WEBVTT 00:00:06.960 --> 00:00:14.160 For the ultimate no compromises compact gaming PC, look no further than the 00:00:11.280 --> 00:00:18.080 Obsidian Series 250D from Corsair. Click now to learn more. All right, so the 00:00:16.160 --> 00:00:23.359 last time we talked about Thermaltch's TTE Sports Poseidon line. We were 00:00:21.600 --> 00:00:27.279 marveling at how inexpensive the Poseidon was compared to competing 00:00:25.279 --> 00:00:31.199 backlit mechanical keyboards. Now they're back with the Poseidon Z, a 00:00:29.599 --> 00:00:35.520 keyboard that is functionally pretty much the same thing, but comes in at $10 00:00:33.440 --> 00:00:40.879 cheaper. So, what did they do to reduce the price even further, making it one of 00:00:38.000 --> 00:00:47.559 the least expensive full-size mechanical backlit keyboards on the market? One 00:00:43.920 --> 00:00:50.399 word, kale. No, not cabbage. Key 00:00:47.559 --> 00:00:54.879 switches. Our first Poseidon, this one right here, used Cherry MX blue switches 00:00:53.199 --> 00:01:01.359 manufactured in Germany. Well, our Poseidon Z uses blue switches, whoops, 00:00:59.120 --> 00:01:06.320 that are manufactured in China by a company called Kale that happens to use 00:01:03.520 --> 00:01:10.479 the same color-based naming scheme and also have a very similar internal design 00:01:08.479 --> 00:01:14.640 to their switches because Cher's patent on their switch design has expired. All 00:01:12.720 --> 00:01:19.200 right, so then what is the difference? Well, functionally, not much. The two 00:01:17.280 --> 00:01:23.840 keyboards are basically the same thing. It's got a fairly plain jane design with 00:01:21.280 --> 00:01:27.600 no real alterations to a standard 104 key layout. There's a gaming mode button 00:01:25.920 --> 00:01:31.520 at the top right that disables the Windows key and some media control keys 00:01:29.920 --> 00:01:37.280 that can be accessed with a function modifier that you'll find at the bottom 00:01:32.960 --> 00:01:40.159 right. It also features uh 6 to 8 key N 00:01:37.280 --> 00:01:44.000 key rollover, which I understand what they're saying. It's 6 to 8 key rollover 00:01:42.560 --> 00:01:47.759 depending on which keys you're pressing, but that isn't N key rollover. Hopefully 00:01:46.399 --> 00:01:51.439 they can get that fixed on their site soon and hopefully one of these days I'll get through a review of a 00:01:49.920 --> 00:01:54.640 Thermaltch product without finding errors or typos on their boxer website. 00:01:53.360 --> 00:02:00.000 But anyway, there's cable management down here so the cable can come out the right, the left. They've also got nice 00:01:57.759 --> 00:02:04.640 high quality rubber grips on the bottom, even on the fold out uh elevator piece 00:02:02.880 --> 00:02:10.080 that allows you to incline the keyboard. The whole bottom of it is grippy and 00:02:06.719 --> 00:02:12.400 thumbs up for that. But let's get into 00:02:10.080 --> 00:02:16.080 what is the difference. Why is it cheaper? Well, because manufacturing in 00:02:14.640 --> 00:02:19.200 China is cheaper for all kinds of reasons. Cheaper labor and lower costs 00:02:17.840 --> 00:02:22.160 associated with transporting the switches to the factories where the 00:02:20.959 --> 00:02:26.720 completed keyboards will actually be assembled, just to name a couple. What 00:02:24.160 --> 00:02:31.120 you trade though, in my experience, is looser manufacturing tolerances. I've 00:02:29.520 --> 00:02:36.560 used a couple of Kale Blue switch keyboards so far, and this one is 00:02:33.680 --> 00:02:40.720 noticeably heavier than any Cherry MX Blue or even other Kale Blue keyboard 00:02:38.720 --> 00:02:45.200 that I've used before. closer to Cherry MX greens than to Cherry MX Blues just 00:02:43.040 --> 00:02:47.760 from typing on them. And that's the difference. I mean, look at this. You 00:02:46.319 --> 00:02:53.680 can probably even hear the difference. Cherry MX blue, kale 00:02:51.480 --> 00:02:57.200 blue. Well, trust me, there you can hear the difference even if you can't pick it 00:02:54.800 --> 00:03:01.920 up on the mic. One Cherry MX keyboard to another, there will be variance as well, 00:02:59.360 --> 00:03:05.440 but with a newer, less proven manufacturer, the potential for us to 00:03:03.760 --> 00:03:10.640 discover significant differences from batch to batch is definitely still 00:03:07.680 --> 00:03:14.159 there. Okay, then Lionus, is it okay for Thermaltch to do this? Doesn't it feel 00:03:12.239 --> 00:03:17.680 deceptive? And you know what? No, I don't think so. Honestly, I'm pretty 00:03:15.840 --> 00:03:21.200 okay with the way Thermaltch is doing it. They're not calling the switches 00:03:19.599 --> 00:03:26.480 something that they're not. They're just calling them TTE Sports certified 00:03:24.640 --> 00:03:30.319 mechanical blue switches. All things that they are. And more importantly, 00:03:28.720 --> 00:03:34.879 they're passing at least some of the savings on to the customer in the form 00:03:32.159 --> 00:03:38.959 of a lower price and a longer five-year warranty period. This contrasts with 00:03:37.040 --> 00:03:42.959 Razer's approach where they also discontinued all their Cherry MX based 00:03:40.720 --> 00:03:46.560 keyboards, but then charged exactly the same amount for the newer models with 00:03:44.720 --> 00:03:49.519 Chinese switches. Something that they may feel justified in doing since 00:03:48.000 --> 00:03:53.120 they're now rating their switches at 60 million keystrokes versus 50 million 00:03:51.280 --> 00:03:57.760 keystrokes, but I would have liked to see a token discount or a longer 00:03:55.120 --> 00:04:02.560 warranty to go along with the longer rating on the switches or something at 00:03:59.799 --> 00:04:06.799 least. So, there you have it. This video ended up being more about Kale than 00:04:04.640 --> 00:04:12.000 about the Poseidon Z. But that really is the main story here. Anyway, thank you 00:04:10.159 --> 00:04:15.200 for watching, guys. Like this video if you liked it, dislike it if you disliked 00:04:13.599 --> 00:04:19.280 it, share it if you thought it was fantastic and other people need to see 00:04:17.040 --> 00:04:22.479 it and all the good things and all that. Uh, don't forget there is a support link 00:04:21.120 --> 00:04:27.919 in the video description. You can buy t-shirts. You can give us a monthly contribution. You can um I'm sure there 00:04:26.720 --> 00:04:32.720 are other things you can do. Ah, yes, you can change your bookmarks to sites like Amazon to one that includes our 00:04:31.120 --> 00:04:36.639 affiliate code. So, we get a kickback whenever you buy panty hose or whatever 00:04:34.800 --> 00:04:40.240 it is that you need. And I think that pretty much wraps it up. Thank you for 00:04:38.080 --> 00:04:43.040 watching. And as always, don't forget to subscribe to Linus Tech Tips for more 00:04:41.520 --> 00:04:55.510 unboxings, reviews, and other computer videos.