DlSTlNCT wrote Can anybody tell me the cheapest mechanical keyboard? I dont care what kind of switches it has but it would be awesome if somebody can tell me the cheapest one

You can often find older boards like IBM Model Ms (buckling spring), Dell AT101s (Black Alps), and Apple Extended Keyboard IIs (Cream Alps) in secondhand shops, yard sales, junk days, etc. That's how I got both of my blue-sticker Ms, one of which I was able to sell for $50. Free is the best price but you can find any of those on Ebay. The Black Alps Ducky DK1087 is pretty cheap, too.

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Here is a sort of guide I made:

r00t wrote

DlSTlNCT wrote Can anybody tell me the cheapest mechanical keyboard? I dont care what kind of switches it has but it would be awesome if somebody can tell me the cheapest one

You can often find older boards like IBM Model Ms (buckling spring), Dell AT101s (Black Alps), and Apple Extended Keyboard IIs (Cream Alps) in secondhand shops, yard sales, junk days, etc. That's how I got both of my blue-sticker Ms, one of which I was able to sell for $50. Free is the best price but you can find any of those on Ebay. The Black Alps Ducky DK1087 is pretty cheap, too.

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Here is a sort of guide I made:

Keyboard Guide


**UPDATED: 11/15/12**


                Forums:       

        http://geekhack.org/
        http://deskthority.net/


                Info:

        http://wiki.geekhack.org/index.php?title=GeekHackWiki
        http://www.overclock.net/t/491752/mechanical-keyboard-guide


                Sellers:

        http://mechanicalkeyboards.com/
        http://www.elitekeyboards.com/
        http://www.keyboardco.com/
        http://www.pckeyboard.com/
        http://www.amazon.com/
        http://www.newegg.com/
        http://myworld.ebay.com/qtan5370


                Deals:

        http://www.dsi-keyboards.com/
        http://5k177keyboards.wordpress.com/


                Parts:

        http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/
        http://www.keycapsdirect.com/
        http://www.mouser.com/
        http://www.digikey.com/


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                Keyboard Labeling:

        =  - Tenkeyless
        *  - Backlight
        ~  - Otaku
        W  - Wireless

        B  - Black Alps
        G  - Green Alps
        C  - Cream Alps
        X  - XM Alps
        Y  - Yellow Alps


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                MX Brown:

$80     =-   Ducky DK1087
        =-   CM Quickfire Rapid
         -   iOne Xarmor U9
        *-   CM Quickfire Pro
$90      -   Steelseries 6GV2
         -   Rosewill RK-9000BRI
        =-   Vortex KBT Pure
        *-   CM Trigger
        =-   HPE 87
$100     -   Leopold FC500RR
        ~-   Leopold FC500RR
        =-   Leopold FC200RT
       ~=-   Leopold FC200RT
        *-   CM Quickfire Rapid Pro
         -   Tesoro Durandal G1N
        W-   iOne Xarmor U9W
        =-   Noppoo Choc Mini
$110   *=-   Vortex KBT Pure (PBT)
       *=-   Vortex KBT Race
        =-   Noppoo Choc Mid
$120     -   Ducky DK9008G2 (ABS)
       *=-   Key Cool 84
$130     -   Ducky DK9000G2 (PBT)
         -   Ducky DK9008G2 (PBT)
        *-   Rosewill RK-9100BR
        *-   Tesoro Durandal G1NL
         -   Das Professional Model S
        ~-   Das Ultimate Model S
        =-   Ducky DK9087G2 (PBT)
$140   *=-   Ducky Shine II
        *-   Ducky Shine
       *=-   Vortex KBT Race LE White
        *-   Max Nighthawk-X8
$150    *-   Ducky Shine II
$170   *=-   Ducky Year of the Dragon
        ~-   Ducky Year of the Rabbit


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                MX Blue:

$60      -   Adesso MKB-125B
$70     =-   CM Quickfire Rapid
         -   Razer Blackwidow
         -   Rosewill RK-9000
         -   iOne Scorpius-M10
$80     =-   Ducky DK1087
        =-   Razer Blackwidow Tournament
         -   Rosewill RK-9000I
$90     ~-   Leopold FC500RR
        =-   Vortex KBT Pure
         -   Adesso mkB-135B
        =-   HPE 87
$100     -   Leopold FC500RR
        =-   Leopold FC200RT
       ~=-   Leopold FC200RT
         -   Razer Blackwidow 2013
        *-   Razer Blackwidow Ultimate
        *-   CM Quickfire TK
        =-   Noppoo Choc Mini
$110     -   Das Keyboard Model S
       *=-   Vortex KBT Race
        =-   Noppoo Choc Mid
$120     -   Ducky DK9008G2 (ABS)
        *-   Razer Blackwidow Ultimate BF3
        *-   Rosewill RK-9100
         -   Das Professional Model S
        *-   CM Trigger
       *=-   Key Cool 84
$130     -   Ducky DK9000G2 (PBT)
         -   Ducky DK9008G2 (PBT)
        *-   Razer Blackwidow Ultimate 2013
        =-   Ducky DK9087G2 (PBT)
$140   *=-   Ducky Shine II
        *-   Ducky Shine
       *=-   Vortex KBT Race LE Pink
$150    *-   Ducky Shine II
$170   *=-   Ducky Year of the Dragon
        ~-   Ducky Year of the Rabbit


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                MX Black:

$70     =-   CM Quickfire Rapid
$80     =-   Ducky DK1087
         -   Rosewill RK-9000BL
$90      -   Leopold FC500RL
        =-   Vortex Poker
        =-   Noppoo Choc Mini
        =-   HPE 87
$100    =-   Leopold FC200RT
         -   Steelseries 6GV2
        *-   CM Quickfire Pro
         -   Azio Levetron Mech4
$110     -   Ducky DK9000G2 (ABS)
        =-   Vortex Poker PBT
       *=-   Vortex KBT Race
        *-   CM Trigger
$120     -   Ducky DK9008G2 (ABS)
       *=-   Key Cool 84
$130     -   Ducky DK9008G2 (PBT)
        =-   Ducky DK9087G2 (PBT)
$140   *=-   Ducky Shine II
        *-   Ducky Shine
       *=-   Vortex KBT Race LE Pink
$150    *-   Ducky Shine II
       *=-   Deck 82 Ice PBT
         -   Steeleries 7G
$170   *=-   Ducky Year of the Dragon
$190    *-   Deck Lengend (PBT)



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                MX Red:

$80     =-   CM Quickfire Rapid
$90      -   Leopold FC500RR
        ~-   Leopold FC500RR
         -   Corsair K60
$100    =-   Leopold FC200RT
       ~=-   Leopold FC200RT
         -   Ducky DK1008L
         -   Rosewill RK-9000RE
        =-   Vortex KBT Pure
        *-   CM Quickfire Pro
        =-   Noppoo Choc Mini
        =-   PLU ML-87 TKL
$110    *-   Corsair K90
        =-   Noppoo Choc Mid
        =-   Noppoo Choc Mini
$120   *=-   Vortex KBT Race
        *-   CM Trigger
       *=-   Key Cool 84
$130    =-   Ducky DK9087G2 (PBT)
$140   *=-   Ducky Shine II
        *-   Ducky Shine
         -   Ducky DK9008G2 (PBT)
       *=-   Vortex KBT Race LE White
        *-   Max Nighthawk-X9
$150    *-   Ducky Shine II
$170   *=-   Ducky Year of the Dragon


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                MX Clear:

$190    *-   Deck Legend PBT


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                Topre:

$240    =-   Realforce 87U White
$270    =-   Realforce 87U EK Edition
$280     -   Realforce 104UB
$300    =-   Realforce 87U Black
        =-   Realforce 87U White/Gray
        =-   Realforce 87U Silent White
        =-   Happy Hacking Pro 2
       ~=-   Happy Hacking Pro 2
$310    =-   Realforce 87U Silent Black
$350    =-   Realforce 87U Silent White/Gray
        =-   Realforce 87U 55g Black
$450    =-   Happy Hacking Pro 2 Silenced
       ~=-   Happy Hacking Pro 2 Silenced


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                Alps:

$50     =-   (B) Ducky DK 1087
         -   (Y) DSI Big Font
        =-   (G) Ducky DK 1087
$60      -   (G) Ducky DK 1008
$70      -   ( ) Siig Desktp Mechanical
$120     -   (C) Matias Quiet Pro
         -   (X) Matias tactile Pro


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                Buckling Springs:

$??      -   IBM Model M
$80      -   Unicomp Classic
         -   Unicomp Ultra Classic
$90      -   Unicomp Spacesaver M
$100     -   Unicomp Endurapro
         -   Unicomp PC 122
         -   Unicomp IBM Replace
$110     -   Unicomp Classic Trackball
$???    =-   IBM Model M Spacesaver


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                Other:

$70     =-   Cherry Ultraslim G84-4100 POS (Cherry ML)

$140+    -   http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/index.php/


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what about the cmstorm quickfire rapid cherry mx blue edition? is that good?

The MX Blue should be the cheapest of the Quickfires and yes, it's an excellent board that's built by Costar. Blues are best-suited for typing (as opposed to gaming) and are very loud, clicky, and tactile.

r00t wrote The MX Blue should be the cheapest of the Quickfires and yes, it's an excellent board that's built by Costar. Blues are best-suited for typing (as opposed to gaming) and are very loud, clicky, and tactile.

but personally i prefer a tactile feedback keyboard for gaming which is what this keyboards main use will be for, is it still a good choice for gaming?

DlSTlNCT wrote

r00t wrote The MX Blue should be the cheapest of the Quickfires and yes, it's an excellent board that's built by Costar. Blues are best-suited for typing (as opposed to gaming) and are very loud, clicky, and tactile.

but personally i prefer a tactile feedback keyboard for gaming which is what this keyboards main use will be for, is it still a good choice for gaming?

Yes, if that's what you're after, then it's a great option.