What's a good keyboard that wont empty my wallet?

[CRTGAMER]

A mechanical keyboard for $38, you would assume it cheap garbage but I assure you it's not!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LWLIRSC/re ... UTF8&psc=1

Normally, I wouldn't risk my own money on such a thing, but I got this keyboard for myself at work. I was very surprised out how well built it is, and how wonderful it feels, with only a $40 price tag. There's more color options, including back lit ones, but I got the standard black one since it's for work. I know I've said before in this thread, but I like my keyboard to be a traditional layout with no frills, no extra keys, ect. It's unfortunate that most mechanical keyboards are aimed at gamers, and most are kinda pricey. I was very happy to find this one, as it would be hard to convince my job to buy me a $120 Corsair K70 "gaming" keyboard.

If anyone is looking for a mechanical keyboard on a budget, I highly recommend this one. I've only used it for a day so far, but since I will be pounding away at it for several hours 5 days a week, I will put it through it's paces. I will report back in this thread if anything happens to it.

Agree, the mechanical keyboards for me so much better then the flat short throws of modern keyboards. Even some keyboards such as the crazy large keys of the My Board II emulate the older mechanics reasonably well.

Oh man, how have I never seen this thread before? I've been extra lucky this month with keyboards, and I have a bunch to post about in the near future. Do we have a dedicated thread for mechanical keyboards, or is this the de facto official thread?

I posted a little history on the IBM Model M in my Smartjoy Frag Thread. I like the mechanical keyboard so much, it is hooked up to my laptop with a simple USB adapter when used at home. The left Windows key is registry disabled for keyboard control games.

http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=400265#p400265

[Sano]

I personally use the Microsoft Ergonomic 4000. It cost me about $40 when I originally got the keyboard. I don't know if they still make the same series or not (I saw a newer version at MicroCenter and it sucked IMO). I have 0 problems with my wrist hurting when I am on for long periods of time. It does take a bit of getting use to where the keys are.

[Ziggy]

A mechanical keyboard for $38, you would assume it cheap garbage but I assure you it's not!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LWLIRSC/re ... UTF8&psc=1

Normally, I wouldn't risk my own money on such a thing, but I got this keyboard for myself at work. I was very surprised at how well built it is, and how wonderful it feels, with only a $40 price tag. There's more color options, including back lit ones, but I got the standard black one since it's for work. I know I've said before in this thread, but I like my keyboard to be a traditional layout with no frills, no extra keys, ect. It's unfortunate that most mechanical keyboards are aimed at gamers, and most are kinda pricey. I was very happy to find this one, as it would be hard to convince my job to buy me a $120 Corsair K70 "gaming" keyboard.

If anyone is looking for a mechanical keyboard on a budget, I highly recommend this one. I've only used it for a day so far, but since I will be pounding away at it for several hours 5 days a week, I will put it through it's paces. I will report back in this thread if anything happens to it.

Just following up... It's been about 8 months since I got this keyboard, and it's still going strong. I've had 0 problems with it. I thought of this thread yesterday because I spilled damn near an entire cup of coffee on it. I removed every key to clean everything (binder clips work VERY well as key pullers). I'm typing this post with it right now. Still works as good as the day I got it. And I've been pounding away on it.

Oh, I guess I had one minor problem with it. I once dropped something heavy on the top left corner of the keyboard and the little leg on the underside broke. I was able to superglue it back together, and it's been working find ever since. I wouldn't hold the fact that it broke against the keyboard, it was my fault for dropping something heavy on it. I only mention it as a way to show that I'm not babying this thing.

Since I got mine, two co-workers decided to get one. My brother ended up getting one as well. I haven't heard any complaints about it from those three people.

So my recommendation is unchanged. If you need a good mechanical keyboard on a budget, get this one. Hell, it's cheaper that some membrane keyboards!

[Xeogred]

Stop spilling and dropping things on it!

That does look nice though. I have a Logitech wireless K330 that I like a lot but I always wonder about latency with games. Though I've gotten used to liking some of the extra buttons, like audio control, etc. And no extra cords is very nice...

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-MK320-W ... 003VAGXZC/

(I ditched the mouse for a wired one)

[Ziggy]

Oh, neat. It has browser buttons on the top-left. I use to have a Logitech keyboard way back that had browser buttons and a scroll wheel on the left side.

[isiolia]

While there are still plenty of keyboards that split off at least some of those inputs into their own keys, it's otherwise quite common to see them mapped to a Function F-key press, as the keyboard linked does. Possibly less convenient, and something to get used to, but not necessarily a complete deal breaker. I do like the dedicated volume controls on my K70 though.

That said, there are a growing number of decent or actually-pretty-good mechanical keyboards at a lower cost. If you like Logitech, then their K840 is solid, though you can often find the gaming version (G413) with backlighting and such for like $10 more. I've bought those for folks at work that were hard on their keyboards, those and Rosewills.

[Ziggy]

So the reason it took me so long to buy a mechanical keyboard is because of how expensive they... use to be. The Corsair K70 is solid, but my complaint at the time was the price tag and, "Why couldn't they make a no-thrills version for less money?" Well, they did.

https://www.amazon.com/CORSAIR-K66-Mech ... 923&sr=8-3

Looks like it's basically the K70, minus the backlight. And the volume wheel was replaced with separate volume up/down buttons. And I don't see in the specs, but the K70 has a full metal case, the K66 looks like it's plastic.

[casterofdreams]

I like a keyboard with a simple layout myself. No macros keys.

I don’t know is where it sits on the “swtich” spectrum but I have a Logitech G810 where it has, what looks like, proprietary “Romer G” switches.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BBKYM3I/re ... xBbB844BB4

I like the RGB lighting. Super bright!

For work I use the Logitech K780. Compact, full keyboard that’s wireless/Bluetooth, heavy, and super quiet.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LZTBKBG/re ... xBb6B82504

[fastbilly1]

Stop spilling and dropping things on it!

Dont tell him how to live...actually the fact that it took a cup of coffee means I might buy one for my wife.

[samsonlonghair]

I have a stash of a dozen or so keyboards that are (in my opinion) neat or interesting in some way. I have an old Cherry mechanical keyboard with a credit card swiper. I have a couple of old school p/s2 beige beasts that aren't truly mechanical, but still feel great to use. I have a bunch of older (1998-2006~ish) Apple keyboards too, including wireless keyboards. I have a bunch of Logitech wireless keyboards with the matching unity receivers. I have a neat old Chikohominy keyboard from the 1980s with mechanical switches. I have a Dell "Bigfoot" keyboard with Alps switches that I will use as long as I live. I have a neat black keyboard with a built-in p/s2 to USB converter. I don't even type on that one, I just use it as a pass through device. I have a cherry mechanical keyboard with a tiny touch pad. Maybe I could post some pictures some time.