Mechanical Keyboard (with Numpad) Recommendations

LTiffdawgz on 24/06/2020 - 23:45
Last edited 25/06/2020 - 18:41

Hi Guys,

I'm looking for a replacement for my current razer blackwidow keyboard orange switch(its been a full 6ish years and its time to retire).

I work in IT so I would prefer it to be not clicky or everyone on video conferencing will hate me. I play fps games on it and I've read that maybe brown switches might be better?

Needs: The numpad!!!(I feel like this is underappreciated?) and not loud

Want: RGB is super pretty but not an essential

Budget: hopefully under $200

Any help will be much appreciated :)

Edit:

I use my KB 12-15 hrs a day…

Please recc things that are in stock ATM everything is OOS :(

Also pls adhere to budget, Recently bought a whole wfh setup + switch so a little broke vibes here.

Ty

Poll Options

  • 1
    Corsair Strafe
  • 3
    HyperX Alloy Origins RGB
  • 1
    Logitech G512 Carbon
  • 0
    Glorious Modular Mechanical RGB Keyboard
  • 1
    Logitech G910 Orion Spectrum
Gaming

Comments

  • Diverse on 24/06/2020 - 23:48
    +2

    Ducky Shine 7 seems to tick off everything that you need however it is priced at $250 AUD in AU market, overseas shipping (that's free) will be around $200 AUD

    Also comes in Silent Red unless you want tactile feedback then go with Brown.

    • Tiffdawgz on 24/06/2020 - 23:54

      What does silent Red feel like? I'm trying to find the equivalent of the orange switch that razer no longer makes :(

      • Diverse on 24/06/2020 - 23:56

        It's linear so there's no feel to it. Orange switch from Razer is equivalent to MX brown :)

        • Tiffdawgz on 24/06/2020 - 23:58

          Thanks for confirming that.

          I had a look through some reviews of the ducky and their seems to be some QC issues/ aesthetic issues with it? like surface level chips

          • Diverse on 25/06/2020 - 00:03

            @Tiffdawgz: I can't really say for Ducky Shine 7, but I am using the Ducky One RGB full-sized keyboard (I also like using the numpad too!) and have had no issues with it.

            However I don't play games/use my keyboard as much as I used to after starting my internship this year.

            If you can accept PM's on your OzB account I can link you some places to do some more research.

            • Tiffdawgz on 25/06/2020 - 00:24

              @Diverse: Yes that would be much appreciated thanks :)

              Numpad appreciation thread

    • smako69 on 14/07/2020 - 19:49

      Sorry, where did you find this keyboard for $250 aud or overseas for 200aud. Everywhere i'm looking at has no stock and newegg is around 400 including shipping.

  • Caped Baldy on 24/06/2020 - 23:54
    +1

    I'm really liking my Corsair K70, the volume scroll is a nice feature. Only downside for me is that the bottom line of keys is non standard size so getting keycaps is a pain.

    Logitech make some good mechanical keyboards nowadays too.

  • scrimshaw on 24/06/2020 - 23:57
    +1

    Mx browns or its equivalent Razer Orange are much subdued and don't have an audible click while still retaining a tactile bump.

    That said it's still noisier than membrane keyboard. Use RTX Voice noise cancellation for your meetings

    • Tiffdawgz on 25/06/2020 - 00:00

      Thanks for the tip

  • knightslay2 on 25/06/2020 - 00:42

    Yeah I was going to suggest something like a Corsair K70 or K95 Platinum? You could check out Filco if you want quality and no RGB or even Daskeyboard.

    • Tiffdawgz on 25/06/2020 - 10:52

      My brother had a Das and he said "das not good", haha.

      I looked at the Corsair ones and it screamed broke at me :(

  • strikeout119 on 25/06/2020 - 02:10

    I have a Logitech G610 with Brown switches. Unfortunately they don't make it anymore. I guess the equivalent would be the G512 but they seem to have taken out the media controls for an aluminum body, I personally would prefer the media controls. It costs around $160 which is fairly competitive.

    • stratbargain on 25/06/2020 - 09:36

      Keep in mind the G610 used cherry switches while the G512 uses another brand… I love my G610 but not sure how it compares to the newer Logitech keyboards.

      • Tiffdawgz on 25/06/2020 - 10:53

        Kk I'll have a look, finally something that fits in my budget.

  • Pigsy3 on 25/06/2020 - 02:34

    Leopold with brown switches. Best keyboard I've used, yet to read a bad review

    • Pigsy3 on 25/06/2020 - 05:41

      Actually just checked, mine are silent red switches. Super quiet, haven't woken my wife yet and she's a super light sleeper

      • Tiffdawgz on 25/06/2020 - 10:42

        Leopold FC980M Black PD Mechanical Keyboard - Cherry MX Silent Red?

        Is this your one?

        It's sold out

  • User2049 on 25/06/2020 - 08:12

    Drevo Tyfring V2 full-size brown switch

  • s3166733 on 25/06/2020 - 09:24

    I have a Logitech G915 with linear switches and it's been great. It does take a little bit of getting used to the layout and it's pricey, but overall I'm happy with the performance, build quality and use.

  • [Deactivated] on 25/06/2020 - 09:49

    Got the blackwidow ultimate green switch, never looked back

    • Tiffdawgz on 25/06/2020 - 10:29

      Haha the green switches are so loud I would get so peeved

      • [Deactivated] on 25/06/2020 - 10:45

        Best keyboard ive ever used, clickyness doesnt bother me

        • Tiffdawgz on 25/06/2020 - 10:49

          Keyboard clicks + typing with long nails is not a good combo wombo

          • [Deactivated] on 25/06/2020 - 11:04
            +1

            @Tiffdawgz: The gender keyboard gap is too real

  • typistinahurry on 25/06/2020 - 09:55

    I'm a transcriptionist and would love a mechanical keyboard but every one I've seen has a less than stellar numpad (yep, I need one as well) and the biggest roadblock so far as been finding one where the function keys align above the alphabetical keys (so the F1 is immediately above Q and the F12 above the backspace key) because I use hotkeys instead of a foot pedal. Starting to wonder if it doesn't exist as naturally they are favoured more for gaming than anything else.

    • scrimshaw on 25/06/2020 - 10:31

      Have you looked at the Keychron K4? https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-k4-wireless-mecha…

      While F keys are not aligned exactly the way you wanted, this particular keyboard brings the Function row lower (no gaps) and there's zero gap between the F4/F5 and F8-F9 keys. So it'll be easier to reach than the traditional IBM layout.

  • mooie on 25/06/2020 - 09:59

    I have had the Logitech G613 (it's wireless) since March 2018.
    I kid you not, I use this fairly reguarly (4ish nights per week) and I have never had to charge it. Not once.

    • Tiffdawgz on 25/06/2020 - 10:32
      +1

      Don't think I'll look into wireless since I use my keyboard 12-15 hrs a day. Thanks for the suggestion though.

  • Rockets84 on 25/06/2020 - 10:00
    +1

    HyperX Alloy Origins RGB with Red switches. All metal body. $169.

    https://www.pccasegear.com/products/48123/hyperx-alloy-origi…

    I've got a Alloy FPS with Cherry blue switches and it's built like a tank. I love it. I work in IT too and spend most of my time in the CLI so a good keyboard with numpad is a must.

    • Tiffdawgz on 25/06/2020 - 10:32
      +1

      Oooh I might look into this. I'll be using my keyboard for 12+ hours a day.

      This is a legit numpad appreciation post at this point.

      • Rockets84 on 25/06/2020 - 10:41

        I'm a enterprise network engineer, you'll have to pry my numpad keyboard out of my cold dead hands before I'll give them up. I might consider a TKL keyboard and add a IPv6 numpad like the IPv6 Buddy on the end though when I start using IPv6 more.

        https://www.ipv6buddy.com/

        • Tiffdawgz on 25/06/2020 - 10:44
          +1

          I'm a BA/Data Analyst so numpad life. Yeah the disjointed smaller keyboard just isn't my vibe, I'll probably just forget about it.

          • Tiffdawgz on 25/06/2020 - 11:03

            @Tiffdawgz: What do red switches feel like?

          • Rockets84 on 25/06/2020 - 11:37

            @Tiffdawgz: In your use case standard 104 keyboard makes sense. IPv6 address are hexadecimal, use colon & double colon and forward slashes the IPv6 buddy with TKL would make sense for me so I don't have jump all around the keyboard entering network addresses.

  • harro112 on 25/06/2020 - 10:56

    if you want something quiet maybe look at the corsair strafe with silent reds, no louder than most membrane keyboards. feels a bit "squishy" at first but i've used mine happily at work for years whilst using cherry blues (and now kailh box navies) at home. otherwise if browns aren't too loud you're spoilt for choice (although I'd probably get a Ducky over a gaming brand).

    • Tiffdawgz on 25/06/2020 - 11:00

      Yeah I got recommended Ducky, glorious O and fnatic by friends but wasn't quite sure about it. My current keyboard seems to be the equivalent of brown so it's an ok noise level for me.

  • peteru on 25/06/2020 - 17:14
    +1

    If you have used a decent mechanical keyboard before, do not try to cheap out and buy one of the Kogan keyboards. It won't do.

    • Tiffdawgz on 25/06/2020 - 17:56

      I figured this would be the case

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