Good Contactless Keyboards

[JCMax]

I tried two such boards at Best Buy they had out for display. One was a Steel Series Apex Pro and the other was a Corsair K100. They felt pretty good and I am interested in other boards like the Wooting Two. I am still holding out for the Keystone.

Anyways, I just wanted to get your expert opinions? How do you think they compare to other modern switches like Topre, Buckling Springs, Matais, etc. ?

[hellothere]

I've got the Apex Pro, Topre Realforce R2, bunches of IBM buckling springs, Matias keyboards and switches, Alps keyboards and switches, etc.

Do note that the Apex Pro is a linear keyboard. The Topre is tactile. Buckling springs are clicky, Matias can be clicky, tactile, linear, etc.

My favorite is the Topre. 45g. I think it feels almost perfect. The Apex Pro is an excellent linear keyboard and the switches are buttery smooth. It's my 3rd favorite keyboard, behind a Topre clone.

My opinion on the Wooting vs the Apex Pro is that I bought my Apex Pro for an awful lot less than the list price, which was considerably less than the list price on the Wooting. Also, IIRC, the Wooting two HE was still in pre-order when I got my Apex pro, so it really wasn't that big of a competition.

You'll have to do some feature comparison on the three Hall Effect keyboards you mention. They all should feel about the same. Note that the Apex Pro uses standard linear switches for everything but the alpha keys, so that may influence your buying options.

The Keystone has been in Development Hell for at least two years and they're still only in pre-order. They recently dropped the Silo beam spring project.

I could compare all the switches and keyboards you list, but that'd take a very long while and I don't type that fast. If you have anything specific, please ask and I'll try to answer.

[Reimu64]

TL;DR
Best all-rounder: SteelSeries Apex Pro
Worst value, but not terrible: Corsair K100
Most features: Razer Huntsman V2 Analog
Lesser-known boards: Asus ROG Strix Scope RX and Roccat Vulcan TKL Pro. Both are great, but only if they are significantly less than the Apex Pro.
None of these optical boards feel like Topre or Buckling springs.

I own a number of contactless keyboards, so here’s what I’ll say about them.
The SteelSeries Apex Pro is probably the best all-rounder – it comes in full-size, TKL and 60%. You can adjust the actuation point (if that’s important to you) and they’re around the £150 price point atm. Those OmniPoint switches are the smoothest switches I’ve ever typed on. The biggest downside is that the only 60% of the keyboard is covered by those OmniPoint switches, i.e. no OmniPoint switches on the nav cluster, f-keys and numpad.

The Corsair K100 comes in either OPX switches (the optical one) or Cherry MX Speed, so be sure to look out for one with the OPX switch. At £250, it’s pricey for what it is. It only comes in full-size and the switches aren’t adjustable (and I find them to be too easy to actuate). I guess if you really needed the extra macros keys, go for it… otherwise, the K100 is the worst value option imo.

The Razer Huntsman V2 Analog is also at £250, but it has adjustable switches like the Apex Pro – and for all the switches. Comes in full-size and 60%. The 60% version is around £150.

Razer also has the regular Huntsman line-up. You can choose from the purple clicky or the red linear switch. I personally find the linear one a bit too easy to actuate, but I like the clicky variant. Neither one is adjustable of course; that reserved for the analog variant.

Lesser-known optical boards include the Asus ROG Strix Scope RX. Comes with both a linear and a clicky variant. I’ve only tried the linear variant and it’s a nice board for about £100 if you don’t mind the proprietary keycaps and the more “gamery” look to it.

The Roccat Vulcan TKL Pro with the optical red switch is also a decent board if you can find them for less than £150. Otherwise, go with the Apex Pro. These are nothing special.

Now, I can tell you that none of these switches really feel like Topre or Buckling springs. These optical switches are targeted those to have a regular MX-like something keyboard, not those with

[JCMax]

I could compare all the switches and keyboards you list, but that'd take a very long while and I don't type that fast. If you have anything specific, please ask and I'll try to answer.

So, it sounds like you would rate them below Topre, but above Matais/Buckling Springs, etc. ?

TL;DR
Best all-rounder: SteelSeries Apex Pro
Worst value, but not terrible: Corsair K100
Most features: Razer Huntsman V2 Analog
Lesser-known boards: Asus ROG Strix Scope RX and Roccat Vulcan TKL Pro. Both are great, but only if they are significantly less than the Apex Pro.
None of these optical boards feel like Topre or Buckling springs.

Would you say the Apex Pro has lighter switches than the K100? That was something I noticed when I tried them at Best Buy. It reminded me a bit about switches that become stiffer the closer you get to the bottom.

The SteelSeries Apex Pro is probably the best all-rounder – it comes in full-size, TKL and 60%. You can adjust the actuation point (if that’s important to you) and they’re around the £150 price point atm. Those OmniPoint switches are the smoothest switches I’ve ever typed on. The biggest downside is that the only 60% of the keyboard is covered by those OmniPoint switches, i.e. no OmniPoint switches on the nav cluster, f-keys and numpad.

How much of a difference between typing and gaming would you say the adjustable actuation makes?
If it weren't for that and the circle dial on the K100, I would get the K100 over the Apex Pro, hands down.

I've heard it isn't much of a game changer for gaming (no pun intended). It's not really at a point where it can replace a controller. However, I could see it making more of a difference for typing. I remember being able to type faster on Cherry MX Speed because of a higher actuation point, but it was a little too high. I made typos left and right.

[Reimu64]

TL;DR
Best all-rounder: SteelSeries Apex Pro
Worst value, but not terrible: Corsair K100
Most features: Razer Huntsman V2 Analog
Lesser-known boards: Asus ROG Strix Scope RX and Roccat Vulcan TKL Pro. Both are great, but only if they are significantly less than the Apex Pro.
None of these optical boards feel like Topre or Buckling springs.

Would you say the Apex Pro has lighter switches than the K100? That was something I noticed when I tried them at Best Buy. It reminded me a bit about switches that become stiffer the closer you get to the bottom.

I’d say the OmniPoint switches in the Apex Pro is *ever* so slightly heavier than the OPX switch in the K100. The difference isn’t huge; it’s noticeable when I compare them side by side.

The SteelSeries Apex Pro is probably the best all-rounder – it comes in full-size, TKL and 60%. You can adjust the actuation point (if that’s important to you) and they’re around the £150 price point atm. Those OmniPoint switches are the smoothest switches I’ve ever typed on. The biggest downside is that the only 60% of the keyboard is covered by those OmniPoint switches, i.e. no OmniPoint switches on the nav cluster, f-keys and numpad.

How much of a difference between typing and gaming would you say the adjustable actuation makes?
If it weren't for that and the circle dial on the K100, I would get the K100 over the Apex Pro, hands down.

I've heard it isn't much of a game changer for gaming (no pun intended). It's not really at a point where it can replace a controller. However, I could see it making more of a difference for typing. I remember being able to type faster on Cherry MX Speed because of a higher actuation point, but it was a little too high. I made typos left and right.

It would depend on what games you’re playing. In my case, I mostly play fast-paced games (like TF2) and it made zero difference there. It’s more or less a gimmick in other games, so I just left most of the keys at default.

Funny enough, I set the actuation for larger keys to be as low as possible so I wouldn’t accidentally hit them. It’s proven useful for Caps lock and Left shift.

[Muirium]

Lemme do a standard issue µ here, fellas. You’ve been warned! (No research, dated knowledge, and obliviousness thereof.)

As I understand, the switches in question here are all linear? Set aside the Keystone (RIP) and that is literally so? I honestly dunno, but linears make the most sense from the manufacturer’s perspective. Simpler to design and manufacture, less variables to tune to user preference, and well suited to the HEAD SHOT! demographic they’re presumably still aiming for. Heaven forfend those MX contacts cost you sweet killz.

Because the irony is the switches people reach out to for comparison’s sake, the classics, the greats, ain’t linear. Curious, huh?

[Maledicted]

Lemme do a standard issue µ here, fellas. You’ve been warned! (No research, dated knowledge, and obliviousness thereof.)

As I understand, the switches in question here are all linear? Set aside the Keystone (RIP) and that is literally so? I honestly dunno, but linears make the most sense from the manufacturer’s perspective. Simpler to design and manufacture, less variables to tune to user preference, and well suited to the HEAD SHOT! demographic they’re presumably still aiming for. Heaven forfend those MX contacts cost you sweet killz.

Because the irony is the switches people reach out to for comparison’s sake, the classics, the greats, ain’t linear. Curious, huh?

Some people really like things like SKCL and SKCC (I think they're great too ... for linears). The thing is, contactless switches seem to me to just do double duty perfectly for people who like linears, play games and/or both. Since there's literally nothing else to feel throughout travel, scratchiness is amplified with linears. No other switch type benefits more from being contactless than linears (myself being a capacitive buckling spring cultist). Then there's the fact they're analogue, if that can ever properly be universally applied to WASD movement in games.

Clickiez, Matias and box switches are perfect the way they are out-of-the-box for me without being contactless. For gaming, and linears in general (although I usually care very little about them outside of gaming) I am keeping my eyes on these hall effect boards as an upgrade path from MX reds in my old K70.

[Muirium]

Yeah, scratchy linears are really annoying. I've a Filco with "MX silent reds", which scuff badly and spoil an otherwise solid keyboard. They're downright shite compared to Topre, which always comes straight to mind as my other keyboard the same size, layout and colour is a Novatouch.

viewtopic.php?f=45&t=20371

(Yes, this was after the Great Retooling at Cherry, which supposedly fixed their egregiously scratchy reds. Pinks are scuffy too!)

I find black Space Invaders to be quite scratchy as well—one of my NMBs is scratchier than the other—but much less noticeable because their great chonking tactility dominates their keyfeel. You only really notice the scuffing if you tickle the caps; which yes is a thing I do actually do, so it's not entirely lost on me! If they were linear, I'd rate them poorly. To be fair, I've not tried a linear Space Invader board however; so maybe they range widely in smoothness, like Alps.

Something I have to fuss very closely indeed to even notice is the contact resistance in switches. It is there in MX and you can feel it if you go looking for it. But it's subtle and forgivable, even on linears. I don't ding Nixies for their contacts. They are authentically Great MX switches. If only MX were all like that, they'd live up to their reputation among newcomers at last.

[JCMax]

That's THE most important thing that intrigues me about these boards. The smootheness...
That is the only feature that linear will probably always top off clicky/tactile switches for me.

The one thing about the Apex Pro that blows is not all of the switches are contactless. Although I still hear the Gateron reds they use for the others are not bad at all.

If the adjustable actuation was not a thing, I would probably be like "K100 all the way!!!" I love the way Corsair boards look and their build. IMO The K100 looks the most imposing. But I'm not sure how well I would like the actuation point that high.

I haven't really done too much research on the Huntsman v2. I like that it is adjustable for all of the switches. But I would still prefer Hall Effect due to durability. Plus there's just something about Razer boards' look that I have always found...bit of an...eye soar. (It's mostly been the font).

DAMN IT!!! There's just no clear winner here!!! GRRRR...

Seriously, in all honesty, I am probably leaning towards the Apex Pro. I would consider the Asus ROG Strix Scope RX and the Roccat Vulcan TKL Pro, but I am looking for a board I can just walk into a store and buy, for a change.

P.S. BTW, Cool review μ. Love the shaky phone cam! For some reason, every time I've read you, I used to keep hearing your voice in Chyros voice. Who knew!

[JCMax]

That's THE most important thing that intrigues me about these boards. The smootheness...
That is the only feature that linear will probably always top off clicky/tactile switches for me.

The one thing about the Apex Pro that blows is not all of the switches are contactless. Although I still hear the Gateron reds they use for the others are not bad at all.

If the adjustable actuation was not a thing, I would probably be like "K100 all the way!!!" I love the way Corsair boards look and their build. IMO The K100 looks the most imposing. But I'm not sure how well I would like the actuation point that high.

I haven't really done too much research on the Huntsman v2. I like that it is adjustable for all of the switches. But I would still prefer Hall Effect due to durability. Plus there's just something about Razer boards' look that I have always found...bit of an...eye soar. (It's mostly been the font).

DAMN IT!!! There's just no clear winner here!!! GRRRR...

Seriously, in all honesty, I am probably leaning towards the Apex Pro. I would consider the Asus ROG Strix Scope RX and the Roccat Vulcan TKL Pro, but I am looking for a board I can just walk into a store and buy, for a change.

P.S.

Yeah, scratchy linears are really annoying. I've a Filco with "MX silent reds", which scuff badly and spoil an otherwise solid keyboard. They're downright shite compared to Topre, which always comes straight to mind as my other keyboard the same size, layout and colour is a Novatouch.

viewtopic.php?f=45&t=20371

(Yes, this was after the Great Retooling at Cherry, which supposedly fixed their egregiously scratchy reds. Pinks are scuffy too!)

I find black Space Invaders to be quite scratchy as well—one of my NMBs is scratchier than the other—but much less noticeable because their great chonking tactility dominates their keyfeel. You only really notice the scuffing if you tickle the caps; which yes is a thing I do actually do, so it's not entirely lost on me! If they were linear, I'd rate them poorly. To be fair, I've not tried a linear Space Invader board however; so maybe they range widely in smoothness, like Alps.

Great review μ. Love the shaky phone cam! For some reason, every time I've read you, I used to keep hearing your voice in Chyros voice. Now I know better.

[Muirium]

As it happens, Chyros sounds fairly like me so no worries. You can tell he uses a proper mic, instead of waving a phone about while ad libbing on the spot. Good and soothing, while he tells you nasty things.

[davkol]

I recently made a post about Apex Pro.

[Muirium]

Clicks through to see the bit where you raz it for not being a split ergo.

[davkol]

That would be asking too much. I'm frustrated by the lack of mainstream split-spacebar options though. The closest are models for the Japanese market and I guess the cheap GK6x series with opto-mechanical gaterons.

On a related note, I bought one of those "gaming keypads" on sale last year, something like Belkin Nostromo but with modern switches. To my surprise, those switches were clicky opto-mechanical and hotswappable, I think the same type as A4Tech/Bloody.

[JCMax]

Update: I have been able to get my hands on an Apex Pro and a K100. (In fact I am typing this on the K100 since I am still using it on a "test run").

I am reaching the end of my try-out and I believe I have found a winner! And it is (Cue drum beat)......Apex Pro!!!

The K100 has way better build quality, rgb, macro keys, and case. The Op X switches feel awesome. But as much as I like them, I like the Omnipotent more. The adjustable actuation and the, IMHO, smoother lighter feel is better. But it was close call.

Overall, Given that and the lower price point on the Pro, I would make that my top recommendation.