4 ms·

Best keyboards? Four out of five of the reccomended keyboards are membrane and scissor switches, which are designed for cost and space savings, not ergonomics.

by fsckin 14y ago

Best keyboards? Four out of five of the reccomended keyboards are membrane and scissor switches, which are designed for cost and space savings, not ergonomics. If you type more than a few hours per day, check out a mechanical or hybrid (Topre) keyboard. Your wrists will thank you. geekhack.org is a good resource.

sliverstorm 14y ago
Alas, I have had difficulty finding a mechanical, ergonomic keyboard. I have grown fond of the arched 'boards.
- hapless 14y ago
  I guess I have to shill for my choice twice in the same thread. Kinesis makes an ergo keyboard with Cherry keyswitches: http://www.kinesis-ergo.com/advantage.htm http://www.kinesis-ergo.com/advantage.htm
polyfractal 14y ago
Do they make non-clacky mechanical keyboards? I absolutely cannot stand the clacky old IBM keyboards from my childhood. I currently use a "Logitech Illuminated Ultrathin Keyboard" and love it. But maybe I'm a freak, my wrists/hands feel a lot better using thin, laptop style keys rather than big clunky mechanicals.
- BadassFractal 14y ago
  Topre isn't nearly as clacky by default, but it also comes in a silent model. I haven't tried it myself, so can't tell how silent it actually gets.
BadassFractal 14y ago
I developed some finger joint pain after years on the Microsoft Natural in that article. I switched to a Topre Realforce from elitekeyboards.com and my life pretty much changed. I hear the Happy Hacking keyboards are in the same league as well. Remapping CAPS to CTRL helped a lot too, as well as having pinky-activated keys be lighter than the ones under your index/middle fingers. To make a comparison, it's like going from a Toyota Yaris to a BMW 3 series, once you taste it, it's hard to go back. They're quality long-lasting keyboard that will be with you for many years to come, absolutely worth the hundreds of dollars. They will put to shame everything else. If only they came in ergonomic, that'd be amazing. I think there's only one single model in Japan and it's going to cost around $500-600 to import. Also, if laptops started to use Topre, that would be killer, even though they'd get much fatter. I'm tired of carrying my keyboard with me in the bag :)
alanhenry 14y ago
I think it's because those are the criteria that our readers - who nominated the keyboards that made the top five - prefer over mechanical keys. Their preferred feature set just differs from yours, and from most developers, I think. That said, there were plenty of mechs in the nominees, they just didn't get enough votes to make the top five. Personally, I love them, but majority rules.

by fsckin 14y ago

sliverstorm 14y ago

Alas, I have had difficulty finding a mechanical, ergonomic keyboard. I have grown fond of the arched 'boards.

hapless 14y ago
I guess I have to shill for my choice twice in the same thread. Kinesis makes an ergo keyboard with Cherry keyswitches: http://www.kinesis-ergo.com/advantage.htm http://www.kinesis-ergo.com/advantage.htm

polyfractal 14y ago

Do they make non-clacky mechanical keyboards? I absolutely cannot stand the clacky old IBM keyboards from my childhood. I currently use a "Logitech Illuminated Ultrathin Keyboard" and love it. But maybe I'm a freak, my wrists/hands feel a lot better using thin, laptop style keys rather than big clunky mechanicals.

BadassFractal 14y ago
Topre isn't nearly as clacky by default, but it also comes in a silent model. I haven't tried it myself, so can't tell how silent it actually gets.

BadassFractal 14y ago

I developed some finger joint pain after years on the Microsoft Natural in that article. I switched to a Topre Realforce from elitekeyboards.com and my life pretty much changed. I hear the Happy Hacking keyboards are in the same league as well. Remapping CAPS to CTRL helped a lot too, as well as having pinky-activated keys be lighter than the ones under your index/middle fingers. To make a comparison, it's like going from a Toyota Yaris to a BMW 3 series, once you taste it, it's hard to go back. They're quality long-lasting keyboard that will be with you for many years to come, absolutely worth the hundreds of dollars. They will put to shame everything else. If only they came in ergonomic, that'd be amazing. I think there's only one single model in Japan and it's going to cost around $500-600 to import. Also, if laptops started to use Topre, that would be killer, even though they'd get much fatter. I'm tired of carrying my keyboard with me in the bag :)

alanhenry 14y ago

I think it's because those are the criteria that our readers - who nominated the keyboards that made the top five - prefer over mechanical keys. Their preferred feature set just differs from yours, and from most developers, I think. That said, there were plenty of mechs in the nominees, they just didn't get enough votes to make the top five. Personally, I love them, but majority rules.