Going opposite directions

A few weeks ago, I mentioned that Cooler Master is moving upwards in the market by building a minimalist type mechanical gaming keyboard.  Looks like Gigabyte is joining the trend by introducing the K83 that look almost like a Filco design if I didn’t see the corporate logo.  Then we have the other extreme, G.Skill, which is another brand that cater to PC enthusiasts and gamers just introduced their take on gaming mechanical keyboard, the KM780 series.  Now, if someone didn’t say anything, I would have guessed that it’s a Corsair K90’s cousin with a top plate.  Now not only does this one hosts the full keys, but added more than a dozen more dedicated macro and control keys.  So, in that direction we go with supersized keyboards that has a key for just about everything.  Now, where’s the coffee/tea making macro key?

Anyhow, perhaps this is another sign of divergent demographics in the mechanical keyboard enthusiasts’ world.  Both Gigabyte and G.Skill are going after the same market segment Cooler Master is.  I am going to venture to guess that this price market is just as competitive as the main stream side.  However, the margin is probably better.  Anyway, this space has already been occupied by Corsair, Logitech and other boutique brands.  Either way you cut it tho, the only one who’s laughing all the way to the bank is Cherry.

Cherry seemed to have established itself as the one to beat with genuine Cherry switch experience because all these keyboards took great length to ensure that perspective buyers know about it.  Unlike Topre, Matias or Unicomp, Cherry is experiencing the clone war sort of speak because Cherry like switches are all the rage these days.  So, it’s probably best that Cherry stay on top of the game.  Given that they just introduced the new quiet switch line, I think they will be all right.