Official FFR Keyboard Review/Discussion Thread

[Plan_Bsk81127]

Official FFR Keyboard Thread

***The keyboard is a key component to a computer and especially important when playing FFR. The goal of this thread is for users to have a guide when looking for a new keyboard or just discussing keyboards in general.***

- All users are welcome to post their thoughts on keyboards they have experienced. If you wish, you can write up an official review, post it in this thread, and your post link will be added to the OP for users to reference from (make sure to specify if your review is official and can be added to the OP) . NOTE: When writing official reviews please include the name of the keyboard, a photo (if you are the first to review), a cost or if its discontinued (if you are the first to review), an overall review of the keyboard (ex. layout, functionality, quality, features, etc), and how the keyboard is when playing FFR. Please be respectful with your reviews and discussions, there is no one keyboard that is the absolute best, it is all preference, so please respect others views and takes on keyboards they like/dislike. Good quality reviews are more helpful to others.

Any suggestions to improve this thread are welcome!

Reviews
*All prices listed are an average price, use of the "~" meaning it could cost more or less than the given price.

Membrane Keyboards

Logitech K120
Cost: $15~


User Reviews:

Plan_Bsk81127: http://www.flashflashrevolution.com/...78&postcount=2
TC_Halogen: http://www.flashflashrevolution.com/...7&postcount=14

Microsoft Sidewinder X4
Cost: $50~


User Reviews:

Plan_Bsk81127: http://www.flashflashrevolution.com/...78&postcount=2

Razer Lycosa
Cost: $70~


User Reviews:

Plan_Bsk81127: http://www.flashflashrevolution.com/...78&postcount=2

Razer Lycosa (Mirror)
Cost: $70~


User Reviews:

Xx{Midnight}xX: http://www.flashflashrevolution.com/...3&postcount=10

Gateway KB-0532
Cost: $30~


User Reviews

[TeRa]: http://www.flashflashrevolution.com/...25&postcount=8

Scissor switch Keyboards

Logitech Illuminated
Cost: $80~


User Reviews:

Plan_Bsk81127: http://www.flashflashrevolution.com/...78&postcount=2
ilikexd: http://www.flashflashrevolution.com/...3&postcount=15

Logitech UltraX
Cost: Discontinued (Similar model is still available, cost: $40~)


User Reviews:

Plan_Bsk81127: http://www.flashflashrevolution.com/...78&postcount=2

Kensington Slimtype
Cost: Discontinued


User Reviews:

Plan_Bsk81127: http://www.flashflashrevolution.com/...78&postcount=2

Kensington K72357US
Cost: $25~


User Reviews:

Wayward Vagabond: http://www.flashflashrevolution.com/...0&postcount=17

HP Wireless Elite
Cost: Discontinued (Cost: $35~ if still sold on some sites)


User Reviews:

TC_Halogen: http://www.flashflashrevolution.com/...7&postcount=14

Mechanical Keyboards

** For those who are not familiar with mechanical keyboards, here is a great guide to go by and get an understanding.**
http://www.overclock.net/t/491752/me...keyboard-guide

Razer Blackwidow
Cost: $80~


User Reviews:

Plan_Bsk81127: http://www.flashflashrevolution.com/...78&postcount=2

Das Keyboard
Cost: $110~


User Reviews:

DarkZtar: http://www.flashflashrevolution.com/...92&postcount=6 (Blue Switches)

Rosewill RK-9000BR
Cost: $110~


User Reviews

ilikexd: http://www.flashflashrevolution.com/...3&postcount=15

Rosewill RK-9000BRI
Cost: $90~


User Reviews:

sticklydude: http://www.flashflashrevolution.com/...0&postcount=12

Cool Master CM Storm Quick Fire Pro
Cost: $100~


User Reviews

xNiX: http://www.flashflashrevolution.com/...8&postcount=24

[Plan_Bsk81127]

Official Reviews

Logitech K120

Overall: Looks like you basic standard keyboard, fairly nice size to it. Keys are about mid height so nothing too bulky. Good if you are urgently in need of a new keyboard and are low on cash.

Gameplay: Your typical membrane keyboard, but this one really didnt play too well. May be because I didnt let it break in enough, but overall it just wasnt a good play. Couldnt really ask much from it though given the price, but if you arent picky about how a keyboard plays I guess this one will hold you over for a low price.

Microsoft Sidewinder X4

Overall: This keyboard looked neat hence why I decided to give it a shot. Decent keyboard, but I personally wasnt too fond of it. The keyboard itself is not too thick, but the wristpad (non removable) attached to it is fairly steep. Comes with red back lighting that is adjustable, but still seems pretty dim even on its highest setting. The F1-F12, print screen, scroll lock, pause break, and escape keys are all extremely tiny which is annoying, especially the escape key. The keyboard and keys all have a glossy finish to it which may be a negative to some. It includes six macro keys with a setting to switch between sets, so you have 18 programmable macro keys to use as well as media keys and a record button to record keystrokes for your macro keys.

Gameplay: Couldnt get used to this keyboard, the glossy finish was kind of a hassle to play on, and the membrane switches on this are not the best when playing FFR. Would be a nice keyboard for someone of a lower skill, but as you become more advanced of a player, this is not a keyboard that would be good to use. Upside to this keyboard is it can register up to 26 keys at one time, so pretty much every setup can be mapped on it.

Razer Lycosa

Overall: This keyboard has a nice look to it and the blue backlit keys are a nice touch to have, especially since they have different lighting modes such as full lighting, no lighting, only lighting the ASWD keys, etc. The media touch pad on the top right corner of the keyboard is a pretty sweet feature as well. This is not the mirror edition, so the keys have a rubber coating on them. Comes with a detachable wrist pad which is always a good option to have. Overall not too bad of a keyboard to have if you are a casual gamer or want a cool keyboard sitting on your desk to use.

Gameplay: I used this keyboard for a decent amount of time and at first it wasnt too bad to use, but over time I started to not want to use it. The rubber coated keys can be a hassle to play with especially on hard songs imo and that rubber coating wears off after awhile, so you will have a good amount of blank blue lit keys. When some of the keys got broken in pretty good they didnt seem to play so well, so had to switch setups quite a bit. From what I remember (since I gave away this keyboard), this keyboard had trouble getting some setups to work due to ghosting issues. So if you can deal with your setup possibly not working and arent too worried about rubber coated keys/membrane switches, this keyboard wouldnt be too bad for a casual player.

Logitech Illuminated

Overall: This keyboard was one I wanted the moment I saw it. It looks great with the backlit keys, clear rim around the outside, very slim keyboard overall, media/back lighting controls, and has a slight wrist pad on it. Some minor things I didnt like such as some of the keys not being backlit, the bottom row keys being elevated higher than the rest of the keys, and the LED's for num/cap/scroll lock being located under the number pad, but nothing really that would make one not want to at least give this a try. I kind of like to look at this keyboard as the mechanical keyboard for flat keyboards. For a scissor switch keyboard this one holds up pretty well. The keys kind of have a fragile feeling to them, but when typing its not really noticeable.

Gameplay: This is a very nice keyboard to play on and certainly pars up with the other top slim keyboard to play with. As mentioned before the keys kind of have a fragile feel to them, but you adjust to it after a bit. This keyboard is very nice for speed as well as warming up. Not to fond of it for jacks because for some reason it doesnt seem to function well with them. I would probably play on this keyboard more often if it didnt give me wrist issues for whatever reason, but I do recommend it for those looking for a very good quality keyboard to play on and have for casual use.

Logitech UltraX

Overall: Fairly simple looking keyboard, nice black/silver color scheme, and some media keys at the top. Pretty slim keyboard overall, nice laptop style keys.

Gameplay: This is probably one of my favorite keyboards to use. One of few keyboards that is pretty comfortable for overall play of any skill. Good for speed, nice for jacks, vibrating, etc. The keys are pretty solid and have nice keytaps when playing. I wish this model wasnt discontinued, would like to get another one due to my current having issues. The other model is pretty much the same thing, just a different look to the keyboard and has a PS/2 port instead of USB, but if you can get a hold of either model of this keyboard I really recommend it for FFR.

Kensington Slimtype

Overall: Pretty small keyboard if you are worried about space, the arrow keys are pretty small which could be an issue. Keyboard includes some media keys at the top as well as a sleep button for the computer which is pretty nice. Good keyboard for the price (if you can find one) and good on space.

Gameplay: This keyboard is one of my favorites just because of the keytaps. Playing wise though it is a solid keyboard, nice sturdy keys, and good for playing MA songs. I eventually ran into issues when using it for endurance or heavier songs, but really wasnt an issue when I used it as my main playing keyboard. Decent on jacks, faster jacks and vibrajacks a little iffy, but its a pretty good keyboard for the price they were selling at.

Razer Blackwidow

Overall: The keyboard itself is pretty big and has some weight to it which helps it not move around on you. Came with Cherry MX Blue mechanical keys which are really nice for typing due to the clicky sound and small amount of effort needed when pressing a key. I did have some issues with some of the switches jamming up even when the key had never been used before, so quality wise it didnt really impress me too much. Not all that bad though if looking for a lower end mechanical for casual use.

Gameplay: Even though I am not fond of this keyboard I still end up using it to play at times. The Cherry Mx Blue switches are really nice for MA style charts, charts that are more simple and straightforward. My Issues came as I got into harder charts. It may be because the keyboard doesnt fit my playing style, but it seemed like the blue switches do not like half assed key presses such as when the key is already pressed down, it doesnt like to register until you basically fully lift up then press again. This becomes a problem on like quick mini jacks, fast jacks, and faster songs if you dont quite have the speed for them. Overall its a decent playing keyboard, only complaint other than my dislike of the blue switches was the durability after playing on it for some time. Switches started to jam up and not work.

[xNiX]

Holy shit, finally! Haha!
I assume, you're still updating this thread though. You should add CM Quick Fire Rapid, mk 50, and mk80

[TheSaxRunner05]

Lift up* not life up
Last paragraph

Nice reviews, could be helpful

[d4u7211]

IMO, jacks work well with the illuminated.

I got my Illuminated for xmas, all these pics are first tries since the new kb, but could not be passed (despite multiple attempts) on other kbs



First try on the new kb, never passed on my old kb


First try again on new kb...lolwut


The ending got me every time, until I tried it again


Not very good, but the MA was pretty much there though.


I used to get a C on this, and I wasn't really vibrating on this one.


Uhm....

I'll remove this since it has pics if you want, but i put them in the spoiler at least.
edit: all these were done last night

[DarkZtar]

Didn't see this one on this list, and this is the keyboard I got recently that I use.

taken straight from its website lol

Guess this'll be an official review hehe.

Overall: Really nice feel, super responsive which is pretty typical of a mechanical keyboard anyway. It comes with back mounts so you can adjust what angle you want it to sit at which is nice. Comes with extra usb ports on the side if you lack usb ports on a laptop. Also it is really really durable (advertised to withstand 50 million keystrokes). The main downside overall is that this keyboard is REALLY heavy compared to most other keyboards.

Gameplay: Feels smooth right off the bat, no need to break it in. Keys are super light/sensitive so if you rest your hand too heavily you'll pick up random boos. Really good keyboard for jacking since the key response time is so short. It also has really nice tap/click sounds if you utilize keytaps to stay in rhythm. Being able to adjust the back-mounts is also really nice depending on your hand position during gameplay.

[Plan_Bsk81127]

Originally Posted by xNiX

Holy shit, finally! Haha!
I assume, you're still updating this thread though. You should add CM Quick Fire Rapid, mk 50, and mk80

Originally Posted by DarkZtar

Didn't see this one on this list, and this is the keyboard I got recently that I use.

Ya, I'm going to be updating as people post reviews. The ones that I put up were keyboards I have used. I didnt want to dump a bunch of images and wait to see if anyone uses them, was just going to wait until it got reviewed then add it to the first post.

Originally Posted by d4u7211

IMO, jacks work well with the illuminated.
I'll remove this since it has pics if you want, but i put them in the spoiler at least.
edit: all these were done last night

You dont have to remove it, just not using it as an official review, but you can review/discuss however you wish in this thread.

[Xx{Midnight}xX]

Razer Lycosa Mirror Edition

Overall: When I first got it, it felt really nice and clean. Things went well after adjusting my setup due to ghosting issues. But after 6 months of dealing with the drivers cause it to randomly stop working, I had it replaced (as my p key had become indented into the keyboard, but still usable for standard typing purposes) and much didn't change. The drivers still raped the use of the keyboard so I just uninstalled them. The o key indented even earlier than 6 months into having a replacement. This keyboard is very lacking in the durability department. But it does look nice. So it's like getting an apple product. Fucking thing sucks, but it looks nice.

Gameplay: Plays really nicely without the drivers and assuming you keep your nails cut to a point of OCD. Feels very nice on the fingers and takes a lot less effort than you'd expect it to take to push the keys in. The issue with that is when you're typing you'll press a key lightly and it won't register. This is an issue on FFR though because you'll hit a key lighter to hit it faster and it will miss. Though I will say there's no noticeable delay in hitting a note.

Score: 2/10

I give it that score due to an extreme lack in durability and the fact the drivers that come with it directly are trash. That's a key thing if you're dropping the kind of money on such a keyboard. I do have to say their customer response team is really helpful and quick about getting back to you so if you ever needed to contact them, it's a good experience in that regard.

Edit: Here's an example of what I'm talking about when I say it indented into the keyboard.



As you can see the o and ; keys look like they're pressed (amusingly enough they're not and you can still type on them.)

[One Winged Angel]

Kensington Slimtype

It's cute

[flash dualist]

CM Storm QuickFire Rapid w/ blue

Its actually my first mechanical keyboard with blue switches tbh.

This keyboard is really good for speed and MA/PA. Jacking on it is gonna take some time for me to get use to though.

[sticklydude]

Alright so this is my review for the Rosewill RK-9000BRI

The RK-9000BRI is a 104-key mechanical keyboard that features Cherry MX Brown switches, N-Key Rollover though PS/2, and 6-Key Rollover through USB.


Packaging:
Okay, so the RK-9000BRI comes in a pretty basic yet sturdy cardboard box with not much included on the inside. Inside you'll find the keyboard covered in a thin foam material, a single sheet of paper they call a "User Manual", which is just a sheet that lists the tech specs of the keyboard and the swtiches, a USB to Mini USB cable, and a PS/2 to Mini USB cable. That's it. No drivers needed. It is completely plug and play.




First Impressions:
The keyboard itself appears to be quite sturdy. The black on white color scheme might not appeal to everyone, but I found that it's actually quite nice. If you don't like the black keys on the white chassis, these keyboards are fully compatible with WASD keycaps, so you may customize to your liking. Nothing is glossy, which is good if you go crazy over fingerprints, and there is no multimedia or macro keys.

It appears to have the same casing and keys as some Filco keyboards, so this might be just a rebranded keyboard, which is pretty cool since the price that these are usually found at.


The casing of the keyboard is smooth and the keys have a nice touch to them. Typing on the keyboard feels very comfortable and natural. The cord is detachable via Mini USB and feels quite sturdy currently. Position could be a little bit better, but it doesn't get in the way for me.

Stepmania/FFR:
As soon as I started playing, I could tell there was a noticeable increase in my stamina. Some patterns also became easier to hit. My MA/PA took a toll, but I never was very good at MAing anyways. It's just something I'm going to have to get used to. Can't mention anything on jacks since I can't really jack at all no matter what keyboard I use. I will probably have a follow-up on this section as I get used to key smashing on this keyboard. So far, I like what I see.



Final Thoughts:
Typing and playing on a mechanical keyboard has been a pretty positive experience these last couple of hours. Considering the price I got it for was $79.99, I recommend it to anyone who would like to experiment. This is great if you're not completely convinced to switch from a flat keyboard. If you don't use any media buttons or depend on macros, and just want a good typing experience, this is the perfect keyboard. Sure, it's not the best looking keyboard, but what you get for the price you pay, it's a steal.

Any questions? Did I miss anything?

[Razor]

omg this'll stop the 298293728372837823 "i need a new keyboard" threads from popping up every 2 weeks

[TC_Halogen]

Awesome thread, Plan! With keyboards being of utmost importance for FFR, this thread is incredibly useful for those that might try to get serious in the game. Sticky-worthy, in my opinion.

Logitech K120

Considering the quality of keyboards that people have when using FFR, seeing this keyboard priced at $15 might deter people from wanting it. However, I've been using the K120 on and off for quite some time and can say that it does the job for playing FFR.

Pros:
- Stock keyboards that I have used in the past have a very clunky feel on releasing, such so that it sounds like you're tapping two different keys every time you press and release one key -- the K120 carries a very light recoil sound and won't distract you during play.
- You will rarely fall victim to splits, unless they truly were your fault. Here's some proof via FFR's anti-cheat. Hard to beat that.
- Surprisingly durable keyboard, at least for me.
- Most common setups are supported without any ghosting/input issues.
- Almost never drops taps; because of this and all of the other things above, I actually managed to get a perfect score on an 88 (AAA'd Slashmaid [Instrumental] on the K120, as well as 3g on Husigi Usagi).

Cons:
- Keyboard slides like no other if not put on a proper surface.
- Very slight but consistent delay in input, so you will have to hit a touch earlier or use a later offset.
- Takes a touch more force than you might be used to, although some can see this as a pro for the purpose of stamina training.

For the price, it certainly is worth while to try, especially if you're limited on funds.

HP Wireless Elite - Discontinued (officially, as it's been replaced by the v2 - however, you can still find the v1 if you look around a bit hard)

"A wireless keyboard? For rhythm gaming? You have to be joking."

I thought the same thing. The surprising thing is, this wireless keyboard is VERY responsive. I was able to pick up quads on StepMania using this keyboard. I also was able to AAA Extratone Pirates using this keyboard. It's very light.

Pros:
- despite the light weight, this keyboard did not move for me at ALL while playing.
- takes little to no effort to hit keys, yet rarely triggers boos -- this keyboard is amazing for speed.
- no recoil sound upon release, whatsoever.
- gotta say, it's also nice having volume control right on the keyboard.
- most setups supported, and rarely drops taps during play. See below for another scenario:

Cons:
- splits do occasionally happen
- the wireless receiver has its moments, and will rarely lose signal for a split second; that split second might be in the middle of one of your songs, causing dropped taps. This seems more like a receiver issue than it does a keyboard issue.
- being that this is a wireless keyboard, it does require batteries. It might be worthwhile to invest in rechargeable batteries for this keyboard, so that you won't have to spend constant money replacing them.

[ilikexd]

Logitech Illuminated

Cost: $50

Overall: Pretty good membrane keyboard. Very flat sleek design looks nice. Wrist wrest makes typing and playing more comfortable. Keytaps are really silent, so playing & typing don't really disturb those around me.

Gameplay: This was the best membrane keyboard I've had for playing StepMania & FFR. My speed got slightly faster using this keyboard. It has a few downsides, though. Jacks were really difficult to hit at high speeds. There was ghosting on my original SDKL setup, so I had to change, although that's not really a big deal. Also, after two months of use, one of the keys just fell off in the middle of StepMania, not during play, but while picking a song. Luckily it was just the [ key, so it didn't render the keyboard unusable. I still use it to play index because the keys are really soft and seem to be better for index than my other keyboards. I also use it when I want to be very silent when I type.

Rosewill RK-9000BR with Cherry-MX Brown Switches

Cost: ~$110 with shipping

Overall: The first mechanical keyboard I've bought. Keys depress easily with little force & you can feel a slight bump upon actuation. Keytaps are somewhat loud, which can be a good or bad thing depending on what you want. Keyboard is a bit elevated (see image), so I use a cheap wrist wrest that elevated my wrist by about an inch so that my wrists aren't in at an awkward upward angle.

Gameplay: Very happy with how this keyboard plays with SM and FFR. Getting accustomed to this keyboard only took a day, and my scores improved thereafter. My speed increased greatly, and I used to struggle with any 270 bpm streams, but can handle 300 or so now. I would recommend that anybody who plays rhythm games uses a mechanical keyboard based on experience and what others have to say, and I'll never go back to using a membrane keyboard for playing. I also would recommend brown switches over red or blue, but this seems to be more of a matter of opinion and preference, as each one has its advantage.

[icontrolyourworld]

There needs to be a keyboard where the keys are like the buttons on a microwave.
It would be perfect for ffr lmao

[Wayward Vagabond]

Kensington K72357US (NewSlim Type)



Price:$20-$30

Ive had this keyboard for several months now and I love it. The keys still feel as when i first got the keyboard. I haven't experienced the dead left shift nor do i notice any signs of it giving out. Like with most scissor keys it is troublesome to take the keys off in case you get something stuck under there and there is a risk of breaking the scissor mechanism when you take the keys off. The other problem I have come across is the painting of the letters on the keys. The 'T' is completely gone on my keyboard and other letters are starting to fade. The keyboard though is very responsive. The FN keys are useful if you are the type to use short cuts. The sleep button is also sunk into the keyboard so it wont be pressed accidentally. Over all this is one of the better keyboards that I've used and I plan on continuing to use this for several months/years.

[[TeRa]]

Originally Posted by icontrolyourworld

There needs to be a keyboard where the keys are like the buttons on a microwave.
It would be perfect for ffr lmao

What about this (if it was very responsive it could have potential, but I highly doubt that's the case)

[~Zeta~]

Didn't isk (summer school or someone named isaac of somesort?) have a vid of Rose played on that?


EDIT: found it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syaVGwnqXH4

EDIT: doesn't seem to bad from that vid lol. dropped taps will always be an issue it seems, though.

[Arkuski]

Originally Posted by [TeRa]

What about this (if it was very responsive it could have potential, but I highly doubt that's the case)

I think there's something to be said for physically feeling yourself press the keys, almost as an affirmation that you are doing the correct thing. I find that I enjoy touch screens when they vibrate for every key I press.

[kommisar]

that rosewill keyboard is a piece of shit


I've broken two already.


Qpad mech kb rulz