I'm looking to get a new keyboard, since my Blackwidow (piece of shit, would not recommend) is falling to pieces even as I type this.

What are you guys using, and do you have any recommendations? Would prefer something mechanical, with quieter switches than the widow so I don't disturb everyone in the house.

 

Was just going to recommend the MX-Blues...

What size keyboard do you want? 100%? 80%? 60%?

 

80% I'd say, I don't particularly need the numpad, and my desktop real estate is pretty limited. Was either thinking browns or reds as far as switches go.

 

Corsair's Compact K63 is on sale for the next 11 hours. Get O-ring switch dampeners to make it quiet.

I've had the K70 for a couple years and have had zero issues.

 

Sending this. I've been using a Corsair K95 for the last 2 years and have had precisely zero issues with it.

 

I use a Das both at home and in the office as well. Blank keys are really nice!

 

I'd also recommend a das keyboard. Great build quality and the blank keycaps look sweet. They released two new keyboards this year IIRC and both come with backlighting options if you're into that. The 4C model has no number pad and removes the media buttons, but it's pretty hard to find one.

 

As far as Cherry MX switches go, Browns (tactile bump without the clack) are probably the best choice for most people, though I prefer Clears (higher actuation force version) for typing - it's both a better feel and the stiffer resistance can reduce bottoming-out the keys. It can be a bit fatiguing for gaming though, if you find yourself repeatedly pressing keys at a high rate. The Cherry MX knockoffs can range in quality, though most seem at least decent, and there are some specially modified versions (e.g. Zealios) which are by and large very good.

The best option though, is actually probably Topre switches, which are an electrostatic switch that combines the tactile feel of "normal" (Cherry MX style) mechanical switches with much lower noise. But they are much more expensive (you're definitely looking at $200+ at least in most cases), and does not allow for the keycap customization that MX style switches do (with few exceptions like the Cooler Master NovaTouch).

For MX switch keyboards, I've owned (and still own) a bunch of others (Ducky Zero, Das 4 Ultimate, Poker II, 2 different Cooler Masters), and my favorite is still the CODE Keyboard (by WASD) because it's very well built, with what I still consider the best looking backlit keycaps around (though ABS and not PBT, sadly), and some really nice features like the DIP switches that let you swap layouts for mac OS or even DVORAK/COLEMAK, as well as providing media controls via FN keys. I used the full-size CODE with MX Clears as my primary workstation keyboard for years before I replaced it with a Leopold FC980C (a Topre keyboard in 90% layout) recently.

 

I'm not sure I could trust a person who uses a blank keyboard. How many domesticated animals have you blank Das users dissected/vivisected, for purely extracurricular/recreational purposes?

I'm currently using a Logitech G105 (blue, not the MW3 version) which I got my hands on rather cheap. I have no problems with it, really, but I also would not recommend it. I'd ditch it for one with mechanical switches, but my budget does not have room in it for replacing things I have that still function.

 

I actually ended up replacing the blank keycaps on the Das 4 Ultimate with a set of (non-blank) PBT ones, both for the better feel and because I use it as my work keyboard, and at the time there were occasionally times others who would use it so I felt bad making people who may not be as comfortable touch typing use a completely blank one.