50 quid (inc postage) to spend on a keyboard

[Raz316]

Hi everyone,

if you had £50 including delivery to spend on a keyboard, which one would you go with? I will be using it for coding and to a lesser extent, gaming.

Not to cut people short before they've even started, but it can't go over £50, not even by a couple of quid (as it's a birthday present for me from someone else!)

Thanks again
-Chris

[kalniel]

Saitek Cyborg V5 - under £40


Maybe logitech G105, squeezes under budget and looks OK, but not yet read much abou them.
http://www.ebuyer.com/284696-logitec...ard-920-003450

[drakioned]

As a cheaper option, I have a Microsoft SideWinder X4 that I'm very happy with.

Red backlights and 6 macro keys (with a toggle to enable 3 banks)

[Agent]

Don't underestimate the SideWinder X4. It's a cracking keyboard for the price and will even leave you with change

[Raz316]

Hey thanks everyone

The Saitek keyboard looks a bit... OOT for my liking but thanks for the suggestion. The logitech and microsoft keyboards do look more my kind of thing though!

Can anyone confirm the num/caps/scroll lock indicators are not horribly piercing blue LED's?

Ta!

[Willzzz]

Yeah the Sidewinder is supposed to be good.

[Allen]

I really need a new keyboard as well, mainly for gaming but for a bit of work stuff too, and that MS SideWinder X4 looks really nice, apart from the US keyboard layout. Does it not come in a UK layout?

As I constantly work with servers, both Linux and Windows, and work with web development platforms etc, I am constantly using my \ and / keys, and would find that being out of place very hard to deal with.

Sorry to hijack the thread, but does anyone have any other recommendations with a UK layout?

[Raz316]

Allen, sounds like you'll be using it in exactly the same way as me!

There is a UK layout (link says it's UK, even if the picture doesn't! hmmmm)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Microsoft-Si.../dp/B0037KLSS8

and this review shows pics of the UK layout even if official images dont

http://www.overclock.net/t/1260085/m...al-impressions

[Allen]

Makes sense, might have to order myself one then!

[Agent]

Can anyone confirm the num/caps/scroll lock indicators are not horribly piercing blue LED's?

X4 is nice 'normal' red LEDs. Not piercing at all.

Certainly is the UK keyboard layout too

[drakioned]

Yep. Certainly UK layout available. Yep it's all red... it'd be nice if it had more colour options, but eh.

The backlight has adjustable levels, including off.

[Raz316]

Thanks you two

For years I've been searching to see if there's a UK version of the Thinkpad Ultranav keyboard and I've just had official confirmation from Lenovo that a UK version was never released, hopefully the sidewinder X4 will help me move on.

[Dentist]

I'm not a fan of the X4, I'm more of a logitech man if I'm honest.