MagicForce 68-key keyboard on MassDrop

[stratokaster]

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/magicforce ... l-keyboard

I already joined this drop. It looks very nice, with exposed aluminium plate and "68%" layout (basically 60% plus cursor keys and Del/Ins/PgUp/PgDn). Very similar to Leopold FC660, but with two additional keys. The bottom row is fully standard, so the keyboard will be easy to dress up.

MagicForce is a new brand, but the keyboard itself is actually made by Tai Hao. I have always wanted to try Gateron switches so I decided to get one with Gateron Blues. Will be interesting to compare it to Cherry MX Blue.

[scottc]

Wow, that's a fantastic price.

[Muirium]

MagicForce? Makes you wonder why Gateron didn't just walk all over Cherry's name too. MagicForce 87U with Gerry MX!

[HzFaq]

Guest link? I can never remember the bit you add on the end.

[Muirium]

The bit where you get annoyed with their site's bullshit, even when you do have the right link?
The bit where you swear off ever doing business with them?
Or the bit where you break, you join up, and you soon regret it?

I think there's a url for all of them.

[kbdfr]

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/magicforce ... guest_open

For future reference:
http://deskthority.net/help-f53/massdro ... 11980.html

[stratokaster]

MagicForce? Makes you wonder why Gateron didn't just walk all over Cherry's name too. MagicForce 87U with Gerry MX!

To be honest, I don't think Gateron has anything to do with this keyboard (apart from supplying the switches).BTW, it's also available with Kaihl and genuine Cherry MX switches.

I also don't think the makers of this keyboard, whoever they are, are trying to rip off RealForce, this keyboard is too different (unlike, say, Noppoo EC108 Pro, which is obviously a Topre rip-off).

[Muirium]

Yeah, I'm just trumping about the ripoff name.


Thanks kbdfr!

Now I can see it, I'm disappointed. Those white caps. Ugh.

I do like the "specs" though. Especially the first bullet point. And the one numbering — but not describing — the dip switches. Because we have all decided that those are like megahertz now and you always need more of them. When someone releases a board with more than 10 dip switches, let me know. That will be a glorious day.

Design!

[stratokaster]

Yeah, I'm just trumping about the ripoff name.

To be honest, I don't think anyone will confuse RealForce with Magicforce. At least they did not call it RearForce or something like that

Now I can see it, I'm disappointed. Those white caps. Ugh.

It's also available in black, but I agree that the caps are hideous. It's a good thing I already have loads of Cherry-compatible caps.

I do like the "specs" though. Especially the first bullet point. And the one numbering — but not describing — the dip switches. Because we have all decided that those are like megahertz now and you always need more of them. When someone releases a board with more than 10 dip switches, let me know. That will be a glorious day.

Design!

Some more information about this board, including description of DIP switches, can be found here: http://imgur.com/gallery/wAugV

[Muirium]

There will always be newbs. Names like that are designed to fool them. Why else choose one? We are not all run out of names! They didn't walk all over a car name, or a place name, or something else random. They specifically chose to ape another keyboard brand. And specifically one much higher end than their own. How convenient.

Add that to the fact of its similar layout to the Topre switch Leopold FC 660C that you mention yourself. No, not at all intended to confuse first time buyers!

[guk]

There have been keyboards before which had "Real" or "Force" in their name.
And the Leopold FC660 wasn't topre exclusive with their "M" variant.
That being said, Magicforce is a stupid name.

[Muirium]

All true. I don't think Realforce is even such a good name in itself. But that board is the gold standard of premium mechs. And so lame attempts to lipstick a pig with it are pretty naked branding cynicism.

[stratokaster]

There will always be newbs. Names like that are designed to fool them. Why else choose one? We are not all run out of names! They didn't walk all over a car name, or a place name, or something else random. They specifically chose to ape another keyboard brand. And specifically one much higher end than their own. How convenient.

Add that to the fact of its similar layout to the Topre switch Leopold FC 660C that you mention yourself. No, not at all intended to confuse first time buyers!

To be honest, I think this is a bit contrived. RealForce is RealForce and Leopold is Leopold. For what it's worth, this keyboard is also similar to Leopold FC660M which does not use Topre switches.

To clarify my position: I'm 100% against blatant ripoffs. I think the whole PC industry disgraced itself when everyone from ASUS to Lenovo started making MacBook Air clones. I will never buy anything like HTC A9 (which is obviously an iPhone 6 knockoff) — it's like buying fake Salomon running shoes. However, I don't think anyone in their right mind (including people who have never heard about mechanical keyboards before) is going to confuse this:

Topre-Realforce-87U-UW.jpg (49.08 KiB) Viewed 10236 times

..and this:

8XmuKoJ.png (342.34 KiB) Viewed 10236 times

[Muirium]

So why not call it a Popnoo? Or a Royal Spudge?

Oh yeah, because Noppoo is a turd. While Topre's Realforce is an appealing brand. Why rob your neighbours when you can go loot in the rich part of town?

[gogusrl]

no gateron blacks, whyyyyyy

[stratokaster]

So why not call it a Popnoo? Or a Royal Spudge?

Oh yeah, because Noppoo is a turd. While Topre's Realforce is an appealing brand. Why rob your neighbours when you can go loot in the rich part of town?

So if I start a company making computers and name it "Turnip" or "Tomato" or even "Plum", will it be an Apple ripoff?

[guk]

One might as well argue that "Realforce" lend their 'force' from Keytronics "Ergoforce", which were regarded as formidable domes. Really don't get why this rustles your jimmies this much.

I liked "Rearforce" and "Lipsticked pig" a lot, though.

[Muirium]

I think the board is a derivative, me-too, Massdrop-bait, boring turd. Nothing amazing, nothing even interestingly bad, just ho hum, another-week-in-the-life of a keyboard forum getting spammed by Massdrop's cynical product machine.

What's giving me fun is Stratokaster's need to defend it. It's like Kermit when someone upsets Miss Piggy…



As much as I loathe Noppoo's utterly shameless work, they do have balls and I have a certain grudging admiration for their vile schemes!

[stratokaster]

I don't feel any particular need to defend this keyboard, I just think you're overreacting.

There are two reasons why this keyboard—admittedly not remarkable in any aspect—attracted my attention.

1) The layout is very good. It's really close to something I'd design myself. (Although I'd move the Fn button to the right and make the bottom row Mac-friendly.)

2) It comes with Gateron switches. I'd really like to try them, but it seems there are not many compact keyboards available with Gateron Blues apart from Noppoo Choc Mini which is not compatible with Mac OS X.

Right now I'm typing this post on a keyboard with Cherry MX Blues. They are okay switches, I just wish they were a bit smoother and their activation point was a tad higher. It seems the popular consensus is that Gateron Blue switches are both smoother than Cherry MX Blue and their activation point is higher, which is exactly what I want.

[Findecanor]

Meh. The space bar isn't even split.

[stratokaster]

Meh. The space bar isn't even split.

[chzel]

Add that to the fact of its similar layout to the Topre switch Leopold FC 660C that you mention yourself. No, not at all intended to confuse first time buyers!

Well, I find it a bit better layout than the FC600...Also I'm not sure anyone can literally confuse this with FC660...
Someone getting it as a poor man's FC660 yes, but it will never be an "accidental" purchase.

[vivalarevolución]

The layout is interesting. Fills in a hole in the market in that middle ground between a TKL and 60% currently only occupied by the Leopold 660 and a few rare customs.

That's about it, though. Seems like another cheap keyboard designed to sell quickly without much attention to quality or style. Plus, it's hideously ugly.

All that said, I'll probably buy it if I have the funds before the end of the drop because I'm thinking about getting the gold case, some metal caps, and turning it into a bling machine.

[Hypersphere]

Intriguing layout and attractive floating switch look. One of the better prices I've seen on MD in quite a well. Don't like the caps, but if I went for this, I would opt for no LEDs and change the caps anyway. If I kept the LEDs, I would want to be sure to use OEM profile caps to avoid having the caps hitting the LEDs, especially on the Tab row. If Matias Click switches were an option, I would be tempted. However, the deal breaker for me is that whereas the Fn key can be swapped with Win, I prefer to be able to convert Fn to a key that has a scan code so that I can define my own Fn key using remapping software. As it stands, I would end up with a dead key on the bottom row.

[stratokaster]

Intriguing layout and attractive floating switch look. One of the better prices I've seen on MD in quite a well. Don't like the caps, but if I went for this, I would opt for no LEDs and change the caps anyway.

Yep, that's why I ordered this keyboard in black and with no LEDs. I think it will look nice with dark (say, Granite- or Dolch-inspired) keycaps.

[Stabilized]

The layout is interesting. Fills in a hole in the market in that middle ground between a TKL and 60% currently only occupied by the Leopold 660 and a few rare customs.

One of the big advantages with this design over the 660 designs is the use of standard keycaps! Looks like a standard ANSI winkey set of keycaps would fit this just fine.

[nicstreet]

yeah, have to admit... I too ordered in Gold with MX-Blues, figure it will look quite nice dressed appropriately (not quite figured that bit yet), but given the cost is less than I would pee up the wall on a night out, it is likely not the worst purchase ever

[the1onewolf]

Full sized right shift bar = wow

My dreams have been answered for this type of layout.
Actually I'd want bluetooth too

[Muirium]

Bluetooth would have made it authentically interesting. Can't have that!

[the1onewolf]

Bluetooth would have made it authentically interesting. Can't have that!

Well not if it doesn't come with on an ON/OFF switch
Hate having to press fn + some key to turn on/off my keyboard.