Cherry MX Red recommendations?

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FinalAura

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Jan 10, 2008
Messages
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Hey Guys.

I currently have a razer blackwidow and although I do like it, it's really loud and need something quieter. I tried the steelseries 6gv2 which has mx black switches and I really liked the switches on that keyboard, but there was none in stock at frys. Then I was reading about cherry reds and how they're pretty much lighter versions of black switches, which sound perfect for me.

So I'm looking for a mx red keyboard from around $100-$150 range. I was dead set on the corsair k60 since it has mx reds and aluminum casing, but just read that not all the keys use the mechanical switches... a shame... I was looking at this ducky keyboard:
http://www.tankguys.com/mechnical-k...eyboard-mx-overclock-net-edition-red-abs.html
Would that be a good choice or is there something better? I don't need tenkeyless or backlit keys, but I don't mind those options either. I was also looking at the wasd keyboards, but they dont offer cherry reds.

Thanks guys.
 
How about a kbc poker? Currently using one and it's pretty decent. Small and easy to take with me when I go to lans. Found some on ebay and geekhack.org for around $90-$120.
 
kidchunks said:
How about a kbc poker? Currently using one and it's pretty decent. Small and easy to take with me when I go to lans. Found some on ebay and geekhack.org for around $90-$120.
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I love my KBC Poker but I hate the fact the direction arrows don't work.
 
+1 to kbc poker

i love how tiny it is. And i love the built in volume controls. Has all the functionality i need for gaming. I have a das with 10-key for real work stuff.

Hanakuso said:
I love my KBC Poker but I hate the fact the direction arrows don't work.
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you have to turn them on to make them work :p

fn+space. they will light up
 
I'll agree with others that --if you can deal with a compact format-- for MX Red KBC Poker is one of the better choices for the price (other MX Red models get very expensive).
 
I mean MX red, no numpad and separate function keys, not function keys combined with number keys like on the KBC Poker.

I can't find anything like it. The only MX red without numpad I know is the KBC Poker.
 
ah, sweet, is that the only one? Also I heard someone mention he used dampers on MX red switches which let him type faster. What are these dampers and how do they work?
 
For a keyboard with no numpad but function keys, your only other option other than Leopold is a Noppoo Choc Mini. Personally if I didn't have my Filco I'd get a Leopold. I may still get one as a backup.

The main purpose of dampers are to silence keys - the side effect is that they cause shorter travel.
 
Using a Leopold Cherry Red right now and liking it. Doesn't feel as nice as my previous Blackwidow when typing, but is a better all-rounder overall (and no stupid glossy plastic too)
 
SpiderWaffle said:
So are these the dampers then?
http://elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=access,slpads

Do you have to take the keys out to put them in underneath? shorter travel seems like it could be a plus, I could understand how you might be faster with that since you'd have less wasted travel.
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Yes they are. I personally have the rubber ring dampeners from WASDkeyboards.

And yes, you have to pull out the keys. Its very easy with a cap puller. And it definitely is faster to type on. I have dampeners on both my das w/blues and my poker w/reds. Good experience all around.
 
thesecond said:
Yes they are. I personally have the rubber ring dampeners from WASDkeyboards.

And yes, you have to pull out the keys. Its very easy with a cap puller. And it definitely is faster to type on. I have dampeners on both my das w/blues and my poker w/reds. Good experience all around.
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What are the differences between the rubber ring dampeners from WASDkeyboards and these from elite keyboards? Also what do you think about soft dampener vs hard?
 
Has anyone tried a topre keyboard? I wonder why no one else is making <45g switches. If I was going to make a keyboard company I'd go for just cone springs <45g with dampeners/shortner travel distance pre-added.
 
i just ordered my leopold cherry red tenkeyless w/ unprinted keycaps in white....

beyond EXCITED
 
Get Noppo Choc Mini
Perfect for gaming and get the new white version beside that it looks cool its heavier then black and has PBT keys and its overall amazing and they come in MX-Red as well as every other switch, my favorite keyboard and i have around 8 (Filco, Leopold, Das)
photo-4.jpg
 
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CM Storms are nice and all, but I can't stand the branding. Spent about $30 more for what is effectively the exact same thing (plate mounted, MX switches, good build) by way of Elitekeyboards for a Leopold. Hoping to get it before this coming Friday, we'll see. Wasn't willing to spend even more for upgraded shipping.
 
If I was ordering right now I'd be all over the CM Storm board. Build quality is excellent and it's significantly cheaper than the competition. There's even an argument to be made for it using Costar stabilizers for the larger keys (like a Filco board) instead of the Cherry stabilizers in the Leopold.
 
gamingarena23 said:
Get Noppo Choc Mini
Perfect for gaming and get the new white version beside that it looks cool its heavier then black and has PBT keys and its overall amazing and they come in MX-Red as well as every other switch, my favorite keyboard and i have around 8 (Filco, Leopold, Das)
photo-4.jpg
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Wow, thank you! I think the, Noppo Choc Mini, has stolen the show. It has the perfect key layout that I haven't seen with any other keyboard, function keys right next to the number keys, no gap, that's the exactly what gamers need, the 2cm gap is for office workers that need them separated so they're harder to reach and they don't hit them on accident. Making keys harder to reach for gaming is, well, bad...

Not only that but it excludes the numpad but includes arrow keys and the "delete, pgup, pgdown, pause, scroll lock, num lock" cluster, and with simple function keys has access to the other keys like insert and home that you don't need very often or right away when you do. Which is the perfect compromise I think, you get basically everything you need at the cost of just one extra row, it's all packed nicely.

Other keyboards that include function keys: 1. always put them further out of reach. 2. have arrow keys and "home, insert ect.." cluster that stick way out.

Other keyboards that don't have arrow keys and "home, insert ect.." cluster that stick way out: 1. don't have function keys. 2. Make it extremely awkward or impossible to use arrow keys, delete, and pause.

High quality build and materials on keys is also a plus, and has different colored keys to help you know where you're fingers are with your peripheral vision easier.

The only thing I would change is favor home and end over scroll lock and windows key, windows key is worthless since you can just press cntrl+esc to use it and is something you NEVER want to press on accident and when you do want windows key, pressing a combo for it not a concern.
 
I agree some of the features of the Noppoo Choc Mini set it apart in a positive fashion, but others took it out of the running for me. The cheapest I could find it shipped to the US anywhere was about $100, $110 if I wanted it in less than three weeks, and for near that price I can get a Leopold from EliteKeyboards in a few days -- which is what I ended up doing. Should have my Leopold tenkeyless Tactile Touch (MX browns) by Friday at the latest.

I type more than I game these days, so having the full "home/end/pgup/pgdn" cluster in its normal shape was preferable to me, though I realize I could've got used to the alternate layout of the Choc Mini without too much trouble. The FN key gap also isn't a dealbreaker for me, given it's been present on just about every board I've ever used, and I find FN keys really aren't that common in the games I play.

While I like the media options on the Choc Mini (play/stop/next/last, vol up, vol down, mute) I can do the same thing with any other board and some free third party software and I did not like the red side printing on the keys, it ruins the "look" for me. I also didn't like seeing the Noppoo name across the space bar. I really don't like strong branding on my stuff, logos are okay (my new FT02 will have a huge Silverstone logo on it, after all) but I really prefer things simple. Yes, I could pay $30-50 for a full set of unprinted or side-printed black keycaps and switched them out myself, but by that point the board costs as much or more than a similarly set up Leopold or Filco. I haven't seen many complaints about build quality on the Choc Mini, but it's less common than the others here, so something of an unknown factor.

That was a lot of the draw of the Leopold for me -- same quality as a Filco or arguably better, with zero visible branding. No logos, nothing. Also saved about $30 vs. buying a Filco off Amazon, though I may eventually get a new case for my Leopold with squared off corners instead of rounded, we'll see.



Depending how well I like the Leopold I may be ordering another with either Red or Black switches, or possibly looking for less commonly sought after full size options from Cherry and others. I may end up with quite a few of these damn things...
 
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