Returning to a Mechanical Keyboard

[number six]

OK i'm old (shocker) and anyone my age will have used mechanical keyboards back in the 80s and 90s as it wasn't until what.. the mid-90s that the cheaper membrane keyboards completely took over? I used my older mechanical keyboards until convenience got the better of me and I just started using cheap Logitech wireless keyboards about a decade ago. I'm sure I still have an old mechanical in a box somewhere but never really bothered with getting it back out.

With the recent explosion in popularity of mechanical keyboards for the gamerz y0, they have been a lot more prolific. One finally hit the magic price point of cheap as hell this week on amazon (ie $23) so I picked this up:



I'm pretty impressed with it. The build quality is very strong, it's a very heavy keyboard just like the old IBMs or the Dell Quiet touches. As you can see from the picture its all /<-rad with its funky key fonts and rainbow backlighting but whatever I don't really care. It has the louder switches so it sounds like a 80s keyboard but that's alright with me.

What got me is how much better it is to type on an actual mechnical keyboard with that nice tactile response. I don't think i'd pay $100 for one as it's not that big of a difference to me but as these get cheaper I'd say give one a go if you haven't used a mechanical before (or ever).

Here's the slickdeals link for the deal if it's still available:
https://slickdeals.net/f/10450368-mechanicaleagle-z-77-backlit-mechanical-keyboard-w-blue-replaceable-switches-23-67-free-shipping?src=SiteSearchV2_SearchBarV2Algo1

if not retail is only $34 or something which even at that price point isn't too bad.. unless you need the number pad or for some crazy reason don't want to see rainbows all the time. (i think that can be turned off somehow but I think it's fabulous)

[SpineyNorman]

That makes my Razer Mamba TE look like a Dell roller ball dove bar...yeesh shave your neck buddy 

[number six]

That makes my Razer Mamba TE look like a Dell roller ball dove bar...yeesh shave your neck buddy 

The LEDs make my anime posters easier to see.

[WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot]

Gotta love the mechanical keyboards. My laptop keyboard is a nice hybrid. Membrane keyboard, but has nice mechanical-like feedback. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Maverick1978]

Gotta love how the Cherry Mx design went into pd  and now all of a sudden, we get full 101 key boards with mx key switches!

I have a number of mechanicals... I find that I prefer cherry white or red for work, cherry blue or an old IBM Model M.

I bought most of my boards on the cheap watching ebay auctions. My current work key lard is a cherry g80 with a credit card swipe. Huge, but I don't mind. I do prefer not to have lights on my boards, however... They're just distracting.

If any of you guys ever go back in for an old IBM Model M spring switch boards, they're usable with modern computers that support ps/2 protocol. Otherwise, there are replacement SDL cables that you can purchase for about $40 that allow it to speak USB. Or you might luck up and find one of the "blue cube" adapters from 200x in the parts bin at your local electronics store.

Bolt mods are also fun stuff for those old ibm boards. I can't feel the difference, but I will say that it basically future proofs my board for another 30 years. And allowed me to save more than one of them that had cracking plastic that would have died a quick death otherwise.

[TheBatman]

Huh...I just call that a regular keyboard around here, I have a few right next to my 2600.

[Don Panetta aka 404]

The LEDs make my anime posters easier to see.

HOW DO I DELETE MY VILLAGE ACCOUNT KTNX! 

[JimB]

I still have my HP one from years back.  When they started dumping all the older PC i kept a couple.  Nothing better than a mechanical.