Dual LED Cherry Mechanical or RGB mechanical?

[Bramster]

How about the following thought?

Not to choose just 1 set of dual color LED? What about zones? (example: your main keys R+B and the rest, F keys, arrows, numpad R+G) or would that make it too much like a Christmas tree ?

Because understand the difference between full RGB and dual LED is a big big price difference. In cost and in final MSRP.

[Muirium]

Sounds like a recipe for a lot of SKU's to me. Light colour x other light colour x switches = a great many models of the same thing. I guess that's one true advantage of RGB lights: one config can do everything.

[BimboBB]

How can CM do RGB anyway? I thought its exclusive to Corsair for this year.

[Muirium]

Dual colour LED. (Check the OP.) Think of it has half RGB, because I'm sure customers will! I can see why they want to avoid being left behind, but let's just assume that everyone's going RGB backlight ASAP once Cherry lets them. This seems like a patch.

[BimboBB]

He is asking: RGB or dual led! This means to me CM would be theoretically able to offer RGB right now.

[bazh]

how can the dual color led (or RGB) fit in Cherry switch ? Or you just make it with Kailh switch like other brands

[Muirium]

You don't. Two colour LEDs are a single body, like RGB LED but smaller.

RGB LEDs are too big to fit in the 3mm hole on top of regular MX switches. (Hopefully they will get small enough eventually, but not yet.) Two colour LEDs (which are either RG, GB or RB and can show part of but not all the RGB spectrum) are small enough now so they can be done with regular MX.

To go RGB today, you need the new transparent version of MX. And that's the exclusive.

[bazh]

You don't. Two colour LEDs are a single body, like RGB LED but smaller.

RGB LEDs are too big to fit in the 3mm hole on top of regular MX switches. (Hopefully they will get small enough eventually, but not yet.) Two colour LEDs (which are either RG, GB or RB and can show part of but not all the RGB spectrum) are small enough now so they can be done with regular MX.

To go RGB today, you need the new transparent version of MX. And that's the exclusive.

yeah my bad, I get the wrong idea from the OP

[Bramster]

Dual color LED would be based on Cherry Switch and would be a little cost up from just a single color... However if we want to look into RGB the cost will be much higher (so also MSRP) and we can look into other possibilities for mech switches or wait untill the corsair exclusive is over...

[matt3o]

I would make one of the two colors always white and the other based on switch type maybe (blue+white, red+white, amber+white for browns, violet+white for black). So you always get a "neutral" color backlight but you can pimp some color anyway.

At that point would be nice to be able to set up (for example) whole matrix white + blue WASD.

[kint]

Dual colour LED. (Check the OP.) Think of it has half RGB, because I'm sure customers will! I can see why they want to avoid being left behind, but let's just assume that everyone's going RGB backlight ASAP once Cherry lets them. This seems like a patch.

This.

Dual color LED would be based on Cherry Switch and would be a little cost up from just a single color... However if we want to look into RGB the cost will be much higher (so also MSRP) and we can look into other possibilities for mech switches or wait untill the corsair exclusive is over...

I think this is rather a business decision for CM instead of something a community could give any valuable input to.
It all boils down to the question when the clear case RGB capable switches will be available for CM. If they are available for 2015 then I'ld say, skip it, save the expenses, give kudos to Corsair for being first to market with true RGB and concentrate on 2015 onwards. If 2015 is unsure too, the effort for dual colour "half RGB" may be justified.

I'm under the impression that gaming periphal companies money comes from the gamers out there dropping the money on various websites without thinking too much, instead of keyboard enthusiasts talking, and maybe eventually putting their money where their mouth is. The basic QFR aside maybe. Those gamers will consider this being just "half RGB" and as those people usually tend to mindlessly buy 150% instead of evaluating the price to value ratio this keyboard will fall behind Corsairs. It might come across as a knockoff from corsair, tried but failed, they won't honour a 20% lower MSRP - IMO.

The whole: "but our half RGB is cheaper than your full RGB" argument is invalid anyway. One: Money doesn't matter for people looking for bling. Two: reason ain't no bling. As in: Corsairs K60 MK I did sell quite well seing how often they pop up used. And people did buy it regardless of the stupid Rubber/MX mix, they posted sentences like "how often do you recognize the difference between F and other keys anyway". They bought it because it's Corsair and it had, like what, 50 bling Makro keys? wohoo. Brand identification is a major thing there, and Razers "MX blue is best-for-gamers" with that fancy click others didn't have was a major selling point too.

So, will the gamer clientele from CM honour a half RGB effort, or will that feature draw new people to CM?
Don't think so. CM has drawn people to them with big unique features, like the first low priced quality TKL, a choice of switches instead of the common dictate which MX is best, and they will do so with the Topre board. They managed to keep people interested by their build quality. And other than Corsair, Razer, or the 100s of small gaming companies, they managed to gain reputation in keyboard communities.
So I'ld say: stick with something unique for 2014s research, instead of investing in a backlighting option that'll be obsolete in a year or two when clear case RGB become available for CM. I would go for quality (backlighting) caps. None of the big players have those. Or, to consider sacrilege, backlit Topre? In case that is managble (I'm no topre guy, dunno) quality (backlit) caps will become even more important.

Sorry for sounding like a broken record (33 for sure) - but jumping the bandwagon instead of leading it seems unfitting for CM imo.

[Muirium]

Quite true. I bet they feel the need to have a defensive position against the RGB Corsair just in case it really takes off as the keyboard of the year. It's gotten a ton of press. Several non-keyboarding friends have got in touch with me about it, thinking I'd be amazed. (I tell them about Matias. And remind them they've even played with the switch!)

The Topre based Novatouch is much bigger news for aficionados like us, but it's a high end keyboard that needs a knowledgeable customer to sell. Indeed, its main selling point is compatibility with the exact high end caps that newcomers don't have! RGB backlighting is just the kind of eye popping feature that goes viral. The question is whether it's worth CM's time to bother making a half RGB counterattack while Corsair has the exclusive.

[kint]

Corsairs board will take off as the keyboard of the year - at least for those interested in backlit. There's no doubt about it and there's nothing others can do about it, except saying: "we too... well.. kindoff".
This wouldn't be a problem at all in other branches - it's not like BMW puts out a new M3 every year, or feels the need for pumping it up as soon as say a new S4 enters the market.
And it's not like CM has nothing to present, they are in the same comfy position with their Novatouch.

I disagree some with the "needs a knowledgable customer to sell" part. Being made by CM is enough to raise interest in it.
Maybe it doesn't even need more marketing than being a high priced QFR to let people go "WTF is this" and discover all the praise for Topre. Its main selling point will be the 150€ price tag instead of 250€ for a Realforce, the MX stems are just the icing on the cake. But of course it won't attract average 15 year old gamer.

[Muirium]

That last part is of course the point.

Researching Topre (and that means sifting through the naysayers out there who forever want to call it a costly cult, as well as real information from those who have actually used one!) vs. laying eyes on RGB backlights. Completely different propositions.

[matt3o]

To make more reasonable guesses... I'd really like to know the price tag for each of these keyboards. After all before the QFR good quality mechanicals were in the $200 range, no question asked...

[IvanIvanovich]

Assuming it is done with Costar, and just like the Rosewill with bicolor, it is same price as single color backlight model. If buyer compare single=dual, but X% less than RGB... it could get some more sales over a single color for those that can't afford the RGB Corsair which has rumor to be more around the $250 MSRP mark.

[Bramster]

I cannot comment on any price point or something at this stage.. This is purely checking feedback from the market.. As you can imagine a extra LED so it is dual LED will add to the cost because of that extra LED and the software that will need to come with a product like this to have the ability to set backlight colors...

However only a fraction of the cost of a upgrade to a full RGB... This is way more expensive..

But will the extra price be worth it for a RGB or will a dual LED, which is just a little bit more then a single LED be the best choice?

[matt3o]

make it cheaper. save on LEDs. If you want a backlit keyboard and can't afford the RGB one, 1 or 2 colors don't make much difference.

the only advantage I see of a dual color kb would be if one of them is always white, so you get both the gamer (who wants BLUE) and the hipster (who wants white).

[Muirium]

I'm a hipster? Oh no!

White's a nice enough colour, but we're basically second guessing other people now because backlighting isn't exactly popular amongst us keyboard snobs. Not until its done right, with no leak and sacrifice in cap quality.

[matt3o]

yeah, maybe better said: "the gamer (who wants BLUE) and everyone else (who wants white)"

but like you said, we wouldn't buy it if not done right, so what remains is the hipster.

[Grond]

Apparently Vortex was able to make PBT double shots with transparent legends. That's something I'd like to see, instead of double and triple leds.

[Muirium]

I've heard about this, and Deck too. Absolutely agree that those would be vastly more interesting than whatever colour the LEDs are.

[Bramster]

make it cheaper. save on LEDs. If you want a backlit keyboard and can't afford the RGB one, 1 or 2 colors don't make much difference.

the only advantage I see of a dual color kb would be if one of them is always white, so you get both the gamer (who wants BLUE) and the hipster (who wants white).

Hey Matt3o, it will not only be 2 colors... With 2 LEDs you can mix any color inbetween those two LED colors.. (Red+Green for example you can make yellowish, orange, etc).

[matt3o]

so basically one of them won't never be white. I see.

my suggestion is still valid, though. spare on LEDs and make cheaper good quality KBs. Add more colors when you'll be ready to do full RGB.

[Bramster]

so basically one of them won't never be white. I see.

my suggestion is still valid, though. spare on LEDs and make cheaper good quality KBs. Add more colors when you'll be ready to do full RGB.

This is just a thinking we have and wanting to gain some feedback on so for sure your white suggestion is good and the waiting for a full RGB... Very much noted sir, thank you! And possibly a yellowish can come very close to a warm white if mixed good? Or you looking for crisp/cold white?

Our Aluminum Series has a all white backlight (MECH, Reaper and Pulse-R)

[justin]

Hmm,, for now !!
RGB cherry switch only for Cosair 2014 , so if you want made RGB switch only kailh switch , but Razer have already choose that first

for my thinking , right now you can announce dual led and use firmware make triple color in dual led , so you dual led keyboard will have triple color

that maybe is a little coool !

[Compgeke]

How about Infrared and UV LEDs? Not only would you screw with people taking pictures it would give people a reason to get off the computer and go outside when they sunburn their hands .

In all seriousness though, if I were going dual LED I would go single color + white so you can have softer shades of, say, blue. My biggest complaint about blue is how stupidly bright and annoying it is on new LEDs.

[matt3o]

let's make it dual: UV LED + IR LED

[Broadmonkey]

Just to make it clear, we are talking about bi color LEDs and not dual, as in two separate LEDs.

[Bramster]

How about Infrared and UV LEDs? Not only would you screw with people taking pictures it would give people a reason to get off the computer and go outside when they sunburn their hands .

In all seriousness though, if I were going dual LED I would go single color + white so you can have softer shades of, say, blue. My biggest complaint about blue is how stupidly bright and annoying it is on new LEDs.

lolled at that but that would be kinda evil from us !

But white + a single color is noted, thanks! I did see that white popping up more here in this DT thread..

Hmm,, for now !!
RGB cherry switch only for Cosair 2014 , so if you want made RGB switch only kailh switch , but Razer have already choose that first

for my thinking , right now you can announce dual led and use firmware make triple color in dual led , so you dual led keyboard will have triple color

that maybe is a little coool !

Thanks for the feedback ! I can not comment on the RGB Kailh switch at this stage... A dual color would be based just as our normal switches on a Cherry MX switch..

Just to make it clear, we are talking about bi color LEDs and not dual, as in two separate LEDs.

Hi Broadmonkey.. It is physicly 1 LED but it has 2 chips in it! So 2 different colors that can mix any color in between that color range..
(Sorry if I was not clear before, English is not my native language ..)