Keyboards

Mike13Foxtrot

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Okay I never really worried about a keyboard before. Considered so much e-waste. Just a way to input. I have a few. I grabbed 2 with the base made of steel thick gauge but thin overall compared to plastic. And have standard Logitech ones.

Then I was at wally world just before Christmas and they had a nice Corsair Mechanical reg 140.00 on clearance for under 50.00

It has Cherry MX keys. Nice and clicky nice feel nice to type on. SOooooo I guess I like a good keyboard, especially when I get a deal.
 


I have been using a Kensington profit wired keyboard for around 8 years now...(maybe a bit longer)

IMG-1746.jpg


Whadda you mean it's a bit rough looking ??!!

Works perfectly fine !

has more tape on the back than on the front......tis a support mechanism.

That 'board has numerous cups of tea spilled on it as well as water and various alcoholic beverages too....never missed a beat. Just tip it upside down, drain it, and continue on.

I love me a good keyboard. ;)
 
It's amazing how good those Cherry keys feel. I have a Kinesis split keyboard. I didn't like it at first because doesn't have the numeric keys on the side. I even returned the keyboard, but regretted it almost immediately. I missed the feel after going back to my old keyboard. I went and bought it back and now I love it. I think it has made me a better typist as a result; I don't rely on the numeric pad any more and use the number row.
 
Still love my numeric keys. Just used to them. Only gripe so far on this Corsair is not tall enough to angle what I am used to. It has USB passthrough on the back which has a USB bendy stick light at the moment. Even though the keyboard is RBG, I like low light in the mornings.

Never thought I would end up becoming a keyboard "snob" But a little more than a week, it is growing on me. And I had to take a typing class in 4th grade. On a typewriter, no less. Now they are antiques like rotary phones. We had one phone in the house and it was in the kitchen area. But then again the phones people carry have more power than the Computers that went to the moon.
 
I like MSFT keyboards and mice.

Though, I'm currently using a spare with back lighting and a six button mouse with adjustable DPI. The keyboard that was here drank some wine. I figured I'd just use the mouse that came with the keyboard at the same time. I've yet to replace it, or to see if the MSFT keyboard is better now that it's dry.
 
NOT Recommended:
Das Keyboard 5QS, 4Q, X50Q, or 5Q (discontinued)


I was one of the original Kickstarter investors in the Das Keyboard 5Q keyboard. It had so much promise, but Das Keyboard really messed up the software.

As a keyboard for typing, it is reasonably good for a premium mechanical keyboard, but I would not call it great. The Gamma Zulu keys feel and sound similar to Cherry MX Brown keys. Each individual key is backlit and software controlled, including backlight color.

Where the Q keyboards fail is the software. They offer a limited number of "applets". You can also write your own. The software is buggy. The keyboard requires authentication over an internet connection to run applets. There are a few fixed default keyboard backlighting color patterns to choose from if the internet is unreachable or authentication fails. Initially there was major interest and a vibrant community. With the stagnation of the buggy software, which has remained closed source, the community faded away and died. Their forum has faded to nothing but crickets and the occasional spam.

Linux users:
Only certain models are compatible with "Linux". I just looked, and their website is more specific than I remember from the past. Das Keyboard says that the 5QS model is compatible with Ubuntu and Linux Mint. The 4Q model is compatible with Ubuntu. Do some web research first - there have been many complaints about software issues with Linux.

Repeating: I do NOT recommend the "Q" keyboards, but I have one and use it.
 
I bought a cheap Ajazz AK33 82 key mechanical keyboard, non-RGB, black-switches (non-clicky), from aliexpress. I then replaced most of the keycaps with nicer OEM-profile PBT keycaps with Dye-Sublimation lettering (YMDK Dye Sublimation Custom 96 84 ANSI ISO Keycaps OEM Thick PBT Keycaps). The result feels better than my old membrane keyboard. My keyboard and DIY desires have been satiated. Pictured below (the black keycaps are original due to being odd sizes).

20221230_171850.jpg
 
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The Corsair Strafe RGB mk.2 which I am using has good software ICUE controls. It has a volume control above the Numeric and I am liking the clicky-ness of the switches. Like I said I was not really a worrier about keyboards. But it is growing on me.

I am not really using it for gaming so the gaming-ness they sell push it does not matter. The anti ghosting (blah blah) It comes with a set of extra caps and a puller. They are still vac sealed I really don't intend on changing the caps, but I didn't plan on buying the thing either. The price at 100 bucks off got me.
 

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