Best quality Cherry keyboard

[IKSLM]

Which, would you say, is the best quality cherry (yes, a keyboard from cherry, not filco, leopold, ducky...) keyboard featuring:

1. mx-black
2. "windows" keys (so no vintage stuff, i know older cases are thicker, but i'm interested in the newer stuff)

By "best quality" i mean thicker keyboard case plastic, "thicker" PCB, thick PBT caps and other stuff which, well, makes the keyboard feel better, nicer...

I'm typing this on a G80-1502LQEDE. It's a nice keyboard but the case is sooo flimsy, bends easily, the two parts just snap together (no screws).

[Halvar]

I'm afraid Cherry doesn't make better ones than the one you have any more. Instead, they suggest you throw it away and buy a new one from time to time.

http://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/che ... t8351.html

[IKSLM]

lol, now that's just wrong and sad

when and why did they stop making "nice" keyboard cases?

[Nuum]

Your best bet would probably a Cherry MX-Board 3.0, it has a metal plate but otherwise the case is a little bit on the flimsy side. The keycaps are very flat and lasered ABS, but I quite like them. Also the keyboard feels fine to me as long as I don't lift it up (then it feels quite light and cheap for a mechanical keyboard).

[IKSLM]

Ah, yes, the 3.0. Had typed on it for a day, did not like the flat caps.

[Findecanor]

There is no keyboard with thick PBT caps and Windows keys. The stabilised keys still have thicker walls, though.
G80-1800 and G80-3000 are maybe more flimsy than the G80-15xx. I don't know about the G80-11900's case, but the G80-11800 w/o windows keys is pretty sturdy.

[davkol]

I have a 2011 black USB 11900. It obviously has blacks and the thick POM keycaps feel superb. I know people complain about flex and cheap case of modern 3000s, but this one appears to be quite solid, nothing creaks for sure… perhaps because it isn't as wide? I'd certainly look into 1800.

[Halvar]

I'd certainly look into 1800.

I agree. If you can adjust to the layout, the G80-1800 is probably the best one to recommend.

[Nuum]

Ah yes, the thick POM keycaps are not bad, too, although a bit slippery to me. And also lasered, not doubleshot. I believe every black Cherry G80/G81 Keyboard uses them. Maybe the keycaps of the MX-Board 3.0 are made from POM as well, I never checked that.

[IKSLM]

I'm very attached to the home/end cluster location (use it constantly in programing) so the layout of the 118(9)00 would be a problem, maybe the hope lies with the 3000 series.

Is there a dyesub PBT G80-3000?

[davkol]

The 11900 layout is truly awkward, but I find 1800's nav cluster placement very addictive.

I don't have much trust in stock PCB-mount full-size keyboards. Possibly with a G81 backplate?

[Halvar]

Is there a dyesub PBT G80-3000?

Only vintage beige/white without Windows keys.

[Findecanor]

The 11900 layout is truly awkward, but I find 1800's nav cluster placement very addictive.

I find the G80-1800's case to be just as bad as modern G80-3000. It is a bit smaller both on the width and on the depth (area above function keys).
I use a G80-1800 layout now... a Dolch keyboard, which has the same innards but sturdier case.
You get used to using Home/End/PgUp/PgDn on the numpad for navigation. However, because the keys send numpad codes and not proper nav-cluster codes they can not be used in Shift-combinations for selecting to the beginning/end of a line .. and I find that somewhat annoying .... But only because I am accustomed to it. If you use Emacs or VI you won't have that problem, I suppose.

[scottc]

I love the G80-1800's layout, nav cluster and all. I don't use the numpad at all, though, so that might be part of it.

[davkol]

I meant the nav cluster placement _above_ the numpad.

[scottc]

So did I!

[IKSLM]

So it would seem that all the newer cases are generally speaking "bad".

Has anyone tried "reinforcing" the case? Like filling it with some material? Adding some metal parts...?

[the1onewolf]

Edit: wrong thread

[davkol]

Oh, 1wolf, you're trolling again…

[Daniel Beardsmore]

To be honest, I am intrigued why it's so important to have a Cherry keyboard, especially considering that the desired product doesn't exist. What do Cherry do that no-one else do?

[IKSLM]

This was just an inquiry thread to see if such a cherry product does exist

And maybe it's just a personal thing, but even the newer cherry keyboards tend to have such an old-school-vintage looking cases (which i like).

[Daniel Beardsmore]

I did have a visitor to the office notice my old keyboard on my desk — except it wasn't old, it was a brand new (and black!) G80-3000.

[IKSLM]

hehehe, my point exactly

[Kurk]

There is no keyboard with thick PBT caps and Windows keys. <snip>

I have a Cherry board with thick PBTs and Windows keys right under my desk. It's a G81-3000 LPNUS (production date J08). OK, only lasered legends of course, no fancy dyesubs (that's why it is under my desk).

[Magna224]

My g80-1000 is pretty old and still fells bad... just as bad as my 8113s and 8200s. I'm kinda interested in if any of the other cherry boards feel much significantly better. My g81-3000s feel a bit better but its rubberdome. Do the G80-3000 have a plate and feel better like the g81 version?

[Nuum]

The G80-3000s do not have a plate. Some people mod their 3000s by putting the bottom plate of a G81 underneath the PCB, but I haven't tried that myself.

[IKSLM]

There is no keyboard with thick PBT caps and Windows keys. <snip>

I have a Cherry board with thick PBTs and Windows keys right under my desk. It's a G81-3000 LPNUS (production date J08). OK, only lasered legends of course, no fancy dyesubs (that's why it is under my desk).

Ok, but that's a MY switch.

[andrewjoy]

MY are horrible i would rather type on a decent rubber dome

ML on the other hand are lovely one of my favorite cherry switch.

[Findecanor]

The G80-3000s do not have a plate. Some people mod their 3000s by putting the bottom plate of a G81 underneath the PCB, but I haven't tried that myself.

From what I can see in the G80-3000 case (looking at an empty case now) that would be crazy tight unless you shave down the supporting struts inside or don't let it snap together again completely, replacing the snaps with screws.

[Nuum]

I can't find the thread where someone has done this, I believe it was over at Geekhack. Or maybe I'm completely wrong and noone has done this.
From what I remember this mod should make the keyboard more sturdy, with less flex in the PCB. Also it would get quite a bit heavier.