Is this keyboard even possible?

[Supuhstar]

I set high expectations for my hardware, but when coming up with a list of features for my next keyboard, I was wondering if the combination is even possible:

• Brown switches
• Short key caps
• Media keys
• RGB individually-programmable backlight LEDs
• PS/2 interface

It's that last one that gets me... is it even possible to make a PS/2 keyboard with individually-programmable RGB LEDs? I don't even know where the technical limits of PS/2 start or end. I'd be OK with it having a separate USB cable or something for the programming, so long as I can game with PS/2.

[Verne]

PS/2 means no fancy lighting since it won't deliver the power required to run the lighting. RGB mechs are also very limited still, especially in the Cherry MX flavors. I'd say your best bet would be to get Corsair K70 and getting some low profile key caps for it. It will be a bit tricky since Corsair boards have non-standard bottom rows and as far as I know no one makes low profile caps with back-light in mind, so you'd be limited to background glow only.

[DWN]

I set high expectations for my hardware, but when coming up with a list of features for my next keyboard, I was wondering if the combination is even possible:

• Brown switches
• Short key caps
• Media keys
• RGB individually-programmable backlight LEDs
• PS/2 interface

It's that last one that gets me... is it even possible to make a PS/2 keyboard with individually-programmable RGB LEDs? I don't even know where the technical limits of PS/2 start or end. I'd be OK with it having a separate USB cable or something for the programming, so long as I can game with PS/2.

 

This shows 'margin of error' in comparing PS/2 vs USB and states that actuation point is more important. 

 

Are these in priority order? You may be able to getr 3-4 of these but not all 5. Seems like you have too many high aesthetic and functional requirements all mixed together.

 

The only board I know that has short keycaps on mechanical switches is the Apex M800 (SteelSeries QS1 switches) but it uses a linear switch (similar to browns but no tactile feedback) and it doesn't have dedicated media keys (they are function keys). The best quality of these switches is their actuation point is @ 1.5mm vs 2mm on most boards. Aesthetics on this board are meh IMHO with an awkward phat spacebar. Doesn't appear to have PS/2.

 

You can see on mechanicalkeyboards.com (maybe you've already looked) that ducky boards existed (discontinued) that meet most of your requirements.  No short key caps or dedicated media keys (but they have functions).

 

Your best bet is to do searches on mechanicalkeyboards.com or ducky's site as they seem to have had similar boards in the past.

 

Some switch info.

[Supuhstar]

Your best bet is to do searches on mechanicalkeyboards.com or ducky's site as they seem to have had similar boards in the past.

 

Thank you for this! It's super helpful! I think I've settled on the Ducky Shine 4!

Edited April 25, 2015 by Supuhstar

[Supuhstar]

Thank you for this! It's super helpful! I think I've settled on the Ducky Shine 4!

Nope, going with Corsair K70 RGB Brown