RGB mechanical keyboards for under $100

[MadmanRB]

Within the next month or two months I am thinking about getting my first mechanical keyboard to replace my membrane one.
I am currently using a cooler master octane keyboard and while it does the job okay I have noticed its performance is not as good as it was about a two or so ago when I got it and while its membranes still probably have life to them I have been considering going mechanical for a while handing this keyboard down as it is still quite functional.
But going mechanical is quite pricey if you want actual name brands like Corsair or Razer and even cooler master and others seem to be $100 and above.
I have looked at a few options and most seem fair for the price but there is nothing wrong with asking for a second opinion.

https://www.amazon.com/Redragon-K556-Mechanical-Keyboard-Aluminum/dp/B01NAI2TXC

Pros: aluminum base, brown switches
Cons: no dedicated media keys, could be a problem on linux

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0171BSNYK/ref=psdc_172487_t2_B01NAI2TXC

Pros: aluminum base, media keys
Cons: blue switches, may be too loud as my walls are paper thin

https://www.amazon.com/AUKEY-Mechan...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=G62WZBT5G9K7M09BEAY7
Pros: aluminum base, brown switches
Cons: no dedicated media keys, could be a problem on linux

https://www.amazon.com/E-Element-Me...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=ZMQCRZQ2GQXBEBPQ1T2S
Pros: aluminum base
Cons: No dedicated media keys plus blue switches

https://www.amazon.com/Azio-Mechani...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=KGTV725SGAM2SR3C58QS
Pros:
Pros: brown switches, media controls
Cons: a bit high on price

https://www.amazon.com/AUKEY-Mechan...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=2AHJY6KRXS7ASEMEH7NT
Pros: aluminum base
Cons: no media controls, blue switches

https://www.amazon.com/REIDEA-KM06-...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=X87AFJ185CD8ZPGPS7JN
Pros: metal base, red switches
Cons: no dedicated media keys.

There are more I am sure but these are the ones that seem they would do the job for me, though the blue switches may be a bad idea.
I can live without media keys but it would be nice to have them.
I just want something with RGB, has decent build quality and decent switches.
Heck it can be made of plastic and i will be cool with it as long as the switches are not too loud.

 

[PP Mguire]

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Bac...1?ie=UTF8&qid=1497747133&sr=8-1&keywords=g610

Save yourself from being 12 and ditch RGB. Paying a crap ton more for nothing.

 

[MadmanRB]

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Bac...1?ie=UTF8&qid=1497747133&sr=8-1&keywords=g610

Save yourself from being 12 and ditch RGB. Paying a crap ton more for nothing.

I just like the visibility that RGB offers plus I do like the ability to customize the colors rather than just being white.
I know the RGB craze isnt everyones thing but I do like the colors my current cooler master Octane offers.

 

[PP Mguire]

Yea but RGB doesn't add any visibility benefit besides being colorful. One issue with buying RGB from none of the namebrand sources would be software support on that RGB. You're only limited to a few options programmed into the keyboard. Another problem with these linked is they are all offbrand switches. I can already tell you from experience that I hate Romer-G and Razer's China switches. If it's not Cherry I won't buy it.

 

[MadmanRB]

Well I know that Razer did have issues with using Kailh but apparently that has been worked out.
(not defending Razer mind you as they still messed up and are still charging high prices for a knock off switch, I may not have the same hatred for Razer you do but that is messed up. The only reason why I have a razer deathadder chroma mouse is that it seemed to fit my hand better and I have used a razer mouse in the past and had no experience with corsair and it was cheaper so if it blows up I will not be that upset about it, but I will certainly not get a keyboard from them)
Not all the time cheap means bad, I mean I have had some high priced stuff that turned out to be total crap.
Besides wouldn't anything not membrane be considered better by most keyboard snobs?
Cherry seems to be overpriced methinks, compared to a membrane they may be superior but cost is a big factor for some people.
I mean I have thought about going mechanical but cherry keyboards were overpriced and now that cheaper options are available it does offer a good gateway in getting better tech.

I mean some of the the prices are in comparison to some membrane keyboards is reasonable, I mean for petes sake Corsair offers a membrane keyboard that costs almost as much as a lower end mechanical.
It would not hurt to try it, I mean I rather spend $50 than spend $150 and have the higher cost keyboard have issues.
A corsair is just as vulnerable as a no name when you really think of it as even good companies can **** it up (Razer did have a pretty solid reputation from what I understand until fairly recently and its not like corsair has a solid reputation either as does cherry as really all companies mess up)
And besides one of the brands is reddragon a company I hear is actually quite good as is Aukey.
I mean really if I had to I can still get standard cherry switches later on rather than the chinese knock offs.
Consider this a starting point

 

[Slacker]

Yea but RGB doesn't add any visibility benefit besides being colorful..

i

 

[MadmanRB]

As for my visibility claim it is rather true for me as I am partially blind in one eye thanks to a condition called keratoconus a condition I got via genetics.
Basically everything is fuzzy in my right eye so my left eye does all the work and to prevent my only good eye from going bad I try to use bold letters and or RGB on my keyboard.
RGB seems very good in this case, I would have to have my keyboard under my lamp to do the same job and staring into a lamp is not good for vision and unless i put it under the surface of the sun i wont get better visibility.
I could put my computer desk near the window but that has its own issues like the space in my room... its not very big.
I have no overhead light in my room so the only other source of light is my window and my desk is too big to put near the window not to mention it will only be good in the day.
And why not get a better lamp? again space constraints prevent that as even a stand up lamp is out of the question.
The desk is too small for a large lamp as well, ironic as its too big to fit by the window but too small to fit a large lamp on it.

 

[PP Mguire]

Well I know that Razer did have issues with using Kailh but apparently that has been worked out.
(not defending Razer mind you as they still messed up and are still charging high prices for a knock off switch, I may not have the same hatred for Razer you do but that is messed up. The only reason why I have a razer deathadder chroma mouse is that it seemed to fit my hand better and I have used a razer mouse in the past and had no experience with corsair and it was cheaper so if it blows up I will not be that upset about it, but I will certainly not get a keyboard from them)
Not all the time cheap means bad, I mean I have had some high priced stuff that turned out to be total crap.
Besides wouldn't anything not membrane be considered better by most keyboard snobs?
Cherry seems to be overpriced methinks, compared to a membrane they may be superior but cost is a big factor for some people.
I mean I have thought about going mechanical but cherry keyboards were overpriced and now that cheaper options are available it does offer a good gateway in getting better tech.

I mean some of the the prices are in comparison to some membrane keyboards is reasonable, I mean for petes sake Corsair offers a membrane keyboard that costs almost as much as a lower end mechanical.
It would not hurt to try it, I mean I rather spend $50 than spend $150 and have the higher cost keyboard have issues.
A corsair is just as vulnerable as a no name when you really think of it as even good companies can **** it up (Razer did have a pretty solid reputation from what I understand until fairly recently and its not like corsair has a solid reputation either as does cherry as really all companies mess up)
And besides one of the brands is reddragon a company I hear is actually quite good as is Aukey.
I mean really if I had to I can still get standard cherry switches later on rather than the chinese knock offs.
Consider this a starting point

I don't have a hatred of Razer, their products just fail too quickly. Add that in conjunction with the fact that you're only paying for the name with their keyboards and it makes it worse.

Cherry isn't overpriced, it's RGB that is because it's a huge fad. I linked you a keyboard that is Cherry MX Brown for less than 100. I just checked again and to be fair to myself it was 60 bucks when I linked it. If you think any switch over dome is going to be better to keyboard snobs then I think you're kinda missing the point.....as I'm kindof a keyboard snob now when it comes to mechanical switches. The whole point of mechanical is the feel, whether it be for gaming or typing...mainly typing. I have tried Kaihl and Romer-G and neither of which to me come close to the feel of a Cherry switch. They legit feel like a knock off. Romer-G goes more towards a Red feel and Reds to me already feel mushy. Romer-G is extra mushy and almost feel like a dome keyboard. I have a G910 in my house because my gf went full derp over the RGB stuff. When I have to type on it I get pretty disappointed actually because it almost doesn't feel tactile at all. Corsair make quality products and always have, the same can be said for their peripherals. I borrowed a K65 RGB when I was looking for a replacement keyboard for my G710+ and it was a nice keyboard but I just don't like Reds.

Idk man, I know people scoff at the price of a mechanical keyboard but there's a reason they're all pretty damn expensive and that's because each individual key isn't cheap to make. I mean you should see the QA that goes into each Cherry switch. And you CAN get Cherry keyboards for pretty cheap, it only gets expensive when you want RGB. I mean this K65 with Reds is on sale right now for 60 bucks.
https://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Veng...id=1497804564&sr=1-9&keywords=cherry+mx+brown

As for my visibility claim it is rather true for me as I am partially blind in one eye thanks to a condition called keratoconus a condition I got via genetics.
Basically everything is fuzzy in my right eye so my left eye does all the work and to prevent my only good eye from going bad I try to use bold letters and or RGB on my keyboard.
RGB seems very good in this case, I would have to have my keyboard under my lamp to do the same job and staring into a lamp is not good for vision and unless i put it under the surface of the sun i wont get better visibility.
I could put my computer desk near the window but that has its own issues like the space in my room... its not very big.
I have no overhead light in my room so the only other source of light is my window and my desk is too big to put near the window not to mention it will only be good in the day.
And why not get a better lamp? again space constraints prevent that as even a stand up lamp is out of the question.
The desk is too small for a large lamp as well, ironic as its too big to fit by the window but too small to fit a large lamp on it.

I'm not familiar with the condition so maybe you'll have to explain how RGB would help with it over a red or white backlight. A quick Google suggest sensitivity to light or glare, which to me flashy colors in my mind I'd think would make the situation worse rather than better. I mean both of my keyboards are backlit white and I can see them perfectly fine in pitch dark and prefer the white over red or blue. I actually have to lower the brightness a few notches for it to be comfortable while gaming. I have a friend who is clinically blind and color blind and he bought an RGB keyboard. I sat there scratching my head for days wondering why, he said he could see the certain shades of color when he programmed it better than plain white so I was like yea I guess that makes sense.

If I seem pretty harsh towards RGB I don't mean to. I have a friend I just built a PC for and instead of getting things that could actually benefit him he's been going nuts like a 12 year old with things like RGB lighting strips, LED fans, and bought an Orion 810 instead of getting like more RAM or an SSD. So ontop of it already being an annoying fad it pisses me off when he wastes his money as he's always complaining he's broke. He has a kid on the way and I know once the kid comes around he actually won't have money and then will regret not getting those things he actually needed then expect me to help him. Which I won't.

 

[iFargle]

I bought an RGB keyboard... and keep it white 99.9% of the time

 

[PP Mguire]

I bought an RGB keyboard... and keep it white 99.9% of the time

Yea I planned getting a Corsair K65 but after going back to my G710+ I'm a bit partial so white it is. If I ever got an RGB keyboard it'd only stay on pink.