Recommendation for QWERTY keyboard with Lit Keys?

[Anderton]

Y'know, like gamers use. I like the wireless keyboard I'm using now, but with lit keys, I could have less intense lighting in the studio at night. I also want it to be as compact as possible. Got anyfavorites?

[MoodyBluesKeys]

Bought a couple a while back from a company named AZIO. I'll see if I can get a model number. Different colors and variable brightness, standard layout. I wound up not putting it on my primary computer (with difficulty I found a white Egronomic Keyboard which I'm used to), but my wife has one, and the other is in the Living Room on the computer hooked up to the primary 55" HDTV. Lot easier to see in dim lighting, and works well.

[Chip McDonald]

Redragon Vishnu k5956.

 

TKL/ "ten keyless"

Bluetooth and wi-fi connectivity.

Battery last awhile off charging cable (USB A>C)

 

Hot swap mechanical keys (comes with red (lightest touch)),

extra keys that can be programmed for text macros.

The led lighting is very adjustable - I just have mine barely lit with one color for night, but it does all of the elaborate programmable lighting effects.

 

Lots of extra features. As I am wont to do, I spent a saturday researching "mechanical keyboards" to make sure I didn't waste my money in the debate between "buy another $30 Logitech or shell out and exorbitant $55 for a mechanical keyboard". Don't go through my pain, I did the hard work. And if you don't already know it by now, you need a mechanical key switch keyboard!

 

In the mechanical keyboard realm I believe this is most affordable (pragmatic), mechanical key swap-able macro function choice.

 

$.10

[Anderton]

The Redragon Vishnu k5956 looks ideal, except for the TKL aspect - quite a few music programs use the numeric pad for shortcuts. Is there a number lock key and it changes the identity of the existing keys? Otherwise, it looks exactly like what I need. I'll check to see whether the company offers the same thing but with the numeric keypad.

 

Thanks!

[Anderton]

The Redragon 556 looks pretty good...no wireless, but I can live with that. The reviews mention that it feels sturdy, and the keys are relatively quiet.

[Mills Dude]

I went with a Logitech K800 a few months back. I'm actually not a fan of mechanical keybeds and all the other light-up keyboards where gamer oriented mechanicals with crazy colors. I just wanted wireless light-up with "squishy" keys that don't "clack". It feels pretty much like most of those business style keyboards from Logitech or MS. Backlight works great, it auto-detects when your hand comes close to the keys.

 

The biggest downside with the K800 is it requires micro-USB charging about once a month, no AA batteries. I just pull the cable from my Anker wireless phone charger sitting next to the keyboard and charge it up when it barks.

 

I use the Logitech dongle as opposed to bluetooth as I also use an MX vertical mouse also by Logitech, which charges via USB-C.

 

Really not much choice for business style wireless keyboards with lighted keys. They're all for the gamers but I prefer the sleek slabs of squish as opposed to the blocks of clack.

[Anderton]

I went with a Logitech K800 a few months back. I'm actually not a fan of mechanical keybeds and all the other light-up keyboards where gamer oriented mechanicals with crazy colors. I just wanted wireless light-up with "squishy" keys that don't "clack". It feels pretty much like most of those business style keyboards from Logitech or MS. Backlight works great, it auto-detects when your hand comes close to the keys.

 

Thanks for the comment! My only issue is that it seems the wrist rest is not removable - correct? I can't have too much keyboard depth, otherwise my touch monitor has to go too far back.

[Mills Dude]

Thanks for the comment! My only issue is that it seems the wrist rest is not removable - correct? I can't have too much keyboard depth, otherwise my touch monitor has to go too far back.

 

Yea, it's all one piece of molded plastic. The wrist rest extends about 2" from the bottom of the keys. I use a padded wrist rest below that, so it's no issue for me. My wrist never rests on the keyboard itself.

 

I do see there's a Logitech MX Keys that's wireless with lighting. Looks a little more "professional" with no wrist rest and USB-C charging. I don't remember if I considered that when shopping a few months back, but I was probably put off by price as it's $100 vs the ~ $60 I paid, which I still thought was too much.

[Chip McDonald]

The Redragon 556 looks pretty good...no wireless, but I can live with that. The reviews mention that it feels sturdy, and the keys are relatively quiet.

 

The Vishnu comes with the "red" style switches (a German company called "Cherry" differentiated their different key switches by color = actuation force), which are about as quiet as a generic Logitech/Dell etc., but you can replace (hot swap) them with any switches

made by Outemu. Outemu makes a silent switch I believe, but you can get these little neoprene grommets from Amazon that go under each key that will make them silent.

 

The customizable aspect combined with the choice in actuation weight really makes touch typing a refreshing experience with mechanical keys, you should investigate it given how much I presume you use a keyboard. I've got my home row keys with the lightest actuation force switches (red, 45 gram force), and the rest brown (50 gram) so I won't miskey them from the home row. My enter and space bar are stiffer and click so I get positive feedback I've hit them.

 

There are also a lot of separate/discrete ten-key pads that are macro programmable in the $30 ball park. But really, look into mechanical key switches, it's like the difference between a pro fret job with low action and a pawn shop guitar with high action and corroded strings.

[Chip McDonald]

The Vishnu seems to have an aluminum back plane, another thing I looked for since the Logitech I had must have had a circuit trace coming loose that made it mallllfffunnnnction if it wasn't perfectly level and supported. I don't know if all of

the Redragons do, though.

 

For each of the types of keyboards (TKL, TKL compact, 75%, 80%, all of the combinations) there are preferred brands, but the main thing is getting one with "hot swappable" switches so you can customize/modify it. Then there is key cap style, the feel of the different types of plastic, double injected caps, the offset/profiles... pretty hilarious deep dive....