Need Recommendation for a Quiet, Low-Profile RGB Keyboard

omatsei · March 27, 2023

I'm in need of a new keyboard. I have a Logitech G815 with Tactile switches, but I don't like it. The keys themselves are too slippery to type on, and it makes too much noise. I've discovered that as far as I can tell, I don't like mechanical keyboards. I very much prefer the feel of typing on my laptop (a 2020 Macbook Pro, if that matters), I do like the RGB stuff the G815 does, along with the media keys and the USB port so I can charge my phone and plug in my xbox controller, but the actual typing is annoying. Did I just choose the wrong mechanical keyboard, or am I a membrane guy? Any recommendations to try that wouldn't put me out $200 if I just don't like it?

Poinkachu · March 28, 2023

22 minutes ago, omatsei said:

I'm in need of a new keyboard. I have a Logitech G815 with Tactile switches, but I don't like it. The keys themselves are too slippery to type on, and it makes too much noise. I've discovered that as far as I can tell, I don't like mechanical keyboards. I very much prefer the feel of typing on my laptop (a 2020 Macbook Pro, if that matters), I do like the RGB stuff the G815 does, along with the media keys and the USB port so I can charge my phone and plug in my xbox controller, but the actual typing is annoying. Did I just choose the wrong mechanical keyboard, or am I a membrane guy? Any recommendations to try that wouldn't put me out $200 if I just don't like it?

Reddragon K618

At the very least it's way cheaper if you end up not liking it aswell.
Warning though, you have to lube the switches if you want a more silent typing experience. Good thing is, the switches are hotswap (removable), so you can lube and repair a broken switch easier.

If you are going to try buying one, don't pick the tacticle

Or one of those Keychron keyboard.

Although, I don't know how silent you want it to be. For me the K618 can be quite silent if I type without bottoming out the keys.

SorryBella · March 28, 2023

2 hours ago, omatsei said:

The keys themselves are too slippery to type on

If your fingers gets super sweaty and greasy when typing, id say welcome to ABS, they practically disintegrate in these insane chemical hands.

2 hours ago, omatsei said:

and it makes too much noise.

1 hour ago, Poinkachu said:

Warning though, you have to lube the switches

If OP is already on GL linear and its still too loud, a lubed red wouldnt really work, id say this is time where you should just get a quiet switch off the bat like Boba U4T or MX Silent Red.

2 hours ago, omatsei said:

I very much prefer the feel of typing on my laptop (a 2020 Macbook Pro, if that matters), I do like the RGB stuff the G815 does, along with the media keys and the USB port so I can charge my phone and plug in my xbox controller, but the actual typing is annoying.

Is the USB passthru necessary? Because you really only have Corsair K70 RGB Pro where you can have MX silent off the bat.

Poinkachu · March 28, 2023

1 hour ago, SorryClaire said:

If OP is already on GL linear and its still too loud, a lubed red wouldnt really work, id say this is time where you should just get a quiet switch off the bat like Boba U4T or MX Silent Red.

Revisiting this thead and re-reading OP's post especially the "laptop keyboard" part.
I'm kinda starting to think that s/he probably prefer membrane more.

I never tried logitech expensive lineup of keyboards, so idk how much different between K618 switch & the switch Logi used for G815.

All I can say is my K618 was kinda noisy when it just arrived, after lubing though it changed a lot. I mentioned this because G815 switch is soldered & hard to lube.

And since OP mentioned low profile and uses a G815, I assumed s/he's kinda like me. Which is: used and liked the cheap logitech membrane keyboard's profile & total height.

omatsei · March 28, 2023

Thanks for the suggestions! I'll check out both the Corsair and the Reddragon if I can find them in a store somewhere. I also saw the Corsair K100 AIR. Any thoughts on that one?

I can't explain how the G815 really feels other than to say the keycaps are slippery. Like they're machined without any texture on the top at all, so going from literally any other keyboard to the G815 feels like they're slippery. My fingers aren't sweaty or anything. For example, a super cheap Dell keyboard (which I have here for comparison) has a slight texture on each key so when you move your fingers between keys, you can kinda feel where each key is. My problem is that I'm a very fast typist, so using the G815 slows me down because as I move my fingers between keys, I end up overshooting more often than on any other keyboard. Definitely a first-world problem.

The best keyboard I ever had was a Logitech Dinovo way back in the day... until they stopped making them and mine broke.