Recommendations for my next mechanical keyboard.

[GammaLazer]

After IBM M died have been using TVS e Gold from two years (Cherry MX Blue)

Req for new Type of switch preferred: Cherry MX Brown / Blue ( I am a game programmer)
Budget: Max $150 incl shipping costs
Type: Full 104 keys (optional multimedia) Other:Highly durable w/ or w/o replaceable/customizable keycaps. Backlit is not a requirement

The biggest problem here is that most of the big brands aren't directly available and need to be imported for which newegg or amazon charge over $60-70 as shipping + customs.
I have shortlisted three keyboards here and would like to know if they are good and which out these should I buy:
Corsair vengeance K70 Cherry MX Brown (red led / black plate), only if led dying issues have been resolved.
Cooler Master Quickfire Ultimate Cherry MX Blue fully backlit
Roccat ryos mk advanced Cherry MX Blue.
Suggest any other too from Amazon.com or Newegg as they ship to my country. Thanks!

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Cherry is coming out with a keyboard suited for progammers that uses RK (real key) and MX key switch technology. I think it might be around 220$ and currently uses MX reds. Personally I think every gamer will want this keyboard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ztlu6MkiH_Y

 

[GammaLazer]

Its really damn pretty and one of the best i have seen so far. But its gonna cost a lot to me. Adding shipping and custom duty costs it will cost me over $300.

 

[Ben90]

Try to find something that has PBT keycaps and NKRO. If you are super picky try to find something that is plate mounted, everything else is just fluff.

 

[GammaLazer]

Any good suggestions under 150 bucks!

 

[GammaLazer]

I don't think pbt would come in my budget though.

 

[kiwi_gurl]

I have a Razer Blackwidow Ultimate Chroma RGB keyboard its the best

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Its really damn pretty and one of the best i have seen so far. But its gonna cost a lot to me. Adding shipping and custom duty costs it will cost me over $300.

Sorry to hear that. Yeah, I think it will be a fantastic kb.


I recently lost my Corsair K60 key board and ditched the unused spare I had in favor of a keyboard that is able to use the PS/2 port. I have a Steelseries 6Gv2 keyboard with MX Blacks, and the new on I picked up has MX Reds for my gaming rig. I think New Egg has either of them for $88


Link with MX Reds

 

[Mixolydian]

DasKeyboard

 

[GammaLazer]

Sorry to hear that. Yeah, I think it will be a fantastic kb.


I recently lost my Corsair K60 key board and ditched the unused spare I had in favor of a keyboard that is able to use the PS/2 port. I have a Steelseries 6Gv2 keyboard with MX Blacks, and the new on I picked up has MX Reds for my gaming rig. I think New Egg has either of them for $88


Link with MX Reds

I am linking the DAS S quite a bit. Are Corsair keyboards as durable as are DAS or CMStorm? Corsair look cool but kind of flimsy don't know why, maybe just in pictures.
Does this SS kB support keycaps? Hows its feel?

DasKeyboard

I am liking DAS 4.

I have a Razer Blackwidow Ultimate Chroma RGB keyboard its the best

I have had bad experience with Razer.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

I had a good experience with my Corsair K60. On the Corsair KB forum there are alot of posts about the K70 with issues so I don't know how that is working out for Corsair. They definitely have a durable housing with it's aluminum body. Just as good as the Steelseries, imo. If you are choosing a keyboard for a gaming machine PS/2 is the way to go. With older machines and some of the new game engines out there you can feel a difference in machine response from a 1K polling rated KB VS a PS/2 capable keyboard. You might not notice it on the latest gen chips. However if I had the latest and greatest processor I'd still choose a PS/2 port over a 1K polling rate keyboard.


What do you mean by 'key caps' ?


The Steelseries keyboard always felt good. This SS with it's blacks was the first mechanical kb i bought and with the MX Blacks my fingers grew tired after a couple hours of double tapping for movement. That's why I went with the Corsair and it's MX Reds. Now I have a Steelseries with MX Reds. It fit my criteria for a PS/2 capable kb with MX Reds, so I chose it. I haven't owned any other mechanical keyboards so I couldn't give you my impressions VS the DAS S

 

[GammaLazer]

First of all I am getting this keyboard for mix of gaming and programming. For k70 issues I too went through the forums of corsair and most of the keyboards which have had any issues were blue led ones and corsair discontinued them after getting tired of RMA requests.
I had my IBM M with PS/2 connectivity and now have been using USB ones and never felt a differnce, maybe because I am not that fast at typing or not a good gamer.

For keycaps, that was a typo, I meant custom* keycaps.

I am quite interested in MX browns.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

First of all I am getting this keyboard for mix of gaming and programming. For k70 issues I too went through the forums of corsair and most of the keyboards which have had any issues were blue led ones and corsair discontinued them after getting tired of RMA requests.
I had my IBM M with PS/2 connectivity and now have been using USB ones and never felt a differnce, maybe because I am not that fast at typing or not a good gamer.

For keycaps, that was a typo, I meant custom* keycaps.

I am quite interested in MX browns.

Oh, you mean can the keys be pulled off and replaced? If so yes. They come off with a simple tool. I acquired the tool from my Corsair keyboard though

 

[GammaLazer]

Actually keycaps can be pulled out on all keyboards but due to non standard spacing on many keyboards one is unable to use the aftermarket keycaps like laser etched or pbt ones.

 

[rchunter]

I bought a das 4 pro and it wouldn't even sit flat. Sent it straight back to newegg. Ordered a filco ninja blue switch from Amazon. Haven't looked back. Filco is way better build quality than das imo.

 

[Puffnstuff]

If you could find a Logitech g710 (not the +) it uses cherry blue switches and is backlit.

 

[bononos]

First of all I am getting this keyboard for mix of gaming and programming. For k70 issues I too went through the forums of corsair and most of the keyboards which have had any issues were blue led ones and corsair discontinued them after getting tired of RMA requests.
I had my IBM M with PS/2 connectivity and now have been using USB ones and never felt a differnce, maybe because I am not that fast at typing or not a good gamer.

For keycaps, that was a typo, I meant custom* keycaps.

I am quite interested in MX browns.

Look at Ducky, Filco for quality keyboards. The Ducky zero should be less than $100, Filco for around $150. Steelseries, Das, Leopold are good as well.

The gaming brands like Corsair/CM/Razer usually have nonstandard layout in the bottom row.

 

[DigDog]

After IBM M died

wtf .. how? how did you manage to break that!

 

[GammaLazer]

Look at Ducky, Filco for quality keyboards. The Ducky zero should be less than $100, Filco for around $150. Steelseries, Das, Leopold are good as well.

The gaming brands like Corsair/CM/Razer usually have nonstandard layout in the bottom row.

Actually the problem is that I face damn problem of RMA's, but if ducky or filco are so durable that they are RMA proof then I would definately go for it even though I don't have any RMA centres in my country.

wtf .. how? how did you manage to break that!

Its cord got cut accidentally when I was trying shut the metal drawer of table hard with my foot.

Generally asking are backlit mechanical keyboards less durable than non backlit?

 

[rchunter]

If it's just a cord that's easy. You should be able to fix it or buy a new one.

http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cfm/fa/categories.main/parentcat/9417

 

[GammaLazer]

If it's just a cord that's easy. You should be able to fix it or buy a new one.

http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cfm/fa/categories.main/parentcat/9417

Really thanks a lot for that link. I have placed order for two cables. I will contact my friend to have it fixed for me.

I think now I will be going with TKL KB, so please suggest me few with best build quality and durability. I think TKL would be easier for me to carry and I don't need a full one as my Legend would be working soon(touch wood).

 

[rchunter]

Really thanks a lot for that link. I have placed order for two cables. I will contact my friend to have it fixed for me.

I think now I will be going with TKL KB, so please suggest me few with best build quality and durability. I think TKL would be easier for me to carry and I don't need a full one as my Legend would be working soon(touch wood).

Glad you can fix it. Filco makes some pretty nice tenkeyless boards. That's what I would choose if I was buying one.

 

[GammaLazer]

Thanks I will keep it mind while hunting!

 

[bononos]

Actually the problem is that I face damn problem of RMA's, but if ducky or filco are so durable that they are RMA proof then I would definately go for it even though I don't have any RMA centres in my country.
...
Generally asking are backlit mechanical keyboards less durable than non backlit?

No brand is rma proof but Ducky/Filco and the other brands I mentioned are very reliable. Filco fans say its more solid but Ducky to me is better value overall. There are other good brands from Taiwan/China but some of them have switched to Cherry clones and its more difficult getting them in the US/US online stores.

The leds in backlit can fail. You can fix them if you have soldering skills. Broken switches can also be fixed by replacing them.

 

[GammaLazer]

No brand is rma proof but Ducky/Filco and the other brands I mentioned are very reliable. Filco fans say its more solid but Ducky to me is better value overall. There are other good brands from Taiwan/China but some of them have switched to Cherry clones and its more difficult getting them in the US/US online stores.

The leds in backlit can fail. You can fix them if you have soldering skills. Broken switches can also be fixed by replacing them.

If I consider that RMA is my need then the brands which have RMA services in all major cities here are coolermaster and corsair.
I am getting confused which should I prefer TKL or full as there so many choices. But as I believe my model m may come back to life again then TKL suits me.
I had mailed ducky yesterday asking them if they will provide me direct RMA here, to which they replied that they won't be able to provide me RMA services and I would have ship it to Amazon USA. They also recommended me for not buying ducky as there are no RMA services here.

I am limited in my choices if I want RMA services locally.