forum.datacad.com

I've been looking at getting a backlit keyboard for my Datacad PC work-station, and I've noticed that the gaming-class keyboards tend to be both backlit and have lots of extra preset and combination keys. As long as It's from one of the major manufacturer's and Windows-8 compatible, anyone have any experience or opinions versus a std. office-type backlit keyboard?

My favorite is the Logitech K800

I like the Logitech G510 or G11.

Gaming keyboards often have mechanical switches, which are very robust, but they are 'clicky'. My son uses a Corsair K70.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823816010

The chassis is aluminum, it is backlit. There are other models with extended programmable keys on the left side.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823816013

I wore out a couple of keys on my keyboard, and I bit the bullet and got a Corsair K70, like my son has. I got a factory reconditioned unit, so it was ~$78, rather than the ~$150 for a new one. I will be adding the dampening O-rings to quiet the bottoming part of the key stroke. The Cherry MX Red switches on this keyboard are light touch and linear with no change in resistance. They are rated for 60 Million strokes, which is awesome.

I like the open face design, as this will make it easier to clean. The back lighting on low makes it very readable. The wrist rest is comfortable, and I like the thumb dial volume control, and the mute button.

I was tempted by this keyboard:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA1ST2KM6047


Having the number pad on the left would be useful, I think.

I recently bought a compact wireless Logitech keyboard that was supposed to have three-year battery-life. They didn't make it 3-months. I thought it would be more convenient to use since the Num-Keys and directly adjacent to the Enter-Shift keys, and the feel is decent. Plus I now have the mouse 5-inches closer to my workstation's center-line, but... The USB dongle is barely three-feet away on the front of the PC tower, and it already has latency-delays and sometimes misses characters until I shake it... **grrrrrrr** I used to think Logitech made decent peripherals, now I'm disappointed.

I live out in the country and away from power-lines, so you would think it would be an electromagnetically-clean and EM-quiet environment. But I've had all-sorts-of problems with indeterminacy and latency with wireless mice, keyboards and my cellphones.

An update on my Corsair K70: I bought a set of O-rings for the keys that slightly dampen the down stroke of the keys (keeps them from bottoming with a click) and this quiets it somewhat. They cost under $7 for the set of 120 O-rings - the wider keys have three posts.

This keyboard has a direct USB extension and has a USB port on the back edge of the keyboard. Cleaning this keyboard will be easier than most - the keys a free standing, and the keys are removable with the supplied puller tool. I also like the illumination, and the thumb roller volume control.

I got a new gaming mouse and it is excellent - a Logitech G403 Prodigy Wireless / Wired. The sensor is the best one they make, the buttons are rated for 20 Million clicks, the tracking is very smooth and can be tuned for your mouse pad for even better accuracy. Battery life is ~30-32 hours, and it recharges on a cord while you continue to use it.

$80 at NewEgg.




The wired only version is $66.

Looks nice, but I'll stick with my MX Master. I charge it once every 2 weeks or so.

Dave

I have the MX Master at home - the buttons are not nearly as robust, and the tracking is not nearly as good as the G403. I like the scroll wheel on the MX Master, but I like the large thumb buttons on the G403.

Some additional points: the G403 is lighter weight, even with its optional weight installed. The G403 has 16.8M colors which is the only concession to gamers - and the light can be set up as a battery level indicator; which the MX Master has already.

The G403 has the same look as my G810 mechanical keyboard, and both have switches that are rated in the tens of millions.

Too bad it doesn't have a sleep mode (automatic on the MX Master) as I'd never remember to turn it off.

Dave

I'm a big MX Master fan as well.

For my mobile office nothing beats the MX Anywhere 2 which has either USB receiver or Bluetooth connectivity. The Bluetooth response on the MX Anywhere is as good as the USB receiver. For a small mouse, I find the ergonomics to be excellent as well.

Being a collector of mice and keyboards, I may have to give G403 a spin.

David A. Giesselman wrote:Too bad it doesn't have a sleep mode (automatic on the MX Master) as I'd never remember to turn it off.

Dave

I think it does sleep - I turned off my computer last night, and left the mouse on - and this morning it still was at ~30 hours of battery life this morning. And now, near the end of a 8+ hour day, it is at 25 hours. So, I think it is sleeping pretty promptly when it is not in use.

The G403 wireless definitely has automatic sleep - I have been using it for almost a week and I only charged it before bringing it to the off last Thursday, and it still has an estimated 11 hours of charge left. I have used it about 3 days here at work.

The feel is really light and positive. I have been using it with the optional 10g weight - and now I will go for a while without that. The scroll wheel has worked perfectly, and I like the large thumb buttons, too.

Here's my G810 keyboard (with custom colors) and the G403:

Alas, no-one has solved the insolvable ergonomic dilemma of typing over the cat sleeping between you and the keyboard...
Or, the cat attempting to sleep on top of your right arm as your reach for your mouse.

Go away.
But it's more comfortable here.
Get off...
No, ...stroke me, love me.
But I trying to work here...
**purr, purr**