Ducky Channel Shine 4 DKSH1408SD

[tROVLET]

I'm looking to buy my first mechanical keyboard, and i wanted to ask if this keyboard is good? ill mostly use it for typing and gaming. the switche's are brown

is the fact that this keyboard is plastic, is it bad?
 

 

[Jack Russel]

Ducky makes very solid keyboards and they are considered a top quality brand.

Aluminum plated keyboards such as the K70 have plastic underneath anyway. Ducky also uses steel back plating which is why they weigh 1.3kg usually. The K70 is 1.23kg I think. Ducky just doesn't show the steel in all it's glory like the K70, which is why Corsair keyboards look great.

Another good thing about Ducky is that the bottom row is of standard layout so you can customize the keycaps or use replacement ones more easier (vendors don't sell non standard keycaps generally).

There are other keyboards worth considering such as the Ducky Shine 5 (RGB) or Ducky One. When it comes down to it, if you want a quality keyboard with LEDs, Ducky is probably the best option if you can get it (they are hard to come by).

Either way Ducky is a great start for a mechanical keyboard brand. You should consider their newer offerings as they have double shot ABS keycaps. Otherwise the Corsair K70 or Strafe models are worth looking at. I personally would go with the Ducky if you can get a good one. Good luck.

[tROVLET]

Ducky makes very solid keyboards and they are considered a top quality brand.

Aluminum plated keyboards such as the K70 have plastic underneath anyway. Ducky also uses steel back plating which is why they weigh 1.3kg usually. The K70 is 1.23kg I think. Ducky just doesn't show the steel in all it's glory like the K70, which is why Corsair keyboards look great.

Another good thing about Ducky is that the bottom row is of standard layout so you can customize the keycaps or use replacement ones more easier (vendors don't sell non standard keycaps generally).

There are other keyboards worth considering such as the Ducky Shine 5 (RGB) or Ducky One. When it comes down to it, if you want a quality keyboard with LEDs, Ducky is probably the best option if you can get it (they are hard to come by).

Either way Ducky is a great start for a mechanical keyboard brand. You should consider their newer offerings as they have double shot ABS keycaps. Otherwise the Corsair K70 or Strafe models are worth looking at. I personally would go with the Ducky if you can get a good one. Good luck.

 

Do you know when the shine 5 will be released?

anyways i think ll go for the ducky, it looks great, should i get brown?

 

[Jack Russel]

The Ducky Shine 5 comes on the 18th in Australia (PC Case Gear) and they are all sold out on pre order. The Ducky One is already available but if you can, the Shine 4 is better (if you want dual LEDS) but costs $50 AUD more. The prices here are:

- Ducky One: $149 AUD

- Ducky Shine 4: $200 AUD

- Ducky Shine 5: $229 AUD

As for switches, it's honestly up to you. If you would prefer a tactile response for each keystroke then blues and browns are great. I'm not going to go into the basics for switches as I guess that you have already done some research.

Personally, for gaming I prefer reds as it is light and quick to actuate. Tactile switches need a little more force realistically to pass the bump or click. This makes blues about 55g actuation and browns, 50g. Now this isn't really noticeable for most people but I tend to be a soft button presser so it's makes a difference. My fingers also don't generate much force. Also reds are best for double tapping keys as it is lightweight and linear.

If you are a fast and accurate touch typer as well, don't be dissuaded by reds being more of a gaming switch. Reds can drastically improve your WPM but errors become more frequent. This is fine in my opinion as Microsoft Word picks up errors and I always proofread my text anyway. Keep in mind that the responsiveness of reds transfers to gaming as well, which is why some prefer other switches for gaming.

I would recommend reds for gaming and typing, given you are confident in your accuracy. This is because you should know what you are pressing and when you have pressed it. My experience is that tactile switches can slow you down in games as I eventually develop a habit of reliance on the tactile feedback. This in turn distracts my rhythm in games as I can feel the tactility with every single keystroke. I would say that it is most notable in fast paced action games, which is what I mainly play.

If you do not game at all then blues are great as they feel nice to type on. This doesn't mean that blues are bad for gaming though. For slower paced games like MMOs or MOBAs they perform quite well.

As you can guess, I am more of a red switch person. I don't really like browns as I see them as a all rounder and I would get a Cherry Red and Blue keyboard if I wanted the best of both worlds. Please note that this is just my opinion and experience. When it comes to switches, personal preferences really kicks in so people will have different opinions.

To top off my wall of text, I'm going to say that you might want to try each Cherry MX switch first. This can be done by ordering a sampler or trying keyboards in stores. Good luck.

[tROVLET]

Thank you very much for this long and informative answer, you are very helpful.

and the question is, very i can get samples of each Cherry MX switch for normal price?
 

[Jack Russel]

Besides trying out keyboards in stores, you can buy a Cherry MX sample kit like in this link http://www.amazon.com/Max-Keyboard-Keycap-Cherry-Sampler/dp/B00E71W4O8

Pretty much gives you a feel of the four main Cherry MX switches. Sadly these kits are usually only available online.

[tROVLET]

Thanks for the help,

anyways i'd like to ask for more opinion's, can anyone say why i should get it or why i shouldnt?
 

[Jack Russel]

No problem. Glad I could be of help. Yeah you might want to get some more opinions regarding switches as you can see that I am biased towards reds hahaha.

[tROVLET]

bump

im asking opinions about this ducky shine 4 and corsair strafe

[Jack Russel]

Hi again, the Strafe RGB just came out.

And I made a thread about a Ducky One vs Strafe before. It was a poll and basically the Ducky massacred the Strafe in votes.

Edit: Have you made a choice for the switches yet?

[CapricaBuccaneers]

The Shine4 is a great keyboard - the only thing that stops it from being a full on recommendation for beginners is that it's still relatively expensive. (In general)

Ducky's build quality is excellent, and their no frills approach means even the full sized models are comparatively compact and easy to fit on most desks. The software is non existent so it's quite easy to learn to use once you get accustomed to the Fn+ style of key settings.