Know Your Type: Five Mechanical Keyboards Compared

Get on my level by Anonymous Coward · 2014-12-27 23:04 · Score: 1

>there are people who still type with there fingers

Re:Get on my level by greenfruitsalad · 2014-12-27 23:22 · Score: 4, Funny

their r ppl hoo yoos gramma
Re:Get on my level by Z00L00K · 2014-12-27 23:41 · Score: 2

And I prefer the Keytronic keyboards.
But you can't get them anymore.

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Re:Get on my level by rrohbeck · 2014-12-28 00:44 · Score: 4, Insightful

Not these?
I'm partial to IBM/Unicomp buckling spring keyboards.

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Re:Get on my level by hairyfeet · 2014-12-28 03:34 · Score: 1

Got a buddy that works for the city with strict orders to bring me any clacky boards that pass through, be surprised how many businesses go to get a new PC and toss their clacky. Oh well, more for me ;-)
Ditto on the IBM, great boards, but don't knock the first Compaq and MSFT boards as they were also built like fricking tanks and took insane amounts of abuse. I tried using modern non claky keyboards at the shop...blech. Can't never tell when its registered a stroke or not,all the letters wore off in not time flat, the new boards just suck. So tomorrow I gotta drag out the desk and plug into the KVM this big old Compaq, so old its got the old style monster DIN plug but I got an adapter or five sitting in the desk drawer, much better than the new crap!

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Re:Get on my level by Runaway1956 · 2014-12-28 05:09 · Score: 5, Insightful

I clicked the link, and looked at the keyboards being touted. Power users? Really? WTF? Whatever happened to the concept of KISS? They've got frigging LIGHTS under the keyboard!!! WTF needs LIGHTS to type with? And, why introduce yet another component that can go bad?
I'll second the IBM/Unicomp model M nomination for POWER USERS!
Seriously? Lights? That makes me think of the posers who put lights on their car's wheels. "Oh, look at me, I'm so cool!"

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Re:Get on my level by Rinikusu · 2014-12-28 06:48 · Score: 3, Insightful

:: shrug :: I've been touch typing since the 80s (Yeah, I'm most likely a youngin to you) but I find backlit keyboards to be the most indispensable improvement made to keyboards. I want mechanical, backlit keyboard. No one but my gf comes over, so it's not a matter of being "cool" (I have a guitar for that). It might be from the callouses on my fingertips (see guitar), but I often fumble looking for the nubs on f and j, and a quick glance at the keyboard puts me straight. Does this mean I'm not a power user? I'll cry myself to sleep about that later.

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Re:Get on my level by nuckfuts · 2014-12-28 07:12 · Score: 1

Seriously? Lights? That makes me think of the posers who put lights on their car's wheels.
I'm a fan of mechanical keyboards and intentionally sought one with adjustable backlighting. My Lenovo ThinkPad also features adjustable keyboard backlighting.
Both these keyboards are hugely helpful to me for the simple reason that I often use my computers in low light or darkness. This allows me to limit my exposure to light when working late, and thus avoid disrupting my circadian rhythm due to the effect of light on the suprachiasmatic nucleus.
So, yes, seriously. Lights.
Re:Get on my level by Cinder6 · 2014-12-28 07:40 · Score: 1

Typing on a Unicomp right now. It doesn't have the same level of fit & finish of other boards, but typing on it is a dream.

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Re:Get on my level by Cinder6 · 2014-12-28 07:44 · Score: 1

I have a Max Keyboard Blackbird. I got it primarily because it has doubleshot keys, but the backlighting looks nice, and it actually serves a purpose. The keyboard has a timer function. When the timer goes off, the lights flash like crazy. At first, I thought it was a completely useless gimmick, but I find myself using it multiple times per day. It's quicker than using my phone, and much less obtrusive than a noisy alarm.

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If you can't convince them, convict them.
Re:Get on my level by Runaway1956 · 2014-12-28 08:20 · Score: 1

Uhhhh - wow. That one looks pretty damned slick. The backlight shines THROUGH the keys, right? Double shot mold, you've got the clear plastic inside, opaque outside, so the letters/numbers will never wear off. You've got me seriously tempted on that one. $150? Not right now, right after Christmas, but maybe in a month.
Yeah, I touch type all the time, but sometimes, I do lose my place on the keyboard. So, I keep a light on beside the desk because the monitors aren't bright enough to show the faded out letters on my keyboard.
Lighting for the sake of cool doesn't cut it with me, but THIS lighting looks useful.
One last question - that thing feels like an IBM springy while you're typing - or close to it, at least? I'm almost sold here. Thanks for the link!

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Re:Get on my level by Cinder6 · 2014-12-28 13:40 · Score: 1

I got it as part of their Cyber Monday sale for $100, so if you can wait, you might be able to save on it (but you may have to wait almost a year...). Mine has red switches, so they feel nothing like a Model M (which I'm typing on right now). The closest you'll get are blues, unless you go with their custom keyboard option and choose greens (which will cost extra). IMO, greens are better than blues in terms of feel, and they require more force to actuate. They're still fairly different from buckling springs, but most people like them a lot.
(And yes, the backlight shines through the keys.)

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If you can't convince them, convict them.
Re:Get on my level by SeaFox · 2014-12-28 15:03 · Score: 1

I clicked the link, and looked at the keyboards being touted. Power users? Really? WTF? Whatever happened to the concept of KISS? They've got frigging LIGHTS under the keyboard!!! WTF needs LIGHTS to type with?
People who type in dimly lit rooms? I have a lighted keyboard. I don't mean dim like "dark" but with the lighting at your back more.
This was actually an issue that came up after I changed from a CRT to a flat panel monitor. You've probably noticed there is one angle that it is not possible to view the screen (I'll leave the explanation to someone else). Anyway, on most monitors this is the bottom looking up angle (because monitors are rarely at that position relative to to the viewer's eyes).
Well, no image shining down that direction also means no light from the monitor shining on the keyboard. So while I could see the keys fine with the old CRT now I couldn't with the LCD.
Re:Get on my level by markass530 · 2014-12-28 17:01 · Score: 1

backlit keyboards are a new concept to you? Really?
Re:Get on my level by Guspaz · 2014-12-28 18:18 · Score: 1

I'd love to get a Unicomp keyboard, but they're seemingly only available from the manufacturer, and their shipping costs ($30 to Montreal) are rather high. It's unfortunate that they don't work with suppliers who have more reasonable shipping costs.

just curious... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-12-27 23:07 · Score: 3, Informative

How much did this ad placement cost?

Re:just curious... by Skylinux · 2014-12-27 23:30 · Score: 4, Insightful

Two lines into the summary and I felt like a total idiot for not having major issues typing on my laptop all day long.
Now, where did I put those gold plated fiber optic cables again ....

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Re:just curious... by Skarjak · 2014-12-28 03:16 · Score: 1

Have you actually used a mechanical keyboard? This is not like gold plated fiper optic cables, where there is no notable difference. The presence of a switch under each key of a mechanical keyboard ensures that they feel very different from normal ones. You'd have to be partially paralyzed not to feel the difference.
Now whether you need this to type, that's up to you. For my part, I can attest to the fact that being able to feel with my fingers the precise moment when keys get activated has made me a lot more efficient. It's also a much more pleasing sensory experience.
Re:just curious... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-12-28 03:38 · Score: 2, Interesting

They also,somewhat paradoxically, result in usng less force to type. It generally requires more pressure to push a mechanical key but being able to feel that precise moment when the key is activated is an immediate signal to your fingers to relax the pressure. There's a noticable difference in how much my hands hurt from RSI using a mechanical versus using a membrane keyboard.
Re:just curious... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-12-28 04:02 · Score: 1

Sorry but your ignorance is showing. You clearly have never tried typing on a decent keyboard with cherry mx blue switches like a Corsair K70 (miles ahead of the Model M and others!)
Re:just curious... by Cinder6 · 2014-12-28 08:23 · Score: 2

I have to disagree. Blues are my least-favorite switch by Cherry. I find the click to be both anemic and irritatingly high-pitched, while the "bump" is almost nonexistent at typing speeds. It feels more like a gummed-up linear switch than a tactile one. Greens are a bit better, as are clears. Reds are my favorite, by far. And don't get me started on Cherry-style stabilizers. (I really wish Costar was more common.)
Honestly, I find Cherry to be a poor choice for mechanical keyboard switch. I would much rather use buckling spring, ALPS, or Topre. Now that Matias is coming out with linear ALPS, the argument for reds will likely go away, as well. Reports I've read indicate the Matias switches are smoother and quieter than reds, which is very welcome.
The only reason I ever recommend Cherry-based boards is for aesthetics. Those boards plain look nicer, and there's a big scene for aftermarket keycaps with all sorts of colors, shape/profile, materials, etc. that you won't find for the others I mentioned.

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If you can't convince them, convict them.
Re:just curious... by Skarjak · 2014-12-28 12:36 · Score: 1

I think the "ignorance" refers to the comment on gold plated fiber optic cables. Mechanical keyboards are objectively very different in feel from regular ones, so that comparison seems quite ignorant. You can argue that the difference isn't useful for typing (though really, few people would make that claim in my experience), but arguing that it's essentially snake oil is only possible if you don't know what a mechanical keyboard actually is.
Re:just curious... by Skarjak · 2014-12-28 12:38 · Score: 1

I'm wondering if your keyboard had faulty switches. Blues have an extremely noticeable bump in them, one of the biggest of the Cherry MX lines. I think the new Cherry clear switches might require even more pressure to activate, though.
Re:just curious... by Cinder6 · 2014-12-28 13:35 · Score: 1

I've used several keyboards with blues. I currently have a Poker II, but I've also used/owned a Das (model 3), Razer BWU (older model that actually had blues, not the Razer greens), Razer Orbweaver, and I even have a few spare blue switches lying around. The bump is very noticeable if you slowly depress the switch, but as soon as I start typing on them, they just feel muddy and unremarkable.
Clear switches definitely require more force, as do greens.

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If you can't convince them, convict them.
Re:just curious... by Dr_Barnowl · 2014-12-28 23:41 · Score: 1

This.
My mother was employed as a legal secretary most of her life. When they graduated from electronic typewriters to computers, they issued her at some point with the standard squishy membrane keyboard. Her finger joint arthritis flared right up, because the feedback cues she had got used to from a lifetime of typing on proper keyboards had gone.
As her loving son, it was my duty to mail her a Cherry MX keyboard (A G80-3000). Her IT support griped and bitched about having to replace her keyboard, but she told them I was both an IT guy *and* a doctor, which shut them up.
Her finger arthritis was markedly better in a couple of weeks. She took the keyboard home with her when she retired and it's still in use on her workstation at home.
IMHO, giving professional typists a membrane keyboard should be considered a health and safety violation. It staggers me that so-called ergonomic layouts are usually membrane boards.

Read up on the different types of switches by bradley13 · 2014-12-27 23:09 · Score: 2

It's worth doing some reading, to understand the differences between the switch types. Here's a good description of three of the switches. You likely don't want the really loud ones - I recently bought a keyboard using Cherry Brown, which are tactile, but a bit quieter - it's still loud enough that my officemates had to get used to it, but at least they didn't kill me.

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Re:Read up on the different types of switches by EvilSS · 2014-12-28 01:36 · Score: 3, Informative

It's worth doing some reading, to understand the differences between the switch types. Here's a good description of three of the switches. You likely don't want the really loud ones - I recently bought a keyboard using Cherry Brown, which are tactile, but a bit quieter - it's still loud enough that my officemates had to get used to it, but at least they didn't kill me.
A lot of the sound from the mechanical keyboards with non-clicky switches like the Cherry reds and browns is from the keys bottoming out. You can add rubber o-rings to the keycaps to get rid of that bottoming out "clack".

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What the fuck is this pretentious bullshit? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-12-27 23:11 · Score: 1, Insightful

What the fuck is this pretentious bullshit?

Re:What the fuck is this pretentious bullshit? by peragrin · 2014-12-28 01:37 · Score: 3, Funny

Vinyl is better as it is compressed differently
Mechanical switches are just like analog vinyl. Because the action is analog it isn't just on or off but has a slight curve between the states. The problem is the in order to be reliable mechanical has to be huge. At least compared to modern designs.

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Re:What the fuck is this pretentious bullshit? by Idarubicin · 2014-12-28 02:48 · Score: 5, Funny

Mechanical switches are just like analog vinyl. Because the action is analog it isn't just on or off but has a slight curve between the states.
This. Exactly this. Inexperienced typists just don't get it.
To convey proper nuance in text, I don't always want exactly 1 letter "A" when I press the "A" key. Using uniform whole letters can seem jarring and mechanical, particularly when writing personal email. Sometimes a message composer only wants, say, 0.95 "A", just to soften the letter out. Other times, it's nice to smooth the letter out a bit, letting it fade out genty across the length of the word instead of being uncomfortably square.
These mechanical keyboards are usually tuned to be "warmer", as well--when you press that "A" key, it has overtones and harmonics from other vowels. A little bit of "E" goes a long way, but true "golden fingers" agree that plenty of "O" adds mellowness and roundness.
The adoption of these digital, non-mechanical keyboards is also one of the major reasons why emotion and subtext - especially related to humor - are so often lost in text-based messaging.

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~Idarubicin
Re:What the fuck is this pretentious bullshit? by vyvepe · 2014-12-28 04:05 · Score: 1

If you touch type then you can avoid bottoming out the key when you have a good mechanical keyboard. This way you can avoid the hard slowdown at the end of the keystroke which makes finger joint fatigue smaller.
Bottoming out is the impact when a key reaches the end of travel. The problem with many (but not all) cheap rubber dome keyboards is that the actual key-press is detected only very near the end of the total key travel available. So very soon after key-press registration the key cannot move down any more.
E.g. Cherry MX brown switches register key-press just after the tactile bump somewhere before 2 mm of travel down. The actual bottoming out happens at 4 mm. This gives you a bit more than 2 mm to stop pressing the key and avoiding the impact of bottoming out. I do not know any rubber dome keyboard which gives you so much length to stop pressing the key.
If you do not type a lot then there is no need for a mechanical keyboard.
Re:What the fuck is this pretentious bullshit? by zippthorne · 2014-12-28 05:12 · Score: 1

membrane switches are like analog vinyl. Mechanical switches are the digital metaphor in this analogy.

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Re:What the fuck is this pretentious bullshit? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-12-28 05:44 · Score: 1

It's all abut mechanical dynamical range. In modern keyboards it's only a shadow of what used to be, all for the sake of talentless typist stars and theirs autotuned rubber keyboards.
Re:What the fuck is this pretentious bullshit? by AmiMoJo · 2014-12-28 06:37 · Score: 1

Vinyl is better as it is compressed differently
Actually that happens to be exactly correct.
Vinyl records can't be quite as "loud" as CDs, because of the physical limitations of the movement stylus and the durability of the vinyl itself. Basically you can compress (in the sonic sense, making the music sound louder) music on CDs a lot more than you can on vinyl, so the vinyl release of an album can sometimes sound much better than the CD simply because it isn't over-compressed.
A few years later they release the "remastered" version, which is just the vinyl mix on CD, and it sounds great.

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Re:What the fuck is this pretentious bullshit? by Briareos · 2014-12-28 07:38 · Score: 1

Is there anyone producing a MIDI QWERTY keyboard?
Aftertouch and a modulation wheel would do wonders for poetry, methinks...

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Tried red, black, brown still not happy. by AbRASiON · 2014-12-27 23:29 · Score: 3, Interesting

The "feel" of the keys is precise, the noise is great in a .. distinct way - they feel professional for lack of a better word.

None the less, I can STILL wack out about 5 to 10% more WPM on a standard US layout HP or Dell 101 traditional rubber dome. There's something about the amount of springyness in the keys and my typing style which makes me make a tiny amount more mistakes on a mechanical and I just can't quite thrash the keyboard as well. I think the throw depth is different.

Only one I haven't tried is blue :/ can't be bothered.
Also! My particular type style and depth throw when I hit keys, I manage to cause the keys to go haywire within 6 to 12 months. The black I'm typing on right now will double press certain keys fairly regularly (at least 3 to 5 times a day, it will result in something looking liike thiis more often than n ot)

Honestly, I don't hate my mechanicals but I'm just not convinced 3 years on after owning 5 of the things, that they are for everyone.

Re:Tried red, black, brown still not happy. by MPBoulton · 2014-12-28 01:08 · Score: 1

None the less, I can STILL wack out about 5 to 10% more WPM on a standard US layout HP or Dell 101 traditional rubber dome.
I concur with your Dell keyboard experience, but is it not just that you have logged more hours on a Dell because they are everywhere?
Re:Tried red, black, brown still not happy. by AbRASiON · 2014-12-28 01:18 · Score: 2

Look I would've thought so regarding the hours - but it's been 3 years of mechanicals now, you'd figure 6 months would be sufficient.
They are simply less forgiving with my ... well "drunken master" (?) style of typing. I can type without looking at the keyboard but I certainly don't use the correct fingers, I use only index, middle and ring mostly, yet can still drop 80 to 100 WPM (accurate) on a rubber dome.
The thing is a light, accidental tap of the wrong key on a mechanical seems to set it off, whereas on the rubber dome, you need a deeper throw for contact. Were I to be extremely accurate and on a light keyboard with elegant fingers, I suspect a red would be a delight to type on - as it stands though, I recall really fucking up accuracy on a red, hence going to brown and then finally black and still not entirely satisfied.
I'm not going to get rid of them any time soon, but I'd certainly consider going back to a rubber dome.
I really liked the shit out of the Samsung Pleomax PKB 8000 (IIRC) it's got a laptop style, scissor switch, short throw keys - fucking delight to type on - but the corners of each key was 'sharp' so in my typing style, every..... week a finger would literally catch under a key and throw the bastard off the keyboard. If it weren't for that, I'd totally have got 5 of them as spares. As it stands, I can't use that either.
Re:Tried red, black, brown still not happy. by Nemyst · 2014-12-28 04:13 · Score: 4, Interesting

If your goal is touch-typing, you picked all the wrong switch types. Browns are the closest and are designed as an in-between of Reds (gaming-focused) and Blues (typing-focused). You truly want Blues for typing.
Re:Tried red, black, brown still not happy. by AmiMoJo · 2014-12-28 05:53 · Score: 1

I had a similar experience to you. Mechanical keyboards feel nice, but laptop style scissor switch keys are faster and more accurate. I ended up with a Microsoft wireless model. Many of their keyboards have a "compact" layout that sucks, but they do a few that have proper spacing. They tend to have F-lock keys as well, which are not ideal, but they are hard to beat for feel and quality.
The other obvious choice is a Lenovo Thinkpad style keyboard. Their wireless models are insanely expensive though. These days I prefer wireless because it's just so handy to be able to throw the keyboard to one side when I need some desk space.

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Re:Tried red, black, brown still not happy. by PPalmgren · 2014-12-29 02:14 · Score: 1

I have the same problem as you. I don't only use 3 fingers, but I tend to 'hover' above the keys rather than rest them on the keys themselves.
I think I've found the reason I can't type faster on mechanicals, and its precisely the above mentioned hovering. The mechanical keyboards always have higher keycaps, and I tend to have far higher mistake counts on the mechanical. I really think I could enjoy mechanicals if the keys themselves weren't twice the height of the keyboard frame and didnt' have such insane depths.
All that said, I have noticed a quicker reaction time on the mechanical keyboards in games, enough to be noticeable on the MX Browns. This works well for me because I'm not moving my hand very often when gaming on a keyboard. I wish I could get the best of both worlds with a low-keyheight mechanical keyboard, but I haven't been able to find one.

There is only one.... Model M by Anonymous Coward · 2014-12-27 23:30 · Score: 1

IBM Model M, that is typing as the Lord intended.

Re:There is only one.... Model M by Dogtanian · 2014-12-28 01:21 · Score: 3, Interesting

Everyone's entitled to their opinion, but Model Ms- and the "clicky" style mechanism aren't the be all and end all of mechanical keyboards, and I'm sure that the endless raving about them is due to the fact that the people who *do* like them seem to be disproportionately vocal about it! As I commented a couple of months back:-

I briefly used what I realise (in retrospect) was a Model M keyboard at a job I had in the late-90s. At the time I found the fact the resistance was half way down and very obviously "click switchy" (i.e. requires relatively high amount of pressure to get through, then suddenly breaks) to be strange and unnatural. I'm no millennial membrane-weaned weenie; I'd been using computers since the 80s, most of which had mechanical keyboards back then, and while some had been mediocre, some I really liked. They all went "tap" at the bottom, unlike this weird and unsatisfactory action. I have to say that Model M did nothing for me, and I'd no desire to return to it.

When I bought a Cherry mechanical keyboard for myself, I intentionally avoided the ones with the Model M style force gradients in favour of the ones that go "tap" at the bottom.

I've said it before here, and I'll say it again- the people who like Model Ms seem to *really* like them, but I'm convinced that the majority of people who didn't grow up using that keyboard or anything like it would- at best- find it an acquired taste, and probably be happier with one of the better membrane jobs (sacrilege!) or a mechanical keyboard with a more regular action.

I also think that membrane keyboards nowadays aren't that bad. Maybe I'm just used to them, but while I've come across some truly horrible examples at the dirt-cheap end, I've also come across some that were quite pleasant to use (and oddly, were also dirt-cheap models). Still not quite as good as the best- in my judgement- mechanical keyboards, but much better than the mechanical keyboards on some 80s home computers.

Anyway, back to the Model M. Yes, it feels "expensive" and "well made" in that it's obviously mechanical, and heavy, but that doesn't make it that great to type on IMHO (any more than I'm going to deny that my membrane keyboard at work is okay, simply because it's cheap). Some people think they're really great, and that's fine, they're entitled to their opinion. However, given that the borderline fetishisation from a disproportionately vocal number of fanboys might give others the impression the Model M was the be all and end all, I'm quite happy in balancing things out by saying I don't think they were all that, to be honest.

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Re:There is only one.... Model M by BlackHawk-666 · 2014-12-28 12:53 · Score: 1

Seconded this. The indestructibility is prized as much as the harshness of the key-presses. You will prise the Model-M from a fan's cold dead hands...and it will still likely work just fine ^^
I grew up on a mix of Model-M, terminal keyboards, and various budget keyboards on cheap consumer machines. I did really love the Model-M when I had young hands, but these days are far more used to a lighter touch keyboard that requires a lot less force.
I use a Cherry MX Red now. It's a nice compromise for me, since I game a fair amount (although most of that is handled by a G13 + mouse instead) and programme software as my main uses. My fingers know when to stop pressing, and I love the light yet reliable feel of the keys. I'm no longer hammering my fingers into a hard surface at the end of each stroke so my RSI and aches and pains are much relieved.
In the end, keyboard choice seems very personal to me.

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Re:There is only one.... Model M by dskoll · 2014-12-28 12:54 · Score: 1

I don't have any Model Ms, but I do own a bunch of Unicomp keyboards that use the same technology. Anyway, my kids were definitely not brought up on those keyboards, but after trying them they absolutely fell in love with them. I haven't tried any of the other mechanical keyboards in the original article, but I think the Unicomp keyboards are miles ahead of membrane or laptop keyboards.
Re:There is only one.... Model M by Ed+Avis · 2014-12-28 20:50 · Score: 1

FWIW, the Unicomp buckling spring keyboards are generally reckoned to count as Model M keyboards too. (as are Lexmark-produced Model Ms)

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Why not include the original IBM design? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-12-27 23:38 · Score: 3, Informative

Keyboards using the "buckling spring" design, which is what the original IBM Model M keyboards used, are still available new. They're now manufactured by a company called Unicomp, and have been updated with USB and some other changes (Windows keys, etc.).

Unicomp's cheapest model is $79, which would make it tied as the cheapest keyboard in their test. I'm curious how it compares, in terms of performance, to the newer offerings. I've never used one of the Unicomp models personally -- just the old IBM ones.

I do find it odd that these keyboards are almost never considered in discussions of mechanical keyboards. They're among the cheapest models sold, and the buckling spring design is a well-known and respected one, at least historically.

Re:Why not include the original IBM design? by jonwil · 2014-12-28 00:05 · Score: 1

If it wasn't for the negative reports I have heard regarding the Model M and certain games (e.g. twitchy FPS games or fast button mashers) I would buy a Unicomp to replace this generic Microsoft job.
But I dont want to spend up big only to find that its too hard to play the games I play (although to be fair for the arcade stuff I have a USB arcade joystick) so I dont want to take the risk...
Re:Why not include the original IBM design? by JackDW · 2014-12-28 01:19 · Score: 2

I've owned two Model Ms, supposedly the best, and they have put me off owning mechanical keyboards. They are tiring to use, and they are noisy, and if your job requires you to type for most of the day, you don't want either of those things. I didn't see a good tradeoff in terms of improved typing speed or accuracy.

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Re:Why not include the original IBM design? by hey! · 2014-12-28 02:55 · Score: 1

I actually dug out my old Model M last year. Aside from the fact that the rubber.insulation had flaked off the keyboard cord, it still worked perfectly. And it was every bit as good as I remembered it being for typing, and if I replace the cord it will last forever.
There's only one problem with the thing: it's so damn loud. Every damn keypress is accompanied by a loud "POK!" Forget about annoying other people, *I* was annoyed. Years of typing on pretty good Thinkpad "scissor switch" keyboards had accustomed me to a low, pleasant sussuration.
Cherry makes a "brown" switch that is not quite as loud as the classic buckling spring. I have a cheap nixeus keyboard that uses "brown" knock-offs. They're pretty good and not so loud as to be annoying. I wouldn't use this keyboard in public, at a Starbucks or in the library, but it's fine in my home office.

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Re:Why not include the original IBM design? by __aaclcg7560 · 2014-12-28 03:18 · Score: 1

I have also switched to MAC and not having cords (Bluetooth) is so nice.
Ran into a guy at Google who had a Apple Desktop Bus keyboard connected via a ADB-to-USB adapter to a fully decked out Mac Pro (~$40K in 2008). Bleeding edge technology with an ancient keyboard made for interesting conversations.
Re:Why not include the original IBM design? by pcjunky · 2014-12-28 05:43 · Score: 2

I bought a bunch of model M's a few years ago at the Miami Hamfest. Payed $3 each for them. Still have about 8 of them. Been using them ever since. My wife Lesley who is a touch typest at around 70/80 words per minute loves hers. Newer machine require a USB adapter thats cost around $5 but they all still work great. I play CounterStrike, TF2 and Mech Warrior Online with mine.
Re:Why not include the original IBM design? by dskoll · 2014-12-28 12:56 · Score: 1

I'm not much of a gamer, but the Unicomp keyboards are excellent for typing. They are, however, quite noisy, so may not be appropriate for a crowded office.
If you have games that require abuse of the keyboard, I would not use an expensive mechanical keyboard... let the games kill the cheapie membrane ones.
Re:Why not include the original IBM design? by AdamHaun · 2014-12-28 17:08 · Score: 1

ALPS keyswitches work well for gaming and they're much less noisy than buckling springs. You can find used Dell AT101Ws all over the place.

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Visit the

No by Anonymous Coward · 2014-12-27 23:41 · Score: 1

The names are cringeworthy, the ricing and design is something that appeals only to edgy stupid pre-teens and teenagers with that "tacticool gamer" disorder.
I wouldn't be surprised if Skrillex fart music started coming out of the keyboards every time the computer is turned on.
I'll stick with Das and Ducky keyboards.

Re:No by Anonymous Coward · 2014-12-28 00:17 · Score: 2, Interesting

I have a Das Keyboard that I'm very happy with. However, I let my ego get the better of me and went with the ultimate model that is entirely unmarked. My typing is good, but not good enough for this board. On top of that, something that I certainly didn't realise before, is that while keyboard markings are not required for touch typing, they are still very much essential for keyboard shortcuts. Seriously, I don't care how good your touch typing is, when you're "hands off" from the board you'll find it really hard to hit a two-hand keyboard shortcut without markings on the keys. It's even more of a problem when the application is shortcut-rich and hitting the wrong key does something strange...
Otherwise, I'm happy to recommend this Model S but with the key labels!
PS: This board is loud. Too loud for a shared office environment. Though it did intimidate the absolute hell out of my office mates for the short while I was allowed to use it there... :)
Re:No by Spacelord · 2014-12-28 03:59 · Score: 1

> I'll stick with Das and Ducky keyboards
Filco, Pokers and RealForce for me
Re:No by Spacelord · 2014-12-28 05:01 · Score: 1

You know you can get custom keycap sets for it, right?

About the Cherry key switches by Taco+Cowboy · 2014-12-27 23:46 · Score: 5, Informative

As a touch typist I am very particular with keyboard

I have been using keyboard equipped with Cherry key switches for decades and there are five different Cherry key switches ...

Red
Blue
Green
Brown
Black

All of them function differently. Some with 'clicks', some without. The 'tactile' feel is different as well

There is one site that I recommend --- no, not ad placement, I promise --- that gives you a brief description of the difference of the Cherry key switches

Hope this helps !

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Re:About the Cherry key switches by Jamu · 2014-12-28 00:54 · Score: 1

What would you recommend if I wanted silent, short action keys with tactile feedback?

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Who ordered that?
Re:About the Cherry key switches by Spacelord · 2014-12-28 03:55 · Score: 1

What do you mean with short action? All cherry switches have about the same travel distance.
If you want to stay with Cherry switches, go for something with either mx brown or mx clear switches, and possibly add o-rings to mute the bottoming out sound [the sound the key makes when you reach the end of the downstroke]. Clears give more feedback than browns and I'm more accurate on them, but they are *very* stiff, it takes some getting used to.
Alternatively, you could go for something else than Cherry and get something with Topre capacitive switches (CM NovaTouch, RealForce or Happy Hacking Keyboard). They are really nice to type on, and quite silent by default. A lot of people swear by them over Cherry switches. The sound they produce is more of a muted tok than a loud clack. The major downside is that they are very expensive [for a keyboard], around $200 for a RealForce.
Re:About the Cherry key switches by greenfruitsalad · 2014-12-28 03:57 · Score: 2

My personal favourite is a pre-Lenovo Thinkpad keyboard. As a matter of fact, you can buy one that looks like half a laptop and use it with your desktop. Just search for "55Y9091".
I can type steadily at around 300 characters a minute for over an hour without a break. I fell for the mechanical keyboard hype a few years ago and bought a cherry brown keyboard. My speed immediately dropped to around 250. Although I was eventually able to regain the speed, I found typing more tiresome than on my IBM laptop (600x). To this day I consider that laptop's to be the greatest keyboard ever made for touch typists.
The other thing I noticed (while using cherry brown) was that I was no longer able to do the short bursts or 10-15 characters per second. This I can only do on my Thinkpad keyboard. (And only on certain strings like my name, a few passwords, certain phrases and various console commands with usual switches.)
Re:About the Cherry key switches by Anonymous Coward · 2014-12-28 04:49 · Score: 1

Apple's keyboards don't have tactile feedback.
Re:About the Cherry key switches by AmiMoJo · 2014-12-28 07:01 · Score: 1

The modern Lenovo keyboards are just as good (not the consumer ones, the business class ones costing â100+).

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Re:About the Cherry key switches by greenfruitsalad · 2014-12-28 07:13 · Score: 1

The 55Y9091 Lenovo keyboard is slightly worse than the IBM one I had on my laptop, but still significantly better than competitors' offerings.
Re:About the Cherry key switches by MiSaunaSnob · 2015-01-05 09:48 · Score: 1

I am so on board, my R-series thinkpads had the best keyboard ever made.

URL by Taco+Cowboy · 2014-12-27 23:50 · Score: 5, Informative

Sorry, forgot to include the link

http://www.keyboardco.com/blog...

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Muchas Gracias, Señor Edward Snowden !

Re:URL by beernutz · 2014-12-28 01:02 · Score: 2

You forgot the Cherry Clear switches.
My CoDE keyboard rocks with the clear switches.

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(stolen from DaBum) I am dyslexia of borg - your ass will be laminated.

What the fuck is this pretentious bullshit? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-12-27 23:55 · Score: 5, Funny

In their spare time, they're audiophiles ;)

No unicomp ? by itzly · 2014-12-27 23:56 · Score: 3, Informative

If you're going to compare mechanical switches, the unicomp keyboard should be included too.

Re:No unicomp ? by JanneM · 2014-12-28 00:34 · Score: 1

And no Happy Hacking Pro. That's my go-to keyboard for any stationary use.
I do like the feel of the new chicklet Lenovo Thinkpads as well; I don't know why many people don't like them. Whoever decided on the layout, though (PrtSc between right-alt and ctrl?!) should be sent to the unemployment line as fast as possible.

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Trust the Computer. The Computer is your friend.

No HHK? by __rze__ · 2014-12-28 00:01 · Score: 1

For someone who types 8-10h/day on a keyboard, it makes a difference having a good tool. Everyone praises the Model M, but personally I'm a big fan of Happy Hacking Pro 2 keyboard (including the Type-S variant). For something that you use every day and is part the primary man/machine interface, 250 Eur is a small price to pay.

Biased summary by Misagon · 2014-12-28 00:03 · Score: 4, Informative

These are better than the rubber domes found in membrane keyboards in a number of ways, including feel, responsiveness, and durability

No, that is not technically correct, and is somewhat of an elitist attitude.
Feel is something very subjective. Responsiveness and durability depends on the particular brand and type of switch that you use. There are some very good rubber-dome and scissor switches as well as there are mechanical switches that are crap.

Back in the '80s and early '90s when mechanical key switches was the norm there were more types available. These days, the market is dominated by the Cherry MX. It was one of the better mechanical switches then and now and it comes in several varieties. These varieties can feel quite different from each other, and you might like the feel of one, all or none of them - and that is OK.
The Cherry MX has also been cloned several times by other manufacturers, often in lesser materials and with larger tolerances.
The big durability argument with Cherry MX is not that they wouldn't break: because they sometimes do. The durability advantage is that you could replace individual key switches (or parts) that have broken.

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"We mustn't be caught by surprise by our own advancing technology" -- Aldous Huxley

Re:Biased summary by AmiMoJo · 2014-12-28 06:46 · Score: 1

Hirose, who used to be the sole Cherry distributor in Japan, make some unique variations of Cherry parts under license. In particular they make a silent switch based on the MX line, which has a similar feel but almost no noise.

--
const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC

Yes! by Anonymous Coward · 2014-12-28 00:08 · Score: 2, Funny

Great news! Another path to snobbery!

Come on, guys, find something creative to do instead of nitpicking over the "sound" and "feel" of your overcooked keyboards! And please note, a "deep" and shiny backspace key doesn't make you a professional. You need education for that...

Re:Yes! by Ol+Olsoc · 2014-12-28 02:53 · Score: 3, Funny

Great news! Another path to snobbery!
Come on, guys, find something creative to do instead of nitpicking over the "sound" and "feel" of your overcooked keyboards!
HA! I can tell what type of keyboard was used to type emails or programs.
Knowing that no ordinary keyboard was adequate for my discerning needs, I of course, had to build my own. Using all of the known enhancements that allow them to work properly.
The keyboard is built of tung oil polished Bubinga wood, and sits on custom built Shakti Stones as well as the stones on every cable.
The individual switches are roller arm microswitches, individually wired to the cables made of low oxygen copper.
The key caps are made of titanium, to allow the proper melding of typist and electronics.
But the piece de resistance is my vacuum tube USB interface.
This allows me to type and program at a level unmatched by those plebian wannabe's With their old IBM keyboards, and the silly children with their glow in the dark green gaming keyboards.

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The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.

MX Blue is made for people who really type by vikingpower · 2014-12-28 00:13 · Score: 1

I type on two computers:

- my ThinkPad laptop, which I carry with me around all of Europe and give courses with. I have a Storm CM Mech keyboard that I also lug around, in my suitcase, and always hook up to it. Not only does it draw attention, people also express amazement at how fast and precisely one can type with it. I don't care that it is a gaming keyboard. It is nearly impossible to destroy, can be taken apart because of the aluminium cover fixed with screws, and has Cherry MX red switches for fantastic tactile feedback.

- my Fujitsu Celsius workstation, for when I am at home. There is a Razer Black Widow with Cherry MX blue switches hooked up to it. I can type for an entire day and not grow tired of the loud clickety-click. Of course, that is something not to burden your colleagues with - but then again, the Celsius is in my private work room, at home ( I am independent ).

Going back to the rubber-dome keyboards most people use, when I occasionally must use someone else's computer, e.g. during a course to quickly correct something, feels horrible: mushy, imprecise. Yes, mechanical keyboards have a certain cost, here ( in Central Europe ) about € 70 for a Storm CM Mech to € 120 for a new Black Widow. So what - they'll last me for years, and years, and years. I can guarantee you: once you make the move to a mechanical keyboard, you'll never look back.

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Religous speak to God. Insane are spoken to by God. When all shut up, one can finally hear Shostakovich in peace

Programming keyboard by Anonymous Coward · 2014-12-28 00:20 · Score: 3, Insightful

As a software developer, I have to admit I avoid mechanical keyboards like the plague, they require more force to type, they're louder (a really BAD thing when you're blazing out code), they take more time to press and debounce, and they cost ~600% more than a scissor switch keyboard (that has none of those problems if you have a typical 2mm travel vector on your keys, 200% less than most mechanical keyboards).

Re:Programming keyboard by Dogtanian · 2014-12-28 01:57 · Score: 5, Informative

As a software developer, I have to admit I avoid mechanical keyboards like the plague, they require more force to type, they're louder (a really BAD thing when you're blazing out code), they take more time to press and debounce, and they cost ~600% more than a scissor switch keyboard (that has none of those problems if you have a typical 2mm travel vector on your keys, 200% less than most mechanical keyboards).
Speaking as someone who *does* own (and am typing this on) a mechanical keyboard, I'll still say that membrane keyboards get unfairly disparaged, and that some are very nice to type on.

Some (emphasis "some") of the cheapest models are ******* horrible, true, but the one I have at work is actually pretty good even though that itself is a cheap one.

The best membrane keyboards I've used are miles better than the worst mechanical ones. And the scissor/membrane job on my old Compaq Armada laptop had a very pleasant, low-travel feel to them.

I'm pretty sure that a lot of it's what you're used to.

--
"Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).
Re: Programming keyboard by gr.scott.jo · 2014-12-28 02:33 · Score: 2

Yes, this. I read through all the comments to find only one person mentioning the action distance. Seems like a huge flaw in the argument to me. Can someone please explain to me how keys with a large activation distance with a fuzzy end is faster than a small activation distance with a discrete end? It doesn't make sense to me, nor does it match my admittedly limited experience. Going from Mac desktop keyboard to trying a friend's mechanical felt like changing from running on dry concrete where you put your foot down, hit the ground, and pick it up again; to running in foot deep molasses, where you shove your foot in and hope you get traction on something to build momentum. It didn't feel faster to me, and it doesn't make sense that it would be, either. In the end, all I've ever heard are assertions, not arguments.
Re:Programming keyboard by WuphonsReach · 2014-12-29 02:23 · Score: 1

Mechanical keyboards only require more force to use if you are using them wrong. As you depress the mechanical switch, there is a tactile click as the switch engages but before the key bottoms out. A proper touch typist will begin to let up on the pressing down motion as soon as that click is felt. There's no need to mash the keys all the way to the bottom.

The other reason that mechanical keyboards can feel tiresome is that people do not position their wrists properly (keep them off the desk!), or fail to tilt the keyboard.

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Wolde you bothe eate your cake, and have your cake?

Inherently superior? Well... by wonkey_monkey · 2014-12-28 00:45 · Score: 4, Insightful

even casual typists can recognize that there's something inherently superior about a mechanical keyboard.

Are you sure it's not that there's something inherently smug about clicky-keyboard fetishists?

I couldn't help feeling just a little bit dirty after reading the summary.

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systemd is Roko's Basilisk.

Re:Inherently superior? Well... by carnivore302 · 2014-12-28 04:14 · Score: 2

got one because because of pressure from collegues. Tried it for a week, then gave it to the wife. Wish I'd never done that, the noise is deafening. Should have given it away.

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Cherry MX Black for me by msobkow · 2014-12-28 00:51 · Score: 1

I forget the brand name of my keyboard, but I sprang for a cheap one with Cherry MX Black switches. It's been going for over a year now, which means it's already outlasted any membrane keyboards I've bought over the past few years. By around June or July, it will have paid for itself.

Unlike the membrane switches, this thing never misses a keystroke. :D

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I do not fail; I succeed at finding out what does not work.

Re:Cherry MX Black for me by BlackHawk-666 · 2014-12-28 13:04 · Score: 1

I used to burn through a new keyboard pretty much every year. Similar results for the mouse, maybe 18 months on those. The new Corsair M95 I have has already outlasted any of those old ones and feels like it will last for a decade. Even if I get a sticky key, I can just replace that one key instead of tossing the whole thing in the rubbish.

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All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.

Happy Hacker user here by houghi · 2014-12-28 01:20 · Score: 1

I like it, but I am used to it. For me what is much more important is using a trackball instead of a mouse. The only one however is the Logitech Wireless Trackball M570 as it is the only one (that I know of) that uses the thumb for the ball and that you can still buy.

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Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.

All the Cherry info you'd ever want... by Dogtanian · 2014-12-28 01:50 · Score: 2

I forget the brand name of my keyboard, but I sprang for a cheap one with Cherry MX Black switches.

The mechanical keyboard I bought almost ten years ago has Cherry MX Black switches apparently. It's certainly lasted, but although I'm still using it to type this message on, I've always felt that the spring resistance was just a *little* too stiff to be truly pleasurable to touch-type on. (Something I've since read elsewhere).

The Cherry MX Red has the same "linear" key action I bought the Black-based keyboard for, but with less resistance, and having used a Red-based keyboard, it's closer to what I had in mind when I bought the Black one (mail order). Mind you, the Red switches apparently weren't around back then anyway.

Cherry MX Reds are supposedly too sensitive for touch-typing, and intended for gaming keyboards, but I (as a non-gamer) am still considering buying one.

Of course, all the above is a matter of personal preference; if possible, you should always try out a mechanical keyboard- or at least one based on the same technology- if the feel of it is important. (And you probably wouldn't be bothering to buy a mechanical one if it wasn't!)

FWIW, while I was researching new keyboards a couple of months back, I came across these, both of which are useful in explaining the different types of Cherry switch:-

An introduction to Cherry MX mechanical switches

Cherry MX overview

Note that these colour codings only apply to official Cherry switches, not unofficial clones derived from their patent-expired design. For example, Razer commissioned a custom "green" switch from another manufacturer, which is apparently similar to the official Cherry MX Blue (rather than the Cherry MX Green).

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Re:All the Cherry info you'd ever want... by msobkow · 2014-12-28 02:11 · Score: 1

I learned to type on a manual typewriter, so the black switches are far from hard to press for me. Even the IBM Model M keyboard switches had more resistance if memory serves correctly (how I regret giving mine to a buddy years ago -- he's *still* using it -- and I pulled it from the "junk room" at work in 1989!)

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I do not fail; I succeed at finding out what does not work.
Re:All the Cherry info you'd ever want... by Dogtanian · 2014-12-28 03:49 · Score: 1

Even the IBM Model M keyboard switches had more resistance if memory serves correctly
I can quite believe that; from my (brief) memories of the Model M, the resistance was noticable (and disconcerting in its positioning) for me anyway.

I suspect that if- like you- one learned to type on a mechanical typewriter, the Model M will feel better and more natural. I didn't, and that's possibly why I didn't like it (and- I suspect- most people used to lighter computer keyboards probably won't like it either).

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"Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).

We're objective here, aren't we... by bluegutang · 2014-12-28 02:27 · Score: 1

"the difference between typing on a sweet mechanical keyboard with luxurious key action, versus pounding away on a run-of-the-mill squishy plank"

Ergonomic and wireless? by jps25 · 2014-12-28 02:29 · Score: 2

Are there any ergonomic mechanical (and wireless) keyboards?

Re:Ergonomic and wireless? by ihtoit · 2014-12-28 03:09 · Score: 1

Microsoft Comfort Sculpt 5000 W8 has good reviews

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Political debates have me rolling my eyes so much I think I got optical whiplash. I should sue. - Foamy The Squirrel
Re:Ergonomic and wireless? by jps25 · 2014-12-28 03:28 · Score: 1

That keyboard uses scissor-switch keys, but the ergonomic layout is nice.
Currently I use the MS Wireless Comfort 5000.
I prefer Cherry MX-Blue but my wrists demand an ergonomic layout.
Re:Ergonomic and wireless? by hibiki_r · 2014-12-28 06:47 · Score: 1

Kinesis makes a mechanical ergo keyboard with Cherry Brown keys, but its design is really not for everyone. A friend of mine swears by it, but I find it unusable, unlike the MS Natural Keyboard. Every time I tried to use the thing I ended up with elbow pain, as it does not work well unless your wrists are parallel to each other. With that kind of design, if the keyboard width is too big or too small, you'll end up hurting more than with a regular, non ergo keyboard, because those at least are more tolerant to angling your arms as you see fit.
They have a split keyboard design too, which would be great... except it uses crappy keys.

Re:noise? by gnupun · 2014-12-28 02:42 · Score: 1

Cherry mx blue switch - loudest
Cherry mx brown switch - quieter
Cherry mx red switch - very quiet

Check out this video

If anyone has a Microsoft AT Comfort by ihtoit · 2014-12-28 03:07 · Score: 1

give me a bell, I've been after one of these for years since mine was STOLEN.

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Political debates have me rolling my eyes so much I think I got optical whiplash. I should sue. - Foamy The Squirrel

Ditto, and a question by justthinkit · 2014-12-28 03:14 · Score: 1

Ditto. I have five of these, at home.

Question: has anyone else had keys start to go "mushy" on their Unicomp? I have several keys starting to do this on my main use keyboard. They still work, they just don't click any more... [I've only had this keyboard for two years.]

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I come here for the love

From my misbegotten youth... by __aaclcg7560 · 2014-12-28 03:30 · Score: 1

I had an original IBM AT keyboard in the late 1990's. My college roommate worked at a surplus computer store and gave me an old IBM AT computer to stay off his shiny 386 computer that could play Doom. The 286 was a big downgrade from the 386, but a big upgrade from the Commodore 64 that I used for ten years. Loved the keyboard during my BBS days. Alas, I gave it up when I discovered the Microsoft ergonomic split keyboard. Since then I went through several generations of Microsoft keyboards ($40) for my primary computer, and use Logitech keyboards ($20) for secondary computers.

Unicomp ? by medoc · 2014-12-28 03:30 · Score: 1

An article about mechanical with no mention of Unicomp ?? This is a bit like one about wines of the world where Italy and France would be absent...

Re: Mechanical, shemanical by rkcth · 2014-12-28 03:35 · Score: 1

I use a Microsoft natural keyboard. Very easy on the wrists and they last forever.

Re:They all suck by ihtoit · 2014-12-28 03:37 · Score: 1

My laptop has full-travel keys, yet because it's flat, I prefer the step-elevated Dell BT Wireless (in the absence of my Microsoft Comfort AT). Pretty sure it's a helical sprung keytop on it but you know what? I love it for the fact that the keys are demi-conical and pretty much only a direct strike on the key will engage it. If it's on my desk, the back feet are dropped, raising the top row even further. Yes, I learned to type on a Selectric II. I fucking loved that thing. Was dismayed to find by the time I got to college that portable keyboards had gotten flatter and flatter while key sensitivity had got to the point where they engaged if you breathed on them. Give me elevated rows and full height, full travel Steinway & Sons and keep your Bontempi shite.

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Political debates have me rolling my eyes so much I think I got optical whiplash. I should sue. - Foamy The Squirrel

Re:Unicomp keyboards by NormalVisual · 2014-12-28 04:46 · Score: 3, Informative

I have a Unicomp as well, but I still prefer the Model M because the Unicomp doesn't have the steel plate in the bottom, and to me doesn't feel quite as solid. The keys are great, though.

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Please stand clear of the doors, por favor mantenganse alejado de las puertas

Kinesis LF by kingradar · 2014-12-28 05:07 · Score: 1

I use the Kinesis Advantage (w the foot pedals for the modifiers). I have three of them already, but all of them are the standard model (1 in storage). This article convinced me to buy their new Low-Force version, which uses the Cherry MX Red switches. I'm hoping it helps with my arthritis. Its a recent addition to the Kinesis Advantage family, and one that wasn't available when I purchased my current HID. L~

http://www.kinesis-ergo.com/sh...

Re:They all suck by zippthorne · 2014-12-28 05:26 · Score: 1

This. 1000x this. Laptop keyboards are often much better than regular keyboards in terms of minimizing the amount of effort required to get a word from your head into the machine. The only thing missing is for them to be full-size and ergonomic. (My preference would be a split keyboard where both units are separate bluetooth modules, or at have at least 6' of cord connecting them.)

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Can you be Even More Awesome?!

In my experience, ignore the marketing by Cinder6 · 2014-12-28 05:56 · Score: 1

Now, I'm not saying to ignore the marketing that mechanical keyboards are better (I own six, myself...it's a weird hobby); I'm saying that the notion that certain switches are for gaming, while others are for typing, is pretty much bunk. MX Blacks are often described as "gaming" switches, but they came out in the mid-1980s. I've gamed on blues, and I've typed on reds. I've even gamed on an ancient IBM beamspring keyboard (precursor to buckling spring found in the Model F and Model M keyboards) and a few Topre boards. Any switch will be fine for any role. I think even hardcore gaming companies like Razer understands this, because they don't offer a keyboard with a linear switch.

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If you can't convince them, convict them.

Maybe I'm on the edge or something... by djbckr · 2014-12-28 06:43 · Score: 1

I used to use a clicky keyboard for many years, the UniComp one, but I don't really use it much anymore. I also have a friend that had a nice cherry keyboard and I got to use it for a while. When I got a Mac a number of years ago, I got the Apple "chicklet" full-size keyboard with a number-pad. I love it. Practically silent operation, and the tactile feedback is quite sufficient. I feel like I always know when the key has been pressed, it never ghosts or misses a stroke. I play a few video games on it (not many) and never had issue with it. Lastly, it's not huge. Very low profile, and I really like that.
It just seems the clicky keyboards are really just clunky to me.

Re:Maybe I'm on the edge or something... by Cinder6 · 2014-12-28 14:03 · Score: 1

Just personal preference. Contrary to what many say, not everyone in the world is going to prefer a mechanical keyboard over a rubber-dome one. Use the keyboard you like, not the one that everyone else likes. (And I say this as someone who has six mechanical keyboards and is currently using one on his rMBP to type this comment.)

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If you can't convince them, convict them.

Alps kicks CherryMX ass by mveloso · 2014-12-28 06:58 · Score: 1

Real keyboardists use Alps switches, not Cherry MX.

Re:Alps kicks CherryMX ass by Cinder6 · 2014-12-28 14:01 · Score: 1

Topre master race.

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If you can't convince them, convict them.

Corsair Raptors by CrashNBrn · 2014-12-28 06:58 · Score: 1

I've been pretty happy with the non-mechanical Corsair Raptor K40. Corsair also has a mechanical keyboard line with the same design but with cherry switches. Unfortunately, the price has jumped up to the Logitech price points --- previously the K30 was ~$40, and the K40 was ~$50-$60 (when it was stocked by Amazon LLC, instead of 3rd parties).

The only "short-stroke" keyboards that I've seen are pretty much just laptop-style derivatives.

Re:Unicomp keyboards by Cinder6 · 2014-12-28 07:41 · Score: 1

Unicomp says they have a steel plate. Odds are your plate isn't as thick as the one in the IBM, especially if it's a gray/silver label.

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If you can't convince them, convict them.

Re:Unicomp keyboards by DMUTPeregrine · 2014-12-28 08:33 · Score: 1

Having taken a Unicomp apart, there's definitely a steel plate in the bottom.

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Not a sentence!

Re:Unicomp keyboards by NormalVisual · 2014-12-28 08:53 · Score: 1

Mine is one of the black ones, but you're probably right - I haven't taken mine apart.

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Please stand clear of the doors, por favor mantenganse alejado de las puertas

People hate the keyboard noises I make! by antdude · 2014-12-28 11:35 · Score: 1

http://aqfl.net/node/5825 for its poll and comments. :(

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Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).

Re:Lame roundup. by Cinder6 · 2014-12-28 14:04 · Score: 1

I think the last thing we need is elitism in an already niche group. Aesthetics aside, those are all mechanical keyboards. And the scene probably owes gaming a lot, considering gaming peripheral companies have been leading the charge in terms of introducing new mechanical keyboards to the market.

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If you can't convince them, convict them.

Re:I like Zippy keyboards by Cinder6 · 2014-12-28 14:06 · Score: 1

Perhaps I'm misundertanding, but most people don't consider scissor switches to be the same as a mechanical keyboard. You still have a rubber-dome membrane underneath the switch. (Then again, most people consider Topre mechanical, even though that's just a plunger over a rubber dome over a spring. Who cares. Use the keyboard you like.)

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If you can't convince them, convict them.

One Keyboard to Rule Them All... by WillyWanker · 2014-12-28 14:30 · Score: 1

And it's the Model M. Anything else is just a cheap knockoff.

Re:Unicomp keyboards by Unknown+Lamer · 2014-12-28 15:18 · Score: 1

I have taken apart a black endura pro and ... unless there's supposed to be a second steel plate to add weight, the entire keyboard is just a pair of metal plates with the membrane mechanism sandwiched between them. Don't have it handy so I can't tell if it is steel or aluminum.

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HAL 7000, fewer features than the HAL 9000, but just as homicidal!

Re:They all suck by morethanapapercert · 2014-12-28 17:45 · Score: 1

Hear hear! I also learned on a Selectric. I miss the amphitheatre/stepped key rows, the demi-conical keys, and the serious business and damn near indestructible double shot keys. I can find mechanical keyboards with the right key shapes and if I lay out serious money, can even get the double-shot keys made out of that serious, almost indestructible plastic that Ma Bell and IBM used for their products. What seems to be impossible is finding a keyboard with all of these features *and* the slight curve of amphitheatre key rows rather than the stepped style.

I have given serious thought to making my own keyboard essentially from scratch, sourcing keys and switches online and then building my own curved "plank" to mount them on, and soldering my own logic board.

My dream keyboard would have the following features:
1) curved "amphitheatre" key rows
2) double shot ABS demi-conical keycaps with transparent symbols. (appear black except when lit from below)
3) Illuminated keys that are not only switch-able, but dim-able as well. (I plan on PWM and tricolour LEDs so I can chose my own custom colour and intensity)
4) relatively quiet mechanical switches, possibly MX Cherry reds
5) Ctrl, Alt, Meta and Windows keys as well as a double row of Function keys. (I got my computing start using terminals and I miss some of the dedicated keys those keyboards would have) with status lights for each
6) rubberized shaped buttons for the keys commonly found on "media keyboards" (calculator, email, favourites, rev, fwd, play, vol+, vol-)
7) horizontal bar Enter and Backspace keys
8) USB port on the right side for occasional thumb drive uses
9) wireless, with one of those RF charging mats built into the desk to power it, on-board batteries to run it when I remove it from the pad

I have the skills needed to make the board itself, it's the logic board inside I'd need help on. As far as I know, it should be fairly easy to set up some sort of an IC that can map the roughly 150 actual key switches and output the appropriate actual keyboard signals. From there, it should be trivial to tack on the 27.8 MHz transmitter that sends to the USB receiver. I don't have much need to program macros and those few I use can be handled in software on the computer.

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I need a wheelchair van for my son. Help me get the word out. https://www.gofundme.com/wheelchair-van-for-jj

Informative graphic for Cherry MX Switches by twosat · 2014-12-28 20:46 · Score: 1

I was researching keyboards a few months ago when I was ordering a new computer. I found this graphic on Cherry MX Mechanical Switches quite informative: http://www.gamersedge.co.uk/wp...

From: http://www.gamersedge.co.uk/20...

On reflection, I will keep my Logitech G105 for my new computer - it seems to be more durable than my previous keyboards. Also, I find that back-lighting is useful on modern black keyboards to increase the contrast level.

keep in touch by thedonofdons · 2014-12-28 21:34 · Score: 1

What about touchscreen interfaces??? They are becoming more common by the day and most keyboards are now on-screen keyboards than being hardware keyboards or keypads!
http://popularbloggingtopics.c...

All those are crap by YoungManKlaus · 2014-12-29 01:13 · Score: 1

If you want MX switches, get a Cherry MX Board 3.0 ... costs around half the money (60€), is extremely sturdy, and they come with various switches (esp. blues and browns which are best for productive work - though not for gaming supposedly). Multimedia and macro buttons are overrated anyhow (and to me even annoying).

Where to find - I want to move my mouse inward. by Mal-2 · 2014-12-29 08:16 · Score: 1

What I want is to minimize the space between the main keyboard segment and the mouse, so as to minimize the latency of reaching for said mouse and back for typing. To that end, I want something like a 60% keyboard, but do not delete the F-key row. I'm not looking to reduce the total footprint, just move my mouse a good 7 inches or so closer. Then I still want the remainder of the keyboard, but on the OTHER side of the mousepad. Obviously this will have to be attached via a separate cable.

Backlights would be nice. Mechanical switches like Cherry Brown would be nice. 18mm pitch would be super-nice. But none of those would increase my comfort level as much as just sawing the damn keyboard into two pieces and putting the mouse in between.

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How is the Riemann zeta function like Trump rallies? Both have an endless number of trivial zeros.

Re:Where to find - I want to move my mouse inward. by Mal-2 · 2014-12-31 23:36 · Score: 1

I actually found something that looks exactly like what I want: the Mad Catz S.T.R.I.K.E. 5. Unfortunately it's $200.
If anyone else thought "hey that makes sense", at least this is one option. I don't want two separate devices, and would rather get something like the Evoluent with the keypad on the left if that's what it takes.

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How is the Riemann zeta function like Trump rallies? Both have an endless number of trivial zeros.

Re:Lame roundup. by Cinder6 · 2014-12-29 11:42 · Score: 1

No one reasonable would argue that gaming peripheral companies haven't done a lot to make mechanical keyboards much more mainstream than they ever were when it was just Ducky, Filco, etc.

(And yes, I'm quite aware of the scene. I own a Realforce HiPro, a Unicomp, an IBM 6850 beamspring, a Matias Tactile Mini, a MAX Blackbird, and a Poker II with the Granite keyset. My point is simply that the market for mechs is bigger than it's been in ages, thanks to Razer, Corsair, CM, etc.)

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If you can't convince them, convict them.

Dvorak & TypeMatrix by rleibman · 2014-12-30 10:40 · Score: 1

I have to say that I'm absolutely, head over heels in love with my current keyboard. yes, it doesn't click loud, I had this angry typing mode that would let anyone within miles know that I was coding my ass off, that's the only thing I miss, other than that, I love the key placement (putting the enter key in the center is genius, as is making caps-lock really hard to reach). I'm sorry for those old school people who refuse to learn anything new, but if you really want to feel a difference, give the typematrix keyboard a fly for a month. Though I type Dvorak, I managed to have my QWERTY coder GF converted to it as well, and she loves it. And no, not affiliated with it, just a VERY satisfied customer.

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