Slashdot Mirror
Ask Slashdot: What Kind of Keyboard Do You Use With Your Computer and Why?
An anonymous reader writes: Hello all. I am looking to buy a good mechanical keyboard for my everyday usage — programming and writing. I see some good offers on certain keyboards -- thanks to Black Friday deals. Just this week, Razer launched what looks like a good mechanical keyboard for people who are looking for a budget gear. One of the issues I have come across looking for a good keyboard is how most of them are designed for Windows OS by default. (I know you can customize keys, but.)
Slashdot has run keyboard discussion posts in the past -- the best laptop with best keyboard, greatest keyboard ever made, and quest to find a good keyboard , but I don't see any recent story on this. I was curious to know what kind of keyboard you use and why did you choose the one you have?
Slashdot has run keyboard discussion posts in the past -- the best laptop with best keyboard, greatest keyboard ever made, and quest to find a good keyboard , but I don't see any recent story on this. I was curious to know what kind of keyboard you use and why did you choose the one you have?
Last years black Friday i got myself an alienware 13 R3. Its keyboard was one of the main reasons. I had a macbook air and haven't looked back ever since.
IBM Model M Keyboard.
Best keyboard ever made.
Select one of these: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mechanical_keyboards
I just wish laptop people would stop inventing new stuff just for the sake of it.
... last one I bought (low end) was Lenovo Ideapad 310. They put the shift key AFTER the arrow key up. It's like UI/UX people in web design, just making changes for the sake of it.
Every time I buy a laptop, there's some retarded stuff going on
Check this out:
https://www.waresphere.com/sto...
Takes quite a while to adapt.
Mac with apple magic keypad with numeric keys, expensive but I love it. Bluetooth, has the right angle and works flawless, it should for the price!
https://www.daskeyboard.com/p/... - minimalist and white backlight.
After spending a bunch of money on mechanical keyboards, I finally figured out that I really prefer membrane keyboards for both gaming and typing. I never really enjoyed my mechanicals, but the hype was so strong that mechanical was the way to go that I kept trying, thinking that I just needed to find the right one.
Finally, I was in some store one day and they had a Razer Cynosa Chroma on display and I tried it and decided on the spot to give my mechanicals away to friends and now that Razer is my absolute favorite. Less than half the price of my cheapest mechanical, too.
You are welcome on my lawn.
I know it’s kind of a joke in some circles to avoid using Razer products, and for the most part, I agree with them.
But with that being said, give the Chroma Ornata a try. It has some of the best switches I’ve ever typed on. I’ve gotten two friends to buy one just by having them try mine out for a few sentences.
Go find a micro center or whatever your nearby equivalent is and find one to test out. 10/10 would recommend.
It's cheap and its good. I have cherry blue and cherry brown version and like them both.
It's worth paying more than $50 for a good keyboard, but when people start charging more than $100, we get into golden cables territory...
IBM Model-M.
No contest.
My UID is prime!
That new Razer one looks nice, apart from being wired. Wireless was one of my must-have features, so after much research I went with the Drevo Calibur and I've been very happy with it. I've had it for about 9 months.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0...
What I _don't_ like about it is the small return key (it's like a shift key, one row instead of two) and the wireless battery life isn't great, it can only go about a day without charging. As much as I wanted wireless, I just leave the USB cable plugged in now lol.
What _some_ people might not like is that you don't get function keys, you have to press the function button and then a numeric key, for example FN+3 for F3. I totally expected this to be a pain in the ass but honestly it has never bothered me.
I too wanted a non-Windows keyboard but a good wireless non-Windows mechanical keyboard basically doesn't exist. The compromise I made was accepting a Windows keyboard that ticked all the other boxes. I intended to buy replacement key caps, but I've never got round to it.
The litmus test is, if this keyboard broke, would I buy the same one again? Yes I think so.
Keys are programmable, and the lights can give feed back on expected statutes
Allow me to introduce you to the KeyTronic E03601U1 full size 104 normal keys keyboard. Durable and reliable. Full size keys that don't have quite the pop/click of the old IBM lead monsters, but you'll know that you've hit the key. It's wired USB so you never have to worry about batteries dying. It does have a Windows key, but most non-Windows OS have a switch to control that key somewhere in the OS interface settings, so not sure why that would be an issue.
Why? It's built! Nice tactile feedback and loads of quality most modern keyboards just don't have. Built like a battleship.
It's inexpensive and works pretty well
love is just extroverted narcissism
wired, mechanical, soft touch almost like a Selectric II, and backlit. the keyboard the company provided with out new HP laptops was almost as bad as the one on the Atari 400.
if this is supposed to be a new economy, how come they still want my old fashioned money?
Windows having 80%+ market share of the desktop OS is why most of them are designed for Windows.
I only please one person per day. Today is not your day. Tomorrow isn't looking good either. - Scott Adams
... because the goddam letters keep fading.
I'm deaf so I type aggressively, so I can hear the keys. Drives my wife nuts but we've been married 38 years and she knew what she was getting into and she won't close the cupboard doors EVER SO THERE'S THAT! I'm OK now.
I buy the cheap Microsoft wireless. I don't even have to set up the new one because the drivers are the same.
It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
I use an Alienware M17R2 at work. I use a Dell XPS 13 at home. I'm not using an external keyboard with either. I do wish the Dell didn't have the chicklet-type keyboard though, the bezel between keys is annoying.
The home desktop computer, that doesn't get a lot of direct-on-box use anymore has a USB Sun keyboard on it. In the past I've used a Gateway 2000 "Anykey" 124 key macro programmable keyboard, swapped the Sun on to try it out, and then haven't directly used the computer much since then. I like the GW2K keyboard but it has a simultaneous-key limitation that I've occasionally bumped up against.
Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
I find the shaped keyboards to work best with my arthritis. Either the Logitech or Microsoft feels better for long sessions of coding/typing.
My biggest concern is the Logitech Set Point software when I'm working on my Windows machine. I really shouldn't have installed it. The keyboard works fine on my Linux development machine and doesn't require Set Point.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Mimetics Inc. Twitter
Das Keyboard with the 'red' cherry MX clicky keys. I just like the way it feels, though I was a bit disappointed with the fact that the legs to angle it are just cheap plastic and fall out easily.
Laws are rules for the court, but merely a bottom bar to hit for life. Think beyond laws in your actions always.
I agree, mac keyboard is awful. I use it too when I can't attach an external keyboard. And I definitely don't eat crackers while I am using it.
Laws are rules for the court, but merely a bottom bar to hit for life. Think beyond laws in your actions always.
I use a Kensington Slim Type Wired Keyboard (K72357USA) They're inexpensive full sized scissor switch desktop keyboards.
Very good for typing and twitchy games like Super Hexagon. I've had and had break three brands of mechanical. They're overrated ripoffs.
Logitech G19 gaming keyboard. Having a glowing keyboard is really useful working at night and having a room light disturbed those in other rooms (doorways had glass windows above the door). The built in mini LCD screen was a nice touch. Mini apps could be written for it, even an X-windows driver.
A $10 keyboard from the supermarket.
Vintage computer adverts: http://www.vintageadbrowser.com/computers-and-software-ads
Aren't they American?
Anne Pro (1st version). Love it. I found that since I started using it it made me to learn more efficient way of working with Vim and Bash.
I svitdhfd yfars afo tp tie Appmf Whefl!
Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!
And anyone who disagrees with me is CLEARLY mistaken:
http://www.pckeyboard.com/
Buzzing the information Superhighway at Warp speed
Still the only Multitouch keyboard, as far as I'm aware. Only available second hand.
Nothing beats it for coding. You can't hit quite the same CPS as with a mechanical keyboard, but that's more than made up for by zero-switch-time mousing and gestures. Being able to just drag code around as you're writing it is fantastic.
For tasks involving a lot of free form text--emails, documents--I switch to a mechanical keyboard.
My wrists yellowline pretty quickly when I have to type on a rectangular keyboard. The split keyboard works like a charm!
Hi!
I split my time in thirds between coding/science, management, and creative/business/other writing. That means several hours of "demanding" typing on a daily basis. I need sturdy and comfortable keyboards.
My MacBook Pro doubles as my workstation (in fact, it mostly lives on my desk and becomes a portable only during business travel, about 10 days/mo). That one is set up with a 27" monitor, Trackpad, and the Mattias Wireless Aluminum Keyboard. I chose this keyboard because:
1. Full size
2. Push-key support for up to 3 different devices (I use it for the SmartTV too when searching for things)
3. Good key travel/feedback while typing (fewer typing errors)
4. Battery life -- six months to a year on a 4-hour charge
5. It matches the MacBook Pro's aesthetics (Space Grey, black keys)
For the iPad (9.7" 6th gen) I use the YKB Keyboard Case, 7-color back light. It's the only iPad Keyboard I ever used that can be used for coding too (Jupyter Lab -- serious coding still happens in the MBP). Comfortable, good key travel, the colors are dope (and the envy of others using Dell micro notebooks or Apple iPad keyboards during meetings), and it has all the keys where you'd expect them to be, including Ctrl, Option/Alt, and Cmd. I've had Apple, Logitech, and Anker keyboards, this is the first one that I can use for everything. I've even edited server configurations using Vim (and a terminal) from here with the only "annoyance" being the on-screen ESC key, and I blame Apple for that one, not YKB.
MacBook Pro == hardcore work
iPad == meetings, short business trips or personal trips where I don't want to take the MacBook Pro, cafés, and in general whenever I need a computer bigger than a smartphone
Context: my favorite of all time is an original IBM M-101 keyboard from 1995 or so. I some times plug it when I need to do a lot of serious work, alone -- the noise it makes is too much at my home office. Super-gratifying, and the most amazing keyboard ever. If you can find an original one on eBay, and people around you don't mind the CLACKing sound it makes, you can only do worse. You can't use it in an open plan space either -- it's too noisy. But really -- that'll be the best keyboard you could ever get. The new generation clones are nowhere near the quality and comfort of the original. I've tried the Lexmark and some other one I forget -- the typing feeling is "close" but it lacks the CLACK and overall feedback of the IBM original.
Good luck in your search for good keyboards, and cheers!
pr3d4t0r
http://eugeneciurana.com | http://ciurana.eu
My keyboard came with my last computer (Dell) because my current computer didn't come with one.
Madly comfortable. Too bad you can't buy one without numpad and mouse in kit. Mouse and numpad never left the cardboard they came in.
:wq
I got three mechanical keyboards. Two DAS Professional S. (Office and Home) And a Razer Blackwidow v1. So far for work and normal typing. I prefer the DAS Keyboard MX Cherry Brown. For Gaming, I like the click sound louder, An MX Cherry Blue or Green is more suitable in my opinion. DAS keyboards are expensive, but they are totally worth every penny. https://ask.slashdot.org/story...
In the olden days, you could select from a few different decent keyboards. Lots were cheap crap, but they were at least trying to be legit.
Today, you can go to a big-box electronics store and try out an array of keyboards, everyone one of which is just utter crap to type on, and rearranges the shit out of any key outside the primary alpha and numeric keys. Or, you can go online and trawl a keyboard-fetish forum, but you're going to have to take a risk to order it unless you can find someone local willing to let you try theirs. Meanwhile I'm sitting here with a stash of Microsoft Natural keyboards from 1999 which I snagged off eBay once I realized that the terrible compromise keyboards from laptops had trained people to think that that's just what keyboards were supposed to be like.
WHY DO YOU HAVE TO MESS WITH THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE NAVIGATION KEYS! DAMN. IT. JUST STOP. AND CONTROL BELONGS NEXT TO 'A'.
Sorry I got the Professional 4. I like the wheel to manage the should and some other stuff and the USB 3 ports on the Top. There are keyboards like the Razer that put these ports on the side of the keyboard and will interfere with your mouse, if you are right hand user.
I use not one, but two keyboards at the same time. Both are RedDragon cheap mechanical keyboards off of Amazon. On my left hand, an 82-key keyboard with no numeric keypad. On my right, a 102-key keyboard with a numeric keypad. One on the left is a rainbow keyboard with multicolored lighting, the one on the right has red led lighting.
I'm posting this in this thread to ask the community for an equal recommendation:
Does anybody know of Windows 10 compatible macro key software that can recognize keyboard IDs? I'd love to use the keys in between my hands for macros, but to do so, I need USB HID macro software. I was unable to get LuaMacros to work for me under Windows 10, and so am looking for options.
SJW: a person who perceives an injustice, and while correcting it, commits a greater injustice.
Just changed jobs two weeks ago. Theyâ(TM)re absolutely shocked I do everything on a 13â
MBP. Even though I write code and work in analytics, I live on a single screen.
It just makes no sense for me to be moving back and forth between different peripherals as I spend most of my day working in between meetings or otherwise not at my desk.
I prefer consistency and not using a keyboard or monitor just makes the most sense for me.
I bought a Mac Pro ten years ago and it came with Apples' standard slim chiclet keyboard. I was trying to decide what proper keyboard to get until I used it. I can type 15-20% faster on it. I don't get any kind of strain. It's closer to drumming your fingers on the desk than using an old fashioned keyboard. The idea of going back to something like an IBM Model M fills me with horror. Let the poseurs have their sit-up-and-beg fashion statement; this ancient geek has found that moving with the times increases speed, accuracy and comfort.
...4000, because my wrists really need the split design and my muscle memory needs the standard cursor and number block. I'd be happy to try out another brand with these these 2 must-have features, if someone were to point out one.
I have 3 of them. Also, it has two small USB slots on the back, perfect for the Logitech dongle that talks to a m570 trackball. Three identical setups, 2 at home, one at work. Observe that esc and ctrl are in the correct place with the HH lite. Just right for Emacs.
For the last ten years, I've held RSI at bay by using split keyboards (and judicious use of break reminder software). I've used the Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic in the past. I'm now using the Kinesis Freestyle2 and quite like it. I've set it up such that there's a trackpad in between the left and right part.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C...
8 of 13 people found this answer helpful. Did you?
I have a Microsoft Natural Gen 1.
None of the ones they've built after seem to have the same all round satisfaction, easiness of typing and robust feel.
Had it since they released it, and it's been going strong since; I'll be sad on the day it finally gives up the ghost.
I have two. One with Cherry Blues and SA sculpted keycaps; the other with DSA and Matias quiet switches. I really like the split hand linear layout. Two things that I've grown dependent on are the levels to make one side my ten key keypad and programming macros. Cutting out so many of the repetitive things like typing a login, email, name, address, commands, etc. save me hours over the course of a month. Whatever you get, get something that you can program for the common things you type.
I'm on the older G110 and love it. It's possible to both game and type like this without getting angry comments from the rest of the living room about the clacking noise, and the key size and spacing seems to fit my fingers perfectly - or I've just adapted to it over the many years I've used it.
-=This sig has nothing to do with my comment. Move along now=-
The proper tools are two thirds of the work. You CAN hammer a nail into a piece of wood using a rock, but a hammer makes it so much easier and more accurate.
-=This sig has nothing to do with my comment. Move along now=-
Siig model JK-US0312-S1 . Gives you more space on your desk.
with that layout. I'm on a MS Natural too (one of the older ones). I like the layout but I miss mechanical switches.
Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
What keyboard do I use?
Wired.
It's just a dell keyboard that came with the computer. It doesn't have clicky switches, or RGB LEDs, or music navigation buttons, or a volume control, or even the power/sleep/suspend keys. It's just a keyboard.
Why?
Security. Simplicity. Availability. Affordability.
My requirements for a keyboard? It needs to have an ENTER key that is NOT shaped like an "L", and the backslash should be placed just above the ENTER key.
I'm right handed but I've been hoarding a small pile of them since discovering having the numeric pad on the left ended my mouse RSI. I guess by letting me hold it closer to centre in a more natural pose.
Not bad keyboards, still using the 1st one after more than a decade, only the multimedia buttons and scroll wheel have died so far. Nice soft action and robust.
I've always preferred the old IBM 3270 style KB's.They allowed for more than 3 key combinations which gave a distinct advantage in FPS directional movement. You could jump, move forward and strafe or circle strafe in a left or right direction while also firing or even combo firing. Many newer KB's top out at 3 key combinations designed around the ctrl-alt-delete setup but ignored a fourth or fifth input. I am not sure what KB's out there mimic that behavior or if newer models even do. I have several boxes full of old IBM hardware that I've saved over the years and given the inherent toughness of the mechanical KB's they will last me many years.
errr....umm...*whooosh* *whoosh* Is this thing on ?
I felt that way before I was 25 or so. I even swore by the IBM Trackpoint. Never needed to take my fingers off the keyboard.
In their late 20's, most people's shoulders, necks, backs and wrists start to ache either reaching up to the keyboard, or leaning over their display. It's ok for short periods of time, but after more than a few days...
If not, count yourself lucky.
My ideal keyboard would not have one.
Exclusively use Topre switches. Have a Type Heaven at home and a Realforce at work. Best switches Iâ(TM)ve ever used.
I use a Corsair K95 RGB (the non-RGB had problems with the backlighting). Cherry MX Brown switches and 18 dedicated macro keys are what sold me. I even bought a spare that's still in the box in a closet when they discontinued the 18 macro key model.
I browse on +1 so AC's need not respond, I won't see it.
IBM Model M; The One True keyboard. Though I don't know why you don't already know this.
https://hardware.slashdot.org/...
If you prefer USB, the design was bought by Unicomp and they make new USB keyboards based on the same design: https://www.pckeyboard.com/
I use a split keyboard arranged devorak style and and I swap the left and right hand units. That way not even people who know dvorak can type on my keyboard.
Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
Apple full size aluminum. Once I used it I tossed my IBM Model-Ms into the electronic recycling bin.
However: worst keyboard: Acer laptops, because of size and key positions.
Arthritis? Try mapping the "enter" key to be duplicated on the "caps lock" key. It allows you to type "enter" with your left pinky while keeping your wrist straight = no strain, no pain. Typing "enter" with my right pinky caused a kink in my right wrist, which grew to be very painful. I use the free app "SharpKeys" from RandyRants.com
(oops, previous replied to wrong comment)
Yep.
(LOL!)
No sig today...
What happened to /. Its been almost 100 posts and nobody has yet to mention the best keyboard on the market. Its mechanical, programmable and will cure you of CTS in a couple of weeks. Its expensive but worth it. Thought everyone already knew this...
"Those that start by burning books, will end by burning men."
Don’t buy it. Miserable keyboard for a touch typist. Right hand always ends up on the wrong keys. Nice that it is rechargeable though and pretty looking...
It's the best affordable and f*-proof durable keyboard, and comes with USB for the mouse. It has all keys at the normal place.
Nothing more nothing less, it has media keys and gamers may like to install the macro software. It's just rocksolid. I don't even know if they are still available since they last that long....
A glitch a day keeps the bugs away.
Why is everyone's mind here limited to this tiny box of "bog-standard rectangular horizontal keyboard layout", and somehow all the bitching is about which kind of freaking *switches* are the best??
It's like arguing which kind of motor is best, for putting your head in a meat grinder!* Look at the damn elephant in the room! LOOK AT IT!
A good, or even acceptable keyboard just plain does not exist.
"Ergonomic" keyboards, while solving several problems, just move the problem from the wrists to the shoulders. (Otherwise the DataDeskTech Smartboard or Maltron would be king.)
Vertical keyboards still force way too many stuff on the smallest fingers, even if they are wide enough apart.
And the vertically chair-mounted DataHand Pro II would be awesome, if its price wasn't just batshit insane. Which makes it not acceptable too. And if a trackball was built-in.
What we need, is a Kickstarter project for a <$100 DataHand Pro II clone (for both hands and long cabling and rests and vertical chair mounts and everything) with a trackball built right into it. (Preferably a 6DOF one. For each hand!)
Give me that!
Then I could not give less of a shit if it's all rubber domes (ribbed for your pleasure) or gold-plated mechanical nerd switches with a glowing RGB hipster light.
-----
* Or, actually, it's like people arguing about which meaningless property of a which US party or presidential candidate is better/worse, when they *do* (as opposed to *say*!!!) exactly the same in literally every single actually relevant decision! (Mainly being batshit insane extremist fundamentalist totalitarian fascist nutjobs, deciding against you every single time, no exceptions.)
Verbatim. Same keyboard even. I've worn the black plastic off the comma, period, l, semicolon, a, s and left shift keys and have worn a depression in the middle of the space bar. Usage still feels like new.
Logitech G510. I have had it for years. Got it for the programable keys when I had my wow addiction, still find the keys helpful when I play on the Xbox with my XIM.
It has a metal case that conducts static charges to ground instead of building up and resetting USB interface and eventually frying the keyboard. My last one (Logitech) died this way.
It's not obnoxious. No ridiculous backlights and over the top gamer shit. I almost got the version with no printed labels.
Went with cherry blue to break habit of striking thru. It has helped to apply just enough pressure and slightly improve typing speed.
Volume control wheel is nice but the damn wheel is reversed.
Sleep button on keyboard. Will usually suspend to ram when not using it and a single button on the keyboard is convenient but somewhat rare for some reason.
Two USB3 slots are nice to have.
There are some things I didn't like:
The metal looks cool and all but it's actually cold to the touch and sharp and annoying. It's not like sharp ginsu like metal but the edges wear on you. Had to get a palm rest to sit in front of it to make that problem disappear.
Piece of shit num,caps,scroll lock lights are obnoxious blue undiffused leds that send up bat signals on the ceiling at night. It's also annoying like looking into a flashlight even during the day if you simply look at the indicator light head on. Nothing some tape won't fix but fuck them for such a crappy design and using blue leds.
I take whatever's the cheapest I can find, 5$ is good enough as long as there's a numeric keypad and the thing is black. If the mouse comes with it and the lot is under 10$, all the better.
Mod parent up Kinesis will permanently eliminate all traces of CTS. And make you a faster typist, too.
Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
Its only a fairly basic keyboard but it gets the job done.
I have considered the Unicomp but I have heard its not so good for fast paced gaming. And I cant justify spending that much on any keyboard if I can't at least get a feel for what its like to type on.
It's an earlier USB 1.1 revision, not a later USB 2.0 revision. (And you can only distinguish the two by plugging them in and using `lspci` or such. There's no means by external visual inspection to determine if the integrated USB hub is 1.1 or 2.0 - thanks, Apple!)
IBM KB-8923. Fairly chunky & heavy, decent key travel. Made in 1996. So long since I touched an M I can't say how far off "the master" it is, but it's way better than most modern ones.
It's also completely filthy.
And a Microsoft Natural Pro that's big enough to turn over and use as a bed. Tend to use it with the RPi since it has a USB connector alongside the normal one, even though it looks silly.
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
I don't use Advantage 2 (the one mentioned by Parent) but I've used the Freestyle and Freestyle Pro (https://www.kinesis-ergo.com/shop/freestyle-pro/) on my Mac systems for over a decade, replacing the no-longer-made KeyTronic Flex Pro (which I used on Windows and Mac machines). I built a simple platform so I can crank these up to near vertical, and they saved me from what probably would have been crippling CTS. Takes a while to get used to this orientation, but if you're a touch typist (and who isn't these days?) it gets to feeling normal pretty quickly. The only time I hunt for keys is if I'm typing in some line-noise-like password. Your hands and wrists (and forearms) will thank you.
I use this keyboard because it is indestructible, still "just works" and has "rad" features like multimedia keys - I can play a CD with a button on my keyboard!
Look at this baby -> https://i.pinimg.com/originals...
That's like a good woman that always done right by you, worth holding on to. Just cause she got old and needs a USB adapter doesn't make it right to abandone her...and I know her so well I always push the right buttons.
A 'singular oddity' is an event that cannot be explained and only happens when you are alone.
is they're still flat. I can raise it up, but the MS Natural has a more gradual angle between each successive key (H, J, K, L, etc, etc). It keeps my wrists turned at a better angle. I had a Matias Ergo Pro for a bit but then flat angle killed it for me and I gave it to my gamer brother.
Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
Mine is from 1994, still clicking everyday. Try it and you'll love it.
Votez ecolo : Chiez dans l'urne !
I swear by the Microsoft Natural 4K.
Served me well for almost 13 years.
https://www.microsoft.com/acce...
Karma: Can only be portioned out by the Cosmos.
I have a Cherry G86-63401, but with the alphanumeric keys taken from a G86-61411. I would have preferred the version without a trackpad (gaining 12 keys), but the one with just happened to be under $60 on two separate occasions (I have two now).
Why? Well, it's an 18x8 matrix (no stagger), aside from the segment lost to the trackpad at lower right. It's rubber dome, but it's a nice rubber dome. The keys are POM (Delrin). All the keys that are not stolen from the other keyboard are the type with plastic lenses, under which any graphic can be placed. I have it arranged in a modified Dvorak layout of my own design, because it is completely programmable at the hardware level.
Here's a pic.
However, if mechanical keyboards are more your thing, there is Tipro. They're not common at all in the U.S., but they are in Europe. Cherry MX Black switches, matrix or staggered layout, fully programmable. Also expandable (you can attach modules end to end). Another option, if you can find it, is the rare Cherry MX Brown version of the G86 series which has all the features of a normal G86, but with mechanical switches replacing the rubber dome and membrane. Although rare, I have seen these sell for under $300.
This is really a question for Deskthority, don't you think? There are hundreds of threads on this topic there, and also people willing to sell you things.
How is the Riemann zeta function like Trump rallies? Both have an endless number of trivial zeros.
Eagletec KG-011's are around or under $40 USD on Amazon even without any holiday deals. They're mechanical keyboards that strongly borrow from the design of Corsair's $200-$230 keyboards, with some caveats. They use better controllers that won't just go out on you after a warranty period ends, and they use Outemu brand switches, which are knockoffs of Cherry brand switches that are -in every way superior- to Cherry brand switches.
After having so many expensive mechanical keyboards fail on me, I bought these, and I'll never go back. Outemu switches feel superior and don't seem to suffer from the same fail-rate as the more expensive Cherry MX switches that all the high-dollar keyboards tend to use (except Razer, whom I believe may use something else? I haven't kept up with them in a while.)
I am a major keyboard snob. If you can name a keyboard switch or a particular design, I've probably tried it, or probably own it. In this day and age though, I can not -fathom- buying a keyboard for $200+ when I know how low-quality the components are going to be, or how poor the firmware in their microcontrollers is, or how terrible and pointless their "driver" software might be.
No matter what, I'd never, ever buy Razer. Their design principles involve everything requiring some proprietary Windows software which tends to store settings on the cloud - including for setting the DPI of their freaking mice.
I use an old G4 keyboard on my Windows box. While transitioning from one to the other for graphics work I just could not adapt to the lefthand meta key layout - on the Mac it's control alt command space, with most meta commands using command, then command + alt, with the control key used infrequently. On windows it's control, then control + alt, and the Windows key is a hazard to navigation. On a PC keyboard I hit the damned thing incessantly; it was much easier to train myself to skip over it with a Mac keyboard.
I used one of the slimline laptop-keyboard-with-a-number-pad models until it finally wore out recently, and after having a good long eyeroll at the ridiculous markup they've succumbed to in the last decade, I dug a G4 board out of storage. It gets the job done.
Runs ~55-75 usd regular price, you can find them for 28 dollars on sale at Fry's and maybe Newegg/Microcenter.
They have 6 rows of individually lit LEDs that play patterns when plugged in, with optional ability to leave the backlights off. The font is odd and omits sysrq/break from their respective keys, but it is large font, nice key stroke, and most of all: CHEAP for a mechanical. The only slightly annoying bit is it has an integrated wrist rest which adds 2-3 inches off the bottom lip of the keyboard. It is however USB-only.
If you like ergo keyboards and membrane is fine, Adesso has two models of the microsoft style ergonomic keyboard, a PS2/USB hybrid that is unlit, and a lit usb-only model. It is one of the few PS2 compatible keyboards you can still find on the market and includes a usb to ps2 adapter (since it is usb by default.) They run 40-60 USD, sometimes less on sale.
Hope this helps you make a choice. There are lots of other keyboards available. My personal preference is traditional style keyboard keys in a full size 100+ key format, which is slowly going out of style and as a result making touch typing harder with each new set of key changes and design compromises in newer mobile and desktop keyboard products. As a result I tend to hand on to keyboards until their cables fail, membrane fails, or the switches finally break on them. Interestingly the best membrane keyboard I have gotten was a BTC model S207, which was a 10 dollar membrane PS2 keyboard that I am still using today. It has multimedia keys that windows detects out of the box in the upper right corner, a full AT style keyboard with all keys in the traditional locations, the enter with the \| key above it, a metal backplate for structural rigidity, and a durability that has seen 70 percent of the ASCII keys silkscreens worn off and about half of those keys DIMPLED from the years of wear.
For the record, you can pry my PS/2 keyboards from my cold dead hands, because unlike USB keyboards you can still send SYSRQ events under Linux if the system input hangs (whether a GPU crash, bad Xorg/Wayland input settings, or something else) while the USB stack will often already be dead.
I like cheap mechanical keyboards. For years, I used an old Mitsumi Model M. After buying a laptop with backlit keys, I realized how much I enjoy the feature and replaced my other keyboards. I've found lots of affordable options on AliExpress, including a small backlit Bluetooth keyboard.
I like the look of the Das Keyboard with all black and no letters on the keys to ruin the look.
https://static.bhphoto.com/ima...
I tried a Sun USB mechanical keyboard a few weeks ago and tried an actual IBM mechanical one, I don't like the fact you have to punch the keys so hard and deep to get it to work. I have a soft, chiclet style, mechanical Apple keyboard from a few years ago. I want minimum effort and more importantly settings that allow me to repeat keys very fast.
Custom electronics and digital signage for your business: www.evcircuits.com
Logitech deserves a look for their Unifying line of wireless kit. They have been incredibly reliable for me, latency low enough that I don't notice them, and the batteries last forever.
I took a chance on the iKBC CD108 wired (full-size keyboard) and have been very happy with it. On my work machine I've got o-rings on all keys, on my gaming machine I've got o-rings on the modifier keys but haven't decided if I want them on all the others yet.
It's a very simple-looking keyboard, quite hefty and solid with good-feeling keys.
Here's the review that convinced me to try it:
https://nullpointertonowhere.c...
There are very few reviews of it (in English anyway), and just searching for iKBC CD108 brings up reviews of the bluetooth version.
If you can find one. Works well, not too loud, and the -control- key is in the correct spot, next to the A.
I still use a mechanical keyboard I built in 2012. The insides were a kit with PCB and mounting plate for mechanical Cherry MX switches in tenkeyless form factor (no numpad). The outside, I built together from several vintage keyboards.
It is beige, looking like something from the early '90s. I had planned it to go with with a new PC built in a Silicon Graphics case but never got around to it.
I had been two years into the mechanical keyboard hobby, having tried maybe a dozen keyboards until I found my favourite switch: Cherry MX Clear (for which I have been an advocate for since). Unfortunately, despite its high popularity within the enthusiast community it has still not become mainstream, and mass-produced keyboards with it are rare.
My purchases since (for work, etc.) have been variations of this keyboard and switch. ... and which in turn wears much less than the painted caps with laser-ablated legends that is still the norm for backlit "gaming" keyboards these days. ... six years, they still look fresh.
I got into the hobby, first for customisation (I wanted to build a keyboard that would look like it fit in Star Wars), and second for ergonomics and quality. I use keycaps made of PBT plastic, which wears less than the common ABS
Even though my PBT keycaps are 1990's vintage and I have used them continuously for
"We mustn't be caught by surprise by our own advancing technology" -- Aldous Huxley
I am still using the old Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro from 1999 both at home and at work through the PS/2 connector event thought it has USB also. I used the original Microsoft Natural Keyboard from 1994 before that but I had to switch it for some reason or another and that one had the old large AT connector on it. My next one is most likely going to be the 4000 or 7000 model depending on which one I find when one of these breaks.
I still have the Elite version of the keyboard given to me by a friend as a backup for my media center PC when I need to fix the thing after Linux goes nuts on it once in a blue moon or thrice a decade.
Ergonomics
I like the ergonomic split angle design and the convex shape of the key plane with a nice wide wrist rest and natural angle for my wrists towards my forearms and elbows which rest on the arm-rests. It just seems natural towards the body's posture versus trying to bend your wrists outwards to type. I'm a wide shouldered person at over 6-feet tall who lifts weights and has developed shoulders with thick forearms and upper arms so having some space and being able to spread my arms away from my body to type is a must.
Cleaning
I clean this keyboard twice or thrice a decade also whenever it gets disgusting enough or in case something gets spilled into it, which is so rare after so many years of developing muscle memory of avoiding drinks on the right side of the keyboard where the mouse is and most of the movements take place. Drinks and water only on the left side has worked for me for 3-decades of keyboard usage.
Mechanical vs Membrane
I've been following up and reading stories on the trend of mechanical keyboards with their cherry keys of different colors and resistance levels and better controllers that prevented key ghosting and allows more keys to be pressed at the same time and I didn't care for any of that marketing hog-wash even through I used to play fast twitch FPS games back in the old days of Doom, Quake 1 & 3, and all the modern shooters.
I've had co-workers exalt the benefits to me of mechanical switches over membranes and the amazing original IBM Model M keyboard design but I don't see or feel the benefits. It seems like just another fad and skipped it. All of those keyboards also lacked an ergonomical angled split design and were designed for WASD games whereas I'm an ESDF gamer for the movement keys.
IBM Model M
I used the original IBM Model M in my youth at libraries or in school and I did not like it because of the height of the keys, concave slope of the key plane, the force required to depress the keys, and the very loud and annoying clacking sound that the keys made. Also the gap between the keys and the housing was so large that it sucked dirt and debris in so easily.
I'm not sure why people like it but then again the fad of the Hipsters liking old stuff just because it's old so that they can be unique unicorns that are misunderstood about their coolness due to rarity is also something that I don't get nor understand, I'm guess I'm too old after my 4-decades here.
I own three of the Kinesis Advanatage(2) keyboards.They saved my hands.
I have a couple of the Kinesis Advantage keyboards. The PC attached ones have a T650 center mounted above the thumb keys. The Mac attached ones have a T651 or Magic Trackpad on them. This means no reaching + ambidextrous navigation.
Maybe you're too stupid to keep your wrists straight. Or to have support in place. The rest of us can manage.
Let me see if I can educate you. Place your arms so that the forearms are laying on the desk at a 90 degree angle from your elbows, directly forward. Now, using the elbow as a pivot, lift the arms slightly so that you have freedom of motion. Now - keeping your elbows stable - rotate your arms so that your right hand moves towards the left and circles towards you to your left side, and you left hand moves towards the right and circles towards you to your right side. At some point, your hands should touch as they come together. That's where you position the space bar. Your hands should now have access to almost the entire keyboard without any wrist movement. Rotate the arms out and back in and you should find this to be the case.
For further illustration, the "Q" key should probably be hit with your left ring or middle finger, depending on where you find your hands when the key is needed. The "F" key should sometimes be hit by your middle finger.
If you need to hit the "5", "6", and "7", you might need to use your shoulder to briefly lift off your elbow.
A good, or even acceptable keyboard just plain does not exist.>
Don't worry. It will get better for you when your opposable thumbs develop. :D
This space unintentionally left blank.
A couple of months ago, I went through a fairly decent search through the keyboardspace to find a replacement one for my desktop. After a decent search for a desktop keyboard with a trackpad, I went for the Lenovo Thinkpad SK-8845 keyboard. I love it — Even though my mind still has to adjust every now and then to some not-so-minor layout changes (since the X230 I carry with me to everywhere-that's-not-my-desktop has the newer Thinkpad layout, while the SK-8845 has the classical one). :-)
I just love Thinkpad keyboards
Public service announcement: Building your own dream mechanical keyboard will cost you not much more than you would pay for any decent mass-produced keyboard using the same kind of switches.
Both at work and at home, I use a pair of Apple Extended Keyboard II Model M3501. They're more than 15 years old, one of them came with my first Power Mac in the early 90s. These are true mechanical keyboards that aren't too large (unlike the famous IBM ones) and have a standard modern key layout. As I've gone through the successive generations of Apple keyboards I've found myself more and more disappointed by their feel and durability. A couple years ago I stumbled on my old Mac parts in the basement and was pleased to discover that everything, including the keyboard, still worked. It was a joy to use that hardware again so I looked for a way to adapt it to my current Macs.
They do use an Apple-proprietary PS2 equivalent called ADB connectors but it's trivial to build a USB converter for them. You don't even need to splice up a cable to make the adapter, the ports on the keyboard are connected to the main board with removable ribbon cables.
You might think that is obvious. It is not. Where I live, AZERTY is the standard. So that means I have to hope a job will give me a qwerty portable, or allow me to bring my own keyboard.
Buying a portable is also not as easy. Using qwerty is just a bit easier for php, html, bash and the like.
Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
If you use your right hand for the mouse and don't really use the keypad much, consider getting a tenkeyless keyboard. It allows you to have the mouse so much closer to the centre of your body, which saves your right shoulder muscles from tensing while you use the mouse.
I have a ducky shine (w/ mx browns) from years ago and it's okay-ish. Something that nobody ever mentions because they're all Philistines is that the Cherry MX browns & blues' "click" that's supposed to correspond to the keypress being registered is bullshit. The click feel is way off from when the key registers. AFAIK the only way to get a key that gives you feedback on when it registers is to get a buckling spring keyboard, like from Unicomp. WHY no other manufacturer has capitalised on this gross gap in the market is a mystery to me. Surely there's another way of achieving this besides the buckling spring? Hasn't that patent expired anyway?
I see some good offers on certain keyboards -- thanks to Black Friday deals. Just this week, Razer launched what looks like a good mechanical keyboard for people who are looking for a budget gear.
Why does this still work?
1) I want to sell X and link it on slashdot.
2) post a thread "What is the best X?"
3) profit
There must have been 20 threads on keyboards alone by now.
Because they're good for your hands and make you more efficient.
I'm no Apple fan but I do have one weakness: their keyboards. I'm using an one of the older Apple wireless keyboard, I find it very confortable to type and the layout comes very natural (no useless keypad and the left control almost on the same row with 'a' does wonders). Unfortunately some genius thought hard about what USERS need and made caps lock keypress longer in order to avoid accidental slip-ups. Being a vi mode addict I've remapped my Caps Lock as an Esc key, so now I'm stuck with buying only older models just to avoid hacking my way around their carefully thought feature (no hard switch exists). If any of you faced similar problems and found a replacement I'd me more then willing to try them out!
GENERATION 27: The first time you see this, copy it into your sig on any forum and add 1 to the generation.
Logitech's build quality is pure shit though. The keycaps on my G710+ started breaking after a mere two months of use, and the fucking PCB delaminated on me after a couple years. If you check amazon reviews lots of people report the same keycap issues, and Logitech demands you send in the WHOLE KEYBOARD for "repairs" to replace busted keycaps. So shit build quality and tard-tier customer service on top.
I switched to a Ducky One 2 about half a year ago and have been FAR more satisfied with it. It has standard keycaps, so if they start to go bad on me (and not one has failed yet) they're easier to replace than Logitech's non-standard sizes. I've also not heard of anyone experiencing complete board failures after a couple years with Ducky's stuff. The only flaw I can really come up with is that the English translation in the manual is really bad.
An since it has no numeric keypad, I don't have to reach as far for the mouse! This is basically why I've got it.
Negatives: Having home/end/pgup/dn in the top corner. An occasionally when I remote into this computer, num-lock has changed when I get back to it.
Manly men prefer a handful of unlabeled copper wires that must be connected by hand to make characters appear on screen.
Please do not read this sig. Thank you.
I am using a mechanical keyboard with a tapping frequency of 270HZ and a life of 8000W at a tapping speed of 0.5M/S.https://www.newbecca.com/product/35050796585
For me by far the best has be https://www.trulyergonomic.com...
I presently use a Matias Tactile Pro 4.
Pros:
o Normal key travel depth means typing skills apply without relearning :)
o Positive "click" clearly indicates success of keystrokes — uses Alps mechanical keyswitches.
o N-key rollover — doesn't lose keystrokes.
o Has OS X keys where they should be.
o Nicely marked with option-key and other uncommon characters.
o Durability is high (I type a lot and these last longer than anything else I've tried.)
o Dual USB ports, very convenient at times.
o Nicely symmetrical shift, control, alt/option and command keys.
o Properly shielded cabling, keeps RFI low (I do a lot of radio work.)
o Sculpted keytops — aids in keeping fingertips where they belong
o Excellent build quality — case, feet, keys, cabling, connectors, jacks.
o Laser-etched keytops provide excellent legend durability.
o Actually has an ESC key. And proper function keys. 18 of them.
o Has a numeric pad.
o White with dark key legends: very easy to see, which I need when not typing on the conventional keys.
o No batteries to wear out — it's powered through its USB cable.
o No connection issues — communicates with the computer over USB.
o Available in US, UK, German and Japanese layouts. I use a US layout version, it's great.
Cons:
o Price: They're presently about $150.00, US. To me, absolutely worth it, but that's in the "ouch" range.
o Keys are not illuminated - I really, really wish they were. I prefer a darker room.
o Difficult to clean (I've no suggestions here, it's just an observation.)
o Although durability is far better than anything else I've tried, these still last me only about a year. Could be better. I think what usually happens is the keyswitches come loose from the printed circuit board underneath, a conclusion I have drawn based on the behavior of the intermittent keypresses.
And...
I have to emphasize that I type a lot. About eight to ten hours a day, at about 65 WPM in long bursts (sometimes several hours at a time.) I suspect that for most people, these keyboards would last a very long time.
I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.
There simply is no better.
The only real answer is to go to a few different stores and try the various different keyboards. I did this and found that some of the most highly recommended models and keyswitches were uncomfortable to me.
Same with mice and chairs. Anything that touches your body is apt to be a very personal decision.
You're a moron with a poor sense of proprioception. I'm sorry you're handicapped.
Classic 101 White Buckling Spring USB. It has none of the Windows keys, which always throws the "Microsoft Support" scammers for a loop when they tell me to press it. "No, I am not using a Mac!" My only, but stern critique, is that they use very deep hexagonal screws in the back, which makes it difficult for most to open and clean.
Meh. That's just habit. Even without the smiley, it was still a joke.
This space unintentionally left blank.
I type fast...and loud. My problem is, I can't really find a keyboard that's truly quiet, AND has good key travel. No, I don't like the chicklet keyboards, even though they do tend to be quiet. I want to know when I've pressed a key. But I don't want to know LOUDLY.
For now, I've settled on the Logitech K520. It's reasonably quiet, has a good feel, and has a good set of extra keys.
I bought a model M new in a box about 27 years ago, still using the very same one to this day with little to no sign of it giving up the ghost. By far the very best KB I have ever owned, period!
I bought a James Donkey 619 104-keys keyboard, tried it, and bought one more just in case. It comes with Gateron Brown switches and theyâ(TM)re decent. This kB has a thick metal plate and pretty heavy. And itâ(TM)s about $50 a pop. Seems like their other kbs are not with gaterons, so check before you buy.
Besides the Windows key, some of the fancy ones with customizable keys, backlighting, macros, and stuff like that require a driver (since the "smarts" are done by the driver and not in the keyboard's firmware). Most often those are Windows only. Granted, these also tend to be gamer keyboards so Windows is more or less expected.
It's more marketed to gaming, but I love this keyboard. I wanted a MS Natural 4000 with backlit keys, because I don't always work in the brightest of rooms.
I quickly grew to love this keyboard, quick macro recording. Very comfortable, if I switch positions, I can move the halves to where they're most comfortable. The keyboard software lives on the keyboard, so any tweaks you make stay with it, and it doesn't require installing anything.
There are some downsides:
Overall, I've found the physically split keyboards to be far superior, the ability to move them to suit you is worth the minor downsides. I'm waiting for the Ergodox EZ to get real backlighting to give it a try.
Beige-black round-logo Model M on my Mac at work and a Corsair K70 with MX Browns at home. I'd probably have a Model M at home as well, but the noise would bother my wife.