Is a mechanical worth it??

[Crow550]

I swung by BestBuy to see if they had what I was looking for on sale (which they didn't).

Went and tried out a Cherry MX Blue & Brown keyboard. The blues felt good but too damn clacky. The browns were close to the feel of the Blacks but a wee bit different.

I am use to the feel of the MX Blacks. I wouldn't personally choose MX Blues.... Maybe Browns....

Any Mechanical is better than membrane....IMO. I don't think I could go back. :\

 

[IronWing]

I've had the XArmor U9Plus Cherry MX Blue Mechanical Keyboard for about a year. The feel of the keys is quite good. The fit/finish/quality of this particular keyboard is just plain awful. I had to grind down the spacebar to keep it from constantly getting stuck under the Alt keys. The return on the spacebar is still squishy. The textured surface captures a lot of dust so the the keyboard looks like crap most of the time.

Update: I gave up on the space bar and pulled it out, replacing it with one of the extra regular sized key caps supplied with the keyboard. It isn't the ideal solution but it works with no more sticking. This is a nice thing about the Cherry switches, the key caps are interchangable.

 

[nerp]

I live and die by my Unicomps. (Model M design, built new).

 

[aigomorla]

are mechanicals worth it?

ummm totally depends....

When im typing a lot, mechanicals i feel are worth it.
Something about how the keys click as your typing it... its very soothing.... also the keys feel less stressful on your fingers after ur typing pages and pages in reports.
My GF used to fall asleep as i would type up reviews just listening to the clicks on the mechanical.
I would also fall asleep listening to her click away at the computer.
something about the clicks in a mechanical are soothing!!

Now for gaming?
HELLZ NO...
Get a Nostrodomos... or a G13 and call it a day if ur gaming.
Now if any of u guys know if those 2 come in mechanical... please show me the way...

There is one huge issue with the Logitech G710+ though, which I didn't realize until I had it : the only keys you can rebind are the G keys on the left; no more binding any key on the keyboard to what you want.

I regularly bind W to UpArrow, D to DownArrow, etc, in games where they don't let you rebind keys, to my usual setup; can't do this with the G710+, but used to be able to with other old Logitechs.

Logitech FAILEDDDDDDDDDD on there mechanical.
It doesnt even compare to the other vendors.

I feel the best mechanicals: (outside Circa IBM)

1. DAS keyboards. - i use these at work... u take one away from my admin, she will castrate you... no joke..
2. Cooler Master - believe it or not.. the top one is an excellent mechanical... the keys feel close to a DAS.
3. Corsair - kb900 - not the lower brand one.. but the top one... also has a feeling close to a DAS.

As u can see, the good ones feel very simular to a DAS!!!

But Das has 0 macro keys... its a straight up copy of the circa IBM.
Its not a keyboard u would want to replace your logitech G series with, unless u retired from macro used gaming.

It doesnt look very pretty either like a logitech G series sitting on your desk, and the really good mechanicals from DAS has 0 LED's.
DAS is a company u pay for quality more then show off potential.

I live and die by my Unicomps. (Model M design, built new).

never tried that company...
how would you compare it to a DAS?

the only problem i have with DAS is the price... they are ridiculously expensive.. however seeing the price on other mechanicals i have slightly changed my opinion on there pricing.

 

[jhansman]

I have MX Blues on my WASD and love them (used Northgates and IBMs back in the day), but the keycap etching is in dark brown, a terrible color for typing in low light. I'm a touch typist, so the alpha keys are no biggie, but all the others (function and number) need bright room light to be seen. Shame on me for not thinking harder on this factor when I ordered it, so now I'm looking at mechanicals with backlit keys. Bottom line, for general use (not a gamer), mechanicals are far superior to rubber dome or any other mechanism. I'd get another WASD, but choose my keycap color carefully.

 

[bonehead123]

if you need precision and/or positive feedback in the keys you push, yes they are worth it.....

if you want a KB that will last a LONG time, yes they are worth it......

if you just type emails, surf etc, NO they would not be worth it for you

 

[LittleTinGod]

I have a Sidewinder x4 and highly recommend it. For the cost I dont' think you can do much better.

 

[Gizmo j]

I did some research on mechanical keyboards and it doesn't seem to me that it is an advantage.

I think most pros use it not because it "performs" better, but because its more durable.

You see, I remember back when quake was starting out, most competitive players would buy the cheapest keyboard they can find because there keyboards would constantly wear out, and when it does they replace it with another keyboard, and they would do this over and over again.

But playing on a new keyboard that your not used to can "throw you off" which is why nowadays they would buy a mechanical keyboard so they can use it for a very long time and would feel less "thrown off"....

 

[Puffnstuff]

Mechanical kb's have a solid feel that is not possible with the cheap membrane type kb's. My Logitech G710+ mechanical board actually has a soft feel to it, much softer than my other two mechanical kb's with a very light click sound.

 

[Crow550]

I did some research on mechanical keyboards and it doesn't seem to me that it is an advantage.

I think most pros use it not because it "performs" better, but because its more durable.

You see, I remember back when quake was starting out, most competitive players would buy the cheapest keyboard they can find because there keyboards would constantly wear out, and when it does they replace it with another keyboard, and they would do this over and over again.

But playing on a new keyboard that your not used to can "throw you off" which is why nowadays they would buy a mechanical keyboard so they can use it for a very long time and would feel less "thrown off"....

No one is forcing you to get a Mechanical Keyboard. Just get whatever makes you happy.

You'd have to just try a Mechanical Keyboard (keep in mind different switch types) for yourself. Or just take the people's word for it who own Mechanical boards....

To each is own as they say.

 

[bononos]

Mechanical kb's have a solid feel that is not possible with the cheap membrane type kb's. My Logitech G710+ mechanical board actually has a soft feel to it, much softer than my other two mechanical kb's with a very light click sound.

The 710 has o-rings installed on every key.

 

[Wall Street]

I think most pros use it not because it "performs" better, but because its more durable.

Lets be real here. Pros use what their sponsors pay them to use. Steelseries, Cooler Master Storm and Razor want people to but their more expensive mechanicals, so they insist that the pros they support use a mechanical (which they are provided for free). In the old time games, the pro players primarily made money from the tournaments and not from peripherals sponsors looking to sell keyboards, mice, mousepads, monitors and headsets.

 

[Boondox]

Let me put my response like this: I will shoot you if you attempt to steal my Razer BlackWidow. In short; I will never go back to a membrane based keyboard.

 

[moonbogg]

Love my corsair K90 for gaming. Def worth it.

 

[Puffnstuff]

Like beauty value is also in the eye of the beholder. Only the OP can decide if it's worth it to him.

 

[IronWing]

I'm looking at the DAS Professional S (Cherry Blue) and I was wondering if it was made in Germany or just designed in Germany. I also noticed several reviews state that the space bar is mushy or sticks. This is the main problem with the mechanical I have now and wouldn't want to drop $135 to buy the same problem again. I like the Cherry Blue switches and would like them in a well made keyboard.

 

[Big Roger]

I didn't like some of the reviews I heard about DAS, either. I heard a lot saying how good they are and the build quality but I went over many videos and details about what the subjective opinions were and there were certainly a few trends to their assessments. So, I bought I Filco.

Topre are bringing out a new keyboard soon. For another make I'd possibly go for would be WASD and get it custom made or Ducky.

 

[birthdaymonkey]

I'm looking at the DAS Professional S (Cherry Blue) and I was wondering if it was made in Germany or just designed in Germany. I also noticed several reviews state that the space bar is mushy or sticks. This is the main problem with the mechanical I have now and wouldn't want to drop $135 to buy the same problem again. I like the Cherry Blue switches and would like them in a well made keyboard.

I'm not sure Das Keyboard ever had anything to do with Germany other than the word play in the name. It's made by a company called Metadot headquartered in Texas. The first mech I owned was a Das with browns, and it was (is) a nice keyboard... I eventually sold it to my friend, and it's still going strong. Only complaint is the glossy finish and somewhat flashy design.

For a solid Cherry keyboard I'd go with WASD or Filco, probably WASD since they have a sexy new V2 out that I haven't tried, and the dude who runs it was really nice to me a couple years ago when I ordered a WASD V1 (long story short: I got an extra set of keycaps for free).

Currently own:
-Realforce 87u 55g black with beige keycaps (my baby)
-Filco with reds, white PBT caps (I now know that I actually prefer blues, even for gaming)
-WASD V1 with gray PBT keycaps (at work.. officemates have become accustomed to the noise)
-CM Quickfire Rapid with blues and keycaps from the Filco (wife's computer... had to replace those horrid CM caps)

WORTH IT!

 

[Puffnstuff]

I just wanted to add that my Logitech g710+ has been ghosting while playing bf3 and Logitech doesn't have a solution so I've gone back to my razer blackwidow ultimate kb.

 

[bononos]

.........
-WASD V1 with gray PBT keycaps (at work.. officemates have become accustomed to the noise)
-CM Quickfire Rapid with blues and keycaps from the Filco (wife's computer... had to replace those horrid CM caps)

WORTH IT!

Whats wrong with CM caps?

 

[birthdaymonkey]

Whats wrong with CM caps?

I think they've updated them on recent versions of the QFR, but they used to look like this:

Lots of garish CM logos, cheap, thin ABS plastic, and legends that would rub off if you look at them for too long.

 

[tolis626]

Anyone here has any experience with Roccat keyboards?I'm drooling over the Ryos MK Pro,but 190€ (Cheapest I can find it for Chrissakes!It's supposed to be retailing for 170!) is a very hard thing to swallow,more so when I'm buying a new rig shortly and am on a tight-ish budget (1850€ only for the PC itself,I'll be using my existing monitor and peripherals.Seems ok).
I've also heard excellent stuff about Gigabyte's Aivia Osmium,but it's oooogly!

 

[OVerLoRDI]

I definitely think they are. Even a "cheap" Rosewill mechanical is a fantastic unit. I had an 1983 Model M for a while until I spilled some water on it. My Rosewill mechanical keyboard has lasted me about 4 years and feels great. It isn't quite as good as a true buckling spring keyboard, but I'm okay with that because it is about half as loud with most of the tactile response.

 

[chubbyfatazn]

Anyone here has any experience with Roccat keyboards?I'm drooling over the Ryos MK Pro,but 190€ (Cheapest I can find it for Chrissakes!It's supposed to be retailing for 170!) is a very hard thing to swallow,more so when I'm buying a new rig shortly and am on a tight-ish budget (1850€ only for the PC itself,I'll be using my existing monitor and peripherals.Seems ok).
I've also heard excellent stuff about Gigabyte's Aivia Osmium,but it's oooogly!

Seems pretty overkill to me. I don't know why I would ever need an ARM Cortex in my keyboard. It's a friggin keyboard!

Unless you absolutely 100% definitely know what switch type you love, I'd tone it down a bit and go the Ducky/CM/etc route. Maybe even Filco if budget permits. I started out with browns, transitioned to blues (need that tactile click), and am switching to greens pretty soon. With so many switch types and the impossibility of testing multiple switch types in a store, you may very well end up buying an expensive keyboard and not liking the feedback it gives you.

Just note that there are a ton of manufacturers out there vying for your cash, but in the end a lot of them have the same OEM (Costar) or are built with not so much quality as flashiness in mind. Stuff like the backplate, stab manufacturer, soldering, and the cable connection port (I'm looking at you Rosewill). I've never heard of Roccat, but maybe someone over at the ever-knowledgeable geekhack.org forums does.

 

[tolis626]

Seems pretty overkill to me. I don't know why I would ever need an ARM Cortex in my keyboard. It's a friggin keyboard!

Unless you absolutely 100% definitely know what switch type you love, I'd tone it down a bit and go the Ducky/CM/etc route. Maybe even Filco if budget permits. I started out with browns, transitioned to blues (need that tactile click), and am switching to greens pretty soon. With so many switch types and the impossibility of testing multiple switch types in a store, you may very well end up buying an expensive keyboard and not liking the feedback it gives you.

Just note that there are a ton of manufacturers out there vying for your cash, but in the end a lot of them have the same OEM (Costar) or are built with not so much quality as flashiness in mind. Stuff like the backplate, stab manufacturer, soldering, and the cable connection port (I'm looking at you Rosewill). I've never heard of Roccat, but maybe someone over at the ever-knowledgeable geekhack.org forums does.

Well,Roccat is focused on gaming peripherals,not office etc.The keyboard does need a processor (Although 2 of them seems overkill and gimmicky) to have all the features the Ryos has,like the backlight effects etc.Most of them are gimmicks,I'll give you that,but they're nice to have nevertheless.I could pay 130 and get the regular Ryos,which isn't illuminated so meh,or pay 160 and get the Ryos MK Glow,which is illuminated but doesn't have audio jacks and USB passthrough (Neither does the regular Ryos),things I want and probably need,because I sit far (>2m) from my PC and such things make life easier.Still,190?Can't easily justify that.
On the switches topic,I think I'll be going with browns.They seem to be the most balanced.I like the noise,but not too much of it.I don't really care about the click as long as I have the tactile feedback at the actuation point and I don't want to simulate the feel of membrane keyboards that I've come to consider duds over the years.So no blues and reds probably.Blacks,I think,are too stiff for my tastes,so it seems like browns are for me.Greens?Never.Bad thing is,no store here seems to have a mechanical keyboard on display.Even a cheap one will suffice.I just want to try out the different switches.Pfff...