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New Model M Is an American-Made Keyboard That Puts a Spring Back in Your Typing
- tyfon 6y agoAnyone know how this compares to Das Keyboard [1] that I am currently using? I have two IBM model M from the 80s that still work. They're currently assigned to my server room though not daily use. [1] https://www.daskeyboard.com/ https://www.daskeyboard.com/
- yoz-y 6y agoNote that Das Keyboard switch quality was ruined with version 3, when they done away with variable actuating strength. I was sad when my version 2 died.
- tyfon 6y agoAh, that's not good. I have version 2 and it's still going strong.
- jtwaleson 6y agoI've used my Das Keyboards 2, 3 and 4 quite a lot. Maybe I'm not picky enough, but I never noticed anything different in switch quality. "Ruined" is way overblown imho. Typing from my DK4 which I really love.
- yoz-y 6y agoBad choice of words, sorry. What I mean is that they have removed what was making them different from most other mechanical keyboards out there.
- yoz-y 6y ago> It’s important to note that the Model M is not a mechanical keyboard! Instead, it uses a buckling spring mechanism, This made me chuckle. I know "mechanical keyboards" is how we name these things, but the name is hilariously badly chosen. Akin to "chemical free" label.
- walkingolof 6y agoIn our business where everything is evolving so fast, its interesting to see that most use a keyboard today that was created not because they where great to type on, but because type writers looked like that....
- jwr 6y agoThe deal-breaker with all the Model M keyboards and clones is the scarcity of modifier keys. I mean, you get only three on the left side, plus a giant spacebar that you will only ever tap with your right thumb in a single spot. That's good for Tim Cook, I guess, but any self-respecting computer geek will want to have more modifiers. My Ultimate Hacking Keyboard has a small spacebar on the right half, while the left has: Control, Fn, Alt/Option, Cmd/Super, Mod, and a special "Mouse" (emulation) key below the other keys, on the keyboard frame. Some of the older keyboards are even worse in that they only have TWO modifiers on the left, which is a complete showstopper.
- deleted 6y ago[deleted]
- Krisando 6y agoUnicomp will let you request a custom mapping on any keyboard. If you want a crazy Model M keyboard with lots of special key options, you could get a custom Unicomp PC 122 5250 with keys setup as you wish. https://www.pckeyboard.com/page/product/40L5A https://www.pckeyboard.com/page/product/40L5A
- traspler 6y agoI had a Unicomp Spacesaver M about 10 years ago. I absolutely loved the typing experience (I never used an original though) and gaming on it was also fine but I had it connected over PS/2 so afaik, key rollover was not an issue with that. But other than that I didn't like it very much, it felt and looked very cheaply made and became completely unreliable and died about 2y later. For me the sound was a big part of the satisfying typing experience but I can get something similar ("good enough") with more modern switches so I'm pretty happy with my keyboard from WASD Keyboards.
- timw4mail 6y agoRollover is still an issue due to the design of the membrane. PS2 has an advantage for full-key rollover, if the keyboard supports it.
- zeckalpha 6y agoProud owner of a Model M2, a more compact layout: https://www.clickykeyboards.com/product/1994-ibm-model-m2-keyboard-1395300-14-feb-94/ https://www.clickykeyboards.com/product/1994-ibm-model-m2-ke... This is the keyboard model I learned to type on, never found plain M that impressive. Note that layer M2 are rubber domes, so be careful out there!
- formerly_proven 6y agoThe IBM Model M hype is absurdly overblown. Anyone who has used decent mechanical keyboards should be able to pretty much immediately notice just how cost-reduced that keyboard is. It is quite literally the cheapest buckling spring keyboard IBM managed to make in '89, and it shows. Cherry boards are often bashed for their flexing and wobbly cases, but the IBM Model M is hardly better with the top and lower parts of the clamshell having significant play. The Model M is a pure membrane keyboard, and thus limited to 2KRO. The Model M has no replaceable parts. Why is it a membrane keyboard, when previous models were not? Because it is much cheaper to make. Why does the Model M has only loosely fitting case parts? Because it is much cheaper to make. Why does the Model M has plastic rivets that hold the membrane stackup together which always break off due to ageing and bad design after 20 years or so? Because it is much cheaper to make. Why does the Model M have a single-piece barrel plate with barrels that occasionally break off, rendering the entire keyboard garbage? Because it is much cheaper to make. Why does the Model M have essentially zero spill resistance? Because the cheap design doesn't permit spill resistance. When you spill water on an M, expect to either have it dry for weeks or months as the water evaporates from between the membranes, or to disassemble it. If it wasn't pure mountain spring water, you have to disassemble it, which--due to plastic rivets-- is a destructive proecss. To reassemble it, you have to drill a bunch of new holes through the actual keyboard parts to put screws in. Yet despite these significant design and longevity issues the M somehow got a legendary reputation for being "solid"... it really isn't. Go look at Model F reproductions. Those are solid keyboards. https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/ https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/
- twic 6y agoA Model M weighs 2.2 kg. Heavy things must be high quality.
- taneq 6y ago“Weight, is sign of reliability. If it does not work, you can always throw it at him.” - Boris the Blade
- skocznymroczny 6y agoI think a lot of the hype around mechanical keyboards in general is overblown. I had a period of transitioning to mechanical keyboards. I couldn't get used to the high-rise keys and long travel times which made my wrists hurt and made typing a chore. I kept convincing myself that I just had the wrong type of switch, so I changed keyboards every few months seeking that perfect feeling. The closest I got was low-profile blue switches, those were actually fun and something I could use for a daily driver. In the end however, I went back to a chiclet keyboard. It's quiet, travel time is short and I can type on it comfortable for long periods of time.
- jonathanstrange 6y agoI have an Unicomp but right now use a Pok3r to save desk space. Both are fine mechanical keyboards. I like the programmability of the Pok3r. Unfortunately, I've realized that I really want a tenkeyless. The Unicomp is too large and the Pok3r too small. Does anybody know an affordable mechanical tenkeyless where Capslock and Ctrl is or can be switched in the hardware?
- mprovost 6y agoCheck out the Happy Hacking keyboard [0]. It's got a great layout - Ctrl to the left of A. They're really well made in Japan. The Classic model isn't super expensive, I wouldn't pay extra for the "Professional". [0] https://www.hhkeyboard.com/uk/products/classic/ https://www.hhkeyboard.com/uk/products/classic/
- Tsiklon 6y agoHHKB is a great keyboard (it's my personal choice of keyboard too, I love the Unix layout), but it's a 60% keyboard not a Ten Keyless, it sounds like the GP has a need for function keys.
- jonathanstrange 6y agoYep, function keys and mostly also the arrow keys. A full keyboard is too large but I need the extra arrow keys. (Ironically, I work in Emacs most of the time but I need the arrow keys in other applications.)
- mprovost 6y agoI just noticed that they've taken the arrow keys off the HHKB! It always had an inverted T.
- fratajcz 6y agoThe japanese layout HHKB does have arrow keys, but the original (QWERTY) design never had them. https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/36n5cl/cardboard_prototype_of_the_first_hhkb_by_dr_eiiti/ https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/36n5cl...
- abhinav22 6y agoTOPRE Keyboards are the best. Those who know, know
- 3dbrows 6y agoThere are probably several dozen of us reading this thread who are still using ancient Model Ms. I have a Greenock-made UK model (built 1988-11-15) which feels indestructible. The Greenock IBM factory closed down years ago, sadly, so there won't be any more coming from there. The factory has been the site of some interesting urban exploration. [1][2] [1] https://www.28dayslater.co.uk/threads/ibm-greenock-dec-2008.35647/ https://www.28dayslater.co.uk/threads/ibm-greenock-dec-2008.... [2] https://imgur.com/gallery/SZZ5z https://imgur.com/gallery/SZZ5z
- pjsg 6y agoMy model M (daily use on a Mac) was built 24-sep-1987 plant code J1 which seems likely to have been Lexington KY. I really need to pop all the key caps off and clean them as some of them are pretty grungy.
- oflannabhra 6y agoLexmark (the printer company, also an offshoot of IBM) bought the Model M design from IBM and continued production until 1996. Unicomp, another company in Lexington bought the rights from Lexmark and has been making them ever since.
- 3dbrows 6y agoDo you happen to know if the design or build quality has changed much under new ownership?
- quercusa 6y agoClickyKeyboards.com maintains a database of old Model M keyboards where you can find the siblings of yours. I've got a 1987 and a 1989. https://www.clickykeyboards.com/model-m-archive-project/ https://www.clickykeyboards.com/model-m-archive-project/
- 3dbrows 6y agoThat is amazing, thank you. Seeing as IBM trivia is perhaps of interest to you, you might like to know that the extreme last vestige of IBM Greenock closed in Dec 2018, when the railway station attached to the plant closed. It served only an eerie, deserted brownfield site by its end. I once tried visiting to go dumpster diving for old keyboards, but there was nothing around and demolition was nearly complete. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_railway_station https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_railway_station
- danaur 6y agoUnicomp model M is not the same as the original model M the typing feel is considerably different. I purchased one and ended up returning it since it was so different than the model M feel I was expecting
- bombcar 6y agoThe build quality is also sadly lacking - I’ve tried two or three Unicomps over the years and they all die eventually. The genuine model m keep trucking along.
- spear 6y agoI've been using two Unicomps since 2008, one for the office and one at home. They haven't died yet. I've only had the replace the rubber trackpoint nub on one of them. Supposedly, the build quality since they retooled last year is even better.
- hocuspocus 6y agoUnicomp had piqued my interest when the first rumors about a new SSK were brought up 10+ years ago. Today I'm a bit with other posters in this thread, regarding the design and build quality. When it finally comes out, I don't think I'll buy one. In 2021 you can buy much, much better keyboards. I really enjoy my Leopold with PBT keycaps and Cherry silent red switches, even more than my expensive Topre Realforce
- Krisando 6y agoAs someone who owns one of their keyboards since the retooling in 2020, it pretty much invalidates reviews on their keyboards prior to it.
- hocuspocus 6y agoThanks, I didn't know!
- rbanffy 6y agoThat's sad to hear. I have a 122-key that's about 5yo now and it's, by far, my favorite keyboard. What happened?
- Krisando 6y agoIt's hard to describe other than, the new model m is just better than previous classic and endura pro. I find them more sturdy, almost no key wiggle (as opposed to having some before), the lettering on the keys are clearer (although that I didn't notice until someone pointed it out and didn't care after, it was something people complained about), the enclosure doesn't creek if you try to flex it etc. My only complaint is that I had to put white tape on the LED indicators to diffuse the blue LEDs because they're distractingly bright at night otherwise.
- rbanffy 6y agoI'd pay extra for green LEDs...
- benlumen 6y agoI told myself this would be my next keyboard years ago. So know this about mechanical keyboards in general - choose wisely, because you'll be stuck with it. First, you won't ever go back to rubber dome like everyone always says, but second, the damn things don't seem to wear out. I'm still using the original Razer Blackwidow that I bought in first year uni - 2010. I thought I'd managed to kill it with beer in the first few years, but a mate insisted on having a look at it. He resoldered a corroded trace and it's been a champ ever since. Who knows when, or if, it will ever die. I've been through three mice in the same period.
- skocznymroczny 6y agoI did. I used some mechanical keyboards, could never get over the high-rise keys and long travel times. The closest I got to a perfect keyboard were low-profile blue switches. But in the end, I went back to a chiclet scissor switch keyboard (are those considered rubber domes? technically they are).
- wodenokoto 6y agoI had the same gripes with a mechanical keyboard. I don't get the love for the extremely long key travel (even old school rubber dome keyboards have too long travel for my taste) A good, super flat chiclet style keyboard are by far the best imho.
- Cthulhu_ 6y agoSame, I have a Filco Majestouch bought in 2011, still clicking like new. Of course, I did open it up at some point and that's not pretty. The steel plate where the keys are mounted on was actually a bit rusty; I think it was just painted and I may have scraped it while cleaning at some point, or something?
- eertami 6y agoThinking about it, I honestly think my Majestouch might be the oldest thing I own. 10 years of almost daily usage and I wouldn't be surprised if it did 10 more. I did replace the keycaps with PBTs in 2015, as the stock ABS caps were fairly worn, but other than that no maintenance really.
- pan69 6y agoSo, looking through this website, why are the pictures so minuscule? Are they not trying to advertise their product? Kinda weird. And what about the weirdly designed numlock/caps area in the top right hand side on most of these keyboards? Take e.g. the Classic 101/PS2 [1], I mean, does all that iconography really need to be that prominent? It's like some programmer was playing around with clip art. Less is more, not? I really wouldn't mind trying out one of these keyboards but the ugly design of it makes me pass. [1] https://www.pckeyboard.com/page/product/UNI0416 https://www.pckeyboard.com/page/product/UNI0416
- pan69 6y agoFor those who are interested in buying a genuine IBM Model M, there's a website for that: https://www.clickykeyboards.com/ https://www.clickykeyboards.com/
- pram 6y agoHoly crap these are expensive! I got all my Model Ms from Goodwill back in the very early 00s. There were literal piles of them for like $5 each. Funny how times change.
- svnpenn 6y agoAny site that uses a "close and accept" model for cookies, is an instant tab close for me.
- nicwest 6y agoThere was an awesome project a while back to recreate a new buckling spring keyboard: https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=79141.0 https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=79141.0 https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/ https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/
- chaganated 6y agoI used a Unicomp several years back. It's an okay keyboard, but the USB current draw was very high. Without an externally powered USB hub, it wouldn't even work on my laptop. Perhaps this has improved since then? Been using an alibaba special with kailh switches and LED backlights for years now. No complaints.
- rbanffy 6y agoI have their Battlecruiser 122-key model working with an unpowered hub off my Dell and it works OK, even on battery. The model is the latest one from Lexmark when the factory was sold, so it's less solid than earlier models, but it still feels and sounds perfect.
- michaelt 6y ago> The New Model M is a typing keyboard, not a gaming keyboard. If you care about “ghosting,” it’s not the keyboard for you. Ghosting is when a keyboard stops registering new key presses when you hold down multiple keys at the same time. I was under the impression that most games prized compatibility with normal membrane keyboards, and so chose keys that don't alias. For example shift, ctrl and alt keys are less prone to aliasing as keyboard designers know you'll be pressing them and other keys at the same time.
- deleted 6y ago[deleted]
- bluGill 6y agoGames can try, but different keyboards have different aliasing behaviors, so nobody can honestly claim to work with every keyboard - if nothing else because they didn't test with future keyboards that have not yet entered the design phase.
- sincerely 6y agoYou're not wrong, but knowing that most games are compatible with normal keyboards is small comfort when it turns out the one you bought isn't. Some games also just require so many key presses in some situations (e.g. local multiplayer on the same keyboard, for instance the lego star wars series or some 2d fighting games) that encountering ghosting is an inevitability.
- dt3ft 6y agoAm I the only one who thinks the Model M is too elevated and thus unergonomic? With such elevated keyboards, several muscles in your hands are slightly but constantly active, especially when your hands are resting on the keys, in order to not press the keys unwillingly. The more elevated the keyboard is, the more your muscles have to work. Try resting your hands on your desk, move the keyboard aside for a moment and pretend that your desk is the keyboard. Try typing on your imaginary keyboard. Try resting your hands in that position. See the difference?
- Yizahi 6y agoI also don't understand why every single keyboard on the market insists on having unergonomic lift for the back of the kb. Model M is an extreme example of this trend (or rather it's predecessor). After using MS Natural keyboard with a front lift, which allows for straight wrist position you just can't turn back to the bad lift angle of common keyboards.
- chx 6y agoSurely there's some overlap between old greybeard IBM TrackPoint keyboard fanatics and old IBM mechanical keyboard fanastics... the TEX Shinobi is for you. I am typing on one and I have been using the Model M much in the 90s. I was always joking I have my room secured: if anyone breaks in I just boink them over the head with that thing.
- curiouser2 6y agoWow hadn't seen this one before. A friend had the model M13 growing up with a trackpoint and a pretty shitty right/left click in the middle of the keyboard but this looks amazing.
- NohatCoder 6y agoWow, they actually have a pure Danish model. That afaik makes them the only boutique keyboard company that doesn't try to sell Danes a combined "Nordic" keyboard where you have to manually ignore the Norwegian and Swedish markings.
- znpy 6y agoI own a real model m and an unicomp endura pro. The model m was cheap because I literally pulled it out of the dumpster. The endura pro was a complete waste of A LOT of money considering double shipping (usa to usa and usa to europe since they would not ship to europe, and that implies a re-shipping handling fee) and import duties on top of that. The keyboard is loud but doesn't add anything really to my typing. And the trackpoint works at different speed if you go right vs left, and that drives me crazy (regular in a direction, super slow in the other). Really, don't waste your money on an unicomp keyboard. So after having played with a bit of keyboard, my favourites are the ibm/lenovo sk-8845 and a plain and simple dell usb keyboard (https://www.amazon.com/KB522-Dell-Business-Multimedia-Compatible/dp/B00APNV312/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=dell+usb+keyboard&qid=1613647877&sr=8-4 https://www.amazon.com/KB522-Dell-Business-Multimedia-Compat...). That dell keyboard is very good, way better than any mechanical keyboard. So good that I stole one from my previous employer before leaving. Mechanical keyboard is just a meme in my opinion, and one of the dumb ones. Believe me, I've wasted enough money on keyboards to tell.
- Krisando 6y ago> I own a real model m I have one made in 1986. > The endura pro was a complete waste of A LOT of money considering double shipping (usa to usa and usa to europe since they would not ship to europe, and that implies a re-shipping handling fee) and import duties on top of that. That's so strange, they delivered directly to Europe for me. I have an older unicomp and a newer unicomp since the retooling last year. > The keyboard is loud but doesn't add anything really to my typing. Compared to my previous mechanical gaming keyboard which used linear switches and other membrane keyboards, I don't typo really at all on any of these keyboards. I think the tactile response is what helps with that for me. > Really, don't waste your money on an unicomp keyboard. I think the new model m (from last year) is fine - it doesn't have some of the flex and other things that the older Unicomp keyboads had. I still don't really understand the double charge you got when I didn't have it. > Mechanical keyboard is just a meme in my opinion, and one of the dumb ones. I don't really consider the Model M a mechanical keyboard, it's a membrane keyboard to me and the best membrane keyboard I've ever used.
- 6y ago
- pixel_tracing 6y agoIs anyone else not a fan of these mechanical keyboards? I seem to have missed the hype (and I had old computers in the early 90s) Just don’t understand the current hype. If you use these please know bringing them to an office will make most dislike you due to the noise they make
- brandonmenc 6y agoVery overrated, imo. When I was a kid my dad would take me to the office where I'd play on actual IBM PCs (we had a clone at home) and I loved the mechanical keyboards, although I didn't dislike the non-mechanical one at home. As I got older I pined for a mechanical keyboard. Then I discovered that other people missed them too. Then they started making them again. I've tried them a number of times. They are a novelty that satisfies nostalgia for a few minutes. Then I try to do some actual work on one and realize that they are annoying and loud, and the keys require way too much force and travel. I'll take any generic, modern, low-profile, laptop-style keyboard. They're just so much easier to type on.
- Symbiote 6y agoMechanical doesn't have to imply noisy, though it's inappropriate to choose a noisy/clicky one and take that to the office. My keyboard has "silent" switches (tiny rubber bits so bits of plastic don't hit together), and is comparable to Apple keyboards. (The first time I took one to the office, I checked with my neighbours. Between about 6 people, there was no consensus on which of my keyboard, an Apple one, or an old Microsoft one was loudest/most annoying.)
- kitsunesoba 6y agoIndeed. My current board uses u4 silent boba switches and it’s as quiet as the pre-2015 MacBook keyboards and more quiet than the post-2015 MacBook keyboards. There’s also Topre boards like the HHKB which are similar in silence to rubberdomes while offering a much more consistent keyfeel. Noise in mechanical keyboards is a choice, not an immutable fact.
- Black101 6y agoExact same layout as my current keyboard (IBM KU-0225, probably a cheap clone)... as bad as some think this layout is, I think that all the ones that are very similar yet just a little bit different, are much worst.
- toastal 6y agoHaving built my own ErgoDox and used several Cherry styles, played with Model M, used chicklets, and cheap rubber domes, I can honestly say I wouldn't go back from good quality, electrocapacitive rubber domes. I couldn't tell enough of a difference between Topre switches and the ones on the cheaper NIZ plum board I bought a few years back (and will probably only replace when I have to).
- nbzso 6y agoKinesis Advantage/Ergodox/Dactyl. This are the keyboards for people that type every day for long periods of time. Taking your health seriously and early is smartest decision that you can make. All other keyboards are designed by adopting typewriter designs. https://www.publicspace.net/blog/ergonomic/2017/01/11/long-term-review-the-kinesis-advantage-2-ergonomic-keyboard/ https://www.publicspace.net/blog/ergonomic/2017/01/11/long-t...
- rbanffy 6y agoThe Kinesis also looks perfectly at home in a science-fiction set. It feels OK, the ergonomics are excellent and the looks are unbeatable.
- nbzso 6y agoYep, after initial frustration 1/2 weeks adaptation exercises I am amazed how this thing is invisible when used. The option for modifying keys and macros is very handy, and saving all mods on the board is making it portable. The only thing that I have against is the low quality of the case. But in the context of comfort and health this is minor gripe to have:)
- rbanffy 6y agoI used a Microsoft natural keyboard and, while less alien than the Kinesis, it took time to adjust. The best thing was forcing me to press the keys with the correct hand.
- ubermonkey 6y agoMy daily driver for years and years was Kinesis. I redid my desk a few months ago and have been experimenting with a Keychron, which is MUCH smaller and thus saves space. I suspect I'll drift back to the ergo model eventually, but for now the conventional one isn't hurting me.
- geophile 6y agoHow old is this "New Model M"? I bought a Unicomp a couple of years ago, which looked exactly like the keyboard pictured. It was quite unreliable.
- deleted 6y ago[deleted]
- Krisando 6y agoIt came out in May 2020. The previous model that looked similar is the Classic.
- nprateem 6y agoI love it so much when colleagues turn up at work with one of these obnoxiously loud keyboards
- amelius 6y agoI'm still waiting for a hacker's keyboard. Should have a lambda key for sure. And special symbols like ⊥, ≤, ≥, ≠, ≔, ¬, ∀, ∃, → ... And a large escape key. Otherwise should just be a US keyboard.
- Dirlewanger 6y agoI mean, a real hacker would just assemble it themselves. You can get all the parts needed. You can get custom caps printed with whatever symbols you want.
- amelius 6y agoSure, but with a universal hacker keyboard the use of those special symbols would be more common and as a consequence there would be better support in various programming languages, etc.
- apricot 6y agoYou want a space cadet keyboard: http://xahlee.info/kbd/lmi-cadr_keyboard.html http://xahlee.info/kbd/lmi-cadr_keyboard.html
- burlesona 6y agoOk, for the keyboard enthusiasts here: does anyone know if there’s such thing as a “magic keyboard” - flat keyboard and flat keys - but as a split keyboard? I’ve been testing split keyboards lately and I think they’ll provide some relief to some neck and shoulder pain I get from hunching when I type, but I don’t really like how gigantic the keyboards all are, and to be honest I prefer the “chiclet” keys over the big mechanical keys (heresy, I know). Any suggestions?
- MivLives 6y agoYou're looking for something with choc mechanical switches. I personally use a Lily58 but there's a bunch of other boards you can potentially find with them.
- burlesona 6y agoWhere do you go about ordering a split board with custom switches and key caps?
- mholm 6y agoBoard: You might try https://flashquark.com/product/gb-mitosis-wireless-split-ergonomic-keyboard-w-acrylic-case/ https://flashquark.com/product/gb-mitosis-wireless-split-erg... and seeing if you can get custom switches installed. I believe the pin outs are the same, so it would just be a matter of sending them switches they don't currently sell, if they agree. For keycaps, Signature Plastics is where I buy blanks. DSA profile will be your best bet, given how strange split board layouts can be.
- MivLives 6y agoLittlekeyboards, and boardsource.xyz both have the parts (and assembly services if you don't want to bother). Keycaps can be hard, chocs in particular don't have a lot of good caps. MBKs are the best feeling ones (in my opinion). They just announced ones with legends and they won't be available for months. There are other options with legends available as well, that are closer to traditional laptop keys. https://github.com/diimdeep/awesome-split-keyboards https://github.com/diimdeep/awesome-split-keyboards - A list of splits, not all support lower profile keycaps. Reddit has the https://www.reddit.com/r/ErgoMechKeyboards/ https://www.reddit.com/r/ErgoMechKeyboards/ community, who might be able to point you to more information, including a layout comparer.
- jasonv 6y agoI spend my day on a Macbook Air and a MS Surface, and a Dell. The Dell keyboard is squishy and horrible to type on. I ordered a Logitech mechanical keyboard but it came broken, so I returned it.. and didn't get a chance to try it out. Anyone have a recommendation for a low-profile, relatively quiet mechanical keyboard that will not feel disruptive to my Mac & Surface keyboard habits? Something akin to those, but mechanical, would be nice. EDIT: OK, I'll edit my request for a recommendation: best keyboard of any kind if you're spending your day on Macbook and Surface keyboards.
- sandyarmstrong 6y agoTry another Logitech. Their low-profile mechanical keyboards are very popular with my keyboard snob friends. :) I haven't tried them yet myself, since I prefer a narrower layout. I really love my Drop ALT but it's not low profile.
- etlandis 6y agoI've heard very good things about the Keychron keyboards[1], especially on a Mac (the design is almost Mac-first) - the K1[2] and K3[3] are both low-profile and should be as quiet as a mechanical keyboard gets with Red/brown switches and you can opt for optical switches too - also bluetooth so it's fairly portable. Although there's no firmware/software to remap keys so you'll need to do that on the OS side. Companies like HAVIT[4] and Coolermaster[5] have made them too, but I haven't heard much about their stuff. [1]: https://www.keychron.com/ https://www.keychron.com/ [2]: https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-k1-wireless-mechanical-keyboard https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-k1-wireless-mecha... [3]: https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-k3-wireless-mechanical-keyboard https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-k3-wireless-mecha... [4]: https://www.amazon.com/Mechanical-Keyboard-Extra-Thin-Rollover-Switches/dp/B071LR18HC https://www.amazon.com/Mechanical-Keyboard-Extra-Thin-Rollov... [5]: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Cooler+Master+SK622 https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Cooler+Master+SK622
- solox3 6y agoI'm currently on the Havit. Excellent key response with lighter weight and shorter travel. Typing on it takes much less effort than my other blue switch keyboard. This "low profile blue switch" uses a click bar, so the click you hear does not correspond to the actuation point exactly---which I am a bit bummed about---but I hear the majority of low profile clicky switches currently have the same implementation/issue.
- EamonnMR 6y agoMy essentially perfect rubber dome keyboard finally gave out last summer (after more than a decade of service) so I decided to finally jump onto the mechanical keyboard bandwagon. I'd cut my teeth on a Model M and old spongy domes so linear switches where out. I considered getting a model M but I wanted the feel of building something myself (and let's be honest, the endless customization is fun!) I ended up putting heavy Zealios on a barebones 10kl board and couldn't be happier.
- dartharva 6y agoIn India we have the TVS Gold range of mechanical keyboards that are complete rip-offs of the Model M but are also very cheap: https://www.tvs-e.in/keyboards-and-mice/ https://www.tvs-e.in/keyboards-and-mice/ They are extremely popular, almost standard-issue in most of India's government offices.
- driverdan 6y agoThose are not buckling springs, they use Chinese cherry blue knockoff switches. Still not a bad price for US$36 on Amazon.in.
- abvr 6y agoYes, unfortunately current manufacturing practices forced them to switch over to Chinese clones of the Cherry MX. I'm writing this on their late 90's Cherry MX Blue based keyboard (which I'm lucky to still use) which were switched over to the cheaper Chinese switches in the last decade.
- markus_zhang 6y agoAlthough I love the sound, my family is going to hate me because of it. So sadly I have to turn away from any keyboard that has a nice sound. I need to have a separate room for myself.
- fanatic2pope 6y agoI really like my Unicomp with the Linux specific layout. It's not the highest quality or best looking keyboard ever, but it lets me type a lot faster than any other keyboard I've owned.
- alberth 6y agoButterfly keyboard / low-travel. Am I the only person who has grown to love the butterfly keyboard? It take sooo much stress of my of joints to type since the travel is so shallow. I also type considerably faster with the shallower/lower travel required. I know folks had issues with reliability with he design but I guess I'm on the of the lucky few who hasn't had issues.
- duhi88 6y agoI really liked the feel of my 2017 MBP. It just didn't work well as a portable, every day device because the keyboard was always breaking.
- Wowfunhappy 6y agoI hate the butterfly keyboard, but I have a similarly-weird affection—I love Apple's circa-2010 desktop keyboards. These are the USB keyboards that shipped with iMacs up until ~2015 (prior to the Magic Keyboard), as well as the "Apple Bluetooth Keyboard" that runs of two AA batteries. The keys have more travel than their laptop equivalents (and much more than the Magic Keyboard), but not enough to actually slow down typing. Just the right amount of spring.
- TimTheTinker 6y agoThe "Magic Keyboard" isn't butterfly as far as I know, but it does use a scissor design. I think it's great -- agreed that low travel is better ergonomically and speed-wise.
- ogre_codes 6y agoI love the Magic Keyboard and the keyboard on the new MacBook Air and I’m Ok with the Butterfly. Recently I switched to using ergo/ split keyboards though and would have trouble going back.
- dukeofdoom 6y agoThe long key press and the clicking sound is why this would not be something I would choose. I think my next keyboard will be a logitech ergo k860 keyboard. I tried it at best buy and it feels so great to type on, and I know bluetooth will work. I just wished it had leds. If you're in the market for a keyboard, I would check that one out. Last year, I switched to keychron k1, A low profile mech keyboard. The lighting effects are absolutely stunning, it really is the most beautiful keyboard I have typed on. However, the bluetooth and typing experience it a little off. The keys are jagged on the corners and I seem to catch the corners. And bluetooth intermittently drops connection to my macbook, making it useless.
- TylerE 6y agoTopre dude. You'll thank and hate me later.
- bjoli 6y agoI actually switched from topre to a BTC 5140. A very nice, snappy and ubiquitous rubber dome keyboard. You can get one for 10 bucks. It is like a topre for poor people.
- Rafael_Milcic 6y agoCan you give some pointers on tracking these down? I found this WYSE one in a video linked below, but I can only find a couple overpriced ones on ebay. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK7oaCQ-SGM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK7oaCQ-SGM
- bjoli 6y agoI bought mine at a Swedish online auction site. I suspect eBay is the place, but unless you are not getting an AT converter with it I would not pay more than $20. If you find an old Packard bell with a 1.25 unit wide escape key it is certainly a BTC board. That is how I found mine. 25sek (about 3 bucks) without an AT converter. Just look for retro keyboards. The 1.25 unit escape key is the first thing to spot. Then make sure it is the dome-with-slider one and not a foam-and-foil (which are certainly degraded beyond use by now). Personally I think the future of tactile keyboards is rubber domes and either light-based sensing or EC style (like topre). No friction, yet great tactility instead of the almost-linear switches like cherry MX brown.
- kstrauser 6y agoHey, watch this! I'm going to burn a few million dollars of productivity with a post! I wanted to buy a new mechanical keyboard with a home office budget that my employer gave us, and a friend recommended I check out WASD Keyboards. (Up front: I have zero relationship with them except as a customer.) Wanna talk about analysis paralysis? The following killed a week of evenings for me: - Go to https://www.wasdkeyboards.com/products/mechanical-keyboards/custom-printed-keyboards.html https://www.wasdkeyboards.com/products/mechanical-keyboards/... - Debate long and hard about the form factor. Do I need the 10-key? Yes! No? Huh, I don't really use it. But what if! Settle on 87 keys. - Next screen: eh, black case it is. - Next screen: wait, I can choose the color of every individual key? - Next screen: wait, I can choose the key caps separately for the symbol, modifier, and OS keys, with a range of fonts and glyphs to choose from? Or I can upload a PDF for custom screen printing? The end result was this: https://honeypot.net/images/wasd_keyboard.jpeg https://honeypot.net/images/wasd_keyboard.jpeg - Light grey keys (with a retro font) for letters - Dark grey keys for punctuation - Blue keys for numbers and actions - Red keys for things that control the system - Pink keys for the function keys - Green keys for modifiers (with Amiga keycaps for the OS keys, because this is proper) - And a yellow key with a skull and crossbones that I've mapped to a macro that instantly locks my computer, because I work with the security team and this seemed appropriate. You might hate my design. That's OK, really! See if you can make one you like more. (There. And with that, I just set the US tech economy back a few hours.)
- matwood 6y agoHaha, I had the same issue when I dove into mechanicals. I finally just bought a keychron k2, and have been completely happy with it. I wasn't sure I needed colored LED backlights, but turns out it's pretty cool to see when I sit down early in the morning to start work.
- toast0 6y ago> You might hate my design. That's OK, really! See if you can make one you like more. Oh wow, I do hate it. Thank you for sharing.
- kstrauser 6y ago
- smilekzs 6y agoI do own a Model M but I find it vastly inferior to the modern Cherry-like keyboards in terms of ergonomics. That is if I gloss over the lack of Win/Super key (autohotkey on Windows is not realiable enough for this). Yes this is all preferences, but the ubiquity of Cherry-likes has also driven further optimization in terms of materials, keycap variety, and cost. Model M makes an amazing sound though. I guess that's also part of the reason I still own and occasionally type on a mechanical typewriter ;)
- nazgulnarsil 6y agoI've found that the best mechanical keyboard is a brown switch with the silicone silencers on it. Rather than 'avoiding bottoming out' which feels weird, they instead create a cushy bottoming out that feels like it bounces your fingers from one key to the next kind of like a buckling spring. I recommend trying it if you never have.
- konart 6y ago>The New Model M is a typing keyboard, not a gaming keyboard. If you care about “ghosting,” it’s not the keyboard for you. This is a strange statement. My Space65 is also a typing keyboard and I do care about ghosting.
- ogre_codes 6y ago> “This Keyboard is designed for the Mac” < Ships with a USB-A cord... ? Seriously? Is a simple USB-C cable that much more expensive than USB-A? Even if my MacBook shipped with USB-A or I had a mini or an iMac, I’d still prefer USB-C.
- mgalgs 6y agoI wanted to use a mechanical keyboard for years but working from home with other people in the house or working in an open office environment made it difficult due to noise. That was until I recently discovered the Gazzew Boba U4 tactile switches. These things feel amazing and are quieter than my crappy old non-mechanical keyboards! This keyboard has been life changing. Total cost somewhere south of $200. I highly recommend looking into building one if you spend more than an hour per day on a keyboard. Here's a video comparing the u4s to Cherry MX Browns: https://www.reddit.com/r/keyboards/comments/lmdy4s/mechanical_keyboards_can_be_quiet_quick/ https://www.reddit.com/r/keyboards/comments/lmdy4s/mechanica...
- mixmastamyk 6y agoYes, I have a wasd keyboard with the red switches and little rubber rings and it is very quiet and comfortable.
- 5tefan 6y agoI like proper key travel. These flat designs irritate me. That leaves mechanical or Topre boards. Due to nice feedback, proper key travel and good profile I manage only few typos.
- korethr 6y agoI was going to go on a long rant about how this article and comments in this thread were wrong for saying or implying that the Model M mechanism, and indeed other high-quality not-Cherry-MX-derivative switches, were not mechanical. But no matter how I tried to clearly show and prove my position, what I typed out still felt like it was being just as incomplete and selective as I was ready to accuse others of being. Any definition of "mechanical" I could come up with that felt more accurate than "doesn't suck" or "Cherry MX or derivative", granted the holy status of Mechanical to the clearly inferior and undeserving rubber dome mechanism. Well, shit. So I did a little bit of reading to check my assumptions and found they were indeed wrong. I found a definition I like much better for its internal consistency, which differentiates between mechanical and capacitive[1]. What makes a mechanical switch mechanical is something physically moves to complete a circuit. And a capacitive mechanism changes the distance between two plates, causing a change in capacitance at that point in the keyboard matrix and thus the distribution of current throughout. And with those internally-consistent definitions that don't make my brain itch, it is correct to state or imply that the buckling spring or Topre design is not mechanical, because those are capacitive designs It does bug me some that "mechanical" has become a synonym for "doesn't suck to type on", but I shouldn't complain too loudly. That options other than than the cheapest-possible rubber-dome are now readily available is a good thing. 1. https://computer.howstuffworks.com/keyboard3.htm https://computer.howstuffworks.com/keyboard3.htm