60% keyboards

[Norman_the_Owl]

Anyone have any experience with them, any words of wisdom to bestow?

I'm looking for a new keyboard, and was seriously considering a ducky mini with blues...But there is practically no info available on it. Does anyone have any firsthand knowledge of it, other than @Kevmo7?

 

I know NCIXjack said it felt weird, because the switches are upside down, so can anyone out there confirm for me that upside down switches would feel different? Because cherry switches should be pretty much symmetrical...

 

Also still taking keyboard suggestions, not totally set on the ducky mini. I like the idea of a smaller keyboard, and i definitely don't want red switches.

[megadarkwood]

Switches are upside down? What?

 

I have a Poker X with MX Whites, Basically MX Blues but harder to press.

 

The one thing that I have noticed is that there are no Arrow Keys, which when you are typing something and make a mistake means you have to use your mouse.

[Peter Vaughan Truslow]

my corsair K90 has the keyswitches upside down and it feels pretty normal to me. 

[Norman_the_Owl]

Switches are upside down? What?

 

I have a Poker X with MX Whites, Basically MX Blues but harder to press.

 

The one thing that I have noticed is that there are no Arrow Keys, which when you are typing something and make a mistake means you have to use your mouse.

The LEDS are on the bottom, not the top.

They usually look like this

But in the ducky mini it's flipped around

[megadarkwood]

The LEDS are on the bottom, not the top.

They usually look like this

 

But in the ducky mini it's flipped around

Ah ok, I thought you actually meant upside down and got really confused.

 

My Poker X has the LED's on the bottom but my old Cherry MX Keyboard had them on the top. I don't feel a difference.

[spwath]

The LEDS are on the bottom, not the top.

They usually look like this

But in the ducky mini it's flipped around

All keybaords are flipped...

or at least my k70 is

[TheSLSAMG]

All keybaords are flipped...

or at least my k70 is

My BlackWidow Tournament isn't, but my G710+ is.

[gozzygozborn]

I don't see how upside down switches would make a difference in how they feel. either way they are pushing down the same way so it wouldn't matter

[gozzygozborn]

My BlackWidow Tournament isn't, but my G710+ is.

wait what? my G710+ has leds on the top

[404]

The switch orientation makes no difference in feel. The Ducky Mini is a great keyboard though and is worth the pickup.

[GloriousPain]

60% keyboards are nice but you're gonna wanna learn how to use the backspace the second you typo cause the lack of arrow keys... however it will make you a better typist once you're used to it, and I suggest Blues or Whites or Greens for your first 60% board it'll help you get used to the lack of all the extra keys... Cause I know when I got my first I would accidentally type off the keyboard I think the clicky noise will help you notice when you do that though

[spwath]

wait what? my G710+ has leds on the top

Exactly, thats flipped. Look at the keys, "cherry" Is upside down

[LemonSpice]

--------------

i would buy a coolermaster quickfire tk or a ducky shine as those are my favorites

[gozzygozborn]

Exactly, thats flipped. Look at the keys, "cherry" Is upside down

oh

[TheSLSAMG]

wait what? my G710+ has leds on the top

Whoops, you're right. Hadn't looked in it for a while.

[Norman_the_Owl]

Ok guys, thanks for the advice. I think i'll go for it, maybe i'll post a review in a while, tell you how it goes.

 

It's a shame the right angle usb tho

[Verne]

If you are not quite sure about 60% boards, there are also 75% boards (like Race) that still have the navigation keys and often function keys. However, they are cramped in a more unique layout making it hard to find custom key caps if you want them.

[Norman_the_Owl]

If you are not quite sure about 60% boards, there are also 75% boards (like Race) that still have the navigation keys and often function keys. However, they are cramped in a more unique layout making it hard to find custom key caps if you want them.

The only thing i figure'll be a problem is the escape key, which i use a fair bit. expectedly. Which is okay, because you can change it to be the escape key by default and the tilde and apostrophe as an FN

[Guest]

Personally bro, after testing out that ducky mini it was quite frustrating to get used too after using a full size keyboard, mechanical or not, its just hard to get used too.

However, if you put in the time and got used to it and all the dual function keys then im sure you could use it just fine.

[Norman_the_Owl]

Personally bro, after testing out that ducky mini it was quite frustrating to get used too after using a full size keyboard, mechanical or not, its just hard to get used too.

However, if you put in the time and got used to it and all the dual function keys then im sure you could use it just fine.

Was that the only problem you had with it?

Because at this point, i don't think i'll have too many issues with the form factor, and worst case, it's not that much money if i were to have to swallow it...

[Charger]

Personally bro, after testing out that ducky mini it was quite frustrating to get used too after using a full size keyboard, mechanical or not, its just hard to get used too.

However, if you put in the time and got used to it and all the dual function keys then im sure you could use it just fine.

I don't think that is all the big of a problem depending on what you are doing with the keyboard. Right now i have what is basically a 75% but i have been tempted by the custom 40% people are making right now.

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=53617.msg1221438#msg1221438

[Guest]

Was that the only problem you had with it?

Because at this point, i don't think i'll have too many issues with the form factor, and worst case, it's not that much money if i were to have to swallow it...

It really depends on what you are going to be doing, for some games you might have to swap keys etc

Honestly, its always down to the individual, personally, I didn't like it that much, but other people love them, that's always the case with peripherals, have you tried one out at a computer store?

[Norman_the_Owl]

I don't think that is all the big of a problem depending on what you are doing with the keyboard. Right now i have what is basically a 75% but i have been tempted by the custom 40% people are making right now.

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=53617.msg1221438#msg1221438

That's so absurd i love it

 

It really depends on what you are going to be doing, for some games you might have to swap keys etc

Honestly, its always down to the individual, personally, I didn't like it that much, but other people love them, that's always the case with peripherals, have you tried one out at a computer store?

I haven't been able to try it out, but the way i figured was that i don't use the number pad, and i don't use the arrowkeys or the movement block above. So i'm not going to miss those. Then the F keys are integrated into their respective number, which honestly might be easier than where they are offset. So i think the change won't be toooo bad, so i'm willing to give it a shot

 

Edit: I didn't finish my thought lol.

[TheProfosist]

@Norman_the_Owl what do you mean by teh switch being upside down? If they were Cherry MX the LED or led hole being on the bottom is the correct specified orientation. Most Cherry MX gaming boards have them in the wrong orientation so that they can have the legend on teh top of the key closer to its normal orientation.

The LEDS are on the bottom, not the top.

They usually look like this

But in the ducky mini it's flipped around

technically thats flipped upside down.

60% keyboards are nice but you're gonna wanna learn how to use the backspace the second you typo cause the lack of arrow keys... however it will make you a better typist once you're used to it, and I suggest Blues or Whites or Greens for your first 60% board it'll help you get used to the lack of all the extra keys... Cause I know when I got my first I would accidentally type off the keyboard I think the clicky noise will help you notice when you do that though

Or just get used to embedded arrow keys? Once I got used to it I even created my own layout and use it on my programmable TKL boards.

[TheProfosist]

Personally bro, after testing out that ducky mini it was quite frustrating to get used too after using a full size keyboard, mechanical or not, its just hard to get used too.

However, if you put in the time and got used to it and all the dual function keys then im sure you could use it just fine.

I love 60% boards. I just enjoy typing on it so much for some reason. My first board was a SteelSeries 7G and my second a HHKB, my first 60% board. I really prefer to have 60% and smaller boards to be programmable due to how many bad layouts there are out there.