keyboards Should I buy a niche mechanical keyboard or a normal gaming one?

[MaxM07]

I currently have an ROG Flare and I'm not really happy with how it feels, the keys are too wobbly. I want a real mech because I don't think a new mainstream keyboard will be much better than my current one, but there aren't any that have all the features I want. Here's the list of options I have so far, all 4 mainstream ones are on display at my local Micro Center but the other 2 I don't think are available for demo anywhere. Features I want:

• Fullsize with numpad - the extra space would be nice but the numpad is really handy in some games and for unlocking the PC
• Volume knob and media keys
• Style
• Good lighting that works with SignalRGB
• USB passthrough
• Under $200

Does the Ducky, the Keychron, or any mech board have good enough feel to justify giving up so many features?

[Crunchy Dragon]

You can get some mechanical keyboards that have most of those features, if not all of them. I know some Corsair keyboards(really want to say K70) have USB passthrough.

 

Keyboards, like mice, are some of the most subjective parts of a setup; there's no real "one size fits all" answer.

[dizmo]

If you can find one, G.Skill KM70.

Style is subjective, so adding it as a requirement without providing some insight is useless.

 

Welcome to the forum.

[Dedayog]

Check out this as well.  Doesn't have the knob, but volume and all other functions are there...  solid, low noise, strong, etc.

 

Cherry MX Board 3.0 S Wired Mechanical Keyboard Aluminum Housing MX Red Silent Switches for Gaming and Office (amazon.com)

[SorryBella]

3 hours ago, MaxM07 said:

Under $200

You already considered Keychron V6 here, why not Keychron Q6? Theyre only 5$ extra off 200$ (especially considering you are considering the likes of Claymore 2 and Blackwidow) for an aluminum case that only needs a minor modification, gasket mounted instead of tray mounted, and also comes with proper Gateron G Pro switch options.

 

While we're talking Razer, id definitely avoid Blackwidow and shop for Huntsman or Deathstalker lineup instead. AFAIK its still the same horrid Greetech OEM switches that are plagued with more wobble and also inconsistent. And their RMA rates are also concerning.

[MaxM07]

8 hours ago, SorryClaire said:

You already considered Keychron V6 here, why not Keychron Q6? Theyre only 5$ extra off 200$ (especially considering you are considering the likes of Claymore 2 and Blackwidow) for an aluminum case that only needs a minor modification, gasket mounted instead of tray mounted, and also comes with proper Gateron G Pro switch options.

 

While we're talking Razer, id definitely avoid Blackwidow and shop for Huntsman or Deathstalker lineup instead. AFAIK its still the same horrid Greetech OEM switches that are plagued with more wobble and also inconsistent. And their RMA rates are also concerning.

I'd probably be getting the V6 as a barebones, so I could get Gaterons if they're the best, would the Q6 still be worth $100 extra? More to the point, how much better are these kinds of boards compared to premium gaming ones? I've never used one before and there's nowhere I can demo one. 

[MaxM07]

14 hours ago, Crunchy Dragon said:

You can get some mechanical keyboards that have most of those features, if not all of them. I know some Corsair keyboards(really want to say K70) have USB passthrough.

 

Keyboards, like mice, are some of the most subjective parts of a setup; there's no real "one size fits all" answer.

Okay, so I've narrowed it down a bit:

• V6, probably with Ducky keycaps and either Gateron Pro 2 brown or Kailh Pro purple switches, unless you know of something better - ~$150, not preassembled, presumably the best feeling, still very boring looking even with new caps, not great RGB, no wristrest

• K70 - $110 right now, regular Cherry Brown switches, clean and stylish, 8000Hz polling rate - There are some Corsair keyboards with USB passthrough, but they're all older and/or more expensive

• Claymore - $230, ROG optical blue switches, really cool looking, awesome detachable numpad, USB passthrough

• Huntsman - $190, Razer Optical Purple (clicky) switches, kinda boring looking

I'll probably demo all 3 gamer ones tomorrow and make a decision between them, but that still leaves the V6. I've never used a schmancy mech board before so I don't know how different they feel. How much better would it be compared to these gamer boards? Do you think it's worth all the downsides?

[Crunchy Dragon]

7 hours ago, MaxM07 said:

Okay, so I've narrowed it down a bit:

• V6, probably with Ducky keycaps and either Gateron Pro 2 brown or Kailh Pro purple switches, unless you know of something better - ~$150, not preassembled, presumably the best feeling, still very boring looking even with new caps, not great RGB, no wristrest

• K70 - $110 right now, regular Cherry Brown switches, clean and stylish, 8000Hz polling rate - There are some Corsair keyboards with USB passthrough, but they're all older and/or more expensive

• Claymore - $230, ROG optical blue switches, really cool looking, awesome detachable numpad, USB passthrough

• Huntsman - $190, Razer Optical Purple (clicky) switches, kinda boring looking

I'll probably demo all 3 gamer ones tomorrow and make a decision between them, but that still leaves the V6. I've never used a schmancy mech board before so I don't know how different they feel. How much better would it be compared to these gamer boards? Do you think it's worth all the downsides?

I'm not much of an expert, but I'd probably narrow it down to whatever feels the nicest to type on to you, and figure out if USB passthrough is a deal-breaker. For what it's worth, the K70 is the cheapest out of your 4 options. That's not entirely something to ignore.

[MaxM07]

Just now, Crunchy Dragon said:

I'm not much of an expert, but I'd probably narrow it down to whatever feels the nicest to type on to you, and figure out if USB passthrough is a deal-breaker. For what it's worth, the K70 is the cheapest out of your 4 options. That's not entirely something to ignore.

That's the problem, there's nowhere to demo the V6, and I've never used a fancy board like that so I can't even guess.

I did order a set of Kailh Box V2 Browns to try out, I'll take them to Micro Center to compare them against the gamer ones when they arrive. 

Worst case scenario I buy the board, don't like it, and either return it or give it to my dad. 

As for the K70, it is deeply disconnected right now and that might be over by the time I decide, but it is still the 1st or 2nd cheapest one at normal price. I worry about how wobbly the keys are because my current board has Cherry Browns and it's not so great, but we'll see about that on Friday. 

[SorryBella]

12 hours ago, MaxM07 said:

I'd probably be getting the V6 as a barebones, so I could get Gaterons if they're the best

 Yeah but then you gonna spend aformentioned 100$ on keycaps and switches anyway, and that is if you wanna run your switches relatively dead stock without any lubrication. The prebuilt Q series with the G Pro Gateron Yellows for example really only need lubrication (around 15$ for a Krytox 205g0 and a number 0 flat brush), and force break mod with electrical tape.

12 hours ago, MaxM07 said:

More to the point, how much better are these kinds of boards compared to premium gaming ones?

It depends on your effort. If its "zero to none", the typing quality can get really neck in neck as really the only differentiating factor there would be mounting mechanism and stock stabilizer quality on its wide keys (like the spacebar). If you do wanna get down in the trenches with it, a more open board like what keychron built can type so much better than any premium gaming boards out on the market, and you can runaway with whatever you like with it. Change out the stabilizer for a new one? Sure. Filling the case with materials to cut down on sounds? Sure. Change out the switch in seconds when yours dies? Sure. Tweak its firmware to change out the pollrate and debounce latency to make it faster on paper? Go nuts. Thats the fun of buying keyboard with customization in mind rather than just gaming boards, its not just straight typing quality.

[MaxM07]

52 minutes ago, SorryClaire said:

 Yeah but then you gonna spend aformentioned 100$ on keycaps and switches anyway, and that is if you wanna run your switches relatively dead stock without any lubrication. The prebuilt Q series with the G Pro Gateron Yellows for example really only need lubrication (around 15$ for a Krytox 205g0 and a number 0 flat brush), and force break mod with electrical tape.

It depends on your effort. If its "zero to none", the typing quality can get really neck in neck as really the only differentiating factor there would be mounting mechanism and stock stabilizer quality on its wide keys (like the spacebar). If you do wanna get down in the trenches with it, a more open board like what keychron built can type so much better than any premium gaming boards out on the market, and you can runaway with whatever you like with it. Change out the stabilizer for a new one? Sure. Filling the case with materials to cut down on sounds? Sure. Change out the switch in seconds when yours dies? Sure. Tweak its firmware to change out the pollrate and debounce latency to make it faster on paper? Go nuts. Thats the fun of buying keyboard with customization in mind rather than just gaming boards, its not just straight typing quality.

If I do go this route I'd get Kailh Box V2 Browns, which are prelubed and allegedly some of the least wobbly (already ordered to see how they feel), and Wooting black shine-through keycaps; that totals to $170. I don't think I care about all the customization stuff (which would probably be surprising if you knew me haha), it's mostly about features & feel. 

[SorryBella]

2 minutes ago, MaxM07 said:

If I do go this route I'd get Kailh Box V2 Browns, which are prelubed and allegedly some of the least wobbly (already ordered to see how they feel), and Wooting black shine-through keycaps; that totals to $170.

Thats actually a pretty good plan combo to be fair but of course its already driven past 100$. I was thinking of KBDFans PBTFans BoW or WoB with JWICK T1, which would come out at around 95$ (100 with spare switches rather than tight 75 switches) and ready stock year-round. If you are considering Kailh Box Browns though, consider Kailh Box Navy and Box White too.

[MaxM07]

4 minutes ago, SorryClaire said:

Thats actually a pretty good plan combo to be fair but of course its already driven past 100$. I was thinking of KBDFans PBTFans BoW or WoB with JWICK T1, which would come out at around 95$ (100 with spare switches rather than tight 75 switches) and ready stock year-round. If you are considering Kailh Box Browns though, consider Kailh Box Navy and Box White too.

I mean it's $170 for the whole setup, not just the switches and caps, $80 + 50 + 40. The Box V2s are only available in red, blue, and brown; the V1s I don't think come pre lubed; brown is probably right for me anyway because I want feedback without too much noise. Also there's a guy in this thread saying that Cherrys are the only good switch and I should just replace the caps on my current board, is he at all right or totally stupid? 

[SorryBella]

Just now, MaxM07 said:

is he at all right or totally stupid

Definitely one of the billion reason why people still believe in Mount Stupid even when it doesnt exists in the original dunning-krueger effect. To me Cherries have fallen off in value once their patent in Europe expires and people are taking their designs and heavily improved it. Even their current crops of Hyperglides looks pale in value compared to Gateron G Pro lineup which comes out cheaper, has better lubeless experience, and similar stem wobble. Although, MX Brown experience of leaf scratches on release and the very metallic click of MX Blue? Irreplaceable for the people who liked it, and their MX Red Silent is among the best in quiet experience, imo in line with Boba U4T for its Tactile counterparts.