Battle of the Battlecruisers! Keyboard comparison!

In this episode we compare a bunch of battlecruiser keyboards; large models with extra functionalities built-in. These are some of the most classic battlecruiser models out there. We look at switches, build quality, programmability, other features, keycaps, etc. All contenders are quite well-matched, so it should be a good battle!
Intro by Kyle Carter
Outro by Facundo Cabanne
My keyboard reviews: bit.ly/1TbOtft
My switch teardowns: bit.ly/2C1QGHz
My TOP X videos: bit.ly/2FmpZfd
My XL typing demos: bit.ly/2OoAW3w
My tutorials and featurettes: bit.ly/2OrkLUh
My unboxing videos: bit.ly/2TSrr0m
I'm Thomas and I do videos and reviews on mechanical keyboards ranging from the most sickening modern RGB gaming keyboards to vintage hardware relics, or sometimes keycaps or keyswitches ranging from Cherry MX to Alps SKCM to IBM buckling springs and anything in between.
Follow me on Twitter for updates on my keyboard videos! / chyrosran22

[@musicboi5271]

somebody: * OH MY GOD! MY SIGNIFICANT OTHER JUST DIED!* me: this looks like a task for a *pre-set macro*

[@SundownMarkTwo]

A Rube Goldberg macro that ends up pressing F.

[@alexhood9438]

WWII naval wars but every ship was replaced with a keyboard with extra keys

[@EpicTyphlosionTV]

Idk why, I just love keyboards with loads of extra keys

[@waffel7664]

split spacebar bad

[@nexusduncan2831]

I love you

[@needfortweed8734]

Me too. It just looks more serious. Do I use the extra keys? So far, no... But they look nice.

[@waffel7664]

@Вероника Заглотова one big spacebar feels nicer to me

[@needfortweed8734]

@@MostlyLost yes. One needs to have principles in this world!

[@AbiRizky]

I don't even like vintage keyboards, I just watch this channel everyday for the dude's voice, his curses, and the keyboard sounds

[@drcat1337]

when will you review a piano

[@CaveyMoth]

I want to see a piano with clicky switches.

[@scottstamm7022]

@0:38 I've got a bigger (Thomson) Reuters keyboard than that, with side board and breakout box. They were saved them years ago from "recycling" (shredded, and smelted down), also they have Cherry MX Browns, the large buy and sell keys use a 4 switches for one single button, and make them rather stiff.

[@Lemminjoose]

Hell yeah. I love this style of video. This is perfect to people newer to the vintage market.

[@WalfasProject8000]

9:12 Say that to Taran Van Hemert

[@1MBStudios]

I was about to say something similar haha. We should have Thomas review a picture of Taran's setup, see what he thinks of it.

[@Crokto]

lovely vid. would love more programmable keyboards that dont rely on spyware

[@psydemekum]

weytec should make a consumer version of their "WEYTEC SMART TOUCH KEYBOARD" without the remote stuff software.

[@Chyrosran22]

If I recall correctly, the Smart Keyboard uses Cherry ML. So no :p .

[@psydemekum]

@@Chyrosran22 yea the gamer version should have better switches. or modules to choose from " A quick ejection mechanism enables the keypad to be removed from the universal housing unit."

[@SonicBoone56]

Hell yeah, the video we've all anticipated.

[@SheeplessNW6]

I was excited to see the AnyKey on the list, because I thought it would finally be a solution to applications which say "press any key to continue". But it appears it doesn't have that key!

[@WilhelmDriscoll]

Glad to finally see you put the Battlecruisers against each other. One thing I will say is that I definitely prefer the Focus FK-8200 over the FK-9200 just for not having that trackball splitting up the spacebar.

[@planky1277]

Nice video once again.

[@revraitah]

I really like this huge keyboards, but unfortunately I have small desk space so... 60% boards it is :(

[@NoscoperSans]

yass i waited for this video, nice

[@sterlingphoenix]

The OmniKey is the winner for me. Mostly because I brought a few of them with me from the '90s.

[@marx7048]

“You sunk my G80-20100”

[@lunchbox1341]

I think you should try the cherry viola switches some day, i wonder what is your opinion on them

[@calebragatz]

What kind of switches did the 9009 and Waytech keyboards at the end have? Cherry black probably?

[@dr0ybox64]

Nice video. I really like the focus layout with the big enter key and the big left shift and the small right shift. What I hate about the iso layout is the small left shift with that annoying key on the right of it that I always hit when I try to press the left shift. Is there a smaller modern keyboard with a layout that resemble that focus layout ? Something that would take about the space as a ansi tkl keyboard can take on a desk. Well after some looking around it looks like the JIS layout would be close to what I'm looking for ... but it has a really short backspace ...

[@Chyrosran22]

The Focus layout is not in widespread use anymore, unfortunately.

[@wkgmathguy218]

Very nice as always Tom :-) A while back I got a Northgate ultra on ebay for cheap. When it got here there was good news and bad news. The good was it worked, the bad the switchs were as horrible as you have waned us about for heavily used alps. Also its the color of an over ripe banana. I've transplanted the sliders and upper switch casings from another (broken) board and..... it's good :D I may try painting the case black or something .... what fun this all is :-)

[@Chyrosran22]

There was a source for NOS pine SKCM white a while ago. I don't know if it's still around but it was a large shipment. Maybe you can get some of those and give it proper, new switches :) .

[@wkgmathguy218]

@@Chyrosran22 Thanks for the tip Tom. I may have to take a shot at improving my feeble soldiering skills!

[@tompramanaaccount8892]

I'd say AnyKey win all-rounder category here. Build quality is good, switches are probably okay for someone who likes tactile and stiffer switch (can't say it myself since I don't have the board), fully programmable, mx mount for modern keycaps set, and probably cheaper than most of these boards on the list.

[@dacopellino]

What a pity. For an instant at the beginning i thought you'd have revealed how to program the late ibm blue legend m122. At this point i must believe it's not programmable at all, despite some bad info i stumbled upon on the net!

[@sneugler]

I can attest that OmniKey really went overboard with the build quality. My 102 feels fantastic

[@turanturani6339]

Hi I do not have the interface of this keyboard Thomson Reuters Part No 10-11-5254, please help me how to create an interface to connect to the pc, thank you🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@jb_lofi]

I SWEAR I can hear a clock or fan in the background throughout most of this video. Doesn't really bother me, but just thought I'd mention it.

[@user-uc3pv4sh2x]

Good day commander. All cruise reporting.

[@justjoeblow420]

These are interesting over all but I think I'll stick to my late IBM built 122 key model M with a converter it's got more than enough macro functions for my needs when using an adapter.

[@balobreached]

I’m convinced Chyro is at least 20% fallout sentry bot

[@CommodoreFan64]

Gateway truly did make some great stuff back in the day.

[@AnvilSP]

It's crazy how well-built OmniKeys were. I only have a CVT Avant Stellar, which I've heard was slightly cheapened in terms of build over older OmniKeys, but it's still built like a brick shithouse.

[@gbm.03]

You should do a fleet review

[@joeMAMAAA88]

100k subs noice

[@sleehwtoh1]

keyboard

[@Skelig]

big if true

[@mushroomsamba82]

🤔

[@sfyner]

Socks

[@rickenbacker660]

oh my i want them all typed

[@kirasuika2435]

3:58 best part

[@aunabreslingaming3279]

That one needs to 1 be retrobrighted or 2 put in the sun It’s exactly 1/2 white and yellow

[@sophidomi.]

Sucked me further into the world of keyboards. Thanks Chyrosran22. also haha funny giant extra keys keyboards

[@FredCheckers]

It's a little baffling that cherry designed their switches to easily snap into plates and then proceeded to pcb mount everything.

[@zednotdead]

Actually, I've been thinking - are there any "modern" battleships, like, DIY ones?

[@Chyrosran22]

There are one or two, yes. The Steelseries M800 has six extra keys on the left, and Logitech used to do some. But not a lot, and most aren't nearly as big as these.

[@reddwhite4376]

I guess the old Corsair K95 with 18 macro keys, but Corsair doesn't make the K95 like that anymore.

[@delvilcrusher]

Nice (:

[@keksimus__maximus]

You've got a loud ass clock

[@masterbeat04]

You monster. Now i can't unhear it

[@TheLaptopLagger]

My Logitech G19 (WITH HIDEOUS SQUIISHTOWN DOMES) is actually as big as some of these, fuck me I knew it was big but this puts it into perspective. It and my G15v1 are kinda huge slabs of plastic.

[@lil.shaman6384]

Watching this with a %60 wondering if I chose the right path.

[@MatthewHill]

My Wooting only weighs 31.5 oz (sans keycaps), lighter than any of these--and I actually thought it had pretty decent build quality. Keycaps add less than two oz. These guys must be monsters.

[@Chyrosran22]

Heh, I'd say upper middle tier, but yeah, pretty hefty xD . The plate on the Anykey is thicker than the one on a Model M; 1.4 mm!

[@d9k1]

Hi Thomas

[@bbuggediffy]

Oooh

[@quizarorobzaqu8558]

So any mechanical keyboards with this many keys and are under 200?

[@plazasta]

Quizaro Robzaqu which country are you from? If you're in the US, the Unicomp PC122 is pretty nice. Not perfect, but nice. If you live in Canada like me though, importing one really brings the price up

[@Chyrosran22]

I think I paid less than 200 for all of these put together tbh xD .

[@plazasta]

@@Chyrosran22 yes but you somehow have the holy grail of recycling centres near you

[@quizarorobzaqu8558]

@@plazasta south USA

[@Chyrosran22]

@@quizarorobzaqu8558 Hit up Cindy from Texas (elecplus), she's probably got you covered.

[@nathankulp4275]

Those are some beeg bois

[@Mboy556]

8:30 what has happed to that ",

[@Chyrosran22]

It's probably a replacement ;) .

[@nakulverma7148]

Sorry was this some kind of methaphorical review of the Dutch Navy?

[@lordofkeebs8424]

Sleep is not needed I must know the answers.

[@Chyrosran22]

xD

[@sEaNoYeAh]

60% gang... we are pilgrims in a foreign land

[@Banom7a]

I forget Daylight savings is a thing, no wonder the video is one hour late lol

[@bren.r]

9009

[@JayHarrisonGoogle]

Great Review! (minus the f-bombs) I wish some company would start manufacturing modern-day version(s) of these! So Cool. Especially the Focus! 👍

[@AnonyMous-gj7qq]

The swearing is like the cherry on the cake

[@trashmann1081]

If you think he swears a lot then you haven't seen his negative reviews. Hoo boy, you in for a ride

[@rzesdwf]

lol

[@CaveyMoth]

Cherry M....WHY?!

[@MobCat_]

I was waiting for the mini rant at the end where non of these keyboards need some stupid buggy pile of shit app to program them and all the programming and functions can be done on the keyboard its self and on the fly and you don't have to jump back to the festering dog pile app to do anything with the keyboard. Also all these apps are locked to windows and windows 10 at that point so if your a Linux or mac user you can get lost. anyways...

[@Yobleck]

9:11 you clearly haven't met Taren from linus tech tips

[@Chyrosran22]

I don't really watch linus tech tips xD .

[@Yobleck]

@@Chyrosran22 one of their editors Taren uses like 2 or 3 full sized keyboards as adobe premier/aftereffects macropads via autohotkey or something like that.

[@x8_dev130]

I’ll give u 5 dollars for those keyboards

[@viralmoment123]

first

[@hus.1]

nobody cares

[@docmcstuffins6300]

nah i was by 17 seconds

[@docmcstuffins6300]

first?

[@SI.CY.HOLT623]

Yes first idiot with nothing interesting to say

[@docmcstuffins6300]

@@SI.CY.HOLT623 and insulting me is interesting?

[@SI.CY.HOLT623]

@@docmcstuffins6300 its more interesting than just saying first? Do you get a prize for that?

[@docmcstuffins6300]

@@SI.CY.HOLT623 yeah, the prize is being first

[@SI.CY.HOLT623]

@@docmcstuffins6300 yes first idiot to say first, its very immature