Rosewill Mechanical Keyboard RK-9000BRI MX Brown $56 MX Black $48 FS - Newegg

Maybe it's an error between the chair and keyboard?

Quote from tranceFusion : stupid numeric pad

Quote from lollerskates : Gee what a helpful, insightful post. So what's wrong with the numeric pad ???

Quote from sleepybubba : Maybe it's an error between the chair and keyboard?

Numeric pads create poor ergonomics. Ideally the center of your keyboard space would be lined up with your belly button, rather than to your left, which puts your right wrist at a more extreme angle. If you do center the keyboard, the numeric pad pushes the mouse out further to your right causing again, an extreme wrist angle.

If you really can't find yourself going without it, a detached tenkey numeric pad is much better as you can pull it out only when you need it (which for most people is not often).

Should I go with blue or brown?

Edit: Does the blue have a double tap?

Blue
Type: Tactile & Clicky Switch

Brown
Type: Tactile Switch

This helped me figure out which switch I wanted. I'm using a Razer Ultimate Black Widow. It's my first mechanical keyboard, and uses Blue switches. Like the article says, once you try blue and get the hang of it, you'll never want to go back to another. It's a real pleasure to type and game on.

http://www.tomshardware.com/revie...,2955.html

Tempted to pick up another red for home. Have a Leopold blue at home and a Rosewill red at work, and I love the reds so much more.

I have two of the older RK-9000REs. Neither have USB problems and all the keys work fine. They're excellent keyboards for the price.

Quote from Vertas : Tempted to pick up another red for home. Have a Leopold blue at home and a Rosewill red at work, and I love the reds so much more.

Really? What do you like about the Reds over the Blues? I only have experience with the Blue, but I can't see what Red has over it. I like the loud clacking and the smooth feeling.

Quote from YabosMcGee : Really? What do you like about the Reds over the Blues? I only have experience with the Blue, but I can't see what Red has over it. I like the loud clacking and the smooth feeling.

Well I initially got the blues because I liked the clacking as well, but then I got the reds for work because I didn't want to bother those around me (open floor plan). Instantly loved them.

Reds have lower actuation force, 5g difference initially and 10g peak due to the blue's tactile property. This difference made it feel much much nicer and smoother. The lightest touch triggers them which is great for how I type. I actually started out with scissor-switch membranes and am a big fan of the shorter travel distance and therefore lower actuation force (though more likely just perceived force due to the shorter travel distance)

Don't get me wrong, though, blues are way better than any membrane keyboard, just falls slightly short of perfection compared to reds (for me).

For more information you can refer to this guide: http://www.overclock.net/t/491752...oard-guide

Anybody looking at mechanical keyboards and not having an idea of what they like or want should go to a place that sells them in person. I went to Fry's Electronics and they had keyboards out with blues, reds, and browns. I've also tried blacks elsewhere.

Everyone is different. I personally prefer blues for just about everything - it's the typist's keyboard and if you game it's fine for that too - afterall you are typing a lot in a game. I also got lucky when I was at Fry's and they had a discounted CM with blues - I think it was a return shortly after Christmas because it was never opened and if it was a factory refurb it's the best I've seen done on a refurbished product.

Browns - These are quite fine too. They feel like softer blues - which is what they are supposed to be anyway. It's also a great all around switch type.

Reds - I hate these personally. It feels about as mushy to me as a membrane keyboard. Maybe I just tried a crappy one, but they're supposed to be easy to push so I imagine this is how they all feel. I don't like it but I know people swear by reds.

Blacks - These are good to me too. I like stiffer keys so these are pleasing for that reason. They are a bit mushy, but that's fine to me.

ALPS - I'm sure I've typed on these somewhere in my life but didn't know it. Don't know much about them.

Buckling Springs - I remember the old keyboards and boy were they keyboards. I probably haven't typed on one in a long, long time and I didn't know how to type back then, so I can't really comment on how they are for me.

Quote from Vertas : Well I initially got the blues because I liked the clacking as well, but then I got the reds for work because I didn't want to bother those around me (open floor plan). Instantly loved them. Reds have lower actuation force, 5g difference initially and 10g peak due to the blue's tactile property. This difference made it feel much much nicer and smoother. The lightest touch triggers them which is great for how I type. I actually started out with scissor-switch membranes and am a big fan of the shorter travel distance and therefore lower actuation force (though more likely just perceived force due to the shorter travel distance) Don't get me wrong, though, blues are way better than any membrane keyboard, just falls slightly short of perfection compared to reds (for me). For more information you can refer to this guide: http://www.overclock.net/t/491752...oard-guide

Ah, thanks for the info. I based my decision on this guide:

http://www.tomshardware.com/revie...,2955.html

Under the Cherry MX Red it had clicking point as undetectable. I was worried it would not have that same satisfying feeling a Blue has when you know the key has struck home.

hmm do i deal with the white keyboard with brown switches or do i accept a black keyboard with black switches???

This is for typing at work not gaming :/

Quote from lantzuh : hmm do i deal with the white keyboard with brown switches or do i accept a black keyboard with black switches??? This is for typing at work not gaming :/

It's all about your style and preference. Somebody likes one of the switches made because there are plenty of keyboards for each.

Browns would be 'better' for typing only if you follow the guidelines. They have a small bump (tactile feedback) when you push it far enough, but it isn't as pronounced as the blues.

Blacks are straight linear and don't have the bump to let you know.

Go to a local store that sells some of each and try them out. You can read all of our posts and all the reviews and data numbers, but nothing beats a test drive yourself.

Quote from YabosMcGee : Ah, thanks for the info. I based my decision on this guide: http://www.tomshardware.com/revie...,2955.html Under the Cherry MX Red it had clicking point as undetectable. I was worried it would not have that same satisfying feeling a Blue has when you know the key has struck home.

Yeah, red's aren't tactile, but when you say "struck home", I'm assuming you actually mean bottoming out the key, which would be the same for both types.

What the blues have are tactile keys, which mean that at the time the key is registered, you feel the key resisting your press. Keys have a 4mm travel distance, but at 2mm, they actually activate, so technically you could learn to type by only pushing keys half way down. A blue key will trigger a tactile response at 2mm, while reds don't have this. And as mentioned before, that tactile feel amounts to 5g of resistance