I'm looking for a Quality Keyboard

[Ian Roberts]

Hi

I need to get a new keyboard but I'm really disappointed by the cheap nasty
plastic rattly types on offer. And I'm not talking about the low cost ones
either!

I find most keyboards just don't have any substance. I like keys to have a
slightly weighted sprung feel - that's about the best way I can think of to
describe it.

Can anyone recommend something that's made really well with keys that have a
nice feel? I don't mind paying over the odds for something decent.

Thanks

Ian

 

[Al Dykes]

Hi

I need to get a new keyboard but I'm really disappointed by the cheap nasty
plastic rattly types on offer. And I'm not talking about the low cost ones
either!

I find most keyboards just don't have any substance. I like keys to have a
slightly weighted sprung feel - that's about the best way I can think of to
describe it.

Can anyone recommend something that's made really well with keys that have a
nice feel? I don't mind paying over the odds for something decent.

Thanks

Ian

The no-longer-manufacturered Northgate Omnikey keyboard. The only
keyboard so good it has a cult following. I own several. Look for
them on Ebay.

Here's a company that remanufacturers them:

http://www.northgate-keyboard-repair.com/



Happy Hacker kbd. Never used it but I hear good things about it.

http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/peripherals/input/happy-hacker-keyboard-professional-033097.php


I just heard good things about this one:

http://pckeyboard.com/

 

[miso]

How about the Microsquish Natual Elite? The new ones aren't as good as
the old ones (China versus Mexico IIRC), but still it's a reasonable
keyboard. I get them in the brown OEM package for peanuts.

 

[sbb78247]

Hi

I need to get a new keyboard but I'm really disappointed by the cheap
nasty plastic rattly types on offer. And I'm not talking about the
low cost ones either!

I find most keyboards just don't have any substance. I like keys to
have a slightly weighted sprung feel - that's about the best way I
can think of to describe it.

Can anyone recommend something that's made really well with keys that
have a nice feel? I don't mind paying over the odds for something
decent.
Thanks

Ian

Try one of these

http://www.cvtinc.com/products/keyboards/menu.htm

they are really heavy duty and can be used as a weapon if needed because
they are so substantial!

S

 

[Kresten Remus]

On Wed, 13 Apr 2005 00:41:14 +0000 (UTC), in
alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt, Ian Roberts wrote

I like keys to have a slightly weighted sprung feel <snip>

I think you like keyboards with Alps mechanical keyswitches.

Can anyone recommend something that's made really well with keys that have a
nice feel?

How about the SIIG MiniTouch Plus enhanced 80-key mini-size PC
keyboard? http://www.siig.com/product.asp?pid=236. I love my regular
beige MiniTouch which SIIG appears to have discontinued.

-- Kresten Remus

 

[Al Smith]

I think you like keyboards with Alps mechanical keyswitches.

They call this kind of key action "buckling spring".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckling_spring

 

[Guest]

I need to get a new keyboard but I'm really disappointed by
the cheap nasty plastic rattly types on offer.

I like keys to have a slightly weighted sprung feel - that's
about the best way I can think of to describe it.

Good but loud: IBM/Lexmark type "M," which have the buckling coil
spring key mechanism that abruptly moves a tiny lever when the key is
pressed far enough. These keyboards are very heavy and are worth
buying even if they have an AT plug (PS/2 adapters are available).
However some VIA-based keyboard ports are incompatible with the version
containing the 2-chip controller.

Good and quieter: Alps, Fujitsu. These have individual metal key
switches, and Alps made the famous Northgate keyboards.

Most keyboards are now made with a rubber or vinyl membrane, and they
vary in quality, the best being those made by NMB and sold to large
OEMs and as the Microsoft Natural. The worst may be no-names and BTCs.

 

[Al Dykes]

Good but loud: IBM/Lexmark type "M," which have the buckling coil
spring key mechanism that abruptly moves a tiny lever when the key is
pressed far enough. These keyboards are very heavy and are worth
buying even if they have an AT plug (PS/2 adapters are available).
However some VIA-based keyboard ports are incompatible with the version
containing the 2-chip controller.

Good and quieter: Alps, Fujitsu. These have individual metal key
switches, and Alps made the famous Northgate keyboards.

Most keyboards are now made with a rubber or vinyl membrane, and they
vary in quality, the best being those made by NMB and sold to large
OEMs and as the Microsoft Natural. The worst may be no-names and BTCs.

newegg.com has a $5 keyboard that is suprizingly decent. I've bought
a bunch of them. newegg seems to have changed the selection since my
last purchase but here's a Logitech model that may be close, and
Logitech is a decent brand, in general.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=23-126-170&depa=0

$5. (They get you on shipping.)

 

[fj]

Hi

I need to get a new keyboard but I'm really disappointed by the cheap
nasty plastic rattly types on offer. And I'm not talking about the low
cost ones either!

I find most keyboards just don't have any substance. I like keys to have a
slightly weighted sprung feel - that's about the best way I can think of
to describe it.

Can anyone recommend something that's made really well with keys that have
a nice feel? I don't mind paying over the odds for something decent.

Thanks

Ian

Along the lines of bucking springs, Cherry makes great keyboards.
pckeyboard.com makes many of the previous Lexmark/IBM keyboards - both
buckling spring and 'rubber dome'.

I went with a compact [the 16" one] Cherry as it was ~ $50 from Code Micro.
[Couldn't find it anywhere else in the US]

 

[charles]

newegg.com has a $5 keyboard that is suprizingly decent. I've bought
a bunch of them. newegg seems to have changed the selection since my
last purchase but here's a Logitech model that may be close, and
Logitech is a decent brand, in general.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=23-126-170&depa=0

$5. (They get you on shipping.)

That Logitech looks almost the same as the Memorex spillproof keyboard.

http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=297972

Lists at $11.99. I bought one at CompUSA at half price and with a $6.00
manufacturer's rebate coupon. That's right, total cost = sales tax on
$6!

It's not a bad kbd. Needs a little more angle on it is my main
complaint.

 

[Dave]

Hi

I need to get a new keyboard but I'm really disappointed by the cheap
nasty plastic rattly types on offer. And I'm not talking about the low
cost ones either!

I highly recommend http://pckeyboard.com
I have the Customizer 104 which has the windows keys.
It is heavy and solid feeling with a great clicky "buckling spring" keys

 

[Greyfrog]

Fellowes is top quality, and comes with a 3 year warranty.
Fellowes
1789 Norwood Ave
Itasca, Illinois 60143-1095 USA
1-800-945-4545
I think Tiger Direct carrys them, and you can, when you're lucky,
get a brand new one on ebay for a great price.

 

[Multifidus]

I know some people like the nice "click" or "spring" feeling. I
prefer more of a nice smooth laptop feeling. I was at Circuit City
today and saw a wireless keyboard set by Logitech that felt PERFECT
to me. Here it is:

http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/products/details/US/EN,CRID=2162,CONTENTID=9575

But the price is ridiculous. Does anybody know if there is something
similar out there, that is priced more reasonably? I don't need
cordless, and I don't need a mouse. I just want that thin, laptop
feel. Thanks

 

[Ruel Smith]

Hi

I need to get a new keyboard but I'm really disappointed by the cheap
nasty plastic rattly types on offer. And I'm not talking about the low
cost ones either!

I find most keyboards just don't have any substance. I like keys to have a
slightly weighted sprung feel - that's about the best way I can think of
to describe it.

Can anyone recommend something that's made really well with keys that have
a
nice feel? I don't mind paying over the odds for something decent.

It might not work with your PC, but I've always found that Apple made the
best keyboards available. Those clear ones look pretty neat too. I bet
they'd look even better modded with some LED lights in them... )

 

[fj]

Kensington has a 'slim style' keyboard. It uses the same construction as
laptop keyboards. Key travel isn't as much as most keyboards, but the feel
is very nice. As I remember the cost is ~ $30.

 

[John Doe]

Do most people like long keystrokes?
I prefer short keystroke travel.

 

[Odie Ferrous]

I know some people like the nice "click" or "spring" feeling. I
prefer more of a nice smooth laptop feeling. I was at Circuit City
today and saw a wireless keyboard set by Logitech that felt PERFECT
to me. Here it is:

http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/products/details/US/EN,CRID=2162,CONTENTID=9575

But the price is ridiculous. Does anybody know if there is something
similar out there, that is priced more reasonably? I don't need
cordless, and I don't need a mouse. I just want that thin, laptop
feel. Thanks

I'm not too sure what you mean by "thin, laptop feel" - I can't stand
laptops and avoid using them where possible.

However, the two best keyboards I have ever used:

1. The old, original, IBM keyboard that weighed more than the computer
itself. Used to cost £180 or so. Trouble is, I don't know if they're
available with the modern Windows function keys...

2. A Dell SilentType (or it could be SilentTouch) keyboard.

Failing that, Keytronics made fairly good keyboards in the mid 1990s -
don't know about now.


Odie

 

[John Doe]

I need to get a new keyboard but I'm really disappointed by the
cheap nasty plastic rattly types on offer. And I'm not talking
about the low cost ones either!
I find most keyboards just don't have any substance. I like keys
to have a slightly weighted sprung feel - that's about the best
way I can think of to describe it.

One of, if not the most important mechanical attribute, in my
opinion, is that the travel is smooth without any binding. That
given various, at least slight, angles of attack.

Then there is split and cordless keyboards, but I think you are
asking about mechanical attributes, and split/cordless is obvious.

My Logitech cordless pro seems to be smooth stroking. I wish their
new wordless/split models weren't black.

Good luck.

 

[Michael Cecil]

1. The old, original, IBM keyboard that weighed more than the computer
itself. Used to cost £180 or so. Trouble is, I don't know if they're
available with the modern Windows function keys...

Yes, they are. pckeyboard.com sells many models made by Unicomp (which
made the old IBM models). They are really excellent. Don't know if they
ship over there however. The all black 101 key model (without the nasty
Windows key) that I bought a couple years ago was about $50.

 

[Leon Manfredi]

I have (2) KeyTronic Trackball Lifetime Series Keyboards, one of which I returned,
under their no questions asked, lifetime warranty.....got a replacement back.
the other is still going strong.....(PS2 key/track)

Each, for about two years now, coexist with...(1.) a CirqueSmart Cat Touchpad (Ser.),
(2.) a Kensington Wireless Trackball (USB)