Know Your Type: Five Mechanical Keyboards Compared 190
MojoKid writes As a power user, you notice certain things that the average person might not. One of those is the difference between typing on a sweet mechanical keyboard with luxurious key action, versus pounding away on a run-of-the-mill squishy plank that relies on membrane switches to register your keystrokes. The difference may seem subtle to the uninitiated, though even casual typists can recognize that there's something inherently superior about a mechanical keyboard. Of course, it's the mechanical key switches that are responsible for elevating the typing experience. These are better than the rubber domes found in membrane keyboards in a number of ways, including feel, responsiveness, and durability. Mechanical keyboards are growing in popularity, as word is spreading about how good they are. In turn, keyboard manufacturers have responded by feeding more mechanical models into what was once a niche market. If you go out in search of a mechanical keyboard, you'll now find a mountain of options. This roundup further reinforced something we've known for a long time, which is that mechanical keyboards are the superior choice for both gaming and daily typing chores. That doesn't mean they're all created equal — there are different key switches to choose from, and features vary from one plank to the next. The choice of key switch type is highly subjective but we can say that Cherry MX key switches are indeed of higher quality than knock-offs like the Kailh switch. That's not to say Kailh switches are bad, just that you can discern a difference when going from one to the other.
just curious... (Score:3, Informative)
How much did this ad placement cost?
Re:just curious... (Score:5, 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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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 lo
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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.
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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
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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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About the Cherry key switches (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 !
URL (Score:5, Informative)
Sorry, forgot to include the link
http://www.keyboardco.com/blog... [keyboardco.com]
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You forgot the Cherry Clear switches.
My CoDE keyboard rocks with the clear switches.
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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
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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
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The modern Lenovo keyboards are just as good (not the consumer ones, the business class ones costing â100+).
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The 55Y9091 Lenovo keyboard is slightly worse than the IBM one I had on my laptop, but still significantly better than competitors' offerings.
Corsair Raptors (Score:2)
The only "short-stroke" keyboards that I've seen are pretty much just laptop-style derivatives.
Read up on the different types of switches (Score:3)
It's worth doing some reading, to understand the differences between the switch types. Here's a good description of three of the switches [tomshardware.com]. 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.
Re:Read up on the different types of switches (Score:4, 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 [tomshardware.com]. 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".
Tried red, black, brown still not happy. (Score:4, 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. (Score:5, Interesting)
People hate the keyboard noises I make! (Score:2)
http://aqfl.net/node/5825 [aqfl.net] for its poll and comments. :(
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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
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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 da
Why not include the original IBM design? (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.
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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...
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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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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.
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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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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 accu
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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 [wikipedia.org] 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.
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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.
No unicomp ? (Score:4, Informative)
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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.
Biased summary (Score:5, Informative)
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 [deskthority.net]. 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 [deskthority.net] 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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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.
Yes! (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! (Score:4, 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.
MX Blue is made for people who really type (Score:2)
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 [coolermaster.com] 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 fantas
Programming keyboard (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 (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.
Re: Programming keyboard (Score:2)
Inherently superior? Well... (Score:5, 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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Cherry MX Black for me (Score:2)
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
All the Cherry info you'd ever want... (Score:3)
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 i
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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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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. [slashdot.org]
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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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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We're objective here, aren't we... (Score:2)
"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? (Score:3)
Are there any ergonomic mechanical (and wireless) keyboards?
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Microsoft Comfort Sculpt 5000 W8 has good reviews
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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.
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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
If anyone has a Microsoft AT Comfort (Score:2)
give me a bell, I've been after one of these for years since mine was STOLEN.
From my misbegotten youth... (Score:2)
In my experience, ignore the marketing (Score:2)
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 Top
Maybe I'm on the edge or something... (Score:2)
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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.)
Alps kicks CherryMX ass (Score:2)
Real keyboardists use Alps switches, not Cherry MX.
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Topre master race.
One Keyboard to Rule Them All... (Score:2)
And it's the Model M. Anything else is just a cheap knockoff.
Re:Get on my level (Score:5, Funny)
their r ppl hoo yoos gramma
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And I prefer the Keytronic keyboards.
But you can't get them anymore.
Re:Get on my level (Score:5, Insightful)
Not these? [keytronic.com]
I'm partial to IBM/Unicomp [pckeyboard.com] buckling spring keyboards.
Ditto, and a question (Score:2)
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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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.
Re:Unicomp keyboards (Score:4, Informative)
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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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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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Re:Get on my level (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!"
Re:Get on my level (Score:4, 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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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 [amazon.com]. My Lenovo ThinkPad [lenovo.com] 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 [wikipedia.org] on the suprachiasmatic nucleus [nih.gov].
So, yes, seriously. Lights.
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I have a Max Keyboard Blackbird [maxkeyboard.com]. 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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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
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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
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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
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backlit keyboards are a new concept to you? Really?
What the fuck is this pretentious bullshit? (Score:5, Funny)
In their spare time, they're audiophiles ;)
Re:What the fuck is this pretentious bullshit? (Score:4, 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.
Re:What the fuck is this pretentious bullshit? (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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Is there anyone producing a MIDI QWERTY keyboard?
Aftertouch and a modulation wheel would do wonders for poetry, methinks...
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membrane switches are like analog vinyl. Mechanical switches are the digital metaphor in this analogy.
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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 viny
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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
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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 reall
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You know you can get custom keycap sets for it, right?
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> I'll stick with Das and Ducky keyboards
Filco, Pokers and RealForce for me
Re:There is only one.... Model M (Score:4, Interesting)
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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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.
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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
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Cherry mx blue switch - loudest
Cherry mx brown switch - quieter
Cherry mx red switch - very quiet
Check out this video [youtube.com]
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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
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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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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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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.)