Moving on from Das

[E-Peen]

I've had a Das S Ultimate Blank (cherry mx blue) for I don't even know how many years now. It's been with me through a lot, and it is definitely beaten up. I've decided to lay it to rest, and now it is time to move on to a new board. I've been out of the MK scene for a long time, so I don't know what's reliable or even remotely "good" quality anymore.

What I'm looking for:

1. Brown switch keyboard, I don't want blues/reds.
2. Good quality MK that's going to last me some years like my Das did.

That's really it =)

[Muirium]

It must be after Kbdfr's bedtime now, so I'm safe to ask: you sure you want MX? There's a world of other options out there…

[E-Peen]

What are you speaking of exactly?

[Muirium]

I'm mostly into IBM (Model F especially) and Topre. Neither of which feel at all like any switch in the MX lineup. It's all down to personal preference, of course. No one switch is supreme over all the rest for everyone. So experimentation is the way.

Speaking of which, here's a sweet way to start:

for-sale-f55/deskthority-rabbit-hole-kit-t15396.html

If you're not into cleaning up old classics, then fortunately (for the right money) some classics are still alive and well today:

https://elitekeyboards.com/products.php ... _keyboards

Can't go wrong with a Realforce. So long as you've the budget. They're easy to resell and hold value nicely.

[Wodan]

I was just getting a "There is only one god and it's name is Cherry" meme ready when you linked to my other thread. I am the antichrist...

[E-Peen]

Always thought of going topre, actually.

How does it hold up for general tasks? Casual gaming (path of exile) and just typing in general?

[Wodan]

Last chance to try Topre for <200$, get a Novatouch ANSI from Coolermaster EU ...
They are currently selling their last stock ...

[Muirium]

Good point! The Novatouch is a bit of an oddball, but I like mine and they're good fun with aftermarket caps. Definitely not an endgame board though. The Realforce is a much nicer experience straight out of the box. The Novatouch is all about tinkering.

review-f45/a-tale-of-two-switches-the-c ... t8968.html

Always thought of going topre, actually.

How does it hold up for general tasks? Casual gaming (path of exile) and just typing in general?

Topre is quite flawless in practice. The nice thing about them is they haven't cheapened out over the years in a significant way, unlike the sorry state of Cherry these days. Every Topre is high end. And yes, with a high end price tag to match.

[forum politics]
To defend myself against a certain grumpy chocolate bar later: there are nice premium Cherry boards too. But fat chance buying one new from the manufacturer. You're deep into the collectors game to find something vintage, NIB.
[/forum politics]

[lancre]

I found the Novatouch fine for gaming. The variable force ones were pretty terrible for gaming in my opinion. But they are lovely to type on. I use a Realforce 104UW at work.

Of course, you should also look at Gateron and other MX clones that many (including me) believe are smoother than their Cherry counterparts.

[zslane]

If you are looking for a tactile switch experience now, then I will echo the sentiment that Topre is the gold standard for tactile switches. And RealForce boards are built to last. As Mu said, they are pricey but they are worth it if you care about quality that will serve you well for a long time. I wouldn't bother with a NovaTouch or RealForce RGB unless you are really into swapping in custom keycap sets/colorways.

[E-Peen]

Sounds like I'll probably go RF topre since it meets casual night-time path of exile, and overall typing at a good quality cost.

Now to convince my wife.

[Wodan]

Topre domes degrade from use and there is no way to replace single domes in a Topre board. Gaming usually means excessive use of a few single keys. Wearing them out will give you an inconsistend typing feeling across a 200$+ keyboard and there is no simple way to fix that.

With Cherry keyboards, it's no rocket science to replace single switches or you can find someone to fix that for you.

I enjoy Topre keyboard but would never ruin them through gaming.

[Muirium]

They can take a lot of use. I type quite a bit and so AEO etc. are very heavily used keys for me, too. But nothing noticeable on my Topre boards. I reckon they're good for a few decades of typing / non-maniacal gaming, each. You'll wear out ABS keycaps first! I'm a nightmare with those.

[lancre]

There's one other tactile switch that might fit the bill for typing and gaming: Matias quiet click.

[E-Peen]

Topre domes degrade from use and there is no way to replace single domes in a Topre board. Gaming usually means excessive use of a few single keys. Wearing them out will give you an inconsistend typing feeling across a 200$+ keyboard and there is no simple way to fix that.

With Cherry keyboards, it's no rocket science to replace single switches or you can find someone to fix that for you.

I enjoy Topre keyboard but would never ruin them through gaming.

This is a good point. Especially with me playing ARPGS mostly, it's very often I'll be spamming a single key multiple times rather than different keys such as typing.

I have some thinking to do - i.e, either invest is a cherry brown KB, or a topre.

[kbdfr]

I've had a […] cherry mx blue […] for I don't even know how many years now. […]

Same here, albeit with MX blacks. Must have been at least 20-25 years.

It must be after Kbdfr's bedtime now, so I'm safe to ask: you sure you want MX? […]

Of course there's a lot of other options than MX, but I see no reason to downgrade from a proven reliable mechanical switch to an unpredictable rubber dome mat just because the latter is 10 times the price of the former

[pr0ximity]

Topre domes degrade from use and there is no way to replace single domes in a Topre board. Gaming usually means excessive use of a few single keys. Wearing them out will give you an inconsistend typing feeling across a 200$+ keyboard and there is no simple way to fix that.

While this may technically be true, I think you've overstated the severity of the problem. I've gamed plenty on my 55g Realforce and daily-drive it at work, I don't have a noticeable difference between the keys. There may be some if I pay attention, but I don't that closely.

Yes, Topre has been known to wear unevenly in extreme settings, but I feel the build quality, reliability, and stock keycaps of a Realforce or HHKB are all the absolute best in the modern retail world. Topre switches failing due to extreme use is essentially unheard of. You certainly get your $200 worth of keyboard.

Yes, if you're looking for something that will remain the same for longer than your lifetime, you want to look elsewhere. But that's usually at some cost. Great thick keycaps are less of a constant in the Alps world for example, you contend with non-ANSI layouts, hunting for rare boards, the same lack of replacement parts as Topre, and IBM boards are tactile like the board the OP is trying to get away from. Realiability also varies similarly wildly.

Both paths are quite fine, but suit very different people.

[fohat]

I am neither a Cherry user nor a gamer, but from my perspective it would seem like jailhouse blues or greens would be great for gaming with their high actuation points and simplified motion.

[dokyun]

I find most of the Cherry crowd end up paying the same price as a Realforce, usually more, as they build out their boards over time. If you're not interested in going down the path of customization and tinkering then a Realforce will give you the best out of box experience available.

How has your Das fared in your current setup? Yeah, certain keys can wear out over time in any board with repetitive use, though I think if you're in the market right now for just replacing your Das instead of trying to refurb it then you'll probably do the same when your new board inevitably starts to wear out.