Poker Sized

[Drackeo]

Hey does anyone have any experience with Poker or 60% sized keyboards? Im wanting to find one but i cant find any unless they are on Massdrop and even then the shipping is like $20 to me xp 

I love the size of them, plus i map most of my keys to FN + a number or letter, which is what a 60% is. 

Recommendations would be /super nice guys (and extra points if there mechanical because ive never had one and want one lol )

[Drackeo]

@Slick any ideas?

[NeoZeon]

I use a HHKB and love it... I that's the consensus best 60% keyboard (or at least really the original).

[Drackeo]

I use a HHKB and love it... I that's the consensus best 60% keyboard (or at least really the original).

Happy Hacking? That one?

[KaminKevCrew]

I use a HHKB and love it... I that's the consensus best 60% keyboard (or at least really the original).

It's hardly the original...

Happy Hacking? That one?

Yeah, that's the one that he's talking about...

 

I have a Pok3r coming in the mail from massdrop tomorrow, and I can come back with impressions, and my thoughts on the difficulty of use, switching from a full size board...

[Drackeo]

It's hardly the original...

Yeah, that's the one that he's talking about...

 

I have a Pok3r coming in the mail from massdrop tomorrow, and I can come back with impressions, and my thoughts on the difficulty of use, switching from a full size board...

 

Please can you? That would be awsome. Ive debated going and grabbing that one

[KaminKevCrew]

Please can you? That would be awsome. Ive debated going and grabbing that one

Certainly, it should be here around 1PM Pacific Time, but I'm not 100% sure when I'll be getting home. I should be able to give you my impressions sometime early this evening though, I hope. (Definitely at some point today.)

 

Also, mine will have Cherry Clears, and it's the first time I'll have used them (I'm currently using browns), so I can also give some impressions on that, if you're thinking about going for one of the slightly more exotic switch types...

[Drackeo]

Certainly, it should be here around 1PM Pacific Time, but I'm not 100% sure when I'll be getting home. I should be able to give you my impressions sometime early this evening though, I hope. (Definitely at some point today.)

 

Also, mine will have Cherry Clears, and it's the first time I'll have used them (I'm currently using browns), so I can also give some impressions on that, if you're thinking about going for one of the slightly more exotic switch types...

 

I was thinking blues or something like that. I dont think im doing the HappyHacking because of the Toper switches.... no keycaps lol

[KaminKevCrew]

I was thinking blues or something like that. I dont think im doing the HappyHacking because of the Toper switches.... no keycaps lol

Well, there are caps available, but they're pretty much all through GeekHack... The thing is, the stock caps are already PBT, aside from the spacebar, so it's not that big of a deal.

 

Blues are a good switch, although I do have to admit, they felt less accurate for me than browns, for some reason... I can't really explain why...

[Vozella]

I found some places to buy them. https://www.google.com/search?q=vortex+pok3r&oq=vortex+pok3r&aqs=chrome..69i57.4127j0j7&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8

[KaminKevCrew]

I found some places to buy them. https://www.google.com/search?q=vortex+pok3r&oq=vortex+pok3r&aqs=chrome..69i57.4127j0j7&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8

Mechanical Keyboards is probably the only place that I would buy them from. There, or massdrop, at least for the US.

 

I just got the Pok3r with Clears about five minutes ago, and WOW!!! Holy crap, this is amazing. I am a huge fan of clears at this point; The feel you get from these is absolutely incredible. Although I do have to admit that I think it will take me a while to get used to these, since the spring is NOTICEABLY heavier. The clack on this board is also so different from my DK4 that I keep thinking the spacebar is getting stuck, even though it isn't. 

 

So far, I haven't had any issues with the size, but, again, this is the first bit of typing I've done on it, and I've had it for all of five minutes. I'll report back in a couple of hours with more experience with this.

 

/Edit: The little thing weighs as much as my DK4, and that's a full size board with a steel plate, and an aluminum top... This this is SOLID AF.

[Drackeo]

Mechanical Keyboards is probably the only place that I would buy them from. There, or massdrop, at least for the US.

 

I just got the Pok3r with Clears about five minutes ago, and WOW!!! Holy crap, this is amazing. I am a huge fan of clears at this point; The feel you get from these is absolutely incredible. Although I do have to admit that I think it will take me a while to get used to these, since the spring is NOTICEABLY heavier. The clack on this board is also so different from my DK4 that I keep thinking the spacebar is getting stuck, even though it isn't. 

 

So far, I haven't had any issues with the size, but, again, this is the first bit of typing I've done on it, and I've had it for all of five minutes. I'll report back in a couple of hours with more experience with this.

 

/Edit: The little thing weighs as much as my DK4, and that's a full size board with a steel plate, and an aluminum top... This this is SOLID AF.

 

WOW its that heavy?? Just physically? WOWZA! And i would end up getting a blue anodized aluminum case for it also. 

 

Right now im torn between this and the Varmillo TKL keyboard. Which would you suggest? 

[KaminKevCrew]

WOW its that heavy?? Just physically? WOWZA! And i would end up getting a blue anodized aluminum case for it also. 

 

Right now im torn between this and the Varmillo TKL keyboard. Which would you suggest? 

Yeah, just physically. 

 

So far, I haven't had any major issues with the layout, so I think that it would be fine. For the most part, all of the typing just feels really normal, only a lot more solid, because of the wonderful quality of the board itself. 

 

Personally, I would recommend the Pok3r, but I also love how small it is, as well as the huge aftermarket support for these little beauties. Also, I personally don't like most TKL boards that much. Really, the only ones I could see myself ordering would be the Korean Customs that come out every once in a while. I really like the Arrow key placement on the Pok3r, because I can do it all with my right hand, so it's really convenient. Also, if anything, I find that 60% is more convenient than full size, or TKL, because I don't need to move my hands as much. (I don't need to move my hands at all to reach, for instance, the arrow keys.) So far, I'm thinking that 60% is the way to go. Also, with the clears, I am finding that I am a much more accurate typist. These switches are absolutely incredible. The stiffness of the spring is sublime. Coming from browns, it took me about five minutes to get used to, and now I am typing up a storm. This is great!

 

Also, I have a blue anodized case from one of the Massdrop drops, and I'm excited to get that going. Also, I ordered a full complement of parts for building my own 60% board, because I like this so much. (also, I really wanted to build my own board.)

 

So yeah, I definitely suggest going for a 60%, but that's my opinion!

[Drackeo]

Yeah, just physically. 

 

So far, I haven't had any major issues with the layout, so I think that it would be fine. For the most part, all of the typing just feels really normal, only a lot more solid, because of the wonderful quality of the board itself. 

 

Personally, I would recommend the Pok3r, but I also love how small it is, as well as the huge aftermarket support for these little beauties. Also, I personally don't like most TKL boards that much. Really, the only ones I could see myself ordering would be the Korean Customs that come out every once in a while. I really like the Arrow key placement on the Pok3r, because I can do it all with my right hand, so it's really convenient. Also, if anything, I find that 60% is more convenient than full size, or TKL, because I don't need to move my hands as much. (I don't need to move my hands at all to reach, for instance, the arrow keys.) So far, I'm thinking that 60% is the way to go. Also, with the clears, I am finding that I am a much more accurate typist. These switches are absolutely incredible. The stiffness of the spring is sublime. Coming from browns, it took me about five minutes to get used to, and now I am typing up a storm. This is great!

 

Also, I have a blue anodized case from one of the Massdrop drops, and I'm excited to get that going. Also, I ordered a full complement of parts for building my own 60% board, because I like this so much. (also, I really wanted to build my own board.)

 

So yeah, I definitely suggest going for a 60%, but that's my opinion!

 

Yah thats the case i was planning on dropping the keyboad into lol

 

Can you send me the parts list? Id much rather build my own keyboard... never even knew that was a thing!! I just love diy stuff so much! 

[KaminKevCrew]

Yah thats the case i was planning on dropping the keyboad into lol

 

Can you send me the parts list? Id much rather build my own keyboard... never even knew that was a thing!! I just love diy stuff so much! 

I certainly can, but just so you know, if will probably take a few weeks to get everything together, depending on where you order from, and it will run you 2-3 times the cost of a pok3r... (I think I currently have about $300 sunk into stuff reserved for the Pok3r, and another ~$400 into this board that I'm planning on building... So, it will not a be a cheap endeavor by any stretch of the imagination. Of course, you can certainly shop around/cut your own plate/hand wire the board, instead of using a PCB, and all of those will definitely lower the cost, but it's something to keep in mind. 

 

If you're still interested, I'll post a parts list, and I'll post exactly what I'm getting for mine, but if you're not interested, that's totally reasonable, and understandable.

[Drackeo]

I certainly can, but just so you know, if will probably take a few weeks to get everything together, depending on where you order from, and it will run you 2-3 times the cost of a pok3r... (I think I currently have about $300 sunk into stuff reserved for the Pok3r, and another ~$400 into this board that I'm planning on building... So, it will not a be a cheap endeavor by any stretch of the imagination. Of course, you can certainly shop around/cut your own plate/hand wire the board, instead of using a PCB, and all of those will definitely lower the cost, but it's something to keep in mind. 

 

If you're still interested, I'll post a parts list, and I'll post exactly what I'm getting for mine, but if you're not interested, that's totally reasonable, and understandable.

 

3:) this is my shit lol. My school has both a 3d printer and CNC machine that i have free access too so that takes care of the case/keycaps and anything else i can think of (idk the what the other parts are lol)

[KaminKevCrew]

3:) this is my shit lol. My school has both a 3d printer and CNC machine that i have free access too so that takes care of the case/keycaps and anything else i can think of (idk the what the other parts are lol)

Haha, lucky! Alright, well, The simplest way to do it would be:

-The switches

-A plate and case

-PCB (For simplicity, I recommend this.) That PCB has all of the diodes and everything you need, so all you need to add to it are the switches, and any LEDs that you want to install. I'm pretty sure it even has resistors for the LEDs, so you don't even need to worry about that.)

 

If you want to go a bit overboard, there is this, but you'll need to add 1 diode for every switch, and one resistor for every LED you want to add. That being said, it is one of the best PCBs that money can buy, and it can even come in a wireless version (I'm planning to get the wireless version at some point, and maybe I'll build myself another board then, but for now, I think I will be happy with the first PCB I posted. 

-You'll also need a mini USB cable

-Feet for the case, since you're building yours, it won't come with them.

-Keycaps

-Stabilizers

-Wrist Wrest and cover/sleeve, if you're into those kinds of things. 

 

That's about all I can think of that you would need for building your own. 

 

If you don't want to use a PCB, you can wire your own keyboard matrix by hand, or by using one of these. Also, if you do that, you'll need one of these.

[Drackeo]

Haha, lucky! Alright, well, The simplest way to do it would be:

-The switches

-A plate and case

-PCB (For simplicity, I recommend this.) That PCB has all of the diodes and everything you need, so all you need to add to it are the switches, and any LEDs that you want to install. I'm pretty sure it even has resistors for the LEDs, so you don't even need to worry about that.)

 

If you want to go a bit overboard, there is this, but you'll need to add 1 diode for every switch, and one resistor for every LED you want to add. That being said, it is one of the best PCBs that money can buy, and it can even come in a wireless version (I'm planning to get the wireless version at some point, and maybe I'll build myself another board then, but for now, I think I will be happy with the first PCB I posted. 

-You'll also need a mini USB cable

-Feet for the case, since you're building yours, it won't come with them.

-Keycaps

-Stabilizers

-Wrist Wrest and cover/sleeve, if you're into those kinds of things. 

 

That's about all I can think of that you would need for building your own. 

 

If you don't want to use a PCB, you can wire your own keyboard matrix by hand, or by using one of these. Also, if you do that, you'll need one of these.

 

That teensy thing you dont need it for either of the pcbs? And that overboard one is cheaper then the other one you posted :')

[KaminKevCrew]

That teensy thing you dont need it for either of the pcbs? And that overboard one is cheaper then the other one you posted :')

Correct on the Teensy. And yeah, the overboard one is cheaper - until you realize that you need to order diodes and resistors separately, and in total, that will be at least $20. Also, if you go for the wireless version, then that's another $55 on top...

[Drackeo]

Correct on the Teensy. And yeah, the overboard one is cheaper - until you realize that you need to order diodes and resistors separately, and in total, that will be at least $20. Also, if you go for the wireless version, then that's another $55 on top...

 

i think i have resestors around, what ohm?

[KaminKevCrew]

i think i have resestors around, what ohm?

depends on the LED color... GON has a little guide somewhere. I'll see if I can find it...

[KaminKevCrew]

Here's what GON has for his LEDs.

"for NerD Side LEDs of 3V(Green, Blue, Purplish Blue, Pink, White) - 133 Ohm Recommended

For NerD Side LEDs of 2V(Red, Orange, Gold(Yellow)) - 133 or 150 Ohm Recommended

 

For NerD Switch Backlight LEDs of 2V/3V - 470 Ohm Recommended_"

You want to pay attention to the last part, mostly. 

 

I don't think it matters too much, what impedance you use, but it can definitely affect the color somewhat. 

 

If you want suggestions for the specific parts (as in, where to get them and brands, etc.) then I would suggest that you make a post over at geekhack. The people over there are really, really knowledgeable when it comes to keyboards...

[Drackeo]

Here's what GON has for his LEDs.

"for NerD Side LEDs of 3V(Green, Blue, Purplish Blue, Pink, White) - 133 Ohm Recommended

For NerD Side LEDs of 2V(Red, Orange, Gold(Yellow)) - 133 or 150 Ohm Recommended

 

For NerD Switch Backlight LEDs of 2V/3V - 470 Ohm Recommended_"

You want to pay attention to the last part, mostly. 

 

I don't think it matters too much, what impedance you use, but it can definitely affect the color somewhat. 

 

If you want suggestions for the specific parts (as in, where to get them and brands, etc.) then I would suggest that you make a post over at geekhack. The people over there are really, really knowledgeable when it comes to keyboards...

 

Geekhack... got it Thank you so much!

[KaminKevCrew]

Geekhack... got it Thank you so much!

No problem!