Looking for a good keyboard with scissor switches

[toceranib]

Hi everyone,

I'm seriously struggling to find a (to me) decent keyboard here in South Africa. I have 3 requirements that have to be met for a keyboard to work well for me:

• Must use scissor switches, as commonly found on laptops.
• Must have an ISO enter key (the tall, two-row one, as seen in the red circle here.
• Must be full size. ie, must have a normal set of arrow keys, insert/delete/home/end/page up/page down/print screen/scroll lock/pause keys and must have a keypad.

Unfortunately the two first seem to be difficult to satisfy. Mechanical keyboards are in currently, so that's what everyone is trying to sell. Also most keyboards in South Africa seem to be imported from the US, so with the type of enter key I can't work with.

Some nice-to-haves for me would be:

• Doesn't fall all over itself and crap its pants when I press more than 2 keys simultaneously.
• Few or (unlikely) no media keys. If they are there, I prefer if they take up as little space as possible.

Basically if they hadn't been out of production for 15 years, I'd go and buy a Logitech UltraX keyboard, basically no matter the price. If you're familiar with that keyboard, then that's what I'm looking for. I have tried some of Logitech's newer keyboards, but they're somehow much worse quality than the UltraX ever was, and simultaneously 5-10 times more expensive.

So, does anyone know of such a mythical beast, obtainable in South Africa? If so, please point me in the right direction! Thank you

 

[goldfritter]

Hi everyone,

I'm seriously struggling to find a (to me) decent keyboard here in South Africa. I have 3 requirements that have to be met for a keyboard to work well for me:

• Must use scissor switches, as commonly found on laptops.
• Must have an ISO enter key (the tall, two-row one, as seen in the red circle here.
• Must be full size. ie, must have a normal set of arrow keys, insert/delete/home/end/page up/page down/print screen/scroll lock/pause keys and must have a keypad.

Unfortunately the two first seem to be difficult to satisfy. Mechanical keyboards are in currently, so that's what everyone is trying to sell. Also most keyboards in South Africa seem to be imported from the US, so with the type of enter key I can't work with.

Some nice-to-haves for me would be:

• Doesn't fall all over itself and crap its pants when I press more than 2 keys simultaneously.
• Few or (unlikely) no media keys. If they are there, I prefer if they take up as little space as possible.

Basically if they hadn't been out of production for 15 years, I'd go and buy a Logitech UltraX keyboard, basically no matter the price. If you're familiar with that keyboard, then that's what I'm looking for. I have tried some of Logitech's newer keyboards, but they're somehow much worse quality than the UltraX ever was, and simultaneously 5-10 times more expensive.

So, does anyone know of such a mythical beast, obtainable in South Africa? If so, please point me in the right direction! Thank you

Looks like Logi may be the only ones still doing that sort of thing - the flat, scissor-type KB with the full-size enter:

Takealot

The reviews on Takealot are good so quality seems to be fine, and a quick Google seems to confirm it does use scissor switches.

There are a few that have either the small Enter key, or omit the nav/arrow keys that usually sit to the left of the numpad, or use membrane switches. I think the above one is the only one I am aware of that satisfies all your requirements.

 

[crackOlicious]

Only keyboard I've noticed advertised with scissor switches is a Cougar. Quick Google search says model name is Vantar.

Sent from my SM-A715F using Tapatalk

 

[toceranib]

Yeah, I've looked for Cougar keyboards, they do seem like a decent choice (without having tried them yet), but unfortunately I can only find them available in South Africa with the type of enter key that won't work for me.

 

[toceranib]

Looks like Logi may be the only ones still doing that sort of thing - the flat, scissor-type KB with the full-size enter:

Takealot

The reviews on Takealot are good so quality seems to be fine, and a quick Google seems to confirm it does use scissor switches.

There are a few that have either the small Enter key, or omit the nav/arrow keys that usually sit to the left of the numpad, or use membrane switches. I think the above one is the only one I am aware of that satisfies all your requirements.

Thanks for that suggestion! I'm not a big fan of wireless keyboards, but I'd be willing to compromise on that if the keyboard is otherwise good.

 

[Mk1MiLAN]

mx keys is your best option also super long bat life so wireless not something to be to stressed about

 

[Mk1MiLAN]

Takealot

i would get this version if i was you

 

[toceranib]

Takealot

i would get this version if i was you

Any difference except the wrist rest? I don't really like those in general.

 

[Mk1MiLAN]

nope

 

[Mk1MiLAN]

https://carbonite.co.za/index.php?threads/logitech-craft-wireless-keyboard.415958/

Heres another option

 

[Pickled_Dick]

Is there any reason you would pick the inferior typing experience of scissor keys on purpose ?

 

[toceranib]

https://carbonite.co.za/index.php?threads/logitech-craft-wireless-keyboard.415958/

Heres another option

Thank you! Looks very similar to the Logitech MX Keys.

 

[Mk1MiLAN]

yeah seems to be the same but justt has a turny knob lol

 

[Eon]

You will struggle with that enter key. It generally only comes with the International layout, and in SA we normally get the US versions.

Also the International layout comes with that crappy short left shift which has driven me mad in the past. Logitech is one of the few companies I know to make the tall enter and a long left shift.

This is most likely neither scissor nor does it have backlighting, but at its price it might be a stop gap for you:

Takealot

 

[Ageless_ZA]

I use the Logitech G815 (Tactile) Covers 2 out of your 3 requirements.

Logitech G815 LIGHTSYNC RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard — Low-Profile GL Tactile

Advanced gaming technologies in a sophisticated ultra-thin design. Fully customizable, equipped with LIGHTSYNC RGB and dedicated G-keys. Engineered for high-performance gameplay with low-profile GL mechanical switches in clicky, tactile, and linear variat

progenix.co.za

Funnily enough, the enter key in the link is different to what I received. See pic

 

[Eon]

My dream keyboard is a G915 (G815 TKL), but yeah, no one brings them into SA.

 

[Aeonplex]

Got a G915 for sale if interested

Check it our over here in classifieds

 

[toceranib]

So, just to revive this thread, I did end up buying the Logitech MX Keys, so here's a (very) short review of it. Of course this review is based on what I like/need in a keyboard and nothing else. Shout out to Titan Ice for being helpful with my questions about keyboards in general, and getting this keyboard, in the right version, in just for me.

Pros:

• The keys (and switches) themselves are decent enough. They almost match the Logitech UltraX.
• The wireless functionality actually works surprisingly well. I've had zero problems with it, and there are no delays on initial connection, so it works for entering firmware menus, etc. upon booting.
• At least with backlight off, the battery lasts decently long. I'm not sure exactly how long, but 2-3 months between charges? And I don't ever switch the keyboard off, not even at night, ain't nobody got time for that.

Cons:

• Doesn't have a right Windows key. Instead it has an annoying fn-key that can neither be controlled nor remapped
• Logitech once again focused on form over function: The F-keys at the top are in a non-standard location, with no spacing between groups of 4 keys, meaning that you're 90% guaranteed to hit the wrong F-key when you need to press one, and it's difficult to feel if your fingers are at the regular numbers row or the F-key row.
• Likewise num-lock, scroll-lock, etc have been relocated to make room for keys to switch between wireless receivers.
• The keyboard has an F13 key that doesn't actually work as an F13 key. Unlike all the other keys that are dual purpose F-keys and media keys, switchable with the FN key, the F13 key only works as a media key. I have no idea who thought it was a good idea to go out of their way to create that limitation.
• There's some sort of proximity sensor triggered light-up of the power LED that never actually triggers when I want it to, but always does when I don't want it to, making it an annoying random LED distraction when trying to focus on work.
• Despite the keyboard having a normal USB port for charging, you can't actually have the keyboard function as a wired keyboard through the USB port. Thus if you want the keyboard plugged in all the time, you'll have to use two USB ports on your computer: One for charging, and one for the wireless receiver.
• It's expensive. Really expensive. A much superior keyboard, the Logitech UltraX, sold for about 15 euro, about R300 with today's exchange rate, back in the early/mid 2000s.