june gloom on 27/5/2014 at 22:25
So uh, after an INTERESTING incident involving a can of soda, gravity, a PC speaker, and the volume turned up on Rise of the Triad, I'm in the market for a new keyboard.
My favourite keyboard wasn't anything special. It was just a piece of shit Acer KU-0355, and I loved it. I loved the simplicity, the feel of it, the relatively low profile. I need something similar to it.
Requirements:
None of this wireless shit. I'll put up with that crap from controllers that I don't use often, but a keyboard I use at least 12 hours a day? That's for wankers. Gimme USB.
Media keys. I don't really need sixty buttons to open up my browser, my email, or search for pornography. I just need: stop, play/pause, next track, previous track, and optionally some volume control buttons. That's it. And I'd really rather they didn't share keys with function keys.
Needs to be relatively flat, with clicky keys.
I'm shooting for something in the $30 range, but consider about $50 to be the absolute max.
Preferably in black or silver, and not a glossy dust magnet.
Queue on 27/5/2014 at 22:50
The best "modern" keyboard I've owned was a Logitech MX3100, which I bought back in 2005 for around $40.00.
Inline Image:
http://www.sharkyextreme.com/img/2006/01/log_mx3100/set.jpgAmazon has used ones for about $150.00--and for me, it'd actually be worth getting another one. This was a fantastic keyboard.
It finally wore out this past year, and all the new (and overly expensive) keyboards I tried out as a replacement seemed as if they were designed for monsters who bashed on the keys with balled fists--the feel of each was awful and the key responses were laughable.
I'm now using a Logitech MK270. It cost about twenty-bucks, has no frills, is wireless, and has an okay feel--at least it feels more like an actual keyboard than some of the high-priced items. The USB version also felt nice, but seemed kinda janky.
...and fuck those flat keyboards that you can roll up. The good one is one that's been through a fire.
SubJeff on 28/5/2014 at 12:40
I know this doesn't fit your specs but if you're using a keyboard for 12 hrs a day I recommend the MS Natural Keyboards. I have both versions and only got the new one for gaming (it has normal arrow keys). These are so comfortable to type on, because of the wrist position, that I can't go back to anything else. Not for extended use anyway. Really nice keyboard too; good action (though not quite "clicky"), and with a few media keys (that I don't use anyway).
You could do a lot worse.
Inline Image:
http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/_base_v1/products/natural-ergonomic-keyboard-4000/mk_nek4000v2_large.jpgjune gloom on 28/5/2014 at 19:10
No, that's definitely not what I'm looking for. I don't really like those weird cancerous keyboards.
SubJeff on 28/5/2014 at 22:45
Everyone says that until they try it for a bit. Then it's all "you know what? That really is more comfortable".
No. I didn't know, no.
Can't help you otherwise. Been rocking these since about 2001 I think.
june gloom on 28/5/2014 at 23:15
Yeah I've used them before, I don't really care for them.
Renzatic on 28/5/2014 at 23:38
Those ergonomic keyboards? You have to get used to them over the course of a few days. Once or twice won't give you a feel for how they work.
The only downside to them is that when you use them over an extended period of time, you have trouble reconverting back to a regular one. That cost me a job back in 2000, which I had to be able to maintain at least 40 WPM to get it. Now I've been typing about 70-80 since I took that typing class my high school forced everyone into back in the day, so I thought hey, no problem. Thing is, I had been using an ergonomic keyboard for about a year by that point, and they plonked me down in front of a regular one to do my test. Long story short, I think I averaged about 20 WPM on the thing.
june gloom on 29/5/2014 at 04:36
I've used one quite a bit. I still don't like them. It feels unnatural.
I don't even like keyboards with slightly bulging edges like the one Queue was talking about.
PigLick on 29/5/2014 at 04:56
Aint got no time for usb son, ps/2 is where its at.
