Wombat Coleus keyboard review (Gateron low-profile brown)
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- Опубліковано 4 жов 2024
- Skip to 10:30 for a typing demonstration.
Get it here: wombatkeyboard...
Today we look at a very ostentatious 75% model from Wombat called the Coleus. Not sure how to pronounce it. But here is the review of it!
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
The practice sentence was: "Hello my name is Thomas and I'm typing on a Wombat Coleus keyboard right now. This was a bit of a disappointment to be honest, although it would make a fine decoration!" - Наука та технологія
Wow, that FN key at the bottom left corner is actually a deal breaker.
Having Fn key at the very bottom-left, instead of Ctrl key there, is insane. If you're making a keyboard, adhere to standardized layouts.
@@katiefincher2433 Based
Having Fn there is standard for Mac keyboards.
@@katiefincher2433 No it doesn't. That's where Caps Lock key is.
@@dksjournal I suppose. But I was referring to Windows keyboards. But yeah, you do have a point. Though ironically, on Mac keyboards that key is also called Control key, lol. Even though it doesn't have the same function as the Windows Ctrl key.
People who daily drive ThinkPads would feel right at home though :p
i used to watch your videos when i was little a few years ago. now im older and have gotten my first real mechanical keyboard and recently refound your channel and realized you have not changed at all. keep doing what you do best.
I think Kailh Choc v2 has clickbars in the blue switches and is also cross mount for caps.
"The Kailh Choc V2 Low Profile Switch has a stem that is compatible with Cherry MX-mount keycaps. The keycaps are made from ABS injection molding technology and are wear-resistant and comfortable.
Reddit
Choc switches have a higher force rating than MX-style switches, but they feel lighter because of their shorter travel distance. The Box V2 has a slightly bigger bottom-out force and a crisper sound than the V1.
What is the difference between MX and Choc?
What is the difference between Kailh V1 and V2?
What is the lifespan of a Kailh switch?
Ask a follow up..."
Interesting sound, with vibe of some oldschool keebs I didn't expected this from low-profile keyborad.
The fn key layout is also a mac thing, just like most of the pictorial legends as you noted. Control isn't really used there so Apple put fn in the bottom left even in the 90s, pre-Jobs. Definitely agree about the modifier key legends though, especially that they're a lie. It would have been much nicer to just put a second set of modifier keycaps in the box and let the user put on the appropriate ones. They should also move the fn key when the keyboard is in PC mode back where it should be for a PC layout.
thinkpads also used to do fn in the bottom left, but you could switch it in bios. allowing the user to only configure some keys is such a mac thing tho lmao
@@Crokto Yeah the fact that you can change it is a saving grace on the thinkpads. They really should have done this on this keyboard too since it's programmable already.
At the 1:37 markpoint, I LOST IT laughing!!! 🤣
Wow, this is really one of the keyboards you've reviewed! It has somewhat different or notable features, with equal or worse downsides. And its lights are really good. Overall it seems like it's better than some keyboards and worse than others, and is a good fit for people who are a good fit for it. It also has a price that yoy can pay to purchase it which is a Notable fact. What an intresting piece!
It really is one of the keyboards of all time!
9:40 I wanna see more of that aquarium!
Those keycaps kind of look like it could be a cake, at least when the backlight is turned off.
Deal breaker with the unchangeable FN key.
When you said you had trouble finding the rgb adjustment keys, I paused the video and looked over the keys on the board. "It's either the F1 and F2 keys, or the two keys next to the zero. I can see why one might get confused". Needless to say, I got a good chuckle out of finding out the real answer.
I like the volume roller (I consider a spinny volume control mandatory), wombats are cute, and the RGB is decent. Otherwise I hate the thing. I too detest the FN key's position, the Macness and the smaller layout. I don't really like the keycaps either, but I'm not opposed to an emoji key. I keep one of my macro keys set to opening Window's half-baked emoji input box. Praise be to the numpad. I can't comment on the switches tbh, I've only used smith-corona leaf springs, mx browns and romer gs (the latter being my normal keyboard)
The Fn key catastrophe means I would not even consider this board. It’s dead out the gate for this reason.
I wanted a slim keyboard after my laptop broke, and since I'm using a folding phone with plenty of processing power and screen resolution I could just make it become my "laptop". As I mainly use it for business tasks, a slim Bluetooth keyboard seemed perfect to slide in and out of my bag without taking up much space. However, I couldn't find many good reviews on affordable slim keyboards, so I ended up getting the Keychron K2, a 75% keyboard using full-sized switches. Unfortunately, the slim Keychron version was sold out in my region. 😢 We definitely need more accessible reviews on slim keyboards (preferably affordable ones too)
The F-row's extra legends are mostly Apple F-row (which on Apple boards are the face layer). Won't do jack in non-macOS systems, though.
Doesn't Choc V2 have a clickbar? At least it has MX mount.
The Gateron low profile switches also come in a blue version which is an honest to goodness click leaf switch. I do prefer the Keychron K Pro low profile keyboards because they use the Gateron low profile switches and have VIA so it's easy to rebind keys. They also use more standard keycap sizes and you can use some third party regular height keycaps as well (I use SA keycaps and regular height Cherry profile keycaps on my K Pro low profile keyboards). I'm typing this on a Keychron K3 Pro keyboard with the Gateron low profile blue switches and Cherry profile keycaps. I don't like most low profile keycap sets at all. With a proper regular height sculpted keycap set, these things really work a whole lot better in my opinion. The switch travel is very similar to that of a long-pole MX switch.
I will say that I like the click leaf in these switches, but it does feel slightly different compared to any clicky Alps switch I've used.
Wonderful review.
The only low profile switches I can think of that are good for that board imo and it's also mx mount is the outemu low profile snap spring switches. I got a few of them and I personally like the feel of it more than kailh box clickies but I like the sound of box clickies more than the outemu snap springs for me.
Hearing them over TaeKeyboards' channel, damn they are pingy as hell. Almost making Cherry MX springs look good in comparison.
Gotta love Outemu and their tradition of nailing one aspect of a switch, and screwing up everything else. Even Gazzew's switches have flaws in every single one of them.
@@impointr oh yea, I tested my snap spring switches and some of them are quite pingy. I'm pretty sure that will be removed by some spring lubing but at least it's significantly better than their full sized switch cuz that one uses click jacket.
@@ElasticoOFCL The ping I heard from those switches doesn't really sound like spring ping though, more like the clicker itself pinging. I could be wrong though but at the same time I don't really want to grab some of those switches for some science. Quite an interesting mechanism though!
Still not going to defeat Zeal's and ALPS' design, let alone Kailh's, but it's still nice to see some variations in low profile switches designs.
@@impointr oh yea definitely! I'm still wanting to get those clickez switches and even novelkey's clickies since they use a completely different click mechanism.
@@ElasticoOFCL Currently debating whether or not I build an NCR80 with those, or wait for the Class60 to become in-stock and use that instead... ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
I want to see an "uncensored" version of this video xD
I'm pretty sure you can't use choc switches on that pcb unless it has the pinholes for it.
Kailh released what was practically the perfect line of low profile switches six years ago...Yeah they are custom mount, but they are more stable for low profile keycaps imho. Chocs kinda made later efforts by cherry and now gateron look meh, though gateron; certainly did a better job managing to squeeze in an mx mount.
Keycaps for full-height switches wouldn't fit very well on low-profile switches anyway, so it doesn't matter really that it's a different mount. I'd say the choc mount is much better for low-profile switches.
@@Chyrosran22 I use sculpted SA-P keycaps and Cherry profile keycaps on all of my keyboards that use these Gateron low profile switches. I don't really like most low profile keycaps, and after a month of struggling with the low profile keycaps that originally came on my board, I decided to test out a few keycap sets I had lying around and I found that some of them worked. I only use regular height sculpted keycap sets on these keyboards and in my opinion, it makes these so much better. I find that the low profile keycaps are quite deceiving because they don't have the skirting around the base of the keycap. The home row of a Cherry keycap set is not that much different in overall height when mounted on these switches to many of the low profile keycap sets I've tried. The look is cleaner too because you don't have to stare at all the guts of the switches. It's all mostly covered
The ctrl key appears to have some wear on it already, making me question this keycaps. Also, it sounds kind of cheap, plasticy, and hollow. Don't know if that's an effect of those switches, or the plastic bottom of that case.
The FN key, the price, the fact I think it looks ugly as sin, and requiring software to program the keys is a big NO from me on this one!!
On the plus side, the software isn't Synapse or iCue.
Oh yeah it's definitely not as bad as either of those. It's kinda in the middle.
4:38 the low profile blues use kind of a clicktooth, they're maybe a little better than mx blue, though they feel more like click bars without the click on the upstroke
Putting the fn key where the ctrl key should have been is genuinely a horrible decision, especially since it can't be rebind. Just seeing that made me lose all interest in this keyboard.
Have you picked up anything that's using the Cherry ULP mechanical scissors? I'm very curious about how those feel, but they seem to be few and far between even for the low-profile niche. Also on the Lofree Flow, or anything using the Kailh POMs, are those actually a low-profile or are they slightly taller than a typical LP, as they also have the typical Cherry-like stem which means they should be a bit taller, perhaps a medium-profile? Just from pictures, the Kailh POMs look like they'd be taller than the Gateron LPs (not sure of actual naming, Wombat doesn't drop the name of the switches themselves) used here. Again, it's one of those things where I haven't really seen switches compared side by side, and of course keycap profiles also change how tall things are. It'd be nice to someday see a switch tester -like arrangement of shortest to tallest of the commonly available switches.
Personally I'm looking for a good balance of low profile, tactility, and how the travel and spring combination feels. I want to get into atypical designs, I find things like the Microsoft Sculpt interesting with all of its contours, or other heavily sculpted ergos like the MoErgo Glove80, and I think low profile or ULP switches are going to be the best option just to reduce bulk, especially in more crowded areas such as within the MS Sculpt's hump. ULPs would also be useful for some other projects I have in mind that go even further into the atypical realm where thinness is of the upmost importance due to other factors.
I asked Cherry for one but they didn't respond.
Could you try some Cidoo Keyboards like the V75 and V87?
It looks like the AliExpress special.
I actually do like low profile brown switches, but you can get perfectly good ones from Keychron and they don't come with a lot of these drawbacks and still has doubleshot keycaps. If I want transparent caps then are actually not that expensive; you could well buy using the price difference. Only plus for that keyboard is the volume knob I guess, but I can live with media keys. But all of it doesn't matter due to the Fn key and probably the arrow keys. Fortunately my latest Yoga laptop put the control back where they should be, but even the one before at least allowed you to switch them around in the BIOS. That all said, I didn't think that the keyboard sounded all that bad and you did manage a good typing speed.
I hope you end up trying the Electronic Materials Office Altar
wat is dat xD
@@Chyrosran22 fancy looking aluminium low profile 75% keyboard. Due sometime later this year.
I have to disagree with you on preferring separate Win/Mac keycaps. I have a Logitech MX Keys which has dual labeling and for me it's ideal, because I use a Windows laptop for work, and a MacBook for private stuff, on the same desk, and I switch between them quite a lot. I wouldn't want to keep changing keycaps several times a week.
And even with your familiarity of it, you would still need the labels?
I love low profile switches, they have the same travel as alps.
Alps is 3.5 mm Oo .
@@Chyrosran22 o, I thought they were 3mm :p
The other thing to note is that the original Gateron KS-27 low profile switches did indeed have a 3.0mm travel. The new KS-33 low profile switches (which is what Keychron is using for their low profile boards) has 3.2mm travel (±0.2mm). They increased the travel by altering the sliders in the switches. In practice, with the new KS-33 switches, I don't really notice that I'm typing on a low profile keyboard unless I'm typing on an MX keyboard side by side. Compared to my Alps, because they are so close, it's tough to tell which has more travel, but Alps definitely do feel different. I'm really a tall profile and large keyboard user myself (battleship or aircraft carriers are my favorite) for the most part, but being able to use my sculpted SA keycap sets on my low profile keyboards really makes a huge difference in typing. My favorite of the bunch is the 108 key Keychron K5 Pro with the Gateron KS-33 low profile click leaf blues and tall, sculpted Signature Plastics SA-P keycaps. The Keychron K Pro low profiles have VIA/QMK, and use a standard key layout, so it's much easier to find third party keycap sets and rebind stuff
I can't really tell about the feel of the keyboard from the video, obviously, though a decent* low-profile keyboard isn't too bad in my opinion (*I avoided buying new Macs for the duration of the f*cking butterfly keyboard fiasco), but on looks alone I'm not sure I would spent 145 cents on this keyboard.
Not even the RGB sways me although it is a decent implementation of the concept; the fact that given the choice I wouldn't buy an RGB keyboard on principle can't really be blamed on any specific (dis-)qualifying keyboard.
OMG... Don't touch to my CTRL key!!!
Nice
I like the wombat on Esc...I don't like any of the others though. More wombats.
Not a fan of low profile keyboards but this looks not too bad!
I bet you like your keyboard keys to be little towers. You like 4 inch key displacement huh? Maybe you want a self powered keyboard, where each key has displacement so long they stuck a linear alternator in there. How about keys so tall you have to stand up to use it? You a fan of keys that make your we1ner look small? Huh?
Not a fan of low profile keyboards? Maybe you'd be a fan of my new 4 inch makes-your-einer-look-small displacement keyboard. Perhaps you'd prefer a keyboard with keys towering so high you have to stand up to use it? If that doesn't tickle your pickle how about a keyboard with keys as tall as you are wide, sound any better? I bet you're into them keys being girthy too.
@@tardonator good joke! :)
Fn -> Ctrl. Makes me think that no one at the manufacturer has ever used a keyboard. :p
for whatever reason they decided to stick to macbook layout with the FN key - even though apple themselves put it above Delete on full size keyboard, meh
Could you review the Asus ROG Azoth?
choc pins are in a different place to gateron brown, so you wont be able to swap them in even if you have keycaps. gateron lp blues arent clickbar, but theyre not click jacket and their click action is pretty ok, im sure youd at least prefer it to the browns, but imo gateron lp reds are the best of the 3
Gateron low profile blues are click leaf. They use a tiny clickleaf in a very similar way to an Alps switch. The blues have the same slider as the reds do. The main difference is the click leaf. You can also mess with people by taking the click leaf out of the blues and putting them in the reds. Since all the Gateron low profile switches share the same housing, they all have a spot you can put a click leaf in.
yeah, though from personal experience, that click leaf likes to go fuckin flying @@Bunnyisms
@@Crokto Lol I've opened hundreds of those low profile Gateron blues because I like to donut lube the springs. I've never had any trouble with the clickleaf flying. I haven't had that problem with my Alps either and I've had to clean my Alps switches out.
@@Bunnyisms I guess you're just better than me grats lol
@@Crokto practice… Seriously though, I do have tips on taking them apart because I've done so many. It's easier with pictures though. I use a spudger to gently pop the four catches one by one
Imagine using ctrl to jump and not the space bar.... No really, I can't picture it. it's shifts my fingers away from WASD and I just don't actually use my pinky much for typing so it feels super weird to me.
No thanks, I'll stick to my RoyalKludgeRK84. Imo the perfect 75% Keyboard.
Seriously, why put the FN on the bottom left corner? That's just dumb. Also, yeah I knew a rant about the low profile browns were inevitable.
Just give me a full sized, full travel mechanical keyboard. Like the one I use every day. No need for any of these "fancy" features that this keyboard comes with. Also, that "Mac" layout is a severe deal breaker for me. My RGB is great....bright, vibrant, and actually looks better than this keyboard. But the RBG is NOT the selling point for me. It's the typing feel, and my keyboard's type-feel is SOOOOOOO nice!
That light show RGB really sucks.
Can you bring ROG NX Blue? I haven't found any decent review on them u.u
Gateron makes these switches in clicky blue as well.
Oh my. Fn where Ctrl should be. My muscle memory just spewed its ring up. It's a definite no from me.
Aka., Lenovo layout, except you cannot remap Fn.
My work laptop (Lenovo) has the Fn key in the same spot. I fucking hate it.
The BIOS has a setting to permanently change this to normal, same with the function row.
At least it has this option on ThinkPads, unsure about their other laptops.
I think this keyboard is for the mac user that wants to finally tell their PC gamer friends that they have a mechanical keyboard now, too
Eh, that's a $50 keyboard to me. The market is too saturated, a keyboard really needs something to stand out to justify going over $100 to me these days.
Try to keychron K3 Pro
a lot of keyboards these day can surpass that RGB level. To be honest, the font look hideous and the Fn key location is just straight hit in the nut
I've not played with custom layouts lately but I remember being able to do pretty much whatever I wanted re rebinding keys under linux with xmodmap. one looks at what numeric value is being send to the computer with some utility and then says in a configuration file what symbol/modifier to emit for it.
Is this fn thing evading even that somehow or would that work? does it emit some kind of numeric value when pressed when inspecting with say xev utility?
IIRC Fn keys work keyboard side, not computer side. My Keychron C2 had to be set to a specific driver mode for the Fn keys to work under Linux, xmodmap did nothing. Yes, I tried.
At least it sounds better than it looks.
I was thinking about donating a keyboard to you just recently, something like the Unicomp so-called “New” Model M. Obviously, we all love the Model M, and I think many others can agree, and I may donate when I find time to do so.
Wait, I covered that one already, right? xD Or is there an even newer, new Model M?
That keyboard would be horrible for emacs.
Emacs users bind Ctrl to Caps Lock so not a huge deal.
i dont really get low profile, if i wanted chiclets i'd use a laptop instead
Like on the Vid. Heavy dislike on the FN CRL !! ITS NOT LIKE A MAJOR LAPTOP MANUFATURER DOES IT *COUGH* LENOVO *COUGH*
I still don't get how enthisiast level keyboard still f* up the layout of their keyboard on the keycaps when we have a bog-standard 2€ keyboard working perfectly without any software.
dumb!
No joke about imperium units? Disappointing.
A joke isn't very funny if it's forced xD . There just wasn't really an opportunity here :) .
the fn key being non-rebindable to a ctrl is literally all you need to know here. throw it in the garbage bin and that's that.
wtf, u use ctrl for command groups??
I've never even heard of any RTS that doesn't have Ctrl as the key for that xD .
Coleus is Latin for balls
I am like number 289
IDK why I watch these to be honest, I spent 80 bucks on a typist (ducky without the RGB) board with kale whites 4 years ago, and outside the jades which look good (but aren't fucking available in a simple keyboard), or a future low-profile wooting for my laptop, I don't think I'll ever buy a new keyboard again...
Maybe a cording board, those things can be had for 50$ DIY kits. anyway, I guess I watch to see you get pissed off at keyboards.
FN key there? I normally can understand companies trying something new but that is stupid as hell. It wouldn't be any problem if it were changeable. This way though it is electro-garbage.
At least typing sounds good.
finally a board with the function key in the right place. Shame its low profile though
Yeah, that's a lot of money for what it is.
Thanks but no thanks 😉
Keyboard made by AI
I hate so much about the things this keyboard chooses to be.
One of the ugliest looking keyboards I've seen this year. It looks like an Aliexpress bargain bin special, they have some balls charging more than £20 for this.