f13.net

Things I'd like to have:

• Wired connection. Wireless does nothing for me. And if it ever does I'll just pull my current Logitech MX3000 out of soon-to-be mothballs.
• Illuminated keys. If I'm going crazy, why not all the way?
• Volume control. That's about all I need in the multimedia realm.

I'll also want a good mouse since my old Intellimouse is acting up. The mouse will be wired too. But I figure I'd make that call once I get there and price out the keyboard.

I'm thinking the Saitek Cyborg (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8987563&type=product&id=1218006356083):
(http://images.bestbuy.com/BestBuy_US/images/products/8987/8987563_ra.jpg)

Or the Logitech G15 (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8488807&type=product&id=1186003682394)
(http://images.bestbuy.com/BestBuy_US/images/products/8488/8488807_sa.jpg)

I'm leaning towards the Saitek because it more heavily strokes the geek aesthetic. But I'd be swayed if the G15 (or another) has better performance or the keys feel better for typing. That G15 LCD screen doesn't really do anything for me, but I'm surrounded by semi-useless LCD screens all day so it doesn't bother me either.

Thoughts?

I have heard the performance of the Cyborg is pretty good, but I could never bring myself to put it on my desk as the "geek factor" is just way way to high.

I have the original g15 and its a nice keyboard, a little big, but very nice. The newer one you linked is a decent bit smaller I believe, really the only way to know is to go find display models and feel them both.

For real, that thing looks pretty ridiculous.


I say buy a Yahama 61 key musical keyboard. Heh. Best Buy sells them too. Fuck spending that kind of money on a computer keyboard.

That Saitek beast is hideous. It looks like 1980s era Amstrad kit.

Actually, I got vibes of ST:First Contact if they didn't go all MS Surface with the UI on the set in general. It kinda reminds me of a cross between ST:Enterprise and something from the type of sci-fi I used to draw as a kid. Which is why I like it. Fake retro ftw!

I already have a Yamaha keyboard which I just pulled out of the basement to teach my kids to play. Still works well something like 15 years later or so.

The new g15 only has 6 macro keys? 

Also, if you don't want the LCD get the g11 it is the same keyboard sans lcd.  As i've said before that LCD has way too many processes clogging up the task manager for my tastes.

I have had some pretty crappy luck with cordless keyboards but I am not sure i can ever go back to a corded mouse.

My housemate has that Saitek, he hates it. Hitting one key will occasionally also press the key next to it.

I tried a G15, just felt wrong to me. I have the Logitech Illuminated Keyboard. Super-thin, good response, 4 levels of illumination. Also has volume controls, and a bunch of multimedia keys that are by default function keys, with a modifier key. They're also reassignable. And most important to me, you can disable keys you want inactive (windows key, caps-lock) Only thing I'm having to adjust to is a weird ins/del/home block. Delete is double sized, and insert is where I expect print scrn to be. But it types nicely, looks good, and doesn't 'lose' keys like the Lycosa did.
Oh, and ~$70 at BestBuy.

Oh I like that Logitech Illuminated thing, particularly deactivating keys. I'd very much like to evolve beyond pulling keys off the board. Because not spazzing out in a firefight is apparently beyond me.

oh sweet logitech came out with an mx1100 that looks to be more like my beloved mx1000, i won't have to go with that ridiculouse mx revolution mouse that I was dreading.

There's also the Saitek Eclipse (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8022891&type=product&cp=1&id=1156607399961), Razer Lycosa (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8671494&lp=1&type=product&cp=1&id=1197074246860) and Microsoft Sidewinder (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8954072&lp=2&type=product&cp=1&id=1216424485180) in addition to the ones mentioned.  Of the lot, I really prefer the Sidewinder or G15/G11.

Gah.  Screw six macro keys.   I've got an old style G15.  It is huge, but the 18 macro keys on the side are awesome for complete slacking in WoW or any other game that demands stupid push button repetition.

I have a G15 and it's fine for me. I like typing on it, but I suppose I could have gotten just a regular keyboard.  I don't really get any use out of the function keys or the LCD display. I'm more of a clicker. 

I had a Lycosa for a while until my cat knocked over a glass of orange juice on it.  I did not like typing on it.  Keys felt wrong and set too low against the keyboard.

So I ended up with the Razer Lycosa (and a DeathAdder). The Saitek style I liked but the quality didn't look right (bad masking on the oversprays). Also, the tapering of the keys made the keyboard feel smaller to my hand for some reason. The Lycosa meanwhile has the sort of bells & whistles I like (ie, minimal), and the no-skid rubberized keys are fantastic. That'll probably rub off in time but eh, I'll love it until then. The only thing I'm missing is the ability to color the WASD keys independently of the other keys, but I suspect they'll patch that ability in at some point if they think they need to. Won't be able to change the color, but those keys are independently controlled (you can turn off all lights except those four) which means the software can at least control the luminosity.

The mouse I'm still getting used to. Same rubberized coating which I like, plus the same minimalist buttons (and I already turned off the two ones by the thumb). The thing is freakin sensitive though (well duh, better be) and I'm really not used to that at all. I'm used to gaming with whatever is kicking around one of five wires-and-shit boxes. Firing up COD4 to see just what kinda difference that makes.

I just ordered this keyboard (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GP844S) and this mouse (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000IOB44O).

I wanted programmability with a certain amount of understated blue glowy bling.  This ought to fit the bill.

I'm currently using the 6 button G15 after my older model met the unfortunate demise at the hands of a 1 1/2 year old with juice and animal crackers after stealthing into my office.  I like it, but not in love with it.  Only reason I bought the original one was for the illuminated keys.  To this day, I think the only thing I've used the LCD screen for is using it to keep up with vent/teamspeak.  And I've used the macro keys for one game (weapon hotswitching in AoC).  I also have the DeathAdder which is a sweet sweet piece of machinery.  Took some getting used to.  Ended up buying one for use at the office because I liked it so much (and the fact I was just using a smallish wireless mouse to travel with my laptop).

(http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/6517/800pxmodelman0.jpg)

The last keyboard you'll ever need. Anything else is superfluous and prone to breaking.

Mmmmm, model-M.  I should grab a couple my dad has stored away, it would be nice to go back to the old clickety click and always-working keys.

Grab me one too, mine's getting pretty worn down, kthx.

 :awesome_for_real:

I uhmmm, eat food over mind. The keyboard itself is fine. By worn down I mean environmental hazard.

What do you do now that most MBs don't have the legacy ps/2 ports? Do they make ps/2 to USB dongles?

Yep. (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=ps2+to+usb)

Yes. (http://www.directron.com/ps2usb2p.html)


Beaten by Gulp.  Dammit Gulp, if you're going to do his googling for him show him the expensive ones, not useful ones.

If you don't go for the IBM (which *are* awesome) I've had a good experience with my G15. The macro keys are kinda meh for me, but the LCD is surprisingly useful and the keys feel good, although a little smaller than my last keyboard which took some adjusting.

Good call on the DeathAdder.  I love mine.  It helped a lot in TF2, although anything would have been an upgrade from my shitty wireless mouse.

If you're looking for a Saitek that isn't quite as bold as those in the OP, this is the one I use: Saitek Eclipse II

(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff26/stuabrtow/PK02_EclipseII_main_image_lit.jpg)

I had a problem with my Lycosa in having keys just 'turn off' occasionally, requiring replugging the usb cable. Fucking annoying after a while, as it tended to happen at times of frantic hitting of many keys, like in pvp, or TF2. It seems like the Tarantula and Lycosa are both prone to it. And the rubbery stuff does wear off after a while, and the non-skid hold fingerprints and cat hair like there's no tomorrow.

And, Fuck old IBM click-clack keyboards. I didn't like them back when they were state of the art. Like trying to use a typewriter.

You must be operating under the assumption that they still aren't state of the art.  Model-M keyboards are the eden of keyboards before somebody ate the apple and fucked it up for the rest of us.

I've got a G15 anad an Eclipse II. The G15 is great, especially the LCD pop-up thing, particularly useful for using Ventrillo at the same time as gaming (EVE in particular). However the paint is starting to wear off on the commonly used keys (WASD etc) after about a year, which is very annoying.

The Eclipse II is *vastly* inferior to the G15 in terms of feel & build quality. It's shit frankly.

Heh, I actually use USB to PS/2 for my stuff. My USB ports like to act up sometimes, while I don't normally have a problem with my PS2 ports.

Good to know. Dumb question though: you sure in your frenzy you didn't hit some macro to turn off all the lights, or that instead of hitting the "-" key on the numpad you hit the * (light mode) button on that pseudo-touchscreen area? I want to know what I need to turn off so I don't do the same.

Yea, and nothing to be done about the rubber overcoat. I suppose you could replace the affected keys, but that'd require buying a new keyboard to pull them from anyway.

I have a bunch of Dell keyboards that are modeled on the IBM stashed.  The awesome thing is I haven't had to break any of them out as my Acer branded one from the '90s still works fine.

Can I politely ask what "a bunch" means? And do you know what color the dell labeling is? Or is it the black ones they used before moving to membranes and cherry switches? Also, are they the later models modeled after the new IBM design or the proper buckling springs?

I'm not sure how much it's because I went from wireless to wired vs the DPI of the sensor, but damned if every single game I played last night didn't move a lot smoother with a lot more nuance in the control. Particularly COD4, but even WoW and Fallout 3 felt like I had much finer control. It's going to suck when these break, but that'll be next year's gift card purchase probably :-)

I actually thought the Dell ones were better than the model M.  You almost had my stash but i was unaware of your fetish until it was about 2 weeks too late.

Not the lights turning off, just a random key becoming unresponsive. It happened sometimes just when typing normally, hit 'e' and nothing happened. It wasn't any specific key-combo, it wasn't any specific key that would become disabled. And it got worse over time. There are other reports online of the same thing, the 'all keys unresponsive, flashing lights' was from an earlier model with a bad connector setup, they fixed that by the revision mine was.

I wonder if anyone actually bought one of these...

(http://www.coolest-gadgets.com/wp-images/virtualkeyboard.jpg)

Yes. And it actually works ok. Unlike what I wanted to believe though, it can only do that one keyboard (used some type of film filter thingy through which the laser shoots and whatnot so only has that keyboard masked).

I'm throwing in another vote for the Saitek Eclipse II.

That thing is built like a tank, and I've beat the shit out of it. The keys are starting to get worn on mine, and it still works great. Not too geeky looking, and has the requested features.

I'm def getting another one of them when my current Eclipse II finally bites the dust, but I've had it for a couple years now.

I'm a G15 owner and I actually really appreciate the LCD for Ventrilo and used to really appreciate it for parsing in EQ2. It's a useful tool that almost nobody has figured out how to use. If anyone wanted to know what to do with the lcd, the ACT parser for EQ2 is fantastic. I will note that I went through THREE G15s before I got one that didn't have keyboard problems. I also find myself hitting the lower left function key when i'm looking for the control.

I can't imagine not having a volume control, mute button, and illuminated keys anymore. However, when I go and get another keyboard, I'll probably look for something cheaper. While I appreciate the function keys and LCD, I don't use them enough to cough up that much again.

I would also like to express my love for WIRED devices.

The only thing I really don't like about my G15 (other than it's giganto size) is the fact it slows down the start up time on my PC.  Seems to want to hang up on the 'Microsoft' screen with the progress bar thingy that goes from left to right.  Completely hangs up every so often requiring a reset button push.  It's done it on every install and build I've used it on.

pretty sure this is the old dell server class keyboard (not a quiet key and using individual cherry switches).  If so at $10 a whack it is worth investigating:

http://www.alancomputech.com/227kn.html (http://www.alancomputech.com/227kn.html)

Micron used the cherry switch/model m frame design for their servers back in the day also. The keyboards are good, but nowhere near the model M.

Buckling Spring >>>> Cherry Switch  :awesome_for_real:

I need to find out if University of Texas has a surplus store.

Each cherry switch had it's own lil spring inside i guess i don't understand the difference between that and what you are describing.  All I know is the cheapy dell server keyboards were loud as fuck, built like tanks, had individually spring loaded keys soldered directly to the PCB (made em hard as hell to clean in the event of a soda spill) and had the best tactile feedback of any keyboard i ever used.

The ones I junked were at the point of having all the characters wearing off the keys, for $10 I am tempted to roll the dice and order one of these as a backup keyboard.  If it ends up being a quiet key i'll just head straight to the trash with it.

um wouldn't any starving student with access to the computer lab qualify as a surplus store?

Cherry switches feel different, have a more shallow throw, and you can't remove the tops and the shell for easy cleaning/restoration. On top of that, they're far more mechanical and prone to breaking if shit gets in them. I could probably let a cat piss on my Model M and the only thing that would happen is it would smell. A cherry switch keyboard would outright break. Hell, Model Ms have drainage grates on the bottom and the panel is slanted.


I'm a starving non-college student.

Did a little research and the $10 227kn I had linked to is exactly the keyboard I was thinking of, here is the more detailed info:

http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cfm/fa/items.main/parentcat/20188/subcatid/0/id/256905 (http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cfm/fa/items.main/parentcat/20188/subcatid/0/id/256905)

Yep.  This is the type of keyboard I have a few of stashed away.  Since I don't care about the letters wearing off, I'm guessing my current keyboard is going to outlast the ports and any adapters for them existing on computers.

It's hard to explain to somebody who has never used one but a buckling spring keyboard has a unique feel to it. As you press down on a key the spring offers some resistance until the spring reaches its "buckling" point at which point you hear the distinctive click and the resistance drops dramatically until the key reaches the end of the travel. You only have to press the key down till the spring buckles (which triggers a hammer to press down on the membrane switch) for the keyboard to register the keypress. This means there's precise feedback given to your fingers (and ears) on when the keystroke is registered instead of having to "guess" on the minimum amount of force needed to activate a key.

If you are a "heavy-handed" typer and just mash your keys until they reach the end of their travel a buckling spring keyboard isn't going to do anything for you. If you like to type with a "light touch" for optimum speed, however, there is no better feedback mechanism than the buckling spring. For me there was a significant speed difference between typing on my original IBM PC keyboard and my Apple ][ keyboard (the start of a long line of medicore Apple keyboards) but these days I like quiet keyboards and haven't used buckling spring keyboards since the PS/2 (the computer not peripheral interface) days.

One of the key differences between Cherry and Buckling spring - and keep in mind, I never look at the keyboard when I'm typing, hell, I don't look at what I'm typing half the time because I know I'm going to make minimal errors - I can *hear* when I've made a typo. Of course, it took me like 6 years straight of using a buckling spring keyboard for 6-8 hours a day to get there. But seriously, I could do this blind and catch my typos.

That made amazing sense, I'm more the heavy handed type and liked the Dell keyboard partially because the harder i smacked it the louder it got (as opposed to membrane based keyboards that have an almost pneumatic softening of the blow that dampens every keypress to roughly the same amount of noise).

At first I thought this article (http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08%2F12%2F29%2F1821252&from=rss) would be timely. Unfortunately, all ExtremeTech does is categorize every single freakin' keyboard out there. Eh, thanks.

They missed schild's beloved Model M though.

Just to save schild the hassle of telling me to get a Model-M, I'm using this old thread.   It looks like my keyboard is beginning to die. 

FUCK LOGITECH for not making the v1 G15's anymore.  The v2 is garbage, and I'm not dropping 200 bucks on the G19 (for a color LCD and six fewer macro keys).    Seriously.  18 macro keys and a simple LCD is apparently too god damn much to ask for now.

Ignoring macro keys and fancy LCD's, a former roommate of mine is trying to sell me on a Deck keyboard (http://www.deckkeyboards.com/).   Anyone else have experience with these?

If you care about the macro keys more than the LCD, you could just pick up a G11 off of eBay (http://computers.shop.ebay.com/Keyboards-/33963/i.html?_nkw=Logitech+G11&_catref=1&_dmpt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&_fln=1&_trksid=p3286.c0.m282).

G11 is a back-up but arggh, I liked both.   

I don't think you can get a model m at Best Buy.

I just posted from my phone thinking this was a new thread. Pay no attention to my tomfoolery.

I picked up the lycosa, I think maybe about a year and a half ago, approx. Not one key has the coating worn off yet, and I live on my computer practically.

It's all good.  I have spent the entire god damn day reading about cherry switches and have moved on my love of LCD/macro keys into a minor obsession with mechanical switch keyboards with proper key action.

Then you have probably already come across Das Keyboard Pro (http://www.daskeyboard.com/).

Cherry / Mechanical isn't even an option. Those Micron server keyboards from back in the day run a distant (FAR DISTANT) second to real buckling spring action. (Yea, I have some of those too, and will never use them again).

After a lot of reading and looking over various sites, I was still really torn over which type of keyboard I wanted.  Until I really can get my hands on the various cherry switches (blue/brown/black), it's damn near impossible to tell which type I'd like - and I really don't have the inclination to order a variety of types at $150+ a piece. 

So instead, I went ahead and just dropped $70 (which is far cheaper than any of the decent cherry switch keyboards) on a Customizer 104/105 (aka, the Unicomp Model-M).   I have to say, I'm impressed so far by their speed as they turned the order around in the same day and it should be here early next week using el-cheapo UPS shipping.

Man if it wasn't for the wife i'd trade in my g15 for one of these, unfortunately the desktop is within hearing distance of the living room and she can't handle the crack of the keys.

you can get logitech G11's off Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Gaming-Keyboard-Black-Silver/dp/B000GP844S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1258155264&sr=8-1)

The only wear on my keyboard almost a year later is the center of the A key art has gone missing. Otherwise, it's held up pretty well. Especially the W, which I probably use the most (for moving forward). E of course comes in second for typing.

Welcome to heaven. You could've paid $10 more and asked them to make it black with blank black keys - which makes it only about 9,000 times better than a Das Keyboard.

Blank keys scare me.   :eek3:   

(http://images.apple.com/promos/2009/keyboard_keypad/image_20091020.png)
I was using the new apple keyboard on the test bench and ended up loving it and taking it for my desk. Been using it for a while now and love it, hate that they are shipping the mini version without the numpad with new imacs now so I don't have a stockpile of them :(

New board arrived today.  It definitely is weird typing on something with proper key action/responsiveness as opposed to mush and it's going to take some adjustment on my side.  That said, the increase in my typing speed is fairly dramatic.    The only downside is that my wife my kill me as it definitely is clicky. 

I can't for the life of me think why Apple hasn't released a $200 wireless keyboard w/ the macbook track pad integrated.

If you want a backlit keyboard with volume control just go for the Saitek standard Eclipse.  It looks cool with blue lights, is small because it doesn't have extraneous shit, and is half the price of the Cyborg. I've been using it for years with zero complaints.  Good day to you sir.

Tell her to get one, so she can understand why you'd want it.

Of course, the other option is to replace the wife.

Bampf!

I gave my old keyboard away to a friend who wanted it as a housewarming gift, so now I'm in the market for something new. Since I generally play while sitting on a bean bag, I was thinking something heavy like the Cyborg (almost 5 lbs.!) would be a sturdy fit. The independent WASD lighting is a plus although it looks kinda like something out of The Last Starfighter.

I just wanted to check in here and see if anyone had any more recent suggestions now that some time has passed. I was >< close to getting a Customizer, but I think it's out.

My unicomp is holding up extremely well - after a few months of daily usage it still feels brand new.   When I get some extra cash in my pocket, I'm most likely going to pick up a second one for work  and my coworkers can suck it up.

This bodes ill.   Wife for whatever reason had to use my machine and just texted me that she really liked my keyboard.    I wonder if I'm about to lose it.

Bumping this old thread, sorry!

My venerable old blue-light G15 is dying  :sad:  The backlight has started to flicker madly on the right hand side, some of the keys aren't very reliable any more and lots of the paint on the keys has worn off.

I'm really struggling to find a replacement! I need decent backlighting and I would really prefer a volume control dial/knob rather than +/- buttons, and I could also do with something a bit smaller than this G15. I'd also really like height/angle adjustable feet so I can angle it up slightly.

Not bothered with macro keys or LCD screen - the only useful thing the LCD ever did for me was when I used TeamSpeak/Vent in EVE and it let me see who was speaking, but I have dual monitors now so voice comms is always on a separate screen, and I don't play EVE any more anyway.

The Saitek Cyborg actually sounded like a winner, but it's very large and I can't find it available in the UK at the moment. Plus it looks like arse. The Microsoft Sidewinder X6 looks like a possibility but I've read quite a few reviews saying that it breaks very easily. Anyone have one of these and can comment on it?

Other than that I'm out on a limb, anyone got anything new to add to what's already in this thread?

My Razor Lycosa has been very good in the plain/high quality department with strong backlight.

Cool, does it have legs at the back to angle it up? Can't tell from any of the pictures online :/

I had bad bad luck with my Razer Lycosa keyboard. The 'w' key got stuck within 2 months and had to be trashed. I'm currently using a vanilla MS ergo.

Logitech keyboard quality seems to have gone into the shitter, too. I tested a bunch that they had up at Fry's and every single one feels cheap/flimsy.

So I'm of absolutely no help at all. Thanks for reading!  :why_so_serious:

That is also what I am reading in a LOT of reviews of the Razer keyboards, and the Microsoft ones, and now Logitech too.

That IBM one is starting to look like a more attractive option....

My first g15 had the m key go dead.  Replaced it and haven't had any problems, but only feature I get any use out of is the backlighting.

Hated my Razor, mostly due to the coating on it. It died when my cat knocked over a glass of OJ on it.

I got a KeyTronic ErgoForce which I've had since '96. Apparently it's indestrucible.

Hah.  That's been my experience with Keytronic keyboards too.  They're super basic, but that's the only keyboard I know won't shit the bed eventually.

Apocrypha, you could do way worse than the Sidewinder X6 - I've been using mine for quite some time now with no issues.  It's got knobs for both the volume controls and baclkighting , but you're shit out of luck if you need to elevate the back.  I actually find the removable number pad pretty handy, if only because I can leave it unattached if I need to temporarily make room for other peripherals.

Cool, thanks Noisy, it has been tempting me. I'll try and find one in a shop I can play with :)

It seems like all the gadget-y gaming keyboards are all flat. I had an ergonomic keyboard foisted upon me at work 10 years ago, and now can't type on a flat one for shit. My home keyboard (Microsoft Natural Keyboard Elite) seems to have a dead l-alt key, which is annoying me and seems to be a good reason to invest in a new one. Anyone have any suggestions? I don't need a million macro keys or an LED screen, but a few programmable keys would be nice.

Just to update this, they do have a bluetooth version of the multi-touch trackpad for $70.

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC380?mco=MTM3NDcxNzI

I'm still using the keyboard I linked and loving it. Bought one for everyone in the building and they all love them, not a single person asked for their old keyboard back.

You're in Seattle, right? Fry's in Renton has more Microsoft Natural Keyboards in stock. The old school kind. Look pretty sturdy. I picked up one. They come with a PS/2 jack and a USB adapter!  :drill:

I was hoping for some goodies on it, but I might just get a straight replacement. <3 Fry's. Especially during the summmer- A/C always has it about 65 degrees in there!

The new Logitech g510 keyboard looks pretty sweet, back to 18 macro keys (yay!) and added multicolor back lighting.

For anyone still thinking about a KB, through tomorrow Newegg has a Logitech G15 for $40 after coupon+MIR ($80, then $20 mail in rebate, and apply code EMCYTZT93 at check out). At that price, I'd say that is a damn good deal. Only 6 macro keys, but for most people that is enough, I know I'm happy with the one I bought for $50 a few weeks ago (dented box + coupon code that was available).

Really debating taking advantage of this but I'm just not sure if I'd use it enough to even spend the $40.  Th reviews for the "version 2" G15 are spotty, I already can do macros on my Nostromo if I really want, and I'm running 3 monitors so I'm not likely to get much use out of the LCD that I couldn't just throw up on a side screen instead.  Also I'm pretty strapped for cash atm, but hey, thats never stopped me before!

The Unicomp Customizer I ordered over the weekend just showed up.  I picked it up to replace the PoS Dell keyboard I've been using at work, but goddamn if I didn't hook it up to my new gaming box to test it out.  There's no substitute for the buckling springs.

I ordered a Microsoft X6 in the end, it too arrived yesterday. I like it. I rarely use the numpad so I've just removed it which makes it take up considerably less desk space than the G15 did.

The red/amber backlight is nice and bright, with a nice big brightness dial. The volume dial is nice, although it lags a bit and the key action is comfortable. It's also nice and quiet which is nice.

Not really worth a new thread, but still, this looks neat. Also, iirc, people around here like mechanical keyboards, so here is a Mechanical Keyboard by Razer (http://press.razerzone.com/content/view/433/101/). Here is one to keep in mind if in the market for a new keyboard soon, it releases next month.

Personally, I think I may try the basic version since I hate the placement of the usb/audio, and don't really have a need for them on a keyboard anyways. Which leaves the ultimate's only addition of interest to me would be backlit keys which are nice, but not $50 more nice.

Press release in spoiler:


About the Razer BlackWidow
About the Razer BlackWidow Ultimate

Images (they both look the same, but the ultimate has the usb/audio on the right side of the keyboard seen in pic 2):

They're doing the $1usd=€1, sorry Euro people. Also, the differences are backlit keys, usb pass-through, audio jacks for $50/€50 more. So shitty pricing, but mechanical Razer gaming board for $80 is still intriguing.

Little bit of digging around and it looks like there's some discussion as to if this is using a Cherry MX Blue switch or something else (unknown) right now.

[edit 9/2]

confirmed:

Q. What type of mechanical key switch does the Razer BlackWidow use?
A. The Razer BlackWidow uses tactile and clicky Cherry MX Blue mechanical key switches. Each of the mechanical switches has been sorted prior to manufacture to adhere to a strict design guideline

Just to resurrect this thread since well -

I spilled a bit of beer on my keyboard last night.   For a lesser keyboard, this would have spelled doom.

For my Unicomp, I popped the keys off, wiped everything down, and let it dry.

This morning - everything working perfectly.

Why is everything flat? Doesn't ANYONE want an ergo/split gaming keyboard?

Hell no.

I like my keyboard tilted at an angle, not split down the middle.  That ergo stuff makes me crabby. 

Yeah, I tend to tilt it so that the left side is slightly further from me than the right side.   The ergonomic keyboards might be hypothetically better, but my muscle memory is far too developed with a "normal" key set up that its just too much of a pain to use anything else.

Once upon a time, I tried one of those things for a month or so.  I'm glad nobody makes them any more.

I'm with you, I've been using ergo/split keyboards for many years now.  Its the only way to go for comfort.

I noticed the computer guy in deus ex (Alex Jacobsen) had what looked like a keyboard built into his pants. Half the keyboard on each side around about where the hands would rest in a sitting position. My comment that I wanted a pair in real life got me one of the most horrified looks I've ever managed out of the wife.

Other than that my 1990 vintage IBM-buckling spring keyboard is still going strong.

Type on, bro!  Vu's threatened to replace mine because it clacks like a proper keyboard should.

The clacking is great when it is just you and your keyboard, but it is really pretty annoying when someone is CLACK CLACK CLACKing away and you're playing a game with dialogue you want to listen to, etc. Even with my headset on when Sjofn is TYPING ANGRY it can be kind of disruptive, and she isn't even on a Model M, just some normal Dell keyboard.

My wife made me quit using my IBM about six years ago.  I miss that keyboard, maybe I should have gotten rid of the wife instead.  

After my blue g15 had the "coffee incident" a month ago, I just replaced it all with a $11 logitech jobby.  It's actually not terrible.  I don't miss the window or the macro keys at all, but the g15 was simply sturdier.

(Older) Keytronic keyboards, along with the IBMs were plain bulletproof - if not a wee bit loud.

I'm using a Saitek Eclipse III at present for the k-rad variable-color backlighting and the simple volume control.  Part of the lighting across the top has started failing from time to time, though - pondering opening it up and poking at it with a soldering iron (seems to go out when the room is warmer).