****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
So, awhile ago, I played with a sampler, and decided that it would only make sense if I had some sort of tactile feedback at the point of actuation, but that I don't like extra clicky switches, so I got a Corsair with browns at great expense.I hadn't fully realized that my tendency to drink rum and cokes near my computer should have been taken into consideration, and that keyboard died, but I didn't find it particularly more pleasant than either of the G15 keyboards that came before (I have both the blue and orange variants). What did occur to me, though, is that I don't actually use the extra macro keys ever, and they take up bunches of space for no reason. I also realized that browns are "not my thing".I took a second stab at a sampler and realized that I have hammers for fingers, and that I not only need a bit of extra pushback from my keys, but I also don't notice the tactile detent at all. This led me to the realization that blacks are probably the most appropriate for me (well, maybe dark grays, but good luck with that; especially less expensive knockoffs.).I had my eye on some mostly 60% keyboards for awhile, but was unwilling to give up all of the extra navigation keys, so this 68 key layout seemed like a nice compromise. Additionally, Qisan was selling this for way cheap on Amazon, probably due to ABS keycaps with silk screening (although the primary legends are still doubleshot), and the "knockoff" Kailh black switches, but I hadn't convinced myself that mechanical switches were better than membrane switches yet because I could spill my rum and coke on my membrane with minimal effect, while spilling it on mechanical was basically a death sentence, and I could't actually feel the difference.However, this thing was so inexpensive, I decided to give it a try.The result: I love blacks, even if they are knockoffs. I can actually feel the keys now.Also of note, my friend, who is a mechanical keyboard enthusiast, wanted to try out my keyboard to see how a higher force switch might feel (and decided that higher force was actually nice, but that he would still like a tactile bump). While he was trying my keyboard at a friend's place before I really had a chance to try it, he rotated the space bar by 180 degrees. I flipped it back because I was not initially a fan of the joke, but he flipped it again before putting it back in the box before I took it home.I am now typing on a keyboard with a flipped spacebar where the lighting doesn't even illuminate the line on it, and I have to say, it is the most pleasant spacebar I have ever had, and I'm not switching it back.Also, for a person with lead fingers, the blacks are tactily pleasant in a way I have never experienced before, and I enjoy typing on this thing, when I have merely not noticed typing on pretty much everything else.The acoustics are spot on. I'm used to hearing clickety keyboards from people I've met with mechanical keyboards. This thing is definitively in the clackity category, which I much prefer. This seems to be due to a solid base construction, solid keycaps, and some sort of metallic mounting plate.My friend noted that these switches have a bit more horizontal play than Cherry blacks, but only if you molest the thing in an unnatural way.Yes, it is cheap. Yes, it has a garish font. Yes, the contrasting WASD and arrow keys are not something I find useful. But for $60, I got a thing that I love way more than membrane keyboards I have purchased with Logitech branding for near $100, and quite a bit more than the mechanical keyboard I had previously at 2.5 times the price. Unfortunately, I seem to have bought the last one on Amazon, because it is listed as unavailable now, but if you have lead fingers, don't care about silly features like custom lighting, don't pay attention to fonts on your keycaps, and have no need for a numberpad most of the time, this thing is nice. Not super nice, like a Maserati, but nice enough for normal folk at a reasonable price, like a Nissan.
