Rosewill RK-9000 - Mechanical Keyboard - Cherry MX Blue Switches

Pros: - Fantastic to type on. Yes, type. I'm a light typist by default, and I'm used to short key travel on a Macbook Air. I tried a friend's version of this with Blacks and also Blues, but the pressure was too high on the Blacks and I disliked the Blues. Decided to go with Reds, and I'm in heaven. - Built like a tank. You could use this to defend yourself with, no joke. It would probably stop smaller caliber bullets. - Rosewill uses the same OEM as Filco; this is mechanically identical to a Majestouch except the red backplate (Filco's is black). That's a big plus, and info you may need to know (see below). - Rosewill tech support got back with me in less than one business day (!)

Cons: - Squeaky spacebar is a somewhat common BUT EASILY FIXABLE (see below) issue that can be resolved without minimal effort. - Standard Filco keycaps are reputed to be perhaps slightly less durable than other types, but I haven't had it for long enough to judge this.

Overall Review: So, you got your new board and you love it - but the spacebar is driving you up the wall? Thinking about RMA? Fear not, there's an easy fix. Google or go to Geek Hack dot org, searching for "Cherry MX Key Pulling and Swapping Guide." This board has the second type of keys, with metal wire guides. Watch the video for this type. The wire is the squeaky culprit. Follow the directions in the guide to pull the spacebar (both Alt keys first; use a key puller OR be clever with paper clips and a set of pliers). Once it's off, you need to lubricate or grease ALL of the metal-on-plastic contact points. I used silicone spray made by Liquid Wrench, which is both plastic- and metal-safe. Supposedly some greases (white lithium) work as well, but TRY IT FIRST as on occasion they will react/dissolve the cap. Bad. Other BAD THINGS: WD-40 and rubbing alcohol. Anyway get the contact points greased or sprayed carefully, put it back together, and you're back to beautiful noiseless typing!

Pros: Cherry MX switches. Metal base plate.

Cons: Redesigned version has flimsy USB jack. Won't ship to Illinois.

Overall Review: I unfortunately need to knock my rating down from my original 5 eggs. Rosewill has apparently redesigned the RK-9000 line slightly; newer ones no longer have the captive cable with the strain relief and braided covering. Instead, they have a mini-USB jack (as shown in the current product photos), with a rather flimsy connector inside. Putting lateral pressure/tension on the USB cable risks fracturing the solder joints which hold the connector to the internal PCB. This happened to my son's RK-9000; after ~4 months, the solder tabs that hold the connector to the PCB cracked, the connector got pushed into the keyboard, and the USB cable could no longer be plugged in. Repaired myself (with LEADED solder, which should be mechanically stronger), and replaced the straight USB cable with a right-angle one so that it no longer sticks straight out. Newegg, PLEASE go back to the old design with the strain relief! You lose another egg for refusing to sell Rosewill keyboards to residents o

Pros: Quality switches, quality frame, straight forward mechanical keyboard. This was my first mechanical keyboard and I loved it from day one. I will never go back to a non-mechanical keyboard after owning this beautiful board.

Cons: The solder holding the mini-USB on my keyboard has also broke after about 4 months. In theory the option the remove the keyboard cord is nice, but not if it's only held in by a little bit of solder. The cords they ship with this board are very nice quality braided cords, but this means they are very rigid and barely bend. Therefore, if you move the keyboard it ends up putting lots of strain on the mini-USB connector instead of the actual cord. I ended up voiding my warranty by opening the keyboard, re-soldering the broken solder points, and covering the mini-USB port in epoxy. It is now VERY solid and probably won't have any future problems for years to come. Another minor flaw was a squeaky balance bar on the spacebar. I contacted customer service and I told them it needed lubricant to get rid of the squeak, the guy denied the need for lube and told me I could send it back for repair. I ended up ordering a tube of silicone grease and keycap removers for $20.

Overall Review: Save yourself some money and hassle and go with another brand that won't fail. They could fix this issue simply by choosing a different connector, some sort of connector that would screw into the frame of the keyboard instead of putting all the strain on the soldering points. Now that I've spent an extra $20 and hours repairing the keyboard, I'd say it's overall a really nice keyboard. Yes it's basic, but it's also very sturdy and should now last years.

Pros: -The Cherry MX Blues are, of course, fantastic to type on -The board is a bargain as far as mechanical keyboards go -The board has a standard layout and a normal, legible font -The build quality of the board is mostly high (see cons) -Basically a Filco Majestouch under the hood, which means you are getting a Ferrari (just in the body of a Corolla) -Came with a $20 coupon, which pretty much payed for a hyper 212+

Cons: -The keys are... inconsistent. My right shift key seems to be quite squishy, even after several applications of lube to the stabilizer bar. My "+" key on the number pad would stay depressed every time, but I have resolved that with some lube. -Space bar squeaks like CRAZY. It is loud enough to be heard over all the other keys, even if you hit them hard and bottom them out. This isn't some little sound you have to listen for, it is overwhelming. -Minor gripe... I personally dislike the Rosewill logo emblazoned on the top right, but it's not too hard to get over.

Overall Review: My dilemma now is whether to return the keyboard or not. With the inconsistent key pressures on some of the keys as well as the sticking depressed keys and tremendous squeak, I feel like I should have gotten more for my money. After my DOA Blackwidow Ultimate and now this somewhat problematic Rosewill, I may turn my attention towards Asian manufacturers such as Ducky in pursuit of top build quality. It's a pity that newegg doesn't import them, because I never want to go anywhere else for my electronic needs.

Pros: Cherry MX red switches. Heavy duty construction. Detachable wires PS/2 for the win! Great response time while playing StarCraft II, more below. Basically a rebranded Filco Majestouch 104.

Cons: NONE that I can think of, it could be a little loud for someone thats not use to a mechanical keyboard. This is my first and I don't think its too loud at all.

Overall Review: I bought this keyboard to play StarCraft II and it has increased my APM and micro abilitys greatly. Because of the great response time, I can stutter step like a pro and focus fire banelings so fast its like a dream. I am coming from a g110 logitech membrane keyboard and did hours of research to find the best deal and this is it, if you are thinking about buying this Keyboard for gaming DO IT! You won't regret it at all.

Pros: Quality build. Cherry MX red switches. Very quiet. (Wasn't expecting this.) Extremely comfortable to type on.

Cons: Price but that's expected for red switches I expected red led for red switches not blue! (not really a con lol)

Overall Review: For people that are first time buyer for mechanical keyboards, please don't randomly go off an buy an expensive keyboard and then rant about it because it's noisy or you don't like the feel etc. Do newegg and their customers a favor and do some research before purchasing. Thank you.

Pros: Affordable for a mechanical keyboard. When it works, it works well enough. Tactile feel is great, clicks are satisfying, no ghosting or any gamer-specific pet peeves. I like the straight-forward, no-nonsense aesthetics.

Cons: Unit began flashing NUM/CAPS/SCROLL lights for 5-10s at a stretch within 3 months of purchasing it. Mini USB turned loose, requiring manual "jiggering" every now and then. After using the same $10 wired keyboard for something like 4 years, having a nominally high end product fall apart within months came as a shock.

Overall Review: Rosewill's warranty/RMA services are obscure at best, absurd at worst. They state "If products are not purchased directly from Rosewill, please contact your vendors or retailers," meaning.. what, exactly? Contact requesting an RMA or repair? But most retailers have a 30-day RMA or return/exchange policy. What is this I don't even.

Pros: The RK-9000RE is a *quieter* mechanical keyboard. It has all of the benefits & feel of the awesome Cherry switches, but without the clickety-clack of the Cherry blue switches. (I have a Das Keyboard too so I can do a direct comparison between the red & blue switches.) I really like: * The matte finish. * That the cable(s) disconnect from the back of the keyboard. * The small footprint of the keyboard. * It's built like a tank. * Mechanical keyboards are the end-all-be-all of keyboards. * NewEgg frequently puts these keyboards on sale. (see Other thoughts below)

Cons: * It does not have the oh-so-lovely clickety-clack of the Cherry blue switches (it's not supposed to though). * Once you go mechanical, you will never, ever tolerate using a squishy membrane-based keyboard again. * People will give you funny looks when you blather on endlessly about how great mechanical keyboards are.

Overall Review: Watch the price on the Rosewill keyboards. Some will have free shipping while others don't. Also, NewEgg will put a $20 gift card with one of the keyboards, and sometimes even put one of them on sale for $80. Be patient for the good deals & be ready to pounce when you see those bargains become available.