deskthority

Hello guys, I'm looking to buy a new keyboard and after reading some reviews I think I'll buy a mechanical one.
I never tested one before but from what I read, I should probably go with Cherry MX Brown/Black Switches because they ane not too sensitive, not too loud and still have the tatic feedback that i look foward to try. The thing is, I dont have much money and if I'm going to spend some I would like a keyboard that lasts long (my current membrane keyboard is 6 years old and works fine but has no USB conector).

Could you recomend me a mechanical keyboard that:
- Is durable
- Is backlight (no need for colors, just to use at nigh)
- Has Cherry MX Brown (or should I go for other?)
- Can be TKL (i dont need a number pad but want the arrows not squished with the cntrl and shift)
- Can have removable wristrest
- Can have USB ports
- Can have dedicated buttons (live volume wheel, etc)
- Is cheap!

My best alternatives so far is the Cooler Master TKL but they have 4 versions(stealth, rapid fire, rapid i and rapid si) and im not sure of their diferences.

Any recomendations?

Thanks again guys

Ahm, I see you are brazilian also, welcome : o ).

We don't have many places to test the switches, and that would be a very wise thing to do. Go to some gamer shop that have mechanical keyboards, there are plenty in Santa Ifigênia if you live in São Paulo, and test what they have, which is mostly Cherry MX blacks and reds. That's a start at least. I've found the browns to be way too plain... sem graça, but I'm no hardcore gamer.

I had a CM rapid I for almost a year, sent it for RMA recently because most of its LEDs died... very quickly, BTW. Go for something else. I don't know how durable are LEDs anyway, so I myself gave up on them completely. This model was discontinued, at least in Brazil; now from CM we only have the TK thingy, with ABNT 2 layout, but with non-orthodox bottom row keycaps which seem to be impossible to replace, specially the 6 units (counting an <a> for instance as 1) spacebar... the usual size is 6.25 units.

About dedicated keys, it's so odd that most mechanical keyboards have those with rubber domes instead : /. It seems people got to buy some Cougar Attack 2 for R$ 200 or so... I really wish I knew where : o ), and they have mechanical switches even on the dedicated keys. I've bought one this saturday, let me see how it behaves...

Welcome!

Cheap is a double edged sword!

I was looking for a cheap and nice keyboard back in the days when mechanical keyboards where quite niche products for lovers. And I've spent a lot of cash searching for great stuff and/or building my own.

I always thought that the HHKBs are the most beautiful and awesome keyboards money can buy but I couldn't justify 250 bugs for a keyboard. In the end I've spent more money/time/effort on other boards than an HHKB would cost and still ended up with more than one HHKB.

My advice is, go directly for the board you like the most! On the long run it will be cheaper than searching for the ultimate "best bang for the buck" keyboard.

Parjánya wrote: Ahm, I see you are brazilian also, welcome : o ).

We don't have many places to test the switches, and that would be a very wise thing to do. Go to some gamer shop that have mechanical keyboards, there are plenty in Santa Ifigênia if you live in São Paulo, and test what they have, which is mostly Cherry MX blacks and reds. That's a start at least. I've found the browns to be way too plain... sem graça, but I'm no hardcore gamer.

I had a CM rapid I for almost a year, sent it for RMA recently because most of its LEDs died... very quickly, BTW. Go for something else. I don't know how durable are LEDs anyway, so I myself gave up on them completely. This model was discontinued, at least in Brazil; now from CM we only have the TK thingy, with ABNT 2 layout, but with non-orthodox bottom row keycaps which seem to be impossible to replace, specially the 6 units (counting an <a> for instance as 1) spacebar... the usual size is 6.25 units.

About dedicated keys, it's so odd that most mechanical keyboards have those with rubber domes instead : /. It seems people got to buy some Cougar Attack 2 for R$ 200 or so... I really wish I knew where : o ), and they have mechanical switches even on the dedicated keys. I've bought one this saturday, let me see how it behaves...

Thanks! I'll take a look at Santa Efigenia to test it out. Since Im gona buy the keyboard next time I go to the US all have a lot more options on what to choose(even the 4 models from CM). Its a shame the CM rapid didnt go well for you, I was realy considering buing it because of good reviews and price. Just found this Cougar Attack 2 for R$320, is it any worth it?

I would keep the money for a while, and test the switches I could find first. I hope to receive the keyboard this week; if so, and if you want, I could write a little review about it. Right now I have no idea...

I had a CM Rapid *i*, they don't even sell it here anymore. I would be happy with a non-LED one, like a CM Rapid or some other model.

When are you going to the US?

NO idea yet, but I'm not in a rush. Even more because the dollar/real ratio is not that good