Keyboards

[time]

I'm going crazy here trying to find decent keyboards. Is it too much to ask?

Part of my frustration is the inability to test drive contenders. I don't want much, just a reasonable feel that facilitates accurate typing. That is, not too soft but not too clacky.

There's tons of Microsoft and Logitech options, but most of them are cheap crap with markups that make your eyes water. From what I've seen, I liked the Logitech Elite (and hated the M$ equivalent), and that was about it. Conversely, I can't believe what Logitech has the front to sell at the low end. We went for a tour last weekend and I convinced myself that the Microsoft Standard Internet keyboard was passable.

Trouble is, that's a 'retail' keyboard - the various flavors of OEM equivalent are an unknown quantity. Opinions, please?

I believe that products that are branded with the actual manufacturer's name are more likely to offer value. But there's a scarily short list (at least in this part of the world):

A4 Tech (recent examples looked pretty nasty to me)
Acer (poor quality in my experience)
Aopen
Benq
BTC (tons of models and some are quite interesting, eg weigh > 2lbs)
Cherry
Chicony
Genius (maybe too soft and I worry about the robustness)
Gigabyte (probably not a manufacturer)
Logitech (not a manufacturer)
Microsoft (not a manufacturer)
Mitsubishi (appear to be same as Benq)
Samsung (some okay, some bad)

I'm typing this on the top of the line Samsung; it's passable but the keys are pretty wobbly.

I've given up on Mitsubishi/Benq - seems to be a little heavy for most people and samples are inconsistent.

There's a good review of a Gigabyte cordless combo on the web, but I don't need business customers coping with the logistics (batteries, reliability, etc).

There are others, but availability is questionable.

So, what do other people here do?

 

[P5-133XL]

Mr, I go (or recomend that my customers go) to a local Fry's to test out keyboards: Fry's has lots of keyboards on display ( a grocery store isile) Then when they have the one they like I order it over the internet.

 

[Gilbo]

I've grown to like the keyboard of my T42 so much, and become so used to it, that I picked one of these up. They're not cheap (that's a Canadian price though --which is more than just exchange rate), but they're damn nice to type on, and excellently built --not to mention pretty stylish. I'm also addicted to the pointing stick and the scroll-lock button, which let me keep my hands on the typing portion of the keyboard for most tasks.

They also have one with a number pad.

They're more specialty items I suppose, but I figured a few people might be interested. There have to be some people other than me who have fallen in love with those excellent IBM laptop keyboards.

 

[Fushigi]

My sole issue with those IBM keyboards is the lack of a Windows key. I win-L whenever I leave my desk in order to secure it, and ctrl-alt-del followed by L just doesn't cut it, especially when I've got terminal services sessions open. And I use several other Win-something combinations regularly.

Right now I'm testing a $4 inland keyboard. Not very good as you'd expect for the price, but I'm managing.

One thing that irks me with the newer keyboard designs is the oversized delete key & the removal of the insert key from the home/end/page up/down/insert/delete section. I could get used to the removal of Insert but the repositioning of the other keys would be a major relearning process and I just don't want to do it.

Also, what's with the crappy implementation of function keys on some of these keyboards? I use F1-F12 constantly and the way some of those keyboards are made the F-keys are really different in feel & size. Some even do 2x6 instead of 3x4 for the layout.

 

[MaxBurn]

I rather like my reproduction IBM 101 from these guys, super clacky buckling spring but has a great feel. They aparntly bought the patent for that old keyboard and are still making them, so if you liked the old clacky ones this is a good place to start:

http://www.pckeyboard.com/


I rather don't like the windows key on the left because I hit it by accident all the time so I am living without it at home now. On the cheap keyboards I us I typically pry out the left windows key and just get by with just the right one.

 

[JKKJ]

Fujitsu 4726ses are a nice balance between smooshy and clicky, even if they are a bit spendy.

 

[Gilbo]

I just found an old, clicky, IBM keyboard. I haven't plugged it into anything, but boy does pressing those keys feel good. Ahh, the sound of quality. I hope it still works.

 

[P5-133XL]

I'm still using my Nothgate OmniKey Ultra on my main machine. The definative clicky keyboard. Though I have to admit it is showing its age....

 

[i]

Have you tried KeyTronic? Their product list here might be helpful.

I've always found KeyTronic keyboards to be the right combination between decent quality and decent price. But even more than monitors, keyboard affinity is subjective.

 

[Mercutio]

For cheapies I'm pretty fond of Mitsumi.
I haven't had a customer, ever, who has differentiated between the $5 Mitsumi keyboard and the $30 Logitech one. The only distinction I ever hear about is wireless vs. wired.

 

[blakerwry]

The company I work for bought about $40 of these things. All but 2 seemed to be new, and they work better than anything I've found in the $20 range.

http://directron.com/usedps2.html

 

[Piyono]

Me, I'm possibly the single biggest unfulfilled keyboard snob on the planet. At least in my area code (this one'll look good next to my WBS trophy).
Not only do I seek a solidly buit keyboard with juuuust the right tactile response and a particular key layout, I'm also after a keyboard which locates the arrow keys and that whole vertical block to the left of the main block, and the number pad to the left of that.
I know what you're thinking: "Piyono, those are called left-handed keyboards and they're available from several specialty retailers."
Well, no and yes. Yes, they're widely available, but no, they ought to be called right-handed keyboards. See, as far as I'm concerned the space to the right of the main 'Enter' key should be mouse territory. For a right-handed keyboarder, every inch of keyboard extending to the right of 'Enter' infringes on mouse territory and represents another inch the right hand must travel in order to find the mouse. My own informal tests have shown that the outer limit of comfortable pivoting for my right arm from the elbow is about ten degrees outward from a standard typing position. With standard keyboard I have to pivot up to 25 degrees to reach the mouse, often requiring a shift in seating position. In practice this means my hand is currently travelling nearly *twice* as far as it has to from keyboard to mouse and back.
Call me crazy, but this sorta bugs me.

"Ok, Piyono, so go get yourself a 'left-handed' keyboard and call it whatever you want".
Yeah, I would but have you seen the *price* on those things? They *start* at US$100 and go up from there. <makes gouging noises>

Anyway, my current compromise between price and functionality is the KeyTronic 3601, although I also really like some of the old Dell keyboards OEM'd by NMB.

OK.

Piyono

 

[Mercutio]

Piyono, have you considered the purchase and use of a trackball?
Not having "mouse area" gives me more room for parts, random burned discs, papers and whatever other crap accumulates around my PCs.

 

[MaxBurn]

You know that is a damn good thought with the number pad being in the way of the mouse. Having the keyboard centered in front of me on the G and H keys leaves quite a bit hanging out there on the right. I have a ratpad for a mouse pad and that plus the keyboard puts the mouse pretty far out there that I often find myself hitting the keyboard with the mouse. Unfortunately I am trained to use my right hand for the arrows and number pad, I don't see an easy way to fix it without having to teach an old dog new tricks.

I do at least have a nostromo game pad hanging out to the left of the keyboard though in that space that would otherwise be unused.

 

[MaxBurn]

Oh and merc I did use a logitech trackman for a couple years, I did like it but I found my self getting carpel tunnel (sp?) or whatever makes your arm hurt from holding it in the same position for a long time. That was the one that has the little marble ball you operate with your thumb, I switched to the Trackman FX which is the one with the big ball up front you use with your fingers and that was better but still a pain after a while. Switched back to a mouse after that and am much better now. Think it's forcing you to move your arm that helps a lot.


I remember hearing about some studies that said the PC was bringing on the carpel tunnel injuries in secretaries because they got rid of the carriage return on the type writer and then later on that it was a net trade off with the use of the mouse becoming more prominent.

 

[Mercutio]

It's pretty typical for me to spend 16 hours a day at a computer. My wrists are fine. All my home PCs use Logitech Trackman Optical mice (the thumb one you're talking about).
If I get stuck actually using a mouse too long THAT is the thing that bothers me, but more my hand than my wrist. I use a lot of keyboard shortcuts but I also find that I can do a great deal of work typing over all the letter keys with my left hand (many years of piano lessons + actually being left handed help a lot) and trackball if I'm forced into that less than efficient situation.

 

[LunarMist]

Oh and merc I did use a logitech trackman for a couple years, I did like it but I found my self getting carpel tunnel (sp?) or whatever makes your arm hurt from holding it in the same position for a long time.

I don't know about carpal tunnel, but the trackball is bad for tendonitis.

 

[Piyono]

I've used 'em all, and I can say without hesitation that trackballs are not for me.


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