I just got one of these gorgeous keyboards this week. This is my first Filco, and it is replacing a Razer BlackWidow Ultimate with Cherry MX Blues that I have had for about two years.
I'm a programmer, and I'm on my computer and typing frenetically pretty much all of the time. After several years of using "clacky" mechanicals, I was a little hesitant to get the non-tacticle, lighter action of the red switches. That turned out to be a misplaced concern.
Most people who make a similar transition say that there is a period where there accuracy goes down, but for me, my accuracy and speed went up almost on the spot. I've heard people say that the Majestouch 2 soft linear is "like typing on water", which is surely an exaggeration, but not much of one. It really is the smoothest and fastest keyboard I've used. However, if you have an especially heavy typing style, you may need to adjust to the lighter action, since otherwise you will bottom out on every stroke and that would defeat the benefit of the reds.
It's worth pointing out that although this keyboard isn't completely silent, if you make an effort not to bottom out, it is much, much quieter than Brown or Blue switches will ever be. If you are considering a Brown-based "Stealth" keyboard primarily for the noise reduction over blues, I would recommend going for the reds instead, especially if you don't jackhammer the keys.
On to the keyboard itself. This board is the "Ninja" variation, with the front-facing key labels. The reason for doing this is to reduce wear on the labels, especially for ABS caps like this keyboard has. But the Blackwidow this is replacing also had ABS Caps, although because it is backlit, the labels are not printed, and so cannot be worn off. My Blackwidow's caps themselves are also still in great shape after two years of daily use. Whether or not this keyboard will wear as well remains to be seen. My general impression is that the caps are not as high quality as those on the BlackWidow, but many mechanical buyers will get a set of custom PBT caps anyway.
It's very nice having a no-frills keyboard with a base that snugs right up against the keys again. On the Blackwidow, I lost count of the number of times I hit the lowest macro key instead of left CTRL when I first got it. Macro and media keys strike me as, well, bad, and I'm very happy to be rid of them. Now the backlight, on the other hand, I was sure I'd miss, mostly for sporadic use at night when I'm not typing long enough for touch typing to matter. But it doesn't seem to matter even then. So I would say even if you're used to a backlight, you may find that you won't miss it.
The "Ninja" layout may have a gimmicky name, but in person, it's actually quite handsome. It makes you wonder why this hasn't been a standard layout all along. Under normal lighting conditions, it may even be more legible than the standard layout, while also looking less cluttered. I would probably recommend this over the standard layout.
The keyboard has a nice heft, and build quality seems very high. The Backspace key squeaks a little bit if not pressed in the dead center (possibly a variant of the Filco "ping" issue?), but other than that, there is no wobble or grit or noise or any problem with the action anywhere.
I believe this keyboard uses Filco stabilizers for large keys, and Cherry stabilizers for everything else. This is in contrast to certain Coolermaster mechanicals, which use very highly regarded Costar stabilizers, and the Blackwidow, which I believe uses iOne stabilizers. The Blackwidow developed a well-known "double or nothing" problem on certain keys, which I have read can be attributed to their choice of stabilizer. I wouldn't know anything about all that, but hopefully the Filco stabilizers won't have that same problem.
Overall, I'm extremely happy with this keyboard. Giddy, actually. I'm sometimes motivated to code something just because it'd be fun to type, as weird as that may be, and this keyboard triggers that effect on a daily basis. If you're only used to blues, give this a try! If you've never had a mechanical before, definitely give this a try! Given how important your keyboard is, the cost is basically nothing. I see a lot of people complaining about the price of Filcos over other mechanicals, but relistically you're looking at a difference of $50 at most, amortized over a couple years. Just get the Filco.
| Brand | FILCO |
|---|---|
| Item model number | FKBN104M/EFB2 |
| Item Weight | 2.64 pounds |
| Product Dimensions | 17.32 x 5.43 x 1.52 inches |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 17.32 x 5.43 x 1.52 inches |
| Color | Cherry MX Brown |
| Computer Memory Type | SODIMM |
| Voltage | 12 Volts |
| Manufacturer | Filco |
| ASIN | B004Z0XR2O |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Date First Available | May 3, 2011 |
