RACE 75% - First impressions and a comparison to the Poker

[ripster]

Vortex aren't dyesub. TG3/Deck keys are.

Vortex should hold up better than that. Chinese lasering is getting quite impressive.

Plus I like the font and the acorns.

[didja]

Well I'm getting one either way, but bummed they aren't doubleshot caps with clear guts.

[ripster]

Melissa at Signature keeps saying that is impossible. But then, she can't kern and the Chinese can so who knows?

[didja]

Aren't the TG3 caps 2 shot with translucent center, then pad printed over it?

[ripster]

Dyesub, not pad printed.

The Pure keys are identical to the Race keys btw. QUITE thin!

I'll try and take pics later. I'd add to Ripster Key Reference but can't!

http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?2959 ... -Reference

[fyx]

I'm wondering how well the keyboard stood the test of time. Pics please.

[Setsuna]

I would say it stood it quite ok - except for the case (I think only the white version had issues. The black one doesn't peel off).
Here you can see some quick pics of mine I did a few minutes ago (I know the lightning is odd. Keycaps should look white)

Spoiler:

The case paint fell off the first weeks, so I repainted it and it finally fell again. The keycaps look fine after about a year and a half / two years (but not under heavy use - just occasionally)

Hope it fulfills your demands, good sir

[fyx]

Wonderful images, thank you.

[boingo]

I would say it stood it quite ok - except for the case (I think only the white version had issues. The black one doesn't peel off).
Here you can see some quick pics of mine I did a few minutes ago (I know the lightning is odd. Keycaps should look white)

Spoiler:

The case paint fell off the first weeks, so I repainted it and it finally fell again. The keycaps look fine after about a year and a half / two years (but not under heavy use - just occasionally)

Hope it fulfills your demands, good sir

Where can I get one of those nice looking USB cables?

[Muirium]

I don't know about this one in particular, but Pexon makes them to order:

http://deskthority.net/marketplace-f11/ ... ml#p164924

I got a nice one from Paranoid last year, but I think he's retired from the braiding racket!

[boingo]

I don't know about this one in particular, but Pexon makes them to order:

http://deskthority.net/marketplace-f11/ ... ml#p164924

I got a nice one from Paranoid last year, but I think he's retired from the braiding racket!

Thanks Muirium, I'll check it out!

Cheers,
Boingo

[boingo]

I don't know about this one in particular, but Pexon makes them to order:

http://deskthority.net/marketplace-f11/ ... ml#p164924

I got a nice one from Paranoid last year, but I think he's retired from the braiding racket!

Thanks Muirium, I'll check it out!

Cheers,
Boingo

Order Placed!

[Setsuna]

Yup, this one in particular was made by a spanish comrade, Goyetus (http://www.goyetus.com/), but Pexon is also an amazing artisan regarding sleeving. Check his coiled cables!

[boingo]

Thanks Setsuna,

I really do love the way yours looks - especially the connector. The one I ordered has a pretty basic USB Mini end. Perhaps I'll buy one for goyetus the next time I need one.

For anyone looking for something state-side there is also http://www.mimic-cables.com - however I found that Pexon-PCs clearance cables combined with the site's current 15% discount to be less expensive even when shipped from the UK.

Seems like all three are good options with unique options and styles.

http://www.goyetus.com Spain
http://www.pexonpcs.co.uk UK
http://www.mimic-cables.com US

Cheers,
Boingo

[maxrunner]

How the new versions compare? Poker2/Pure Pro/Race 2?

[Hypersphere]

"...they were all bad."

Schwarzenegger-truelies.jpg (11.64 KiB) Viewed 7198 times

Image: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111503/?ref_=ttqt_qt_tt

None of these is my favorite, but of the three, I favor the Poker II because of its form factor, standard layout, standard keycap sizes, programmability, and availability of custom cases.

However, I own a Poker II, and I much prefer my HHKB Pro 2 because of its build quality, dye-sub PBT stock keycaps, Topre switches, and great layout.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

I don't know of any way that I'd want to improve on the build quality of my Poker II.

I've been using mine at work for the last five months, so it gets a lot of use, and it still looks almost as good as new (I got it used, but it was in new condition). The keycaps are holding up really well. My Filco Majestouch was in much worse shape after five months — I think it started showing ugly keycap wear after only two or three months or so as I recall.

[Muirium]

Filco's caps are something they should be ashamed of. The Poker's PBTs aren't pretty, but they aren't quite as crappy, either.

As for the keyboard itself, I've heard good things about the Poker II, especially given its price. Comparing it to a princely HHKB isn't particularly relevant: I doubt many people really pick directly between the two. The HHKB is still the one I want someday, myself, but the Poker has solid advantages in programmability and aftermarket cap selection. They are both standout keyboards, in their own way.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

I've got a backlit Poker II, i.e. painted keycaps.

[Muirium]

The irony that backlit caps, even the Poker's, can put a good old fashioned premium Filco's to shame…

I like Filco for what they did to get us here, and they made the right move last year with their push to Bluetooth mechanicals. But it's been a while since we've heard anything from them, and the competition is only getting more intense.

Perhaps caps aren't the way to capture mainstream attention, ahem, but Bluetooth certainly is. So where's the Majestouch 3, fellas? Even I'd forgive the same old crappy caps to get a Bluetooth TKL.

[Hypersphere]

There may be a lot to like about the Poker II, but I find that I just can't type on it. Nevertheless, I keep it in my keyboard rotation, and every time I try it, I think that perhaps this time around I will like it. However, when I am using the Poker II, I can't wait to get back to my HHKB Pro 2 or my XT. I am not sure what makes the Poker II uncomfortable for me, but I think it is partly the stabilizers. The stabilized keys feel mushy or uneven relative to the other keys.

Perhaps a fairer comparison would be with other Cherry mx boards in a similar price range as the Poker II. I have a KC84 white with stock PBT keycaps and mx blues and a CM QFR with mx greens; I prefer typing on either of these to typing on the Poker II (mx blues).

It is difficult if not impossible to account for personal preferences; it is good to have so many good choices.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

I was only responding to your comment suggesting that the build quality could be improved, since I can't think of any way that it could be done. I am thoroughly impressed with the Poker II's build quality. (With that said, no doubt people will find ways to snap off the USB jack just as they do with every other keyboard with a detachable cable …)

To me it seems rather odd that we've arrived at a status quo where it's considered normal to pay a high price for a keyboard and then expect to pay the same amount again for the keycaps to replace the ones that the keyboard came with.

You know, oddly enough, I kind of expect that when I buy a premium-grade keyboard, that they manage to supply keycaps with it that don't need replacing.

[Hypersphere]

I was only responding to your comment suggesting that the build quality could be improved, since I can't think of any way that it could be done. I am thoroughly impressed with the Poker II's build quality. (With that said, no doubt people will find ways to snap off the USB jack just as they do with every other keyboard with a detachable cable …)

To me it seems rather odd that we've arrived at a status quo where it's considered normal to pay a high price for a keyboard and then expect to pay the same amount again for the keycaps to replace the ones that the keyboard came with.

You know, oddly enough, I kind of expect that when I buy a premium-grade keyboard, that they manage to supply keycaps with it that don't need replacing.

You are right. I misspoke when I suggested that the build quality of the Poker II could be improved. I was confusing personal preferences for build quality. I think that some of the reasons the Poker II is not more usable for me is that I just don't like the Cherry mx blue switches in mine, and I also do not like the feel of Cherry stabilizers. In addition, because I prefer the HHKB/Mac layout, the Poker II layout does not work well for me. It is difficult to deal with the placement of the Fn and Program keys and to swap keycaps for Backspace/Backslash or CapsLock/Control. In contrast, everything is already in place on the HHKB, and my IBM XT is surprisingly easy to reconfigure for a HHKB/Mac layout.

Regarding keycaps, this is another reason I like my HHKB and IBM keyboards. They come with beautiful stock dye-sub PBT keycaps. Although I have replaced some keycaps on my XT with custom ones from Unicomp, this is to reflect the remapping I have done; not everyone would agree that the custom caps were necessary or desirable.

When I first got my Poker II, I spent a lot of money trying to make it work for me. I bought two sets of dye-sub PBT caps to give it a better look and feel, and I added an aluminum case to dress up the plain plastic one and to give the board more heft. As a result, the Poker II has become one of the most expensive boards in my collection, but underneath the aesthetic enhancements, it still has the switches and stabs that I do not like, so I will eventually sell it to someone who can better appreciate it.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Looking at my Poker II, to be fair, the keycaps are indeed shiny, with a cellulite wear texture, except for keys that don't get a lot of use, e.g Esc, Caps Lock, Right Shift, Pn etc.

I've just given it a shake/bang/brush out to remove all the detritus build-up that the backlight makes really obvious ;-)

Personally I prefer Cherry stabilisers; I got used to the mushy feel months ago, and I prefer the quieter sound of Cherry stabilisers, primarily the fact that the space bar doesn't go clang :) The thunk-thunk-thunk-clang cycle of a Filco for example is irritating.

[Hypersphere]

Looking at my Poker II, to be fair, the keycaps are indeed shiny, with a cellulite wear texture, except for keys that don't get a lot of use, e.g Esc, Caps Lock, Right Shift, Pn etc.

I've just given it a shake/bang/brush out to remove all the detritus build-up that the backlight makes really obvious

Personally I prefer Cherry stabilisers; I got used to the mushy feel months ago, and I prefer the quieter sound of Cherry stabilisers, primarily the fact that the space bar doesn't go clang The thunk-thunk-thunk-clang cycle of a Filco for example is irritating.

Since joining GH and DT, I have always been a bit puzzled about people's disdain for shiny keycaps. I actually don't mind it when keycaps get shiny -- as with well-worn double-shots, for example. The reason I like dye-sub PBT is a combination of their look and especially their feel feel. To me, ABS feels clammy, whereas PBT feels dry, "like bleached bones in the desert."

[Daniel Beardsmore]

The wear isn't even: it depends on the relative usage of the keys. Also, the wear isn't uniform across the surface of the keycap, since you don't press all parts of its surface with the same frequency.

Keycaps don't wear smooth: if anything, they wear uneven. For example, the paint finish on Poker II caps has the "blackboard" finish of Filco caps, but mine are wearing to a cellulite finish.

I also find it a distraction.

However, it depends on the lighting etc. I don't tend to notice it even on black keycaps.

[Hypersphere]

The wear isn't even: it depends on the relative usage of the keys. Also, the wear isn't uniform across the surface of the keycap, since you don't press all parts of its surface with the same frequency.

Keycaps don't wear smooth: if anything, they wear uneven. For example, the paint finish on Poker II caps has the "blackboard" finish of Filco caps, but mine are wearing to a cellulite finish.

I also find it a distraction.

However, it depends on the lighting etc. I don't tend to notice it even on black keycaps.

Perhaps you would find the uneven wear less distracting if you likened it to the uneven wear of ancient stone stair steps, or parts of bronze statues that have been touched through the ages by admiring spectators.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

That's exactly it: a keyboard that looks heavily worn within a few months is cheating. That would be like building fake ruins …

[Hypersphere]

That's exactly it: a keyboard that looks heavily worn within a few months is cheating. That would be like building fake ruins …

Ah! I see. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why I like my IBM keyboards so much. They age slowly and gracefully. As I look at the keys on the XT that I am typing on now, it looks brand new, yet I know that it is 30 years old.