Spilled milk spells catastrophe!!

[diluzio91]

so, it finally happened. My drunken roommate decided that milk was a good drink to have on the desk, and consequentially, (after 4 hours of sitting while i was at work) i have a partially dead keyboard, and a completely dead headset. So begins the hunt for a reasonably priced KB and headset, I'm paying this out of pocket because it turns out that i accidentally broke his halo reach, so we r just gonna call it even. Im looking for a KB and headset now, and for headsets i've narrowed it down to these 2

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=53_371_369&products_id=27215

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=53_371_369&products_id=29136

and for keyboards im kind of stuck... this is my old one

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=53_85_234_264&products_id=24328

I liked it, but it wasn't very clicky or tactile, so i want to switch it up. Any good clicky keyboard recommendations for under $50?

i was looking at this one

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=53_85_234_264&products_id=24329

but it dosnt have media keys... i liked the rubber coated key caps, but i can live without them. Thanks TBCS!!

Edit: my favorite keyboard of all time is the Das keyboard if that helps you, but im not willing to fork out for it... mechanical KB's are good for me. :)

[billygoat333]

i accidentally broke his halo reach

before or after the milk spilling incident? :P

[Oneslowz28]

Check out Thermaltakes TT eSports stuff. Its new and getting rave reviews everywhere.

http://ttesports.com

[BuzzKillington]

If I had a room mate that even sat at my computer desk I'd find another one. lol

Hopefully your headset was on the cheap side because a game<headset+keyboard.

[StormRider]

I have the GameCom headset, and I love it. It gets a little hot, but it is very, very powerful(I usually crank it to max, then put it on my desk and use it for a set of speakers.

[diluzio91]

@BG
After. lol... completely unrelated. i was gonna watch a dvd and dropped the disk, cracked it.

@BK
he's usualy really good about using my stuff, he is allowed to use my computer (we live in a dorm so we share an 8ft desk), and I let him game on my computer once in a while.

@OSZ
Thanks!!

[dr.walrus]

I've got the elixir. It's okay, but not great. The macro software is terrible.

[SXRguyinMA]

I've got the gamecom 777 and it's sweet. not true surround but the little usb module makes it close enough, and it's decently priced as well :up:

[diluzio91]

i agree on the elixer, i have the same 1 (thats the one that died). and the macros suck. im beginning to google mechanical keyboards.

[diluzio91]

mmm.... started looking into keyboards, and decided on something with a cherry MX blue switch in it. im drooling over the razer blackwidow... anyone here used it?

[OvRiDe]

mmm.... started looking into keyboards, and decided on something with a cherry MX blue switch in it. im drooling over the razer blackwidow... anyone here used it?

Haven't used it.. but I have been eyeing it since its release. It has just about everything I would like in a keyboard.

[diluzio91]

officially got the headset ordered, pulled out an old and honestly crappy keyboard, but it works... im gona save up and get either the black widow or a das keyboard or a filco. maybe 2 weeks or so...

[Diamon]

For headset I'd recommend the Speedlink Medusa 5:1 gaming headset.
For keyboard, some Razer keyboard. Might crack ur budget tho.

[x88x]

They're still expensive (though not quite as expensive as the Das or Razer), but there's always Unicomp.
http://pckeyboards.stores.yahoo.net/keyboards.html

The store looks kinda sketchy, but I promise they're legit. :P They picked up the manufacturing rights for the IBM Model M keyboard tech back in 1996, and from what I hear the feel is just as good as the originals. :D The IBM Model M (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_M_keyboard) buckling spring keyboards, in case you don't know, were pretty much the standard for mechanical keyboards back in the mid 80's through the early 90's, and originals still sell for a decent amount today even though they they're DIN or PS/2 and 15-25 years old. Unicomp updated the control circuitry to USB and added the extra keys we've come to expect (win/menu). Most of their models sell for $70.

[chaksq]

Go mechanical!

I use a Dell AT101 that I found in mint condition in a junk pile, it's possible to get these pretty cheap.There are several types of mechanical switch types, all have somewhat different feels:

Buckling spring, which the IBM Model M used and I believe Unicomp (who owns the patents to the Model M) still uses. Alps switches don't seem to be in anything new and aren't the best but used keyboards with them (like the Dell I mentioned) can be found cheap. You're best bet for an affordable mechanical keyboard is one made using Cherry MX switches. There are a few type of the MX switch that very in how tactile they are and if they are clicky or not. The Cherry MX switches are installed in a variety of keyboards including some dedicated towards gaming.

I recommend you read this guide if you are considering a mechanical keyboard: http://www.overclock.net/keyboards/491752-mechanical-keyboard-guide.html