Neo's Pragmatic Peripherals Guide, Chapter 124: [Produced by Shen Shao] What keyboard is worth buying in 2022 Double Twelve? After playing hundreds of keyboards, this is my purchase recommendation

Hello everyone! I am Young Master Shen! The annual Double Twelve Shopping Festival is coming soon, and most brands have already started pre-heating activities. There is one thing to say, this should also be the last relatively large shopping festival in 2022. I also saw that many friends want to take advantage of the discount and change to a keyboard that is convenient. But in the face of complex arrangements, shafts, key layouts, lighting effects, and connection methods, there is often a feeling of inability to start. Is the expensive one the good one? In fact, not necessarily, the key is to meet your own needs. It is precisely because of the difficulty of choosing, so I, as a peripheral enthusiast who has played hundreds of keyboards, feel that it is necessary to take this opportunity to talk to you about the purchasing strategy of keyboards, as well as some more worthy of attention this year’s Double Twelve. product. Without further ado, let's take a look at how to choose the keyboard.

First of all, it is natural to choose the type of keyboard. At present, the mainstream keyboards are divided into two types: mechanical keyboards and membrane keyboards. In addition, there are such existences as electrostatic capacitive keyboards and silicone keyboards. Generally speaking, if you want to buy a good keyboard, the mechanical keyboard is the first choice. There are many choices, the price distribution is wide, the appearance, layout, workmanship, materials, and functions are rich and frugal, and there is good playability, which can be assembled by yourself.

After selecting the type of keyboard, the second key point is the arrangement of the keyboard, or the key layout. At present, the most mainstream configurations are still 104 (full size) and 87 (TKL). The biggest difference between the two is whether there is a number area on the right (also called a small keyboard area).

The advantages and disadvantages are also obvious. If there are many input numbers, it is definitely better to choose the full size. But if you don’t enter many numbers, and you need to play games, or you like a simple appearance, then a configuration of 87 or less is a better choice. In this way, when playing games, you can give the mouse more room to operate.

In addition, in addition to the difference between the conventional ABS and PBT in the selection of keycaps, the specific height, font, color, and feel will also affect our final use experience. Fortunately, the original keycaps of most keyboards are good at present, and mainstream users can basically use them immediately without too much fuss.

Next, it is relatively less critical, but it is also something that many friends pay attention to when purchasing, such as RGB lighting effects, volume adjustment knobs, hand guards and bowl holders, etc. You can choose according to your needs and budget.

As for the material of the keyboard itself. At present, mid-to-high-end products are basically made of aluminum alloy or even a whole piece of aluminum CNC, which has a good texture and is relatively durable. Entry-level to mid-range products will use more plastic. It is worth mentioning that the plastic shell actually has relatively little impact on the wireless signal, so from a practical point of view, buying a plastic shell for a three-mode keyboard may not be a good choice.

Next is the axis body. Although there are more and more axis bodies in various third-party studios, the most mainstream ones should be the red axis, green axis, tea axis, and silver axis. Some trade-offs have been made in terms of paragraph sense, trigger speed, and percussion sound. Relatively speaking, red switches and similar switches are recommended for offices and dormitories. Silver switches (including fast silver switches and short switches) are more stable when playing games and pursuing fast triggers. If you like the sense of paragraphs when typing, choose tea. Axis (light passage) and Green Axis (strong passage) product. Of course, when you buy a keyboard, you can also ask the seller to further introduce their products and get more targeted purchasing suggestions.

Finally, many peripheral manufacturers also have a full set of peripheral equipment. For example, Razer’s HALO set includes a keyboard, mouse, earphone, and mouse pad. It is a must-have classic set for old master chiefs.

Next, let's talk about the keyboard products that are worth paying attention to at each price point.

Reference price:89

Advantages: The optional black and white keyboard and mouse set is a very reliable entry-level office choice. At this price, it is a big brand like CHERRY that can have wireless connection, which is really very cost-effective.

Disadvantages: No lighting, only one connection method, no wired connection or Bluetooth connection; the maximum DPI of the mouse is 1200, which is enough for daily use. If it is a 4K monitor or dual/triple screen, it is recommended to look at an office mouse with a higher DPI.

Reference price: 299 yuan

Advantages: ABS keycaps with two-color injection molding process; double-sided wall green axis feedback feels very good; 80 million times of ultra-long life; the price is relatively good among Razer products. There are also IP customization models such as Minions and Pokémon, and the choices are very rich.

Disadvantages: Compared with high-end keyboards, the feel is a bit hard; only green single light, no RGB.

If you want to go a step further, there is also the Black Widow Spider V3 as an option, adding the option of the yellow axis (more linear), as well as RGB lighting effects, and the estimated price is 549 yuan. This is also one of the classic Razer keyboards, with great sales and a good reputation.

For the full size, it is the classic model of 2019, and it is expected to be 469 yuan.

Reference price: black 379, color469

Advantages: multi-color + ball caps that are rare in office keyboards, PBT keyboards are durable and oil-free, and the fonts are very atmospheric and beautiful. The materials used in the workmanship are all CHERRY's high-level products, highlighting the fact that they are easy to use and durable. There are three other color options available. Coupled with the fresh color scheme and CHERY's sense of quality, it looks good in the office without looking too cool. Personally, I recommend red shafts or tea shafts.

Cons: As a wired mechanical keyboard, there is no wireless connectivity. For the time being, only full-size specifications are available, without TKL.

Reference price: 299 yuan for the wired model, 489 yuan for the wireless model

Advantages: The 68-key/75% layout is adopted, which saves space; there are many options for customized shafts, and the feel is rich; hot-swappable is supported. GK75 has its own knob, and it can also add knobs and change the split space, which is very playable. Comes with RGB lighting effect, single mode, dual mode, triple mode optional

Disadvantages: The brand awareness is average, and modification requires a certain amount of hands-on ability. Currently only plastic casings are available (of course metal casings will be more expensive).

Among them, the 68-key macaron color scheme is very eye-catching, and the compact keyboard also saves space.

GSA keycaps bring a more compact layout, but the keyboard does not have adjustable feet, and uses a plastic casing, which is relatively practical and less durable than the metal casing.

As for the GK75, although it is a bit larger, it is still much smaller than the mainstream 87 and 104 keyboards.

The playability is very high, and there are knobs with customizable functions, which are suitable for geek friends and friends who have strong hands-on skills and hope to create a unique keyboard product by themselves.

In addition, GK75 also has a wired single-mode youth version, which uses a mechanical optical axis and has good playability. The estimated price is 299 yuan. If you don’t need a wireless connection, this version is more cost-effective.

Reference price: 599 yuan for three models

Advantages: classic Cherry with classic original shaft, steel-free design feels good; golden cross contact technology, red shaft, brown shaft, black shaft have a service life of 100 million times; the overall design is stylish

Disadvantages: The matte design can be said to be unpretentious, and the ABS keyboard is relatively not as durable as PBT.

MX 2.0S is CHERRY's truly cost-effective product, with rich configuration and reasonable price. I have a tri-mode version in black.

As a three-mode version, it supports three connection methods: wired, Bluetooth, and 2.4G USB wireless receiver, which are very versatile. Moreover, the delay of 2.4G wireless connection is only 1ms, which should be the strongest at the same price.

There is also Cherry's signature steel-free structure, the Cherry original shaft body imported from Germany + 109 key positions and other designs that are both easy to use and durable. With Fn combination operation, whether it is a multimedia function key or a game mode switch, it is very convenient. It is very suitable for friends who want to buy a versatile mechanical keyboard, and it is also very stable as a gift.

Reference price: 549 yuan

Advantages: very stable wireless connection, built-in white backlight, full-size + standard keys to get started quickly, Type-C interface with built-in battery life is good and charging is convenient, with Logitech Flow software and the same series of mice can quickly realize multiple devices Switch seamlessly.

Disadvantages: the price is higher, and the keyboard is easy to oil.

The Flow function is also relatively easy to use. With the corresponding mouse, one computer can be automatically connected across screens to the second computer, and then we can operate on that computer.

Reference price: 899 yuan

Advantages: The extremely excellent workmanship and materials can bring a very flagship sense of use. The metal frame is reassuring in terms of appearance and durability. The volume adjustment wheel is very easy to use. The shortcut keys and status indicators are easy to use and intuitive. Support A variety of wireless connection methods are convenient and convenient.

Disadvantages: No real wired mode, and the quick trigger of the short shaft is not everyone's favorite.

Reference price: 999 yuan

Advantages: TKL design, which saves about 20% of the horizontal space compared with conventional full-size keyboards; standard configuration, zero threshold for getting started; two-color injection molded PBT light-transmitting keycaps; wireless delay is well done, suitable for playing games; RGB lighting effect is excellent , The RX axis is stable and feels good, and has a long lifespan.

Disadvantages: Relatively speaking, it is still a bit expensive, and the price/performance ratio may not be as high as the Ranger RX.

Reference price: 899 yuan

Advantages: The three connection modes are highly malleable, the wireless technology HYPERSPEED is fast enough, the strike feeling of the Razer Green switch is very good, and the service life is as high as 80 million times; the signature RGB lighting effect does not disappoint, and it can be played with Thundercloud 3 Sex is good. It comes with a wrist rest made of skin-friendly material, and it is not easy to get tired after long-term use; it comes with a wealth of function keys and a volume knob. It can be said that it is not only a masterpiece of Razer keyboard, but also a masterpiece of full-size gaming keyboard.

Disadvantages: Razer's signature optical axis is not used, and the Razer green axis has a loud percussion sound, which is not suitable for use in crowded places (yellow axis is recommended).

It should be noted that this keycap is still Razer's signature craft: two-color injection ABS, which can better avoid the problem of oiling compared with ordinary ABS, and has a more textured feel, which will not look too slippery, but compared with high-end PBT The keycaps are still weak. The previous price of more than 1,000 yuan was indeed relatively expensive. This year’s Double Twelve is expected to cost 899 yuan, which is not bad.

If you like Razer's optical axis, you can also take a look at the Hunting Light Spider V2, which is also a full-size + multimedia function key layout, and also has excellent lighting effects. The feel is better, the sound-absorbing foam slows down the knocking noise, the 8000 Hz ultra-high polling rate makes the response in the game faster, the upper left corner makes the keyboard more suitable for tilting, and it also comes with a very comfortable ergonomic leather wrist support. The price is 1149-1199 yuan (2 shafts are optional), and the price/performance ratio is also good.

There is also a TKL version, which is expected to be priced at 999 yuan. If you like something more compact, this one is also good.

Reference price: from 1099 yuan

Advantages: "arms box" gift box, full of sense of ceremony; aluminum alloy keyboard shell and panel, which can make the switch body's percussion and rebound more crisp; three-mode connection, one-key switching; CHERRY MX original switch; 16.8 million colors RGB backlight; the Xaga obsidian version is very good-looking, and there are also customized lighting effects, and the standard version is also available in black, white and pink.

Disadvantage: You can only choose CHERRY's own shaft body (nonsense?), and you cannot change the shaft.

One of my current main keyboards is CHERRY’s Xaga obsidian version. As an upgraded version of MX 8.2, it not only has a new design of keycaps and lighting effects, but also retains all the advantages, and the feel of the switch body has been further improved.

Naturally, there is also a "arms box" package with a full sense of ceremony. Whether it is a gift or a collection for personal use, it is very ceremonial.

In terms of use, playing games with a 2.4GHz wireless connection does not have a sense of delay at all, and the performance at the e-sports level is indeed well-deserved. The 87 arrangement and the oblique placement of the keyboard can also give the mouse a very spacious operating space. The daily typing feel is also very good. From the internal sound-absorbing structure, to the brand-new color matching and three-penetration keycaps, to the percussion feel further improved by running the shaft and the very strong wireless connection technology, it is indeed a relatively versatile and stylish flagship gaming keyboard. .

Of course, if you like the simple and unpretentious appearance of the standard version, the MX 8.2 standard version also has a good discount on Double Twelve this year. As one of the flagship models of CHERRY, the price/performance ratio is also good.

If you don't need wireless capabilities, you can choose MX 8.0. If you don’t move your keyboard often and don’t need a wireless table, this is more cost-effective.

Reference price: 1199-1599 yuan

Advantages: There are wired version, TKL wireless competitive version, and full-size wireless version. There are many choices; Razer)

Cons: Relatively expensive (Razer, after all)

The Razer Soul Eater Golden Scorpion V2 is a low-axis mechanical keyboard launched by Razer not long ago. It is divided into a wired version, a TKL wireless competitive version, and a wireless version (that is, my full-size specification). With the excellent feel of the Razer optical switch body, stable triggering, strong service life, and the fast triggering brought by the low switch, the HyperSpeed ​​wireless connection has no lag performance. It is a very strong low switch gaming keyboard, and it is also a One of Razer's current flagships.

A wired version is also available:

There is also a wireless competitive version, which cancels the numeric keypad area and is more compact:

Reference price: 1499-2499 yuan

Advantages: It may be one of the strongest workmanship among the mass-produced keyboards. The capacitive keyboard feels good and the keys are pressed. With the quality assurance of all HHKB made in Japan, the user experience can be described as first-class. The price of the entry-level wired model is relatively reasonable. At the same time, the dual-mode silent version is optional, and the Bluetooth connection is added, which can make the desktop more tidy and free from the constraints of wires. In addition, the engraving method can be either positive engraved or non-engraved. Although the geek style is full, it still has a good affinity.

Disadvantages: There are few keycap options, and the key positions need to be adapted; there is no small keyboard, and the wireless model is more expensive.

Well, the above are a few high-quality keyboard products that are worth considering in this year's Double Twelve. I hope it will be helpful for your purchase. I'm Young Master Shen, see you next time!