Speedlink Is Selling Gaming Keyboards In The US; But Who’s Speedlink?

[scolaner]

It seems that companies left and right are jumping into the gaming peripherals market, from well-known OEMs that are tacking gaming keyboards and such onto their existing product portfolios (such as Lenovo and G.Skill) to companies that North America is n

Speedlink Is Selling Gaming Keyboards In The US; But Who’s Speedlink? : Read more

 

[rgd1101]

Where and when can we buy them?

 

[JQB45]

They mentioned Fry's and Amazon in the article.

 

[rgd1101]

They mentioned Fry's and Amazon in the article.

Missed that. Thanks.

Didn't find Velator on Amazon nor Fry's

 

[joesavy86]

Didn't find Velator on Amazon nor Fry's[/quote]

They mentioned Fry's and Amazon in the article.

Missed that. Thanks.

Didn't find Velator on Amazon nor Fry's

"In March, the company announced that it was expanding its reach into North America, and at Gamescom last month, it announced a pair of gaming keyboards, the Velator and the Ultor, which use Kailh switches and are priced to sell, at approximately $76 USD and $109 USD, respectively."

The keyboards aren't out yet.

 

[rgd1101]

Didn't find Velator on Amazon nor Fry's

They mentioned Fry's and Amazon in the article.

Missed that. Thanks.

Didn't find Velator on Amazon nor Fry's[/quote]

"In March, the company announced that it was expanding its reach into North America, and at Gamescom last month, it announced a pair of gaming keyboards, the Velator and the Ultor, which use Kailh switches and are priced to sell, at approximately $76 USD and $109 USD, respectively."

The keyboards aren't out yet.

I know, that why I asked where and when can I get it.

 

[JQB45]

Any idea when they will be available, anyone?

 

[house70]

"The integrated and invisible protection from dirt and dust under the key is especially practical. This thin film protects the switches from contamination without disrupting the key feel."

(finishing eating a crumbly cookie) -challenge accepted!

 

[captaincharisma]

you know the market is over saturated when you don't know most of the brands out there

 

[scolaner]

Didn't find Velator on Amazon nor Fry's

They mentioned Fry's and Amazon in the article.

Missed that. Thanks.

Didn't find Velator on Amazon nor Fry's

"In March, the company announced that it was expanding its reach into North America, and at Gamescom last month, it announced a pair of gaming keyboards, the Velator and the Ultor, which use Kailh switches and are priced to sell, at approximately $76 USD and $109 USD, respectively."

The keyboards aren't out yet.

I know, that why I asked where and when can I get it.
[/quote]

I checked with Speedlink: These will be available to buy in the U.S. in January.

Some other Speedlink products are available now--just not the keyboards.

 

[rgd1101]

After Christmas? Don't think I will wait for that. Thanks for checking.

 

[alextheblue]

Real money can be spent on coins to be used for the purposes of artificially boosting advertiseme- I mean, posts OR to allow anonymous bullyi- I mean, posting? What could possibly go wrong!?

 

[alextheblue]

See, if it was $50-60 they would steal a lot of business. But at $80 you can spend a few more bucks and get something with Cherry switches. :-/

 

[fyend]

Felator .. intersting name choice.

 

[scolaner]

Felator .. intersting name choice.

*Velator

 

[scolaner]

See, if it was $50-60 they would steal a lot of business. But at $80 you can spend a few more bucks and get something with Cherry switches. :-/

Why do you think Cherry switches are better than Kailh?

 

[Jose Fernandes]

Wow, its a copy from the keyboards that OZONE have....
http://www.ozonegaming.com/product/strike-battle/

 

[alextheblue]

Why do you think Cherry switches are better than Kailh?

In one box I have a product known for extreme excellence, tight tolerances, and long-term durability unsurpassed. In the other I have something that seems pretty good but is a less-expensive Chinese clone which has looser production tolerances, and lacks the vetting and pedigree of the first product, is widely regarded as being slightly worse. It is also being used mostly in budget models or by companies that care only for profits and sell based on their brand name, internals be damned (I'm looking at you Razor).

You're right there's CLEARLY no reason to spend a few more dollars and get Cherry switches. :/

 

[scolaner]

Why do you think Cherry switches are better than Kailh?

In one box I have a product known for extreme excellence, tight tolerances, and long-term durability unsurpassed. In the other I have something that seems pretty good but is a less-expensive Chinese clone which has looser production tolerances, and lacks the vetting and pedigree of the first product, is widely regarded as being slightly worse. It is also being used mostly in budget models or by companies that care only for profits and sell based on their brand name, internals be damned (I'm looking at you Razor).

You're right there's CLEARLY no reason to spend a few more dollars and get Cherry switches. :/

"Known for" -- have you ever tested Cherry switches? Have you ever compared them to anything else? Have you been to the factories or spoken with Cherry or Kailh about the production tolerances? "Widely regarded" -- by who?

You're also stating something dramatic about any company that doesn't use Cherry switches -- that they "only care for profits", etc. That's an awfully bold statement.

To be clear, I don't have a preference for any brand of switch over any other (yet, at least). But I've been told by at least one keyboard OEM that was concerned about Cherry's aging production facilities. Others -- Speedlink, for example, as mentioned in this article -- are leery of the cost of Cherry switches when they can't find any discernible difference between Cherry and Kailh.

I don't mean to come at you too hard here, I'm just pointing out that you're assuming any non-Cherry switch sucks. And I don't see any reason at all to make me believe that's true.

 

[alextheblue]

"Known for" -- have you ever tested Cherry switches? Have you ever compared them to anything else? Have you been to the factories or spoken with Cherry or Kailh about the production tolerances? "Widely regarded" -- by who?

You're also stating something dramatic about any company that doesn't use Cherry switches -- that they "only care for profits", etc. That's an awfully bold statement.

To be clear, I don't have a preference for any brand of switch over any other (yet, at least). But I've been told by at least one keyboard OEM that was concerned about Cherry's aging production facilities. Others -- Speedlink, for example, as mentioned in this article -- are leery of the cost of Cherry switches when they can't find any discernible difference between Cherry and Kailh.

I don't mean to come at you too hard here, I'm just pointing out that you're assuming any non-Cherry switch sucks. And I don't see any reason at all to make me believe that's true.

You're just coming at me like a Kailh spokesman. If a new outfit, say "Bangbang Chopsticks Inc." releases a new silent HSF unit, would you be so quick to say they're every bit as good as a more expensive Noctua? Do you think even if they noticed a difference, if they would come out and tell YOU that they're not as good but "hey at least they're cheap!". No way. I've done a lot of reading on kailh and cherry switches because I was hunting for a less-expensive mechanical keyboard. I wanted to buy one for my brother for Christmas and being a tightwad I figured I could save some money. Everywhere I turned, those who have tried both say the Cherry equivalents are a bit better.

Look on Newegg. There is a Cooler Master Quickfire XT full size with MX Blues for $90. There's others too, Rosewills with Browns, Reds at $90. There are fancier models for a little more if you want extra programmable keys and such. I myself am partial to the Browns. Why would I throw money at something with cheaper-production chinese switches when I can spend a few more bucks and get Cherry?

Again, does it mean the Kailh switches are junk? No. But that keyboard would have to hit a lower price point for me to think twice. They're taking advantage of the fact that a lot of users see a mechanical keyboard with "Blue switches" and don't know any better.

 

[scolaner]

"Known for" -- have you ever tested Cherry switches? Have you ever compared them to anything else? Have you been to the factories or spoken with Cherry or Kailh about the production tolerances? "Widely regarded" -- by who?

You're also stating something dramatic about any company that doesn't use Cherry switches -- that they "only care for profits", etc. That's an awfully bold statement.

To be clear, I don't have a preference for any brand of switch over any other (yet, at least). But I've been told by at least one keyboard OEM that was concerned about Cherry's aging production facilities. Others -- Speedlink, for example, as mentioned in this article -- are leery of the cost of Cherry switches when they can't find any discernible difference between Cherry and Kailh.

I don't mean to come at you too hard here, I'm just pointing out that you're assuming any non-Cherry switch sucks. And I don't see any reason at all to make me believe that's true.

You're just coming at me like a Kailh spokesman. If a new outfit, say "Bangbang Chopsticks Inc." releases a new silent HSF unit, would you be so quick to say they're every bit as good as a more expensive Noctua? Do you think even if they noticed a difference, if they would come out and tell YOU that they're not as good but "hey at least they're cheap!". No way. I've done a lot of reading on kailh and cherry switches because I was hunting for a less-expensive mechanical keyboard. I wanted to buy one for my brother for Christmas and being a tightwad I figured I could save some money. Everywhere I turned, those who have tried both say the Cherry equivalents are a bit better.

Look on Newegg. There is a Cooler Master Quickfire XT full size with MX Blues for $90. There's others too, Rosewills with Browns, Reds at $90. There are fancier models for a little more if you want extra programmable keys and such. I myself am partial to the Browns. Why would I throw money at something with cheaper-production chinese switches when I can spend a few more bucks and get Cherry?

Again, does it mean the Kailh switches are junk? No. But that keyboard would have to hit a lower price point for me to think twice. They're taking advantage of the fact that a lot of users see a mechanical keyboard with "Blue switches" and don't know any better.

You're putting words in my mouth. I never said anything qualitative about Cherry or Kailh or any other switch. YOU said something qualitative, and negative, about Kailh. Maybe Cherry switches are better. Maybe Kailh are better. Or maybe they're "good enough." Or maybe they really do suck.

My point is that you stated something unequivocal and negative about a product with no apparent reasoning behind your statement.

Look, if you LIKE Cherry switches better, I'm not gonna sit here and tell you that you're wrong for having that preference. But that doesn't mean Kailh, or Greetech, or TTC switches are no good. That's all.

Now, regarding the prices: You found less expensive mechanical keyboards with Cherry switches. Great. (I'm not being sarcastic here. It's great that you found those. The fact that commenters dig up stuff like that all the time is one of the strengths of TH.)

 

[alextheblue]

You asked me why I thought Cherry switches were better. I told you. You defended Kailh and called into question my judgement and knowledge - you practically said I don't know what I'm talking about. "Have you ever tested them" "Have you been to the factories", etc. That's why you sounded like a shill. Anyway if saying something is a cheap chinese knockoff is unequivocal and negative, I'm sorry - it's also a fact. Does it make them bad? No, I already told you that I've seen plenty of verdicts of "not bad" and "close".

But let's get back to testing them. If you want to defend them, here's an idea: treat it like any other piece of unproven hardware and test it. Easiest way is to put one of each in the hands of every THG editor. Let's see who prefers what. If it's a tie I might even order one.

Regarding prices: price is a BIG factor. I didn't have to dig hard to find those prices, and at that tiny price difference Kailh is the challenger with a lot to prove.

 

[scolaner]

You asked me why I thought Cherry switches were better. I told you. You defended Kailh and called into question my judgement and knowledge - you practically said I don't know what I'm talking about. "Have you ever tested them" "Have you been to the factories", etc. That's why you sounded like a shill. Anyway if saying something is a cheap chinese knockoff is unequivocal and negative, I'm sorry - it's also a fact. Does it make them bad? No, I already told you that I've seen plenty of verdicts of "not bad" and "close".

But let's get back to testing them. If you want to defend them, here's an idea: treat it like any other piece of unproven hardware and test it. Easiest way is to put one of each in the hands of every THG editor. Let's see who prefers what. If it's a tie I might even order one.

Regarding prices: price is a BIG factor. I didn't have to dig hard to find those prices, and at that tiny price difference Kailh is the challenger with a lot to prove.

I'm not defending anything other than critical thinking. At no point have I made any qualitative statements about Kailh switches, positive or negative -- because I do not (yet) have a qualitative opinion of them. I'm simply saying that it's unfair to say that they suck without evaluating them.

And you're right, we SHOULD evaluate them. This is my point: I'm not going to sit here and say that something is good or bad without testing it. I mean, that's what we do here at TH.

This statement: "Regarding prices: price is a BIG factor. I didn't have to dig hard to find those prices, and at that tiny price difference Kailh is the challenger with a lot to prove." I 100% agree.

Also also--we haven't been "THG" for some time. It's just "TH" now.

 

[alextheblue]

I apologize if I also came across too harsh. It's hard to tell what tone of voice someone's fingers are using . As far as THG vs TH goes... well I've been reading almost since the beginning (though I didn't actually register for an account until 2001) and old habits die hard. I think we both brought up some good points, and I do appreciate one major thing about Kailh, Greetech, Romer-G, etc switches - the competition puts pricing pressure on Cherry. I look forward to reviews of mechanical keyboards and/or switches!

Obviously there's no single perfect switch, as everyone has different needs that often are at odds with each other (typing vs gaming, for example). Much of it is just a matter of taste and hence the variety of different strength tactile and non-tactile switches. I personally prefer the Brown switches because they are tactile (my preference) but a little quieter/gentler. I do some gaming and a decent amount of typing, so I find it to be the best middle ground for me.

I found a good enough deal I might buy one for my brother sooner rather than later. Cougar sells a full size on Newegg for $80 with MX Browns. Relatively no frills, but it does have good specs (N-key rollover, high polling rate) and appears to be built with decent materials - though I personally might remove the palm rest, he likely won't.

 

[scolaner]

I apologize if I also came across too harsh. It's hard to tell what tone of voice someone's fingers are using . As far as THG vs TH goes... well I've been reading almost since the beginning (though I didn't actually register for an account until 2001) and old habits die hard. I think we both brought up some good points, and I do appreciate one major thing about Kailh, Greetech, Romer-G, etc switches - the competition puts pricing pressure on Cherry. I look forward to reviews of mechanical keyboards and/or switches!

Obviously there's no single perfect switch, as everyone has different needs that often are at odds with each other (typing vs gaming, for example). Much of it is just a matter of taste and hence the variety of different strength tactile and non-tactile switches. I personally prefer the Brown switches because they are tactile (my preference) but a little quieter/gentler. I do some gaming and a decent amount of typing, so I find it to be the best middle ground for me.

I found a good enough deal I might buy one for my brother sooner rather than later. Cougar sells a full size on Newegg for $80 with MX Browns. Relatively no frills, but it does have good specs (N-key rollover, high polling rate) and appears to be built with decent materials - though I personally might remove the palm rest, he likely won't.

No worries mate. Debate is good, and healthy.

Regarding that "middle ground" afforded by Brown switches: I'm kind of in that same boat. I'm wondering, do other readers out there feel the same?