I got a wireless KB lol I must be the bane of all gamers out there I never met a KB I didn't like really, other than ones with short wires... which is why I got a wireless. I change the battery like once every 2 years. The battery life on this MS wireless KB is aMAZing.
I guess I'm just particular because I grew up using the old school mechanical keyboards like the Model M and the mechanicals on the older Macs and newer keyboards just don't seem to measure up. They feel cheap and flimsy, and have mushy keystrokes. I don't even see what people were raving about with the newer Cherry MX based mechanicals. As I said, I tried a few in the store, and they felt like crap to type on. They were marginally better than a cheap logitech or something, and still really just felt like cheap Chinese trash. I'm even really particular about keyboards on laptops. Can't really go with anything but a Thinkpad because I hate pretty much every other laptop keyboard I've tried. Even the Macbooks, as high quality and well made as those generally are, do not have what I consider good keyboards.
yeah I'm just not particular I guess... since I don't play games on the PC and can't type quickly so I rarely pound on my keyboard... though I do use it all day.
I got the Model M. Can't say that I've noticed much difference in build quality between this and the old IBM Models. In fact, maybe my memory is failing me, but this actually seems better made to me. The Unicomp is built like a tank and made of heavy steel inside. The keys have that extremely crisp, precise feel you expect from a Model M. They have updated the look of it so that it's black and grey and has a slimmer case so that it and blends in better with modern computer cases and monitors. It's also USB instead of PS/2, because seriously who even uses PS/2 these days? All around I'm pleased.
Best Buy has the Corsair Strafe MX Silent keyboard on sale for $85 so I ordered one. The usual price everywhere is about $150. I've had my eye on it for a while. It uses the new Cherry MX Silent switches so I might find it acceptable. http://www.bestbuy.com/site/corsair...&acampID=6ec8626065d111e6a7626ec788985e510INT
@bfun Have you tried MX browns? They're pretty quiet, but still feel like mechanical keys. I don't find them any louder than typical membrane keys. My wife was happy I got rid of that noisy Model M and got a Logitech 710 with browns. AFAIK the silents are linear switches similar to blacks or reds, and have a higher actuation force than browns.
Never tried MX browns. These red silents aren't any louder than a membrane which is nice. My only initial concern in the travel on the keys is about twice as far as a membrane and the return force is about twice as much. I played some DOOM and noticed my fingers got a little fatigued because they are constantly pressing hard. It wasn't an issue in CS because movement is different but with doom I'm almost constantly holding down a key to keep moving.
I actually ordered a G602, which was why I was asking. It was on sale for $40 during the Best Buy 50th Anniversary Sale. It had good reviews and I was looking to upgrade from my MX518 to something modern. I have a a G502, and while it has a great sensor, the shape and button layout didn't work well with my hand, so it ended up in a drawer and I went back to the trusty MX518. Hopefully the G602 is a worthy replacement. I've heard wireless mouse technology has improved in recent years to where it's typically just as responsive as wired, and the idea of not having a mouse cord snagging on things is very appealing. I've also read/heard the battery life on wireless mice has improved dramatically.
I ordered a Topre Realforce RGB. Will report back on how it is. Topre is a unique key switch. It's a cross between mechanical and membrane. So it's quiet like a membrane, but durable like a mechanical. Made in Japan, so I'm expecting high quality.
Those are expensive. Are you sure you'll like it? My next keyboard will be a membrane keyboard. I've decided I don't like mechanical.
Slider in dome (also a hybrid switch) is my favorite, but is no longer produced. Topre is the closest modern equivalent. I ordered directly from Newegg, so I'll just return it if it sucks. There are a lot of sketchy re-sellers importing Topre keyboards from Japan, but I wouldn't trust them with something so expensive. And Amazon resellers have a serious counterfeit problem. I'm still lol-ing at the fake/counterfeit logitech MX518 one of them sent me. I like the durability of mechanical keyboards, but the noise gets tiresome long term. I even found Cherry MX Brown to be too loud. I think Topre will be a good compromise. I've also found that a lot of the Cherry MX keyboards that are made in China have build quality issues that aren't acceptable at the high prices you pay for them. Hoping the Topre is high quality since they are made in Japan.
Topre is interesting. It doesn't feel anything like Cherry MX or buckling spring. It's more like a slider in dome with a bit more weight to it. It's very close to slider in dome though. In a blind test. I would have a hard time telling them apart. It's very quiet. I would say it's actually a little quieter than your average dome keyboard. It's a mechanical switch for people who don't like mechanical switches. If it weren't so expensive, I could see it becoming very popular with people who want a quiet and sturdy keyboard.