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Any clean looking keyboards with left side macro keys?
Someday my Blackwidow is gonna break down or synapse will stop working for longer than a couple hours and I'm trying to find alternatives that don't scream the gamer aesthetic. Kinda sucks that Razer doesn't even make the blackwidow with the side keys anymore.
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Xizila
0
Oct 2, 2018
I´d go with the K95 Platinum or the Razer Blackwidow Chroma v2, both have macros and both have full RGB lighting, but you can turn these off by using the iCue/Synapse software.
straypacket
40
Sep 29, 2018
coffeeshopcoder
281
Sep 27, 2018
If you don't mind putting one together, here is a kit, it's pretty basic in terms of aesthetics, but it's a lovely setup.
https://www.lfkeyboards.com/sandwich-case-for-78-key-kit.html
LastContinue
164
Sep 28, 2018
coffeeshopcoderThat is pretty slick and the price isn't bad either. I'm assuming it's QMK/TMK?
LastContinue
164
Sep 27, 2018
Thanks for the details.
Sadly, I'm not much help 😅
The only (modern) keyboard I can think of off of the top of my head that has left side keys is the Red Scarf. You'd probably need to see if there's ever going to be another GB, or if there are any second hand going around.
Vintage options: Just look at the thumbnails here and see if any intrigue you. www.youtube.com/user/Chyrosran22/videos Some of them have left side macro keys or left side FN keys that are like FN 12-FN24 (not much use for today's PC, but with the proper programs, could be made useful).
Of course getting a vintage keyboard is about like buying a vintage car. Can be amazing fun, but can also be a bit of a project when you first get it (even NOS)
Comedy Option: Find one of those ortho-linear kits with "extra" columns and slide everything over by a column, therefore giving you a left side column for macros 😆
Sadly, I'm not much help 😅
The only (modern) keyboard I can think of off of the top of my head that has left side keys is the Red Scarf. You'd probably need to see if there's ever going to be another GB, or if there are any second hand going around.
Vintage options: Just look at the thumbnails here and see if any intrigue you. www.youtube.com/user/Chyrosran22/videos Some of them have left side macro keys or left side FN keys that are like FN 12-FN24 (not much use for today's PC, but with the proper programs, could be made useful).
Of course getting a vintage keyboard is about like buying a vintage car. Can be amazing fun, but can also be a bit of a project when you first get it (even NOS)
Comedy Option: Find one of those ortho-linear kits with "extra" columns and slide everything over by a column, therefore giving you a left side column for macros 😆
Lefibonacci
629
Sep 28, 2018
LastContinueso on these vintage keebs, is it possible to put modern caps on them? How would you go about putting cherry caps on an old board?
LastContinue
164
Sep 28, 2018
LefibonacciYou'd just need to make sure they had MX shaped stems, so that means either having actual MX switches, or in some cases (and I can't think of any off of the type of my head) the switches came with MX compatible stems.
Futhermore, you can still buy caps for Alps style caps. They aren't as numerous, and usually a little boring looking, but it can be done. Tai-Hao makes quite a few.
Then there's always the option of re soldering a board to have a modern MX switch (providing that the pins on the board line up)
EDIT: I should have elaborated a bit more with my original answer. Cherry MX was created about 1985. That predates even some Models M. That gives you over 30 years of boards to search from, assuming that you really want vintage Cherry MX.
If that's not a wide enough selection for you, Cherry MX weren't the first switch to use that " + " style stem. If you watch any of those "best switch" videos on Chyrosran's channel, you'll come across a few of them.
Finally: Don't be so quick to dismiss vintage caps. Sure they might not have a submarine on the shift key, but many of the older PBT sets will have very crisp dye subbing and very thick plastic (However, The most common quirk to this is finding a pretty clean PBT set with a yellowed ABS spacebar. Can easily be fixed assuming you can find a non-warped PBT spacebar)
Futhermore, you can still buy caps for Alps style caps. They aren't as numerous, and usually a little boring looking, but it can be done. Tai-Hao makes quite a few.
Then there's always the option of re soldering a board to have a modern MX switch (providing that the pins on the board line up)
EDIT: I should have elaborated a bit more with my original answer. Cherry MX was created about 1985. That predates even some Models M. That gives you over 30 years of boards to search from, assuming that you really want vintage Cherry MX.
If that's not a wide enough selection for you, Cherry MX weren't the first switch to use that " + " style stem. If you watch any of those "best switch" videos on Chyrosran's channel, you'll come across a few of them.
Finally: Don't be so quick to dismiss vintage caps. Sure they might not have a submarine on the shift key, but many of the older PBT sets will have very crisp dye subbing and very thick plastic (However, The most common quirk to this is finding a pretty clean PBT set with a yellowed ABS spacebar. Can easily be fixed assuming you can find a non-warped PBT spacebar)
LastContinue
164
Sep 25, 2018
What other criteria do you have?
Full Size? TKL? N% ?
Do the macros need to be built onto the board, or are you okay with having a separate macro pad?
Do you want prebuilt or a kit?
Readily available, or can you wait for a group buy?
Does it need to be a modern design, or how about something vintage?
How do you want to be able to configure the keyboard? Is programming okay, or do you need a GUI?
Lots of information needed before folks can start recommending keyboards. There are a ton out there!
Full Size? TKL? N% ?
Do the macros need to be built onto the board, or are you okay with having a separate macro pad?
Do you want prebuilt or a kit?
Readily available, or can you wait for a group buy?
Does it need to be a modern design, or how about something vintage?
How do you want to be able to configure the keyboard? Is programming okay, or do you need a GUI?
Lots of information needed before folks can start recommending keyboards. There are a ton out there!
grins
4
Sep 26, 2018
LastContinueOh huh, I didn't think about it that hard but I guess there really are a lot of options to consider.
Ideally the keys would be built in on the left side just like my current keyboard. I currently have my five keys mapped to home-end-del-enter-backspace and I use them all the time so that's why I'm trying to see what's out there. Media keys would be nice to have too. I've never programmed a keyboard before so unless it's something I can figure out in an afternoon, a GUI would be helpful. Tenkeyless is fine, I don't use the numpad much on my home computer.
It's not something I need right away so I could wait for a group buy on a kit and some nice looking key caps. I've been using Cherry blues for the past six years with my blackwidow, so feedback is a priority for me. Maybe minus the noise.
Design-wise, I prefer it clean but I'm not that picky.
Ideally the keys would be built in on the left side just like my current keyboard. I currently have my five keys mapped to home-end-del-enter-backspace and I use them all the time so that's why I'm trying to see what's out there. Media keys would be nice to have too. I've never programmed a keyboard before so unless it's something I can figure out in an afternoon, a GUI would be helpful. Tenkeyless is fine, I don't use the numpad much on my home computer.
It's not something I need right away so I could wait for a group buy on a kit and some nice looking key caps. I've been using Cherry blues for the past six years with my blackwidow, so feedback is a priority for me. Maybe minus the noise.
Design-wise, I prefer it clean but I'm not that picky.
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