A tale of four keyboards

[phongn]

I'm a software developer and I type a lot. I am extra-picky about keyboards and despise cheaply-made ones. Thus, I'll spend extra on a keyboard (and I don't mean those ridiculous "gaming" keyboards) since I use them so often. And so, I have in my possession (though one technically belongs to work and not me) four devices with very good keyboards. In no particular order:

• Unicomp EnduraPro. This is the successor to the mighty IBM Model M, slightly shrunken (boo!) but with the Windows key and an integrated TrackPoint. The keyswitches are still the famous buckling-springs, the likes of which will cause your neighbor to want to kill you
• Apple Extended Keyboard II. Back when Apple was more interested in things other than industrial and consumer design, they had a line of exceptionally good keyboards. These use mechanical Alps keyswitches. They're still a bit noisy, but significantly quieter than the buckling-spring Model M.
• IBM/Lenovo ThinkPad T60: Probably the most famous laptop keyboard designed, this has excellent feel for a scissors-style keyboard. For some time there have been two manufacturers: I have the one with a "softer" feel and prefer the more stiff feeling of the alternate supplier (my uncle's T40 and my old T22 had such keyboards).
• Apple MacBook Pro 15" (unibody): This is my work laptop and comes with the new "chiclet" keyboard.

In short: these are all excellent keyboards. My ThinkPad's would be even better if I hadn't spilled root beer in it - and then just try and absorb the mess rather than flush it out. I was surprised at how good the MBP's new keyboard felt, though it seems to be a love-hate thing online. Still, neither laptop keyboard can quite compare to the keyfeel of a full-size keyboard. I particularly like the buckling spring design, though the Alps keyswitches are also quite fine.

In short: anyone have any tales of good keyboards?

[General Zod]

I'm rather fond of Sony's keyboards for their Vaio line. They're very similar to the current line of Macbook "chiclet" keyboards. From what I hear of the current generation of Thinkpads though, they've made their keyboards more squishy and not at all nearly as desirable as their previous models.

[weemadando]

I've got a Microsoft Digital Media Pro keyboard and love it. The keys are a perfect size and the layout is traditional, there's a good amount of travel on a key with a good resistance and "clickiness" to the push. Plenty of additional features and programmable bits which are all useful - really, I just love it. I wish I could use it at work instead of our piece of shit Acer OEM PS/2 ones.

[Pu-239]

I use one of these on my desktop http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cf ... /id/196096 (equivalent to the unicomp ones really). The trackpoint is a bit subpar but the keys are pretty good, although I do prefer mechanical switch over buckling spring- I type slightly more slowly on the model M than I do on an old gateway 2000 keyboard due to the greater force required. The lack of a windows key is also somewhat annoying requiring remapping compiz bindings.

My ThinkPad's would be even better if I hadn't spilled root beer in it - and then just try and absorb the mess rather than flush it out.

Can't you rinse/soak the thinkpad's keyboard w/ distilled water after removing it?

I'm rather fond of Sony's keyboards for their Vaio line. They're very similar to the current line of Macbook "chiclet" keyboards. From what I hear of the current generation of Thinkpads though, they've made their keyboards more squishy and not at all nearly as desirable as their previous models.

I heard they switched back after the numerous complaints.

I've heard keytronic keyboards are pretty good w/ nice mechanical switches.

[Starglider]

I have three Deck Legends, in red, green and blue. They're very solid, no-nonsense clicky keyboards, like a (much) more stylish IBM Model M. The backlight has an LED for every key, so it's bright and even. My typing style is 'high energy' and I much prefer these to short-travel keyboards like the Mac Pro ones. I never really used the media keys on the various wireless keyboards I've had, or on my laptop, so I prefer the classic 105 key layout.

[phongn]

I have three Deck Legends, in red, green and blue. They're very solid, no-nonsense clicky keyboards, like a (much) more stylish IBM Model M.

Deck uses Cherry keyswitches, IIRC.

My ThinkPad's would be even better if I hadn't spilled root beer in it - and then just try and absorb the mess rather than flush it out.

Can't you rinse/soak the thinkpad's keyboard w/ distilled water after removing it?

I might try that, actually. The actual scissors are sort of gummed up in some places, which is the main problem.

From what I hear of the current generation of Thinkpads though, they've made their keyboards more squishy and not at all nearly as desirable as their previous models.

I heard they switched back after the numerous complaints.

No, they still have two suppliers. And now there's complaints with the newest keyboards that it's not quite as stiff anymore due to weight reduction efforts (though Lenovo insists it may be purely psychological).

I've heard keytronic keyboards are pretty good w/ nice mechanical switches.

They're rubber-dome keyboards, but pretty much the best rubber-dome keyboards on the market.

[Tolya]

I got a Logitech cordless keyboard from my parents when it came out. I was in my primary school then, so thats more than 10-12 years ago. It's still on a PS/2 port.

I must say, it is the best damn piece of computer equipment I have ever owned. Operates on two AA batteries (uses maybe a pair every six months or so), NEVER broke in any way (and I am using it a lot, since Im a journalist and a gamer, so that means alot of typing).

It just keeps going. A few years ago I was looking at those fancy new keyboards and I silently hoped mine would FINALLY break down so I could replace it. But no. It is indestructible.

Currently all peripherals I use are made by Logitech. No company has won my heart like good old Logi.

[YT300000]

I've got a Microsoft Digital Media Pro keyboard and love it. The keys are a perfect size and the layout is traditional, there's a good amount of travel on a key with a good resistance and "clickiness" to the push. Plenty of additional features and programmable bits which are all useful - really, I just love it. I wish I could use it at work instead of our piece of shit Acer OEM PS/2 ones.

I've got the same keyboard, and have used it for years without the slightest trouble, though I could do with slightly heavier keys. My favourite keyboard ever is the old standard IBM XT. It has a slightly unfamiliar layout, and the F keys only go to 9, but the feel and punch of each stroke is unparalleled. I genuinely regret getting rid of mine with the old computer, instead of finding an XT to PS/2 box for it.

[Uraniun235]

I have a basic standard USB keyboard for my desktop - no power buttons, no multimedia/internet/email/goatfucker buttons, no asstacular "new" arrow-key arrangement, and most importantly a full-length backspace key, with the backslash key underneath it, and a single-row Enter key. Doesn't even have a brand name on it, it is all-black and so very clean and simple.

Do you know how hard it is to find these fuckers? The one I had before this was an old SGI USB keyboard (all the same, except for a Silicon Graphics brand image on the corner) that was killed by a catastrophic root beer spill (it worked after I cleaned it out but the key feel was too different), and when I tried to find one of those on eBay everyone wanted at least $50 for one.

So when I found this fucker I got a second one as a spare so that if and when it dies I'll have another one.



My server has a Model M attached to it, it's not a keyboard I'd use constantly but it's a fun novelty whenever I go to do something on the server (like play a video through the projector or something).

[TimothyC]

I to have the Digital Media Pro, and I used to have a Zenith 2 Keyboard. From what I remember it was actually more rugged than the old Model M - and you could have all but one key pressed, press that last key, and the last keystroke would still register.

[General Zod]

Do you know how hard it is to find these fuckers? The one I had before this was an old SGI USB keyboard (all the same, except for a Silicon Graphics brand image on the corner) that was killed by a catastrophic root beer spill (it worked after I cleaned it out but the key feel was too different), and when I tried to find one of those on eBay everyone wanted at least $50 for one.

Not all that hard to find, really. Dell makes similar keyboards by the fuckton and bundles them with all their new PCs.

[Uraniun235]

Yeah, and they want $24 for one. The fuck? Plus I'm not a fan of the shape.

[phongn]

I to have the Digital Media Pro, and I used to have a Zenith 2 Keyboard. From what I remember it was actually more rugged than the old Model M - and you could have all but one key pressed, press that last key, and the last keystroke would still register.

Most keyboards - for cost reasons - can only detect simultaneous keypresses across certain zones. Most cannot do true n-key rollover (one test would be to try and press the QWER and ASDF keys at the same time and see if they all register).

[Davey]

I bought a no-name USB keyboard from a surplus store and it's still working today just fine. I was pretty surprised myself, even after all the keys have become smoothed and the letters have peeled off. No fancy crap. But as of late I've been using my laptop's keyboard, and it's nothing spectacular. Just your typical keyboard.

Just out of curiosity, though, how many of you refer to QWERTY keyboards? I use a Dvorak Simplified Keyboard layout. I don't actually have a real Dvorak keyboard, I just set my preferences to Dvorak and memorized the layout. I've yet to see anyone with a Maltron or a Cole keyboard though.

[Starglider]

Just out of curiosity, though, how many of you refer to QWERTY keyboards? I use a Dvorak Simplified Keyboard layout. I don't actually have a real Dvorak keyboard, I just set my preferences to Dvorak and memorized the layout. I've yet to see anyone with a Maltron or a Cole keyboard though.

I use QWERTY, but all of my keyboards (including my laptop's keyboard) have a US layout, which inevitably confuses anyone else who trys to type on them (this is the UK and UK keyboards have several of the punctuation signs moved around for no obvious reason).

[Uraniun235]

Just out of curiosity, though, how many of you refer to QWERTY keyboards? I use a Dvorak Simplified Keyboard layout. I don't actually have a real Dvorak keyboard, I just set my preferences to Dvorak and memorized the layout. I've yet to see anyone with a Maltron or a Cole keyboard though.

I use QWERTY. Even if I thought I would get some improvement in typing ease, I'd hate to have to switch between Dvorak at home and QWERTY at work and damn near everywhere else.

[Edi]

I have had something like two keyboards all told. One with my old machine and I don't remember what it was anymore, but it lasted me a really long time before the spacebar finally bit the dust.

The current one is a cheap €10 Microsoft RT2300 and it's been through some pretty damned hard abuse and is still going strong. It's primed to see even more in the next year, orders of magnitude more than it has in the past couple of years. I expect that once I get up to speed, it won't last all that long anymore.

I have the Scandinavian/Swedish layout, but I could use a German keyboard with nearly equal ease. I like the layout of the RT2300 with the Home/End, Pg Up/Down and Ins/Del keys in a vertical arrangement. Took only a little time to get used to that and it makes some things easier to do.

[Crayz9000]

I use one of the cheap Logitech black keyboards at work. It's a rubber dome keyboard, but the stiffness and response is fairly decent, plus the keys are at least curved properly and it doesn't have an overabundance of useless buttons.

At home I have a Saitek Eclipse which is OK, but the keys edges are too smoothed plus the response isn't all that great for typing. Decent for gaming though.

I used to use a Model M lookalike that was rubber dome based and felt pretty good, but it had an AT plug so I had a AT-->PS/2 converter on it. I think the keys were starting to act up on it as well.

I wouldn't mind getting a Unicomp in the future.

[Executor32]

As far as I can recall, I have also had four keyboards. The first came with my first PC back in '96, generic beige 104-key. Then I got a Microsoft Internet keyboard with my next one in '99. That served me until '03 when I had a cleaning mishap, and I replaced it with a Logitech Elite corded. Finally, in '06 I got the Logitech G15 I have now. It's not one of those clicky keyboards, but the feel is still nice and solid, with a good tactile response. It also has LED backlighting in blue, some media buttons and a volume wheel, 18 programmable keys, and an LCD screen for assorted things.