Keyboard buying help

[R-Andrews]

Evening,

I am looking to get my first mechanical keyboard, would like something I don’t need to tinker with but with the option to mod later on.

im after Uk full size layout priced up to £150. I’m not after something very loud but needs to be a 2.4ghz connection as don’t have Bluetooth on my PC. 
Any recommendations?

[Xiee]

Get a keyboard with Linear switches, they make less noise when you type. The one with Tactile switches are the ones that makes noises when you type.

Keychron has some nice keyboards from what you described, but they're mostly Bluetooth only I think (Keychron K4 or K10). You might want to check brands like Royal Kludge (RK96) since those have wireless capability for both bluetooth and 2.4ghz wireless.

 

[R-Andrews]

Just now, Xiee said:

Get a keyboard with Linear switches, they make less noise when you type. The one with Tactile switches are the ones that makes noises when you type.

Keychron has some nice keyboards from what you described, but they're mostly Bluetooth only I think. You might want to check brands like Royal Kludge since those have wireless capability for both bluetooth and 2.4ghz wireless.

 

Thanks was unsure on the switch type. 
I will have a look at Royal Kludge

[Xiee]

Just now, R-Andrews said:

Thanks was unsure on the switch type. 
I will have a look at Royal Kludge

Royal Kludge RK96 might be the one you want to look at.  Red switches might be the one you want to go with.

[saintlouisbagels]

32 minutes ago, R-Andrews said:

Thanks was unsure on the switch type. 
I will have a look at Royal Kludge

You're being a little misguided.

Linear switches are quiet/silent compared to Tactile and Clicky switches... but the sound of the actuation is irrelevant compared to bottoming out each keystroke.

source: I've been switching between linear and tactile switches for a decade.

 

If being quiet is critical and you have a small budget... do not get a mechanical keyboard.

If you still want a mechanical keyboard, then you need to shell out extra money for silent switches and make sure you buy a keyboard with a hot-swappable PCB

https://www.keychron.com/collections/all-keyboards?pf_t_layout_standard=Standard%3AISO&pf_t_profile=Profile%3ANormal+Profile&pf_t_switch_mount=SwitchMount%3AHot-swappable

This is the sound difference between tactile and linear.

They're both loud.

And here is a video of a silenced switch - this means the switch has silicone/rubber features to dampen the sound of the down- and up-stroke.

 

[Rstenhouse]

10 hours ago, saintlouisbagels said:

You're being a little misguided.

Linear switches are quiet/silent compared to Tactile and Clicky switches... but the sound of the actuation is irrelevant compared to bottoming out each keystroke.

source: I've been switching between linear and tactile switches for a decade.

 

If being quiet is critical and you have a small budget... do not get a mechanical keyboard.

If you still want a mechanical keyboard, then you need to shell out extra money for silent switches and make sure you buy a keyboard with a hot-swappable PCB

https://www.keychron.com/collections/all-keyboards?pf_t_layout_standard=Standard%3AISO&pf_t_profile=Profile%3ANormal+Profile&pf_t_switch_mount=SwitchMount%3AHot-swappable

This is the sound difference between tactile and linear.

They're both loud.

And here is a video of a silenced switch - this means the switch has silicone/rubber features to dampen the sound of the down- and up-stroke.

 

Thanks, I'm happy to spend the extra money. I saw keycron but they are bluetooth ot cable only.

[saintlouisbagels]

21 minutes ago, Rstenhouse said:

Thanks, I'm happy to spend the extra money. I saw keycron but they are bluetooth ot cable only.

It was seriously so difficult trying to find a keyboard that was both 2.4GHz and ISO, but I managed to find one from a nice brand. It even comes with Linear switches if you think Linears are quiet enough for you.

https://akkogear.eu/products/9009-5087b-plus-iso-mechanical-keyboard?variant=43143209746631

 

Otherwise, all you gotta do is pop out the included switches and install aftermarket switches.

 

edit: Crap - you want full-sized. Idk man, can't you just use a separate NumberPad ?

Also... you could just get a USB Bluetooth adapter so that you can just get a Keychron board, or some other brand that doesn't offer 2.4 GHz

Edited August 14, 2023 by saintlouisbagels

[GarlicDeliverySystem]

12 hours ago, R-Andrews said:

im after Uk full size layout priced up to £150. I’m not after something very loud but needs to be a 2.4ghz connection as don’t have Bluetooth on my PC. 
Any recommendations?

I highly recommend a bluetooth dongle. Simple reason is that most keyboards are already ANSI and not full-size, limiting the pool already quite a lot to basically only gaming brands. If you want more options, 2.4GHz is the first thing that needs to go unfortunately.

 

The only one I could find was this: 5108B Plus https://en.akkogear.com/product/kamado-tanjirou-5108b-plus-mechanical-keyboard/

 

Otherwise you would have to have a look at all the logitechs, corsairs, etc.

cherry even has one: https://www.cherry.co.uk/mx-3-0s-wireless

I don't think it is hot swap though, so going for a silent switch after the fact will be difficult.