is addressable. 

 

Let me know what you think!

 

 

[17030644]

by $150-200 do you mean USD?  are you from the US?

[connorkincaid]

Just now, 17030644 said:

by $150-200 do you mean USD?  are you from the US?

Yes, sorry for not clarifying. 

[Brooksie359]

Well if you don't want accidentally key presses then you probably want cherry mx brown or blue switches. Red switches can make it hard to feel when you actually click on the key and can often times make it easier to misclick if you are prone to do that. I Personally like razer keyboards but for pure ergonomic reasons. They have a nice wrist rest that is cushioned that I can't find anywhere else. So I would personally get the razer blackwidow keyboard. That being said I have had wrist issues in the past so that was super important to me while others might just prefer getting other keyboards because the wrist rest isn't important to them and they prefer other brands. 

[tkitch]

If you don't know the difference, a key tester / sampler will help a lot:

https://www.amazon.com/Cherry-Switch-Tester-keyboard-Sampler/dp/B01GZHU1EG

 

something like that.

[Hairless Monkey Boy]

The Glorious GMMK customized with Kailh Box White switches would be a good choice. It's very obvious with these switches when you press a key. My wife has the TKL version and loves it.

 

https://www.pcgamingrace.com/products/gmmk-full-brown-switch

[Omar.B]

This is the best I found https://pcpartpicker.com/product/J4GxFT/corsair-k70-rgb-mk2-se-wired-gaming-keyboard-ch-9109114-na 

[Hairless Monkey Boy]

2 minutes ago, Omar.B said:

This is the best I found https://pcpartpicker.com/product/J4GxFT/corsair-k70-rgb-mk2-se-wired-gaming-keyboard-ch-9109114-na 

That switch type is almost literally the opposite of what OP asked for...

[Omar.B]

1 minute ago, HairlessMonkeyBoy said:

That switch type is almost literally the opposite of what OP asked for...

Well I'm no expert in white keyboards since I don't look much to them  so my bad idk

[SorryBella]

1 minute ago, Omar.B said:

Well I'm no expert in white keyboards since I don't look much to them  so my bad idk

maybe you should bother to read spec.

 

K70 does come in a more clickier blue, but only in black unfortunately. But OP wont mind it anyway, so its what it is. But imo, i would +1 that GMMK frame, or an EPOMAKER GK68. The latter usually always in stock (its original or ripoffs off alibaba/amazon), comes in white, silver, purple, and black, and its hotswappable and comes with a kailh kit option depending on where you shop.

[connorkincaid]

3 minutes ago, SorryClaire said:

maybe you should bother to read spec.

 

K70 does come in a more clickier blue, but only in black unfortunately. But OP wont mind it anyway, so its what it is. But imo, i would +1 that GMMK frame, or an EPOMAKER GK68. The latter usually always in stock (its original or ripoffs off alibaba/amazon), comes in white, silver, purple, and black, and its hotswappable and comes with a kailh kit option depending on where you shop.

I think I'm gonna go with the GMMK! Looks pretty awesome, and pretty much exactly what I'm looking for I think. 

 

@SorryClaire

@HairlessMonkeyBoy

 

Thank you so much guys!!!

[connorkincaid]

14 minutes ago, SorryClaire said:

maybe you should bother to read spec.

 

K70 does come in a more clickier blue, but only in black unfortunately. But OP wont mind it anyway, so its what it is. But imo, i would +1 that GMMK frame, or an EPOMAKER GK68. The latter usually always in stock (its original or ripoffs off alibaba/amazon), comes in white, silver, purple, and black, and its hotswappable and comes with a kailh kit option depending on where you shop.

Forgive me for my lack of knowledge, when looking at the GMMK, but what do O-Rings actually do? How is that going to change the dynamic of the keyboard all in all?

[Hairless Monkey Boy]

4 minutes ago, connorkincaid said:

Forgive me for my lack of knowledge, when looking at the GMMK, but what do O-Rings actually do? How is that going to change the dynamic of the keyboard all in all?

From this thread by @Eschew

 

Quote

• O-Rings: Rubber rings that fit tightly around the keycap’s stem, reducing both the keystroke’s clack and travel distance. Mostly recommended for rounded keycap stems; mileages may vary with other switch stems.
  • Diameter: Diameter is tied to stem compatibility. Recommended diameters are 5mm for MX-style keycaps and 7mm for Topre-style keycaps.
  • Thickness: Thickness is tied to keystroke travel distance, with thicker rings greatly reducing travel distance. Thicknesses can range from 0.2mm up to 2.5mm.
  • Hardness: Hardness, rated along a Shore A durometer scale, is tied to keystroke mushiness and clack softening. Lower hardness (30A - 40A) are softer in both feeling and sound, while higher hardness (70A - 80A) are firmer and less effective for sound-dampening.

 

Basically they reduce the travel and modify the bottom out feeling of the key switches. You don't need them, and most people don't use them.

[connorkincaid]

4 minutes ago, HairlessMonkeyBoy said:

From this thread by @Eschew

 

 

Basically they reduce the travel and modify the bottom out feeling of the key switches. You don't need them, and most people don't use them.

Thank you so much!

 

Appreciate the link to the other thread as well, looks extremely helpful. 

[hkshopewrld]

Which type of keyboard would you want? 100%,TKL, 75%, 65% or 60%? (see img below) 

For switches, I would get a switch tester off of Amazon, banggood or Aliexpress just so you can get a feel for different switches.

 

For reference

Tactiles: you normally push it about halfway down; you can continue pressing the key after that, but you can also take your finger off and move to the next key right away.

Linears: you push it all the way down similar to a membrane key.

 

Everyone thinks linear are best for gaming but ofc it is your preference so examples being Cherry MX red is a linear while Cherry MX blues are tactile, sounding like a typewriter every time w the bump included. 

 

For buying products/getting a custom keyboard people normally use NovelKeys, Drop, Banggood & a few others I can't think of right now 

 

If you want to switch out the switches for different ones so for example you get a keyboard w cherry mx brown switches & you want to replace them w tangeries, novelkey creams, etc, look for a keyboard that says its Hot-swappable meaning you can switch the switches out. And specifically if you get switches that are 5-pin hotswap make sure your keyboard can support it! 

 

Here's a list of a couple for around your price range & do note that modding may be needed w some of these to help w rattling, etc

https://www.banggood.com/KEMOVE-SnowFox-Mechanical-Keyboard-61-Keys-60-pencent-NKRO-bluetooth-5_1-Type-C-Dual-Mode-PBT-Keycap-Gateron-Axis-Switch-Hotswappable-Switches-RGB-Backlight-Gaming-Keyboard-with-Full-Keys-Programmable-p-1654225.html?cur_warehouse=CN&ID=233515631&rmmds=search

 

https://www.banggood.com/GamaKay-K66-Mechanical-Keyboard-66-Keys-Gateron-Switch-Hot-Swappable-Tyce-C-Wired-RGB-Backlit-Gaming-Keyboard-with-Crystalline-Base-for-PC-Laptop-p-1799872.html?rmmds=myorder&cur_warehouse=CN&ID=6290921&p=T8152145676043202003&custlinkid=1455944 (this is the one I have, I've got Aqua King Switches in it w some modding to the stabs to help w rattling 

 

https://matrixkeyboards.com/collections/keyboards/products/pre-order-march-1st-ship-date-matrix-elite-series-60-white-keyboard

 

You can look up $150 or whatever price custom mechanical keyboard on youtube & there are hundreds of videos that come up. My personal favorite youtuber for that is Hipyo Tech also Carterpcs on tik tok, you can also look up like #mechanicalkeyboard on tik tok & find tons of really good creators that can help.