Mechanical keyboards: Do I start on this perilous path or avoid it at all costs?!

[Apex]

Don't get me wrong I like the reds, to be fair I think the layout /spacing and loss of the numpad are bigger issues for me but if I can try some new switches for a few quid I'll pick some up so I have an idea of what I like.

Thats the one thing that upsets the K8 Pro, no numpad but i have a bluetooth one that i can use if i need it. So far happy with the K8 pro for work (laptop) and the K10 for home use.

[Millennium]

So I have some experience with this, having started over 10 years ago with a second hand but great Corsair K70 Pro which is still a brill keyboard especially the design and the volume roller. That keyboard was functionally very good though there were some firmware problems that seemed to need fixing (in a really tricky way that I've posted about how to do so here in years past but that complex fix did actually work so the newer ones are good still no doubt). Unfortunately I spilt something on it and then moved on due to personal circumstances. Feeling much more better and able these days.

From that I went through a myriad of cheaper mechanical options (maybe 2-3 honest unsure but somehow the cheaper ones just didn't seem to last long no matter how good they looked or what happened with them I dunno there!) until I found myself in a situation where I had 2 PCs in my 1 person flat (alone) and got quite lucky this summer to me. There was for sale locally a Razor BlackWidow mechanical gaming KB which didn't have backlight and was offered second hand for what I thought was a bargain price having read about it when it came out indeed. I picked up this heavy classic with full outer cloth bag and original cable and it still enjoys a place in my other room, so that will be that system sorted for a long time to come no doubt as while it's specced for games (this in practise doesn't really matter much if you enjoy the typing experience and don't find it too loud - too loud was the reason for sale but ...) and it's good value.

I will now tell you the secret to most all good mechanical keyboards. You don't find out for sure this easily except through say experience but the way to get almost any good quality reliable mechanical worth real money is to actually pay around 3-4 pounds to have (turns out 120 and a key puller in a bag) rubber O rings delivered to you, and you spend some time fitting said O rings to your keyboard. This is too laborious and manual and fiddly or error prone a task for manufacturers to do but is known to really improve the typing feel of such KB since the keys don't bottom out but bounce off the bottom of their travel and have a natural feeling spring in typing now. This applies across brands and types of mech but wouldn't really apply much to the cheapest options (saw one recently for around 14-15 which is a standard format with rainbox lighting but those just do feel cheap mech or not and you don't really want to spend so little honest it works but it's not an experience like a good one can be with o-rings fitted). That's that, just get and fit o-rings!

I procured 2 packs of 120 o rings and am even yet to fit them to the Razor Blackwidow (one PC at a time neway). I was feeling like it needed company so considering a new proper mech for main PC. On Ebay UK I found this listing (should post to bargains really but not sure if still good over time so here will do early days).

There are some complications here that will hopefully become clear. First, this product description dates from around 2013 but it's now 2023 and the actual keyboard has changed. I didn't find any reviews of what is an upgraded and improved device (can't prove this but I've heard of Rapoo and many manufacturers do do this to avoid support and replacement costs). This is a 22-23 Rapoo VPRO V500 Linear Yellow Switches UK and has an orange bar under the function keys that is not in any online reviewed keyboard of the same name and model that I found on Google so effectively that design difference suggests it is an upgrade and older reviews needn't apply really. I can report from experience that with o-rings fitted it feels Really good to type on and presents great value at the somewhat objectively rare half price offer it's on, 20 instead of 40 pounds.

There are reasons though, two clear so far. These I don't mind but others would and might return device so the first point is that when I first unpacked the keyboard and examined it as I turned it over one than even another key cap just fell off. Now I didn't mind this given the offer price but at full price I suspect quite a few would have just sent it back if they didn't know about how hard these things are to make to tolerances that mean that doesn't happen and it seems just like a thing that's not really Rapoo's fault to me honestly. They don't fall off in use, you don't type upside down, you just unpack and set up carefully.

The other thing that did happen on my system is that plugging in the USB effectively knocked out the functionality of the USB socket next to it in the pair on the back of the motherboard. This wasn't a full fail for me, these things are to be expected as it happens in the complicated realms of USB devices that are quite standard but also work at 1000Hz potentially (the software you can find on a site that isn't Rapoo's but is http://www.vpro-gaming.com/v500.php which I would complement on it's slick intro that would also show that the manufacturer really tries here) and other things around USB that mean that's potentially a thing. It might not happen on your PC but my PC is a fairly standard X470 MSI so it might so I've let you know first...

I'm very happy with it even with those two things after a week or so and for the bargain 19.95 I don't expect to perhaps ever actually replace it with a more expensive mechanical because I'm happy and see no need. It's no slippery slope to me from here but even with the K70 pro I did used to think so. I hope I have years of good use from it. If you haven't thought of trying Cherry or Cherry type switches (these are some yellow type) the experience is fun and it's more easy to type on in general and I've been really surprised how much I've been typing more in more detail because my fingers and hands really enjoy the process. There's quite a lot good about these keyboards but see about the noise and you should be fine with o-rings, IMHO. I prefer TKL because I'm not inputting number lists etc.

[Iota]

Oh dear, what have you lot created?

You'll never go back... I'm using a Corsair K100 with OPX switches after using a Razer Blackwidow Elite for a long long time, the keys are so much smoother and sensitive to inputs by comparison. I actually hate using a "normal" keyboard now.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Keychron use Gateron switches?

[Rob_B]

Asrock switches? They're keychron branded but no idea if they make them.