Mechanical keyboard with Cherry MX Brown

[lordnikon]

I know there's already a huge thread on this but I'm looking for some thoughts/recommendations on mechanical keyboards with Cherry MX Browns. I do word processing most of the time but I can't stand the clicky sound so I guess the MX Browns would be the best compromise.

I've come across this website:

http://mechanicalkeyboards.com

The Das Professional Silent S has a lot of praise but the construction looks a bit cheap to me. Does anyone have other suggestions?

[Jimboski]

Budget?

[infamouskid]

if your a typer the best typing keyboard i can think of to this day is still the model m or any of its offspring brothers based on the buckling spring.
they don't make the actual IBM model m no more but you can buy from the company that manufactured it for IBM worldwide and still makes them under their own oem label now.
you can buy it here.

http://www.pckeyboard.com/

and trust me anyone who knows about mech's will agree the model m for typing is the king.

if you want something more quieter the only route after that for cherry mechs is brown switch based boards OR i recommend even going towards topre switch boards as they are higher quality overall.
for typing there is only browns n blues in the cherry world really. but the best IMHO is buckling spring model M or TOPRE hands down. everything else is for the gamer and catered to his/her preference.

honestly typing on the buckling spring based keyboards is complete joy compared to any brown or blue cherry anyday.
i personally recommend the ultra classic or spacesaver m lines. both can be had under 100 bucks and unlike the cherry and topre based mechs.
these keyboards literally last decades. no joke.

[legendofxix]

I have the DAS, the construction is far from cheap.
For a 100ish dollar keyboard, its fine.
Doesn't have all the fancy features some of the other keyboards have (like backlit etc), but still types like a dream.

[infamouskid]

most typers and anyone who needs a mech in the workplace doesn't care for backlit stuff or anything else like TKL.
usually the workplace mech keyboard needs are either at a desk to type non stop or in a warehouse were they need keyboard that can last and easily be repaired when needed.
something priced right. and performs the way it should is what matters. the DAS it built well but again for typing... buckling spring all the way @ 79.99.

[Aznsilvrboy]

If you end up choosing a DAS, just get it locally from NCIX. Ordering from mechanicalkeyboards.com will incur high shipping charges and possibly duties.

[lordnikon]

I know about the unicomp remake but I just don't like the clicky noise. My budget is around 120-130 bucks. +/- $10

I'm looking at alternative keyboards using Cherry MX Brown. What about the Ducky DK9008G2? iOne Xarmor? CoolerMaster Storm etc

[infamouskid]

I know about the unicomp remake but I just don't like the clicky noise. My budget is around 120-130 bucks. +/- $10

I'm looking at alternative keyboards using Cherry MX Brown. What about the Ducky DK9008G2? iOne Xarmor? CoolerMaster Storm etc

just get a filco majestouch and call it a day.

[yyyyy]

I bought a Das when NCIX first started carrying them because they seemed to be the first Canadian distributor for a mechanical keyboard with cherry blues.

I regret it though. I paid like $120 for it and I always regretted the model I bought (the discontinued Das with an un-changeable FN-key where the left windows key should be). At the time it was either pay $150+ to import a proper filco or go local with the Das. I've always regretted not just buying the Filco.

Now that NCIX is an official Filco distributor, I've told my wife that as soon as my piggy bank is full, I'm blowing it all on a Filco.

But anyways, I regretted buying my Das mainly because of the glossyness. I just can't keep it clean looking. A day after giving it a good wipe down it will be gross looking again.

The other reason is my own fault. I bought one that had media keys activated by a FN key. The FN key takes the place of the left windows key which I use all the time for shortcuts. There is no way to reprogram that key back to windows. I don't think they sell this model anymore though. The keyboard has held up well despite me banging on it all day. It looks just as fingerprinty as the first week I bought it.

The USB cable is nice and long so I can run it to my computer which would be slightly out of reach for most stock USB cables. It also has a built in USB hub for your mouse/webcam/whatever else.

I still really want a filco ninja, but it also lacks the USB hub. I would need to get another USB hub and hide it somewhere for my mouse's cable to reach my computer. Well either that or finally go wireless.

[Corwin1066]

most typers and anyone who needs a mech in the workplace doesn't care for backlit stuff or anything else like TKL.
usually the workplace mech keyboard needs are either at a desk to type non stop or in a warehouse were they need keyboard that can last and easily be repaired when needed.
something priced right. and performs the way it should is what matters. the DAS it built well but again for typing... buckling spring all the way @ 79.99.

I agree that buckling spring is the best; I prefer the slightly heavier touch that is required, as well as the basic action.
I can see that the price is $79.99, but shipping is a staggering $50.39 , plus some possible import fees, I imagine.
Is there any way of getting it into Canada in a less expensive way?

[Jimboski]

I agree that buckling spring is the best; I prefer the slightly heavier touch that is required, as well as the basic action.
I can see that the price is $79.99, but shipping is a staggering $50.39 , plus some possible import fees, I imagine.
Is there any way of getting it into Canada in a less expensive way?

Proxy?

[george__]

I like my Cherry MX Blue SWITCH. Das keyboard.

You can get buckling springs but might be hard to get them shipped to Canada.
My IBM Model M is a tad heavier and noisier than my Das, so something to consider :)

[Aznsilvrboy]

I agree that buckling spring is the best; I prefer the slightly heavier touch that is required, as well as the basic action.
I can see that the price is $79.99, but shipping is a staggering $50.39 , plus some possible import fees, I imagine.
Is there any way of getting it into Canada in a less expensive way?

Check ebay for used/refurbished ones. You can probably get them for less than $100 shipped to Canada.

[george__]

unicomp http://pckeyboard.com/
unicomp http://pckeyboard.com/
unicomp http://pckeyboard.com/
unicomp http://pckeyboard.com/
unicomp http://pckeyboard.com/

for buckle

[Dwight10]

If you don't want clicky sound then Cherry MX Brown Switches is better. I think iOne XArmor U9 Cherry MX brown is appropriate for you.

[george__]

OP could go as low as the Browns or Reds...

[Hugh]

I know there's already a huge thread on this but I'm looking for some thoughts/recommendations on mechanical keyboards with Cherry MX Browns. I do word processing most of the time but I can't stand the clicky sound so I guess the MX Browns would be the best compromise.

Why not Cherry MX Clear keys? http://deskthority.net/wiki/Cherry_MX_Clear

[george__]

@Hugh what is that? I never heard about that.
Is that in-between the blue & brown?

[chinesedevil]

@Hugh what is that? I never heard about that.
Is that in-between the blue & brown?

Same type as brown (tactile non-clicky) but requires more actuation force than both blues and browns (55 vs 45(brown) and 50(blues)).

[george__]

Same type as brown (tactile non-clicky) but requires more actuation force than both blues and browns (55 vs 45(brown) and 50(blues)).

Sounds interesting... That might get tiring on your fingers.
http://www.daskeyboard.com/blog/?page_id=1458

Says it is quieter than the blue... Might be win win.

[balance]

the only beef I have with DASKeyboard is the damn glossy housing. Other than that its a good keyboard

[chinesedevil]

the only beef I have with DASKeyboard is the damn glossy housing. Other than that its a good keyboard

Yeah, the glossy isn't good lol. I also don't like how if you simultaneously press down keys they always register from left to right as they appear on the keyboard. I press the "/" and shift key together really fast for the question mark key but when pressing them really fast together it always shows up as just a slash.

[Hugh]

@Hugh what is that? I never heard about that.
Is that in-between the blue & brown?In my original posting I gave you a link that can answer your question (and more) better than I can.

I don't have any of these, I'm just reading a few threads about mechanical keyboards. I tried some keyboards for a few seconds in NCIX but the situation was far from ideal. My very tentative conclusion was that these keyboards were not sufficiently better than the one I'm using to bother. I have no prospect of a fairer test.

BTW, I heard that Rosewill mechanical keyboards are made by Filco. If they are, they are a bargain. Every once in a while newegg.ca knocks $20 off the normal price. Mind you, the "buzz" reviews quoted here are pretty bad: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823201042

[Aznsilvrboy]

BTW, I heard that Rosewill mechanical keyboards are made by Filco. If they are, they are a bargain. Every once in a while newegg.ca knocks $20 off the normal price. Mind you, the "buzz" reviews quoted here are pretty bad: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823201042

Rosewill keyboards are not made by Filco. Filco/Diatec doesn't make their own keyboards either. They let an ODM called Costar make it. There's no guarantee that Filco and Rosewill keyboards are made in the same factory or even have the same quality control, but popular opinion is that Rosewill keyboards are very close to Filco quality at a fraction of the price. Mind that the USB connector on the keyboard which connects to the removable USB cable is a little bit weak on the Rosewill and have been known to break after a while.

[george__]

Aren't specific cooler master also made by Costar??

[Aznsilvrboy]

Aren't specific cooler master also made by Costar??

CM Quickfire Rapid.