Leopold FC660C vs FC660M

[Findecanor]

By the way, the FC660 is also available with MX Clear, although not from Elite Keyboards. That switch has become my absolute favourite. Once you have become accustomed to it, you don't bottom out on it, so it is not as stiff as some people make it out to be.
The Topre, on the other hand, is a (high-quality) rubber dome switch which you do bottom out on, all the time. I used a Topre at work 8h/day for three months and then I started experiencing pain in my index fingers.

[Hypersphere]

Interesting. Where can you get the FC660M with clears? I presume this is from Leopold-China instead of Leopold in Korea.

[ohgodpleaseno]

I'm also pretty curious about the FC660 with clears. I saw one listed on Amazon from a 3rd party seller for something like 160 usd. In fact, here is the listing itself: http://www.amazon.com/Generic-Leopold-M ... 00E8GKYLM/

I'm pretty interested in buying this if it's not just some sort of incorrect listing by a non-native English speaker.

Edit: I forgot to mention that the listing having "Generic" in the title was the part that made me most nervous about purchasing. Would an FC660 with clears come from China instead of Korea like Rich mentioned?

[Hypersphere]

I'm also pretty curious about the FC660 with clears. I saw one listed on Amazon from a 3rd party seller for something like 160 usd. In fact, here is the listing itself: http://www.amazon.com/Generic-Leopold-M ... 00E8GKYLM/

I'm pretty interested in buying this if it's not just some sort of incorrect listing by a non-native English speaker.

Edit: I forgot to mention that the listing having "Generic" in the title was the part that made me most nervous about purchasing. Would an FC660 with clears come from China instead of Korea like Rich mentioned?

I am fairly sure that if it is a FC660M with features not found on the models offered by EK.com that it is from Leopold-China. In addition given that the price for a FC660M from EK is 104 USD, I should think that 160 USD is too much.

[davkol]

derp

[Muirium]

Qtan is well known around here. Ships out of Hong Kong. Note that only the MX clear model is $120. His regular price is pretty close to EK, and much cheaper if you're in Europe.

[Hypersphere]

Yes, Qtan is reputable and he usually has good prices. He is offering the FC660M with green switches as well, albeit for a higher price. FYI, these keyboards are made by Leopold-China rather than Leopold in Korea.

[ohgodpleaseno]

Yes, Qtan is reputable and he usually has good prices. He is offering the FC660M with green switches as well, albeit for a higher price. FYI, these keyboards are made by Leopold-China rather than Leopold in Korea.

Would there be some manufacturing differences between the Korean and Chinese boards? I personally like MX Browns and I've heard the clears are like browns without the tactile bump so this might be an option for me. Also, rjrich you said you have an FC660C coming in soon? If that's happening soon enough I might just wait to hear your opinion on the Topre vs Cherry comparison of the two models.

[Muirium]

Clears are like browns with a lot MORE bump. Reds are the ones that are light like browns, but completely bump free.

http://deskthority.net/wiki/Cherry_MX_Brown
http://deskthority.net/wiki/Cherry_MX_Clear
http://deskthority.net/wiki/Cherry_MX_Red

[ohgodpleaseno]

Clears are like browns with a lot MORE bump. Reds are the ones that are light like browns, but completely bump free.

http://deskthority.net/wiki/Cherry_MX_Brown
http://deskthority.net/wiki/Cherry_MX_Clear
http://deskthority.net/wiki/Cherry_MX_Red

Oh my mistake! There's so many switch options I guess it's easy for me to be confused. I noticed on the wiki page for the clears it said the bump is lighter than that of Topre. That's surprising to me considering that I have seen many people say Topre switches are just smooth.

[Muirium]

Browns have a faint but sharp little bump. Topre is "all bump", if that makes any sense. They're more different than it's easy to compare.

[Hypersphere]

Yes, Qtan is reputable and he usually has good prices. He is offering the FC660M with green switches as well, albeit for a higher price. FYI, these keyboards are made by Leopold-China rather than Leopold in Korea.

Would there be some manufacturing differences between the Korean and Chinese boards? I personally like MX Browns and I've heard the clears are like browns without the tactile bump so this might be an option for me. Also, rjrich you said you have an FC660C coming in soon? If that's happening soon enough I might just wait to hear your opinion on the Topre vs Cherry comparison of the two models.

I do not have direct experience, and I have not yet been able to compare the same model made by Leopold-China vs Leopold in Korea. However, I have heard from more than one source that the quality control might not be as good in China, but I cannot say if this is true.

Regarding the Topre-switch version, I hope to be able to test this within the next week or two. I will do at least a brief post with my impressions about how it compares with the Cherry-switch version.

BTW, I am typing this on my IBM SSK, loving the feel and sound of the buckling springs, and admiring the beautiful dye sub PBT keycaps. Nothing else I have tried comes close, but for those who want or need a smaller board, there are some reasonably good choices out there, including the Leopold FC660C and FC660M.

[JBert]

The Topre, on the other hand, is a (high-quality) rubber dome switch which you do bottom out on, all the time. I used a Topre at work 8h/day for three months and then I started experiencing pain in my index fingers.

But was it the 45 or 55 g version?

[Cafeine]

I love my FC660C (even if the keycaps are fadding FAAAAST), so much in fact that I ordered a FC660M with MX Clear from Qtan. (and other stuff because I'm a stupid nerd). So expect a true side by side review soon

[ohgodpleaseno]

Well EK just removed their FC660C from Amazon for some unknown reason so I think I'll wait on that purchase for the time being

[Findecanor]

I used a Topre at work 8h/day for three months and then I started experiencing pain in my index fingers.

But was it the 45 or 55 g version?

Variable, actually. Heaviest switches were closer to 55g, but spec'd at 45...

[ohgodpleaseno]

I actually have 1 more question to those of you that own an FC660. I was looking at the DIP Switch settings and I'm not 100% sure, but can you swap the FN and Windows keys so that I can have the FN on the left side away from all of the FN Layer keys?

[Hypersphere]

I actually have 1 more question to those of you that own an FC660. I was looking at the DIP Switch settings and I'm not 100% sure, but can you swap the FN and Windows keys so that I can have the FN on the left side away from all of the FN Layer keys?

Yes. Flip DIP SW3 to ON to swap the Win and Fn keys.

What I should like to do is swap Fn and right-Control, but there seems to be no way to do this.

[Hypersphere]

Finally got my Leopold FC660C last week, and I was able test it yesterday. I am wildly enthusiastic about this board, which is light years ahead of the FC660M. If you are interested, you can check out my comparative review:

http://deskthority.net/news-reviews-f4/ ... t6443.html

Having tried one Cherry board after another and not finding a great deal of difference among them, I had thought that the FC660C would be more of the same. Wrong! From the first keystroke, this board asserted itself as clearly different and obviously better than any Cherry-switch board I had used.

Moreover, because I have been happy with my IBM SSK and its buckling spring switches, I had not expected to like the Topre switches, but I did, and I do. In fact, I like the FC660C so much that I am considering making it my daily driver. The main things holding me back are the unbeatable qualities of my IBM SSK and the current lack of high-quality dye-sub PBT keycaps for the Leopold.