Mechanical Keyboards

Ace, didn't know that they they had the ISO versions out yet.
Which key version did you get?

@Soul - yeah I'll see how I get on, they just feel a bit hollow or lighter than the Filco, which is very much more like a thud when typing!

@Sam_w It is! I've only been using it this morning but I've hardly noticed for typing emails. I've had to properly look at it twice; once to find the delete key as that's moved to the top row & once because of the half-width zero. Other than that they feel pretty much the same!
Yes bought direct, no import fees - ships from China.

If you want to save a little money I got 15% off it, I assume they do this for everyone; put it in your basket & go through to check-out, putting all your details in. Before buying close the window/tab. They then email you a bit later asking if you still want it & giving you a discount code.

Excellent will give it a go I think! They are doing a full size at some point, but reckon it will be at least a year to get to UK format.

Edit: Which switches did you go for?

Yeah I've been sporadically going back to their site & checking for about a year as they said it was coming last summer but never did! Seems like they've updated it to v2 now & released the ISO versions.

Brown switches (as I like the browns in the Filco), everything else just standard.

Got a K4 V2 direct from Keychron this month, no import fees.

Easy switch to 96%, only thing that catches me out is the delete key.

Blue caps are looooooouuuuuuudddddd.

just ordered the K4. Are other users using a wrist rest? If so which ones have people gone for?

@farfowl @Lw.

The K4 v2 aluminium RGB is out of stock :(

Yeah, I went for the plastic version. I really want the K10, but figure it is going to take them a fair while to get that into the ISO format

I have a Rosewill RK-9000V2

I would like something a little more wireless, but otherwise the same (which Rosewill don't appear to do).

What are my options?

(I don't need / want RGB though. I like my plastic bland and black .)

So, with these keyboards like the K4, do you just put up with them not having a UK layout?

The K4 comes in a UK format...

they have a page of international formats.

Isn't one of the great things about mechanical keyboards that you can change the layout however you want?

Buy the relevant keys, and pop them off and on.

Then you just remap in your operating system.

YMMV with virtual machines...

I'm not using one - it's a bit higher than my usual keyboard but not massively so so didn't seem need one. If you're coming from something very low profile you might struggle though!

I shall try it without, I have chopped and changed on keyboards, so inconsistent on the wrist rests so far...

What does the aluminum do - just the disco lighting?

I would like something a little more wireless, but otherwise the same (which Rosewill don't appear to do).

Filco?

Any with "Convertible" in the name means wireless (Bluetooth), e.g. https://www.keyboardco.com/keyboard/uk-filco-convertible-2-mx-silent-red-soft-linear-keyboard.asp

I have the TKL version with Cherry Red MX Silent and it's awesome. Use it wireless all the time, have changed the batteries once in the 4 months I've had it.

Those look like they fit the bill - added to the list. Ta!

I use MX Browns at the moment.

Does it make sense to buy the Silent Red, giving me the option to swap between the two?

I'm unlikely to need both at the same time.

They do the same keyboard with MX Browns (or MX Blue).

I went for the Silent Red for noise reasons. I live in a flat that's all on one floor, there's not much sound insulation between anywhere in the flat and I do a lot of typing (and fast) so noisy keyboards make a lot of noise.

Not quite, because the enter key and backspace are not the same size between US and iso models.

How much that annoys you might vary.

I think so, I guess it’s a bit more solid feeling too? 160g heavier.

How much that annoys you might vary.

I'm vicariously annoyed for everyone that it has ever happened to.

I entirely missed that, cheers. Tempted by a Keychron but would really prefer something that was USB wireless rather than Bluetooth so I can easily switch using the KVM switch in my monitor.

@TW I've seen comments about switching keys but no idea how that works. Is everything compatible with everything or are you reliant on getting them from a manufacture or what (and I wonder how compatible that is with crap like Remote Desktop and Citrix)?

I wonder how compatible that is with crap like Remote Desktop and Citrix

Remapping seems hit & miss for me - but then I am using a keyboard plugged into a linux PC, connecting to a Windows machine running Citrix using Barrier & Bonjour, and the Linux machine doesn't have drivers proper drivers for the keyboard's media keys & lack of context menu key.

Cherry MX keys just pop on and off. I'm sure there's a proper tool, but I just use a lollypop stick.

@Acliff mentioned that some keys are just different sizes for US & UK standard layouts.

Yeah, I wasn't willing to take the risk on remapping, so waited till the ISO version of the one I wanted was available.

I just put up with it. Lack of | and ~ and \ is annoying, but livable. You can always get them from the OS - that's on a K6...