Keyboard

[time]

I seem to have hit the wall in trying to find a replacement keyboard for myself.

I want another backlit keyboard. At night, we usually use that particular computer without additional lighting in the same room. Tired eyes and all that.

Unfortunately, almost all backlit keyboards are gaming-oriented, with all the excess that entails.

I don't want an enormous keyboard, I want one that fits in the clutter on my desk. The height of the current one is only 160mm (6.3"). I would rather not go over 190mm (7.5"), but just as long as it isn't crazy like some 'budget' gaming keyboards.

And I absolutely, definitely, do not want a keyboard that is so noisy that I cannot type while I'm on a conference call.

There isn't much left ...

The Razer BlackWidow Stealth looks good (particularly in TenKeyLess format), but several reviews say it's still pretty noisy.

The hybrid membrane keyboards seem to have a high actuation force setting, are still noisy, and weird people out with the feel. Is this true?

If not, and I can handle the size, perhaps the CoolerMaster Devastator 3 might be worth a shot?

On paper, I've considered similar units such as the SteelSeries Apex 100, the Thermaltake Knucker and the Cougar 450K. Does anyone have any experience with any of these?

I think my current two keyboards in this room are scissor-switch membrane. One is an actual Cherry-branded keyboard with SX switches, but the one I want to replace is a Cougar that just seems to encourage lots of typos (not just an irredeemable hunter and pecker like me).

Perversely, the best keyboard for everyday use I found in the last few years was a cheapo Gigabyte membrane. I supplied a few of them and amazingly, everyone who tried one (including me) loved it. No backlight and no longer available anyway.

So, apart from the Ducky users, has anyone got any suggestions?

 

[Handruin]

That does make it tough to recommend a keyboard given the requirements. I am a Ducky Shine user at home with CherryMX brown switches and I enjoy how the keyboard feels when typing and gaming. At work I use a daskeyboard 4 pro and also like it a lot but it's not backlit. I would say the daskeyboard is more professional-oriented than gaming and you can get rubberized dampeners to mute the sounds if you want to explore that as a possibility for any modern keyboard. The CherryMX brown switches aren't that noisy from a click-perspective. The sound comes more from the keys hitting the base of the switch.

The daskeyboard 5Q as a pre-order might be something of interest but it's price is probably a bit over the top at $249 USD. I like that it's programable with a documented REST API but that really only appeals to a specific buyer.

 

[snowhiker]

And I absolutely, definitely, do not want a keyboard that is so noisy that I cannot type while I'm on a conference call.

Well I guess buckling springs is out. And since it won't have buckling springs, it's not a really a keyboard, so I guess I can't help you. /s


...but seriously, good luck finding a quality keyboard that's not some gaming clown-show of a keyboard.

 

[LunarMist]

Well I guess buckling springs is out. And since it won't have buckling springs, it's not a really a keyboard, so I guess I can't help you. /s


...but seriously, good luck finding a quality keyboard that's not some gaming clown-show of a keyboard.

Is the noise excessive even with the headset and/or mutinying?

 

[time]

Mutinying is something I consider doing almost every day, but so far, I keep turning up for the floggings.

I've managed to make some practical observations, and I see it is hard to predict how noisy a keyboard will be by just looking at which switches it uses.

In particular, some keyboards have ridiculously clacky space bars.

The only keyboard I thought would be acceptable was a Logitech G Pro TKL. It was not too noisy, had a fairly short action and reasonable tactile feel.

Worryingly, I hated the Logitech G310 (Atlas Dawn), which according to Logitech uses the same switches (Romer-G).

The Razer Black Widow (orange switches?) wasn't awful. But I needed something that was at least as good as the Logitech 345 membrane keyboard I used as a reference.

I also picked up an Asus Cerberus 'gaming' keyboard because it was the cheapest backlit keyboard I could find. Membrane switches with most of the LEDs seemingly behind the word "Cerberus" in front of the space bar. In short, it's terribul and will have to go back - if I can be bothered. I thought it would be useful to replace one of our other keyboards, but it's too awful for that.

My wife hated the space bar, which has a sharp edge facing the user. Keys on our other keyboards have chamfered fronts. I think this is something that was worked out a few decades back, but apparently it is no longer fashionable.

 

[LunarMist]

D'OH. Muting.

 

[time]

For the last few days, I have been the proud owner of a Logitech G Pro (TenKeyLess). No regrets. Highly recommended.

 

[LunarMist]

For the last few days, I have been the proud owner of a Logitech G Pro (TenKeyLess). No regrets. Highly recommended.

Why did you get a keyboard without numbers for work? Was that the only one with the desired keys?

 

[time]

I'm not a data entry operator. Why would I need a dedicated numeric keypad?

If I do feel the need to enter a bunch of numbers in an optimal fashion, I can pick up a standalone Lenovo numeric keypad for AU$30 (probably US$20). That way, I can still have my mouse close in - where it should be - for normal use, but push the mouse off to one side and use the numeric keypad instead when I really need to (we're talking blue moons here).

A couple of years ago, I managed to get a Tesoro Tizona modular keyboard for my daughter that had the option of attaching an optional numeric keypad at either the left or the right end. In the end, that blue moon never came so we never bought the numeric keypad.

 

[Bozo]

I recently bought one of these. Quiet and you can dim the keys.

 

[LunarMist]

I recently bought one of these. Quiet and you can dim the keys.

Is that front part removable?