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1 | If you are thinking about buying a mechanical keyboard and want us to help you choose, format your post as follows. | |
2 | ||
3 | >Budget | |
4 | >Location (continent at least) | |
5 | >Preferred switch type | |
6 | >Layout | |
7 | >Form factor | |
8 | >Backlight | |
9 | >Previous/current keyboards | |
10 | ||
11 | - | ----------------------- |
11 | + | |
12 | Mechanical keyboards aren't cheap. Stock prices start at around $70 for cheaper boards and can go well over $250. There are other costs to consider, too; shipping to non-US countries can be fairly expensive. | |
13 | ||
14 | - | Mechanical keyboards aren't cheap. |
14 | + | |
15 | - | Stock prices start at around 70$ for cheaper boards (40$ if you want knockoff switches like Kailh) and can go over 250$. If you live in Europe add ~30$ to the price (+ possible customs and shipping costs). |
15 | + | |
16 | ||
17 | 3) Preferred switch type | |
18 | There are plenty of switch guides and comparisons on the internet, use your search engine of choice. If you want some more guidance, refer to http://i.imgur.com/5uKCsvv.png for cherry switches or https://i.imgur.com/ghNc1vg.png for enthusiast switches. If you're not sure, at least clarify if you want linear, tactile, or clicky switches. Other considerations include silent switches and optical switches. | |
19 | ||
20 | - | 3) Preffered switch type |
20 | + | |
21 | - | There are plenty of switch guides and comparisons, take a look at this chart (http://i.imgur.com/5uKCsvv.png) or use a search engine of your choice. If you're not sure about a certain switch at least specify if you want tactile or linear, clicky or silent and hard or soft. |
21 | + | Mostly ISO or ANSI. Be aware of the fact that the selection of keyboards and aftermarket keycaps (especially cheap sets) are far greater for ANSI. |
22 | ||
23 | 5) Form factor | |
24 | - | Mostly ISO or ANSI. Be aware of the fact that the selection of keyboards and especially aftermarket keycaps is far greater for ANSI. |
24 | + | |
25 | - 100%: Full keyboard with function keys, navigation section and numpad. | |
26 | - 80% or TKL: Usually without numpad, sometimes without the navigation section instead. | |
27 | - 75%: Slightly more compact than 80% by excluding some less-used keys. | |
28 | - | - 100% - full keyboard with function keys, navigation section and numpad, |
28 | + | - 65%: Has arrow keys and some navigation keys, but with function keys on a layer. |
29 | - | - 80% or TKL (tenkeyless) - usually without numpad, but there are also keyboards without arrows instead, |
29 | + | - 60%: Numpad, function and navigation keys are all on layers. |
30 | - | - 60% - no numpad, function and navigation keys are on a function layer. |
30 | + | There are countless other formats, but these are the most common for prebuilt boards. |
31 | - | - 65-75% - different variations of previously described. |
31 | + | |
32 | 6) Backlight | |
33 | Options here include per-key RGB, whole-board RGB, solid-colour lighting or no backlight. Additionally, some boards have perimeter lighting. | |
34 | - | Do you want LEDs. |
34 | + | |
35 | 7) Previous/current keyboard | |
36 | Include this if you want a board similar to your last one (or perhaps the exact opposite?) |