[SOLVED] Looking for a keyboard for under 100$

[matthewperacio]

Looking for an 80/100% keyboard preferably mechanical for less than 100$. Are there any Christmas deals? Maybe rgb

 

[Aeacus]

Take your pick,
pcpp: https://pcpartpicker.com/products/keyboard/#X=0,10000&k=1&b=46&d=5,4&sort=price&page=1

Since KB is personal choice, i can't say which one to go for.

 

[King_V]

I've found the Aukey KM-G14, available with either red (linear) or blue (clicky) switches, to be pretty good. It's a TKL keyboard. I think typically $45 or $50, but can often be found for less. It has RGB, but just with a bunch of preset modes.

The KM-G12 is the full-size version, I believe. I haven't used one of those, though.

 

[Aeacus]

I've found the Aukey KM-G14, available with either red (linear) or blue (clicky) switches, to be pretty good.

I, in the other hand, find Cherry MX Silent switches great. Same articulation force as with Cherry MX Red but with much silent key press, meaning less typing noise. Oh MX Silent/Red are linear switches, without any restrictions, like MX Brown (tactile) or MX Blue (audible click). MX Silent switches are rare to find and come in premium priced KBs, like my Corsair Strafe RGB KB or Corsair Strafe RGB MK.2, that my missus uses with her PC.

In the end, and like i said, KBs are personal choice since all we can do, is suggest what we prefer. Since each person has different needs/likes, our preferences may not align or even match, hence why there is little, if any, point to suggest based on our personal preference.

 

[King_V]

👆
Truth. In a way, keyboards are a bit like monitors in that regard.

Even my own taste has changed from "Does it work?" to "I'd like ergonomic" to "Huh, my friend might be right about this 'mechanical keyboard' stuff" to the point now where I'm eventually going to get something with brown switches, or possibly the Gateron Aliaz ones (an allegedly improved Gateron Silent Brown, but in heavier weights than the browns).

My GF was fussy even about one membrane keyboard to another, in terms of feel.... and, ultimately, because she wants to be able to type during meetings without being disruptive, we're going for a TKL mechanical keyboard that's hot-swappable. I have yet to find a TKL or full keyboard that comes with the silent browns, so we're getting that hot-swappable keyboard and buying the switches separately.

 

[Aeacus]

When i was looking mechanical KB for myself (had been using cheapo membrane PS/2 port KB for decades before that), the plethora of choices regarding different key switches made me dizzy, like Red, Blue, Brown, Black etc.

So, what i did, was, that i went to PC hardware store and asked to touch and feel the different display models, to make sense how different key switches feel and if i'm comfortable with it. On paper MX Brown seemed like best idea, but in reality, i didn't like the tactile bump of it at all. MX Black was way too hard to press down and i imagined that my fingers tire fast on that. Also, i didn't like MX Blue audible click. So, i settled with MX Red, since that felt the best for me.

And when buying time came, i went with MX Silent, since i like the quietness (hate the loud typing noise, especially when inexperienced person bottoms out all keys hard, hence why i got MX Silent for my missus as well). 😆

Speaking of key switches and their feels, there are tester kits out there, that you can buy and test out which of the switch you like the most. E.g like this one,
amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Cherry-Switch-Tester-keyboard-Sampler/dp/B01GZHU1EG

Either buy the tester or go and feel out display KBs, before you settle with your new KB. It helps, a lot.

 

[matthewperacio]

Take your pick,
pcpp: https://pcpartpicker.com/products/keyboard/#X=0,10000&k=1&b=46&d=5,4&sort=price&page=1

Since KB is personal choice, i can't say which one to go for.

I've found the Aukey KM-G14, available with either red (linear) or blue (clicky) switches, to be pretty good. It's a TKL keyboard. I think typically $45 or $50, but can often be found for less. It has RGB, but just with a bunch of preset modes.

The KM-G12 is the full-size version, I believe. I haven't used one of those, though.

Thank you guys both for the feedback, atm I'm currently between 5:
Logitech G Pro
Razer Huntsman
Corsair K70
and the Hyperx Alloy Origins/Elite 2

Thoughts?

 

[Aeacus]

Corsair K70

I'd go with K70. Solid KB for many uses and people generally seem to like it. Personally, i don't like it's looks and i went with Strafe instead.

Razer products, while popular for some reason (have no idea why), are plagued with software and hardware issues. I still wonder why people still buy Razer products when it's known well that their products have issues. I guess too much marketing is behind it with catchy looks.

Logitech is also good choice among gamers and has nice spread among them.

HyperX is lesser known, namely their KBs. But Kingston is household name and i have HyperX RAM and USB Thumb Drive in use.

For further thoughts, do read each KB review.

 

[King_V]

Ok, so, I'm going to be hesitant about the K70. Now, this is only a sample size of one, so take my view with a hefty grain of salt..

My son was given a Corsair K70 (Model RGP0057) as a gift by his uncle, for the PC that he uses at his mom's house.

He's recently reported to me that the switches are "double registering."

While there's a 2 year warranty, the keyboard is a little past that stage.

Honestly, it could well be a fluke. And, I have no idea if it's the switches, something with the circuit board, or what. All I have is a verbal description. And I know that Cherry switches have a good reputation, and Corsair is a solid brand, so this has me puzzled.

Of course, he's also not exactly the best at keeping the thing clean, so that might be contributing to it.

Like I said, it makes me hesitant on this model, but, take that with a very hefty grain of salt.

 

[DSzymborski]

If you can go to $110, I love the Glorious keyboard, since you get solid build, hotswap switches, and good switches/decent keycaps to start with. One of my daily drivers is a GMK mainly with Box Royals, Box Navys on the numberpad, Cherry Linear Gray spacebar, and Cherry Speed Silvers on the utility keys my pinky needs to hit.

On the cheaper end, Royal Kludge has a number of good starter keyboards. I don't buy any non-hotswappable keyboards anymore.

 

[King_V]

The one I've just gotten for my girlfriend is the Keychron C1 TKL with white LED backlight. Ordered them with the Gateron Browns, but will switch to the Gateron Silent Browns or maybe the lightest of the Aliaz switches (60g, if I'm not mistaken). It was $65. I think the non-LED is a little cheaper, and the RGB version is a little more.

Unfortunately, it seems that the Gateron Silent Brown doesn't have the hole to accommodate the LED, though I have to take a closer look to be sure.

The Aukey model I mentioned earlier was my first foray into mechanical keyboards (I'm very new to this), and, considering that I got them for $30 or less, I really can't complain about them at all.

 

[hang-the-9]

Thank you guys both for the feedback, atm I'm currently between 5:
Logitech G Pro
Razer Huntsman
Corsair K70
and the Hyperx Alloy Origins/Elite 2

Thoughts?

You need to try them yourself to decide or you will just have 20 different opinions on what others like.

Have you used a mechanical before? Which ones and what did you like? If not, any is as good to try but you need to at least list the type of feel you like in a keyboard.

I owned most of those keyboards, and liked them all for different reasons, all have different switches. I liked the HyperX keyboards build feel better than Corsiar or Logitech. The Logitech with the Romer G keys at least felt a bit wobbly with the keycaps, and the Corsiar build did not feel as solid as the HyperX, maybe PCB flex or something there.

 

[Aeacus]

Of course, he's also not exactly the best at keeping the thing clean, so that might be contributing to it.

This, most likely, would be the cause.

I, accidentally, spilled some liquid onto my KB and for several days, some keys over-registrated, while others didn't want to work at all; that is until liquid dried off. Also, i deep-cleaned my KB after the spill, with 8 bar, 180 L/min, pressurized air.

Corsair KBs have quite a bit of open space between keys and stuff can get easily into the KB.

 

[matthewperacio]

You need to try them yourself to decide or you will just have 20 different opinions on what others like.

Have you used a mechanical before? Which ones and what did you like? If not, any is as good to try but you need to at least list the type of feel you like in a keyboard.

I owned most of those keyboards, and liked them all for different reasons, all have different switches. I liked the HyperX keyboards build feel better than Corsiar or Logitech. The Logitech with the Romer G keys at least felt a bit wobbly with the keycaps, and the Corsiar build did not feel as solid as the HyperX, maybe PCB flex or something there.

I've never had a mechanical before but looking through vids and stuff and I think the the ones that would suit me the most would be either tactile or clicky

 

[Aeacus]

would be either tactile or clicky

Do try them both out before you buy it.

On paper, tactile (MX Brown) seemed best for me as well. But in reality, after feeling it out, i didn't like it at all.

 

[matthewperacio]

Do try them both out before you buy it.

On paper, tactile (MX Brown) seemed best for me as well. But in reality, after feeling it out, i didn't like it at all.

Its mainly because Ive used a membrane keyboard for all my life ( atleast I think it is ) and tactile/clicky is more similar than linear.

So I'm probably going to get the Hyperx Alloy Origin/Core
Since only the K70 red is going for 100$ and the blue/brown is going for 150
and the Hyperx elite 2 is only red

 

[hang-the-9]

Its mainly because Ive used a membrane keyboard for all my life ( atleast I think it is ) and tactile/clicky is more similar than linear.

So I'm probably going to get the Hyperx Alloy Origin/Core
Since only the K70 red is going for 100$ and the blue/brown is going for 150
and the Hyperx elite 2 is only red

Both tactile and clicky are actually the opposite of what a membrane keyboard feels like, unless you want that.

Clicky keys are fun at first but usually people end up swapping them out due to the constant noise, it gets annoying to some. My daughter wanted one, and loved it at first, then put it away after a few weeks, and it's really not good if you share a place with people. You will have things thrown at you when using it 😉

Really without trying out a bunch of keyboards it's almost a guess as to what you would like. Took me about 10 to go through to find a switch I'm really happy with, the Gateron Yellow, but I don't know of a keyboard that comes with it stock, you need to get a hotswap keyboard and change them out or build one from a kit for those. They are great switches though, a bit firmer and smoother than the MX Red which are about the standard that people compare things to.

 

[Aeacus]

Both tactile and clicky are actually the opposite of what a membrane keyboard feels like, unless you want that.

+1 to that.

Membrane KB feels more like linear switches of Cherry MX, like Red, Silent and Black. Blue clicks many people to annoyance and Brown (tactile) has very strange feel to it.