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Mechanical Keyboard for Surface Pro 3

Jodomcfrodo
By Jodomcfrodo
in Peripherals
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Hey LTT,

So I'm getting a Surface Pro 3 for school and want a mech keyboard for it. I've tried the type cover for the surface and can't stand it. So basically I need a really small mech keyboard that isn't loud. I was think reds with O rings. Any ideas?

 

Thanks!

PC: 4770K @ 4.0 GHz --- Maximus VI Hero --- 8 GB 2133 MHz Corsair Vengeance Pro --- EVGA 780 TI Classified @ 1300 MHz --- Samsung Evo 250 GB --- Corsair RM 750 --- Corsair Carbide Air 540 --- CM Storm Rapid-I (MX Blues with PMK Evergreen Keycaps) --- Windows XP --- Razer Naga --- Custom Loop Parts: 380I, EKWB 780 Classy Waterblock and Backplate, 240mm and 360mm XT45, Swiftech MCP655, EKWB multi option reservoir, Mayhems Pastel Red, Primochill Primoflex Advanced Clear Tubing, 5 SP 120 Quiet Editions --- Mobile: Surface Pro 3 (i5 128gb) with JD40 (MX Clears) and Microsoft Sculpt Mouse --- Galaxy S6

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Do you just have a personal vendetta against notebooks? lol :)

I just don't like them sorry.

 

Id think youre special if you pulled out a Surface Pro 3 and a mechanical keyboard....

Special in a good way I know. There is 100 kids in my entire school so who is going to care. Everybody thinks I'm a god for removing the pop ups on their macbooks so I don't care.

 

I haven't used Reds, but I think Browns are super quiet compared to Blues, so putting o-rings on the keycaps on Brown switches could make them more quiet.

I have a Rapid-I right now but putting dampeners on that and using it for my surface and desktop would be annoying. Know of any super small MX brown keyboards?

PC: 4770K @ 4.0 GHz --- Maximus VI Hero --- 8 GB 2133 MHz Corsair Vengeance Pro --- EVGA 780 TI Classified @ 1300 MHz --- Samsung Evo 250 GB --- Corsair RM 750 --- Corsair Carbide Air 540 --- CM Storm Rapid-I (MX Blues with PMK Evergreen Keycaps) --- Windows XP --- Razer Naga --- Custom Loop Parts: 380I, EKWB 780 Classy Waterblock and Backplate, 240mm and 360mm XT45, Swiftech MCP655, EKWB multi option reservoir, Mayhems Pastel Red, Primochill Primoflex Advanced Clear Tubing, 5 SP 120 Quiet Editions --- Mobile: Surface Pro 3 (i5 128gb) with JD40 (MX Clears) and Microsoft Sculpt Mouse --- Galaxy S6

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1. Leopold FC660M, Cherry MX Browns(quieter, blues will annoy your classmates/teacher)

2. Vortex Poker II, Cherry MX Browns

 

O-rings:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/150pcs-White-Keycap-Rubber-O-Ring-Switch-Dampeners-For-Cherry-MX-Replace-Part-/131227613207?pt=AU_Input_Peripherals&hash=item1e8dc67817

 

Leopold @ Massdrop now:

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/leopold-fc660m

 

Massdrop may have the Poker II again in a few days/weeks

 

@Jodomcfrodo

 

EDIT: Also take a look at the new Ducky Mini

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I have a Rapid-I right now but putting dampeners on that and using it for my surface and desktop would be annoying. Know of any super small MX brown keyboards?

 

I know Rosewill makes a small keyboard with browns. Here's a link for one on Amazon.

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I second the Leopold/Poker II that @earlcray mentioned. Massdrop has some pretty ridiculously low pricing. 

 

You could alternately go with really whatever ten keyless keyboard you'd like, as you don't seem to have a budget in mind. Cherry MX reds and browns would be optimal, as you are looking for something quiet. Ducky makes some really nice tenkeyless boards. They're a good option of you want a backlight

I done been through a whole lot. Trial, tribulations, but I know God - Kendrick Lamar


I question your mother's upbringing if you don't like me - Action Bronson


You apocalyptic dingleberry - James 'Captain Slow' May

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You may want to check out 60% form factor mechanical keyboards, they come in backlit and non-backlit models. 

 

Below is a pic of the KBParadise V60 Mini, dual LED backlights but needs USB2.0 for connection and power....not sure if the Surface Pro 3 has enough juice via USB ports.

20140812_183348_zpse2b665a7.jpg

 

Or, a simple keyboard like a Leopold FC660C (Topre) or FC660M (Cherry MX), I happen to have both as well....The Cherry MX model is on top (light grey) while the Topre model is black (bottom)

20140210_203800_zps40f6f8cd.jpg

 

If you don't want to deal with wires, there's always Filco Minila Bluetooth:

http://www.keyboardco.com/blog/index.php/2013/10/filco-minila-air-bluetooth-keyboard-review/

 Main Rig: AMD AM4 R7 5700X3D (8C/16T) + TR Phantom Spirit 120 EVO | Gigabyte X570 Aorus Xtreme | 2x 16GB Kingston Fury Beast DDR4 3600 | XFX MERC 310 RX 7900 XTX | 256GB Sabrent Rocket NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen 3.0 (OS) | 4TB Crucial P310 NVMe M.2 PCIe4x4 | 2TB TG Cardea Zero Z440 NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen4x4 | 4TB Samsung 860 EVO SATA SSD | 2TB Samsung 860 QVO SATA SSD | 6TB WD Black HDD | CoolerMaster H500M | Corsair HX1000 Platinum | Logitech G915 + G303 Shroud Ed + 8BitDo Ultimate 2.4G | iFi Micro iDSD Black Label | Philips Fidelio B97 | C49HG90DME 49" 32:9 144Hz Freesync 2 | Omnidesk Pro 2020 48" | 64bit Win11 Pro 24H2

2nd Rig: AMD AM4 R9 5900X (12C/24T) + TR PA 120 SE | Gigabyte X570S Aorus Elite AX | 2x 16GB Patriot Viper Elite II DDR4 4000MHz | Sapphire Nitro+ RX 6900 XT | 500GB Crucial P2 Plus NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen 4.0 (OS) | 2TB Adata Legend 850 NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen4x4 |  2TB Kingston NV2 NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen4x4 | 4TB Leven JS600 SATA SSD | 2TB Seagate HDD | Logitech G613 + G703 | SOLDAM XR-1 Black Knight | Enermax MAXREVO 1500 | 64bit Win11 Pro 24H2

HTPC: AMD R7 6800H | 32GB DDR5 4800MHz | AMD 680M iGPU | 2TB SSD (2 Partitions 400GB + 1.4TB)) + 1TB SSD | Logitech G613 + G304 | Win11 Pro  24H2

Laptop: Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 16ACH6H - AMD 5800H | 32GB DDR4 3200MHz | 680M iGPU | 1TB Kingston NV1 NVMe M.2 (OS) | 4TB Lexar NM790 SSD | Win11 Pro

 

 

 

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You may want to check out 60% form factor mechanical keyboards, they come in backlit and non-backlit models. 

 

Below is a pic of the KBParadise V60 Mini, dual LED backlights but needs USB2.0 for connection and power....not sure if the Surface Pro 3 has enough juice via USB ports.

20140812_183348_zpse2b665a7.jpg

 

Or, a simple keyboard like a Leopold FC660C (Topre) or FC660M (Cherry MX), I happen to have both as well....The Cherry MX model is on top (light grey) while the Topre model is black (bottom)

20140210_203800_zps40f6f8cd.jpg

 

If you don't want to deal with wires, there's always Filco Minila Bluetooth:

http://www.keyboardco.com/blog/index.php/2013/10/filco-minila-air-bluetooth-keyboard-review/

How Quiet is Topre? Do you like it for typing? The 60% keyboard is EXACTLY what I was looking for. Is there a MX brown version?

PC: 4770K @ 4.0 GHz --- Maximus VI Hero --- 8 GB 2133 MHz Corsair Vengeance Pro --- EVGA 780 TI Classified @ 1300 MHz --- Samsung Evo 250 GB --- Corsair RM 750 --- Corsair Carbide Air 540 --- CM Storm Rapid-I (MX Blues with PMK Evergreen Keycaps) --- Windows XP --- Razer Naga --- Custom Loop Parts: 380I, EKWB 780 Classy Waterblock and Backplate, 240mm and 360mm XT45, Swiftech MCP655, EKWB multi option reservoir, Mayhems Pastel Red, Primochill Primoflex Advanced Clear Tubing, 5 SP 120 Quiet Editions --- Mobile: Surface Pro 3 (i5 128gb) with JD40 (MX Clears) and Microsoft Sculpt Mouse --- Galaxy S6

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I just don't like them sorry.

 

Special in a good way I know. There is 100 kids in my entire school so who is going to care. Everybody thinks I'm a god for removing the pop ups on their macbooks so I don't care.

 

I have a Rapid-I right now but putting dampeners on that and using it for my surface and desktop would be annoying. Know of any super small MX brown keyboards?

lol.

 

At my school, I'm probably the most technology literate person, but I wasn't invited to be on the tech team for BYOD. You know why? Because the teacher hates me. He literally invited someone that has a mac, just because they had a macbook. Not even kidding.

Someone told Luke and Linus at CES 2017 to "Unban the legend known as Jerakl" and that's about all I've got going for me. (It didn't work)

 

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lol.

 

At my school, I'm probably the most technology literate person, but I wasn't invited to be on the tech team for BYOD. You know why? Because the teacher hates me. He literally invited someone that has a mac, just because they had a macbook. Not even kidding.

I'm a technology genius there because I know how to logic.

PC: 4770K @ 4.0 GHz --- Maximus VI Hero --- 8 GB 2133 MHz Corsair Vengeance Pro --- EVGA 780 TI Classified @ 1300 MHz --- Samsung Evo 250 GB --- Corsair RM 750 --- Corsair Carbide Air 540 --- CM Storm Rapid-I (MX Blues with PMK Evergreen Keycaps) --- Windows XP --- Razer Naga --- Custom Loop Parts: 380I, EKWB 780 Classy Waterblock and Backplate, 240mm and 360mm XT45, Swiftech MCP655, EKWB multi option reservoir, Mayhems Pastel Red, Primochill Primoflex Advanced Clear Tubing, 5 SP 120 Quiet Editions --- Mobile: Surface Pro 3 (i5 128gb) with JD40 (MX Clears) and Microsoft Sculpt Mouse --- Galaxy S6

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I'm a technology genius there because I know how to logic.

lol

 

There's this one guy in my class everyone considers a technological genius because he has a macbook and know how to use google products better then most people. (Google classroom, docs ,sheets, etc.)

Someone told Luke and Linus at CES 2017 to "Unban the legend known as Jerakl" and that's about all I've got going for me. (It didn't work)

 

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How Quiet is Topre? Do you like it for typing? The 60% keyboard is EXACTLY what I was looking for. Is there a MX brown version?

Even Reds, Blacks, Browns, Clears as well as Topre are relatively quiet switches since they don't have the clicks of Blue, Green and to some extend Whites. It's the way we type that results in sound being generated when we bottom out our keystrokes. Topre, perhaps due to the nature of their design, and when PCB mounted like the HHKB's, do generate a sound when bottomed out, but it's more like a 'thock' than a 'clack'.

 

For typing, and purely typing, I prefer my Topre, or a Cherry MX Clear. Think of Clears as stiffer Browns, but with a more pronounced tactile feel/bump. As for the FC660M, there are Browns available, here's one on eBay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Leopold-FC660M-Mechanical-keyboard-Cherry-MX-Brown-switches-W-Gray-body-/291226004700?pt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&hash=item43ce6c2cdc

 Main Rig: AMD AM4 R7 5700X3D (8C/16T) + TR Phantom Spirit 120 EVO | Gigabyte X570 Aorus Xtreme | 2x 16GB Kingston Fury Beast DDR4 3600 | XFX MERC 310 RX 7900 XTX | 256GB Sabrent Rocket NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen 3.0 (OS) | 4TB Crucial P310 NVMe M.2 PCIe4x4 | 2TB TG Cardea Zero Z440 NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen4x4 | 4TB Samsung 860 EVO SATA SSD | 2TB Samsung 860 QVO SATA SSD | 6TB WD Black HDD | CoolerMaster H500M | Corsair HX1000 Platinum | Logitech G915 + G303 Shroud Ed + 8BitDo Ultimate 2.4G | iFi Micro iDSD Black Label | Philips Fidelio B97 | C49HG90DME 49" 32:9 144Hz Freesync 2 | Omnidesk Pro 2020 48" | 64bit Win11 Pro 24H2

2nd Rig: AMD AM4 R9 5900X (12C/24T) + TR PA 120 SE | Gigabyte X570S Aorus Elite AX | 2x 16GB Patriot Viper Elite II DDR4 4000MHz | Sapphire Nitro+ RX 6900 XT | 500GB Crucial P2 Plus NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen 4.0 (OS) | 2TB Adata Legend 850 NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen4x4 |  2TB Kingston NV2 NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen4x4 | 4TB Leven JS600 SATA SSD | 2TB Seagate HDD | Logitech G613 + G703 | SOLDAM XR-1 Black Knight | Enermax MAXREVO 1500 | 64bit Win11 Pro 24H2

HTPC: AMD R7 6800H | 32GB DDR5 4800MHz | AMD 680M iGPU | 2TB SSD (2 Partitions 400GB + 1.4TB)) + 1TB SSD | Logitech G613 + G304 | Win11 Pro  24H2

Laptop: Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 16ACH6H - AMD 5800H | 32GB DDR4 3200MHz | 680M iGPU | 1TB Kingston NV1 NVMe M.2 (OS) | 4TB Lexar NM790 SSD | Win11 Pro

 

 

 

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Even Reds, Blacks, Browns, Clears as well as Topre are relatively quiet switches since they don't have the clicks of Blue, Green and to some extend Whites. It's the way we type that results in sound being generated when we bottom out our keystrokes. Topre, perhaps due to the nature of their design, and when PCB mounted like the HHKB's, do generate a sound when bottomed out, but it's more like a 'thock' than a 'clack'.

 

For typing, and purely typing, I prefer my Topre, or a Cherry MX Clear. Think of Clears as stiffer Browns, but with a more pronounced tactile feel/bump. As for the FC660M, there are Browns available, here's one on eBay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Leopold-FC660M-Mechanical-keyboard-Cherry-MX-Brown-switches-W-Gray-body-/291226004700?pt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&hash=item43ce6c2cdc

I think I'm going to go with this one:

http://www.mechkb.com/kb-paradise-v60-mini-dual-led-compact-mechanical-keyboard

 

Get some O-rings that would be perfect. Topre is a little expensive for my taste. 

PC: 4770K @ 4.0 GHz --- Maximus VI Hero --- 8 GB 2133 MHz Corsair Vengeance Pro --- EVGA 780 TI Classified @ 1300 MHz --- Samsung Evo 250 GB --- Corsair RM 750 --- Corsair Carbide Air 540 --- CM Storm Rapid-I (MX Blues with PMK Evergreen Keycaps) --- Windows XP --- Razer Naga --- Custom Loop Parts: 380I, EKWB 780 Classy Waterblock and Backplate, 240mm and 360mm XT45, Swiftech MCP655, EKWB multi option reservoir, Mayhems Pastel Red, Primochill Primoflex Advanced Clear Tubing, 5 SP 120 Quiet Editions --- Mobile: Surface Pro 3 (i5 128gb) with JD40 (MX Clears) and Microsoft Sculpt Mouse --- Galaxy S6

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I think I'm going to go with this one:

http://www.mechkb.com/kb-paradise-v60-mini-dual-led-compact-mechanical-keyboard

 

Get some O-rings that would be perfect. Topre is a little expensive for my taste. 

Yep, you'll definitely like the V60 Mini, I like 'em so much, bought two at one go (MX Green and MX White). Just be aware that the arrow keys are 'Fn' layer keys, the FC660M isn't.

 Main Rig: AMD AM4 R7 5700X3D (8C/16T) + TR Phantom Spirit 120 EVO | Gigabyte X570 Aorus Xtreme | 2x 16GB Kingston Fury Beast DDR4 3600 | XFX MERC 310 RX 7900 XTX | 256GB Sabrent Rocket NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen 3.0 (OS) | 4TB Crucial P310 NVMe M.2 PCIe4x4 | 2TB TG Cardea Zero Z440 NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen4x4 | 4TB Samsung 860 EVO SATA SSD | 2TB Samsung 860 QVO SATA SSD | 6TB WD Black HDD | CoolerMaster H500M | Corsair HX1000 Platinum | Logitech G915 + G303 Shroud Ed + 8BitDo Ultimate 2.4G | iFi Micro iDSD Black Label | Philips Fidelio B97 | C49HG90DME 49" 32:9 144Hz Freesync 2 | Omnidesk Pro 2020 48" | 64bit Win11 Pro 24H2

2nd Rig: AMD AM4 R9 5900X (12C/24T) + TR PA 120 SE | Gigabyte X570S Aorus Elite AX | 2x 16GB Patriot Viper Elite II DDR4 4000MHz | Sapphire Nitro+ RX 6900 XT | 500GB Crucial P2 Plus NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen 4.0 (OS) | 2TB Adata Legend 850 NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen4x4 |  2TB Kingston NV2 NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen4x4 | 4TB Leven JS600 SATA SSD | 2TB Seagate HDD | Logitech G613 + G703 | SOLDAM XR-1 Black Knight | Enermax MAXREVO 1500 | 64bit Win11 Pro 24H2

HTPC: AMD R7 6800H | 32GB DDR5 4800MHz | AMD 680M iGPU | 2TB SSD (2 Partitions 400GB + 1.4TB)) + 1TB SSD | Logitech G613 + G304 | Win11 Pro  24H2

Laptop: Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 16ACH6H - AMD 5800H | 32GB DDR4 3200MHz | 680M iGPU | 1TB Kingston NV1 NVMe M.2 (OS) | 4TB Lexar NM790 SSD | Win11 Pro

 

 

 

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I think I'm going to go with this one:

http://www.mechkb.com/kb-paradise-v60-mini-dual-led-compact-mechanical-keyboard

 

Get some O-rings that would be perfect. Topre is a little expensive for my taste. 

V60 with O rings is the exact same board I use with my Surface Pro 3. I've got the MX Clear version though.

 

Pic Here. (Linked as its a bit big)

 

Works fine and the size is pretty much perfect. Its really nice to be able to use in labs at Uni for me.

If you want to know anything else, I can try to help.

CPU: 6700k GPU: Zotac RTX 2070 S RAM: 16GB 3200MHz  SSD: 2x1TB M.2  Case: DAN Case A4

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