I am a total geek when it comes to keyboards, and for mechanical keyboards I have several and have tried many of them. I have a Das Keyboard, I have two Deck keyboards (the compact tenkeyless and the full size Deck Legend). I have tried the various type of Cherry switches, tactile and linear.
As some of you reading this might be considering Deck or Das Keyboard and I own those kinds as well, I will offer some thoughts on them to help your deliberations. I will sum up my ratings at the end of this -
I can honestly say, cleary among both Deck and Das Keyboard which I consider top notch, the Filco comes out on top for typing feel and although the build quality of Deck in particular is nothing short of amazing, the Filco seems to take it to just another notch - which I did not think was possible.
The Deck keyboards are very solidly built and are very cool, and have the advantage of backlit keys that have the characters injected into the key so they will never wear off. I don't know that any other keyboard maker today does their key caps like this. Its expensive I am sure. The characters are clear plastic and the backlighting shines through them. The clarity of the keys when lit up is outstanding, there is a separate LED for each key - they will last decades - and you can adjust the brightness level or turn it off completely if you want. The typing feel of the Deck keyboards and the build quality are very good - top notch. For a backlit mechanical keyboard, Deck cannot be beat. For gaming I think I prefer the Deck keyboards among all others, due to the backlighting. If the Filco was backlit the same exact way I would give it the edge, but this is just not a feature Filco have focused on.
The Das Keyboard is also solidly built and great to type on. It is a top mechanical keyboard. By no means is the Das Keyboard low quality, but I would put Deck and Filco ahead of Das Keyboard on the quality scale. Typing feel is really good, and if you want a mechanical keyboard with absolutely blank key caps, Das Keyboard has that option for you. If I had never tried a Deck or Filco mechanical keyboard, I would rave about Das Keybaord. Its very nice. But having tried the others I would put it in third place by comparison. I also don't like the shiney plastic case of the Das Keyboard...its shows scratches and fingerprints very easily which makes it look cheap in my opinion.
If you are a gamer, I give Deck the edge. But if you are a person using your keyboard at work and doing a lot of typing, I don't think the Filco can be beat. The layout and spacing of the keys is excellent and feels natural. The Cherry brown switches are quiet and the keys Filco have put on top of them feel great. Its just a pleasure to type on it...and that is a lot coming from me, as I have typed on just about everything, including the old time IBM keyboards that weigh 50 pounds, and I have been typing on keyboards since 1976.
Things I like about the Filco:
- Highest quality; very solidly build, heavy, no rough edges or loose pieces or anything uneven. Sits rock-solid on your desk.
- Blank keycaps with the characters on the front edge...is a very cool look. And the characters will never wear off the keys as they are on the front side of the keys that you never really touch. I am a touch typist and really don't look at the keys except when rarely typing a special character or something...but its nice to have the reference printed on the front of the keys.
- Rubber grip on the bottom of the keyboard, and even if you stand up the little legs on the top back of the keyboard to elevate it a bit, there is rubber on the edge of those legs too so there is absolutely no slipping of this keyboard while you are typing, with the legs up or down. Its more solid and stable on the desktop than any other keyboard I have used.
- With the Cherry brown switches, this keyboard is fairly quiet. I don't think it will drive anyone near you crazy. If you really hammer the keys and bottom them out constantly with a lot of force it will be louder but even then its not bad. If you want a tactile feel but without the clicking noise built into the Cherry blue switches, this is a good choice. If you are a solid touch typist you will really take to this keybaord, I find my fingers just fly over the keys and it feels really, really natural. There are little raised bumps on the front of the F and J keys, typically what you want if you are touch typist as these are reference keys for your "home" hand position. That is a nice touch that you typically see on high quality keyboards (Deck and Das Keyboard have that too). I am not sure how, but the feel of the keys on this Filco is just...better feeling than on other keyboards I have tried with the Cherry brown switches.
- Comes with a key cap remover that is nothing fancy but works quite well. It does not need to be fancy.
- The look of the ninja tenkeyless is very minimalist, just black with no frills. Its understated but looks great. Sort of like a really nice car that looks great in basic black, and when you get behind the wheel you know its no ordinary car. That is how this keyboard is. It is just pure and simple high quality feel.
IF YOU ARE A TYPIST AND NOT USING THIS FOR GAMING: This keyboard is the top one available in my opinion. If using it for work, and you do lots of typing...for pure typing pleasure it cannot be beat. It looks very professional, does not take up a lot of room on your desk.
IF YOU ARE A GAMER: This is still a good keyboard but I think the Deck beats it due to the backlighting. If you don't care about backlighting in your gaming keyboard, and you do a lot of typing too, then the Filco should be considered.
Others have said there is some kind of "ring" on this keyboard when certain keys are pressed to the bottom. I do not hear any of that. All the keys feel great, the keyboard is solid and sits perfectly even. In my view its flawless.
In summary I just have to say, I like typing on this keyboard so much that its spoiled me for just about anything else. I really do type faster on it - the feel and layout is just that good. I paid over $200 for this and many people would think that is crazy. But for a person who has been on a keyboard for 10 hours a day or more, for decades, and will be for decades more, I don't mind spending the cash on something like this. I will use it for a long time, and get the benefit from it every day for years and years. Its sort of like a chef buying a really, really good knife. If your keyboard is a main tool of your trade every day, its worth every penny. If you are a casual PC person who rarely does a lot of typing and is not on the PC much, then I would agree that investing in a keyboard like this does not make as much sense.
If you are considering this keyboard because you are really into mechanical keyboards, but are struggling with the premium price (and wondering if it will be worth it...like I was) I would say take the plunge. You only go around once, if you spend a lot of time on a keyboard get the best, if you have the money for it.
| Brand | FILCO |
|---|---|
| Item model number | FKBN87M/EFB2 |
| Hardware Platform | Laptop |
| Item Weight | 2.2 pounds |
| Product Dimensions | 14.06 x 5.39 x 1.46 inches |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 14.06 x 5.39 x 1.46 inches |
| Color | Cherry MX Brown |
| Computer Memory Type | SODIMM |
| Voltage | 12 Volts |
| Manufacturer | Filco |
| ASIN | B004ZJPSGI |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Date First Available | December 12, 2010 |
