5.1.2012

I would really like to give 3.5 stars overall, for the combination of the quality of the keyboard, and the experience of the purchase.First, the keyboard itself: I would give this 4 stars. One reviewer calls this the best keyboard money can buy; it isn't. Most keyboards manufactured today use a technology based on the keys resting on a bubble in a plastic membrane; pressing a key squashes the bubble and makes an electrical connection. and the resilience of the plastic then pushes the key back up. These are cheap to make, and horrible to type on. They should last for about 5 million keystrokes.Better quality keyboards use proper switches, one for each key, mounted on some sort of chassis.The most widely used switches are made by Cherry. They are great to type on, and have a life of about 50 million keystrokes. If you look around on Amazon, you will find keyboards made by companies like Filco that cost twice as much as this one, yet use exactly the same Cherry MX switches. So why is this not the best keyboard money can buy? Well, the Filco has things like a rigid metal chassis where the Cherry has a more basic PCB, high quality plastic for the case (which you can't bend like you can bend the Cherry) better quality keycaps, etc. However. all this is insignificant compared with the huge improvement of the switches over a membrane. It's a bit like buying a basic BMW: you get quality where it matters most for a lot less money than a top-of-the-range model costs. This might not be the best keyboard, but it's probably the best bargain: top quality switches (some people, but by no means all, prefer the much more costly Topre switches) in an adequate plastic case.I would give the purchase experience 3 stars. On the positive side, it was very reasonably priced; I chose the second hand, like new, option, fulfilled by Amazon Warehouse, and it was indeed like new, missing only the packaging, which I would only have thrown away. It also arrived very quickly even though I took the free delivery option.On the negative side, the keyboard is available, as far as I know, with 3 different types of MX switch (Cherry make 6 or 7 versions). The "click action" in the description strongly implied this keyboard would not have black switches (linear action, no click, preferred by gamers but not so good for typing). It actually has the blues I expected, though I'd have preferred the slightly lighter, quieter browns if there had been a choice. It also comes in either 104 key (ANSI/US standard layout) or 105 key (ISO/UK standard layout), and this is where Amazon does fall down a little. as the pictures show both! The main picture shows a US model, the other pictures are of 105 key models, though they are German QWERTZ layout, not UK QWERTY. I suppose I could have enquired - I'd have taken the 104 key model if offered a choice but decided that, for the price, I could live with whatever turned up, which turned out (again as expected) to be a standard UK 105 key version.Overall, an excellent keyboard for the price, and most buyers would obviously expect the UK layout, and probably the blue switches. As an upgrade from a membrane keyboard, very highly recommended.

11.12.2013

The primary feature of this keyboard is of course the Cherry MX Blue keyswitches. Perhaps you could say they are its 'key' selling point... They feel great, and they sound great. I've just finished my first morning of editing video on this keyboard and I can definitely say that it feels a LOT nicer to work on than the Apple keyboard, or any other non-mechanical keyboard for that matter. Being able to feel and hear the key action really makes you appreciate the experience a lot more. Strangely, using this keyboard to edit on my iMac makes it feel as though I am using a machine, not just interacting with a computer - if that makes any sense.To be honest though,

22.1.2014

I bought this keyboard in June 2011, so as of this review I've had it nearly 2 and a half years. It's held up perfectly, despite the occasional bit of abuse (thumping it in frustration). It still feels just like new, and the version I got, with Blue switches, really is lovely to type on.As other reviews have mentioned, the build quality isn't amazing, and you don't get nice extras like media keys or backlighting, but then this is by quite a significant margin the most inexpensive Cherry MX keyboard you can get (£54 as I write this). Yeah it's lightweight and flexes a bit - if you want a sturdier build, extra features etc., get a Ducky Zero,a Filco or even a Corsair K70 for maximum bling,

19.9.2016

A very nice mechanical keyboard that offers Cherry MX Blue switches (the clicky ones) at a reasonable price. The advantage to mechanical keyboards is that they tend to be much higher quality than their membrance counterparts and so last longer and feel nicer. Not having to press the key down all the way (called bottoming out) reduces fatigue and makes it nicer to type on for long periods. The blue switches offer excellent tactile feedback when they actuate, but they can be very loud, and can irritate people working with you, if noise tends to be an issue in your environment, I would instead recommend brown switches (I do love the clicky-ness though).Whilst you can often get chinese switches for cheaper,

13.6.2012

This is a very nice keyboard. Cherry blues mean that the feedback is very satisfying.This is manufactured by the same company who makes the Das Keyboard, and it shares many of the same components, only at half of the price.Two annoyances with this keyboard:1/ Shift on the left could do with being bigger. It is a bit too small for how much you use it. It is only a normal small key, where as it could do with being a doubler.2/ The F and J keys do not have any bumps on them, but are rather simply a little more curved than normal.Personally my fingers are not nearly sensitive enough to pick out curves, so I find that one disproportionately annoying,

22.8.2014

Bought one of these keyboards because I missed the old mechanical sturdiness of the veritable IBM keyboards which seemed so more responsive than the ones you can get nowadays with desktop computers.Agonised over the right switches as I work in an open plan office where noise may be a factor, but decided to go with the MX Blues as my job no longer involves huge amounts of typing. Was also looking for some feedback which you don't get from the rubber domed keyboards these days.Cherry have an excellent reputation and didn't want to pay out for a gaming keyboard which would be used for work and had lots of keys on it which would be useless.

8.11.2014

I made a switch from membrane keyboards to mechanical ones recently and this was one of the first that I bought. It's blue MX switches are pretty loud if you press the keys right down. With time however you start to adapt your typing technique in such a way that it becomes effortless and extremely satisfying.The noise and tactile feedback are really something to behold. Even typing this review the keyboard makes me want to keep on typing such is the user experience.This particular mechanical keyboard is quite large. Lengthwise it's probably the average size, but depth wise it seems larger than normal. This is not a problem for me however as I use the space above the function keys to hold my rulers,

15.12.2011

I agonised over buying this keyboard, and even complained to Amazon, at the time of writing the pictures of this keyboard on the site are wrong. This is a standard GB layout, with the key at ALT-GR+4, £ at Shift+3 etc etc...But, this keyboard is excellent. The keys switches are lovely to type on, the spacing is perfect, I find it hard to go back to my other machines which do not have this keyboard attached. For typing large documents, and importantly, for programming I have never found any keyboard better.Compared to the Filco mechanical keyboards, I'd choose this every time.I have no niggles with the keyboard itself at all... the only think which concerned me when is started using it was the space bar,

18.4.2017

This product is what you expect from a Cherry keyboard. The keys produce a solid clickity-clack sound as you type which is either incredibly satisfying or annoying, depending on who you ask. I bought this specifically because I wanted the noise, however be warned it is rather loud and can be disturbing to others if you plan on typing in the same room or at night time.The response from the keys is excellent, and a typing accurately at speeds is made easier due to the deep (and yet light) press required. The keys have a pleasant concave shape at the top and a surface that feels pleasant to touch. I would definitely recommend this keyboard for programming/office work. I would not recommend this for gaming,

18.6.2013

I purchased this keyboard after trying out MX Blue switches on the Razer BlackWidow Ultimate, but I wasn't willing to spend that much money on a keyboard, so I opted for the Cherry G80 as Cherry are a reputable company for keyboards. The keyboard arrived the next day (Amazon Prime) and I opened it with excitement, plugged it in, let Windows Update take care of the drivers and I was ready to go!The first thing you will undoubtably notice about the keyboard is the very loud, yet very satisfying, "click" with each key press. At first I was worried that this would get annoying but it is really nice typing feedback.The next thing you will notice (if you haven't used a mechanical keyboard before)

14.10.2016

I have now had this keyboard since 2012. Every day it's "ridden hard and put away wet", but it's still going well. It's less a keyboard for gaming than typing, but judging by my CS:GO scores the CherryMX Blue work well for me. For gamers, it's a personal preference, YMMV.With all the pounding, I'd expect the keys to look pretty worn - especially WASD - but they just get dirty. A bit of isopropyl and they look new again.The space-bar has acquired a shine from all the abuse, but it's still no where near dying. Though I do wish the space-bar were a little more laterally balanced, you can hit it anywhere along its length without fear it won't be registered.The case is a bit plasticy,

14.2.2012

As a person who types daily and lengthily as part of my job - well, a third age hobby really - I got tired of using membrane keyboards that are very unrewarding to use if you type reasonably well and need to do so for long periods. I was also unwilling to pay the price of Das Keyboard and Filco products that seem to come in at about £100 or so.It is very early days, but I am delighted with this product so far. It's a mechanical keyboard with Cherry switches (perhaps a little load for some environments but fine for me), a UK layout and clearly lit num and caps locks. The cable length is about 1.5 metres or so, well long enough for normal use.Like other users I have noticed the slight difference in noise when,

23.11.2014

Having every ergonomic keyboard you can think of (Microsoft and Logitech are my faves in that category) I opted to try out a blue cherry mechanical keyboard. What else to get than a good solid Cherry G80!The keyboard is modelled on the old PC keyboards of the 80s, same layout, same keys, same large slab of a unit. Nothing new or svelte here, and definitely no ergonomic moulding. Instead you get an old school keyboard with old school clicks!The blue cherries are the top model, with a very loud click. If you want something half-way go for brown switches. However, if like me you want to try out what the buzz is about mechanical keys, then you can't find a good half-way house and blue-switches are a must.Touch typing is now faster,

16.12.2011

I wouldn't normally bother writing a review for Amazon - doing eBay feedback is okay because that's how it works. However, as someone who was once quiet and calm and now a bit more bad-tempered, with typos being one source, this keyboard is a godsend. I have about eight keyboards here, most bought this year, and wouldn't have needed to work through those if I'd just bought this first. I had also put off buying this because people had slightly exaggerated the amount of sound the keys make. Typing on this keyboard is not going to get me an ASBO. It feels very right, and I've instantly gone down from having to backspace and retype several times a paragraph to no typos.

1.3.2012

I previously bought the Cherry Compact keyboard and had trouble typing on it - not this time round!When I opened they keyboard I was a bit worried because I couldn't see the little ridges that are usually on the f and j keys. I did a quick google search about this and found out that instead of having the ridges they have molded the keys so that they are about twice as concave as the other keys. A much better solution as I'm sure with time I'll get a feel for these keys and then will just know when my fingers are on the keys instead of feeling for the ridges.Now let's talk about the keyboard itself;Feels amazing to type on - the mechanical switches are definitely the way to go if you are a typist,

CHERRY G80-3000 - Reviews

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