Keyboard quest - TTLG Forums

ZylonBane on 31/7/2010 at 17:16

I am on a quest for a non-crap keyboard to accompany my snazzy new gaming rig. My old Hewlett-Packard tank of a keyboard is holding up reasonably well, but the new system and monitor have black cases, so I figure I may as well fully embrace the death of beige.

So I'm looking for something better than rubber-dome switches, but absolutely not those obnoxiously loud buckling-spring switches. Seems like the go-to tech for high-end keyboards these days are (http://www.cherrycorp.com/english/switches/key/index.htm) Cherry switches.

Criteria are: full-stroke, sculpted keycaps, non-clacky, black, and not festooned with those useless multimedia keys. So these are some of the keyboards I've been considering. Anyone own any of these?

(http://www.deckkeyboards.com/) Deck Keyboards

(http://www.keytronic.com/home/keyboards/keyboards/keyboards.html) Keytronic

(http://www.daskeyboard.com/model-s-professional-silent/) Das Keyboard

Anyone else looking for keyboard advice feel free to join in.

Enchantermon on 31/7/2010 at 17:29

Quote Posted by ZylonBane

(http://www.daskeyboard.com/model-s-professional-silent/) Das Keyboard

$135? For a keyboard?!

ZylonBane on 31/7/2010 at 17:41

Yup. Believe it or not, back before most keyboards became commoditized garbage (and when PCs were usually considered business equipment), it was normal to pay that much for a keyboard. Seems about right for a device that contains over a hundred individual mechanical switches.

Enchantermon on 31/7/2010 at 19:00

I guess you've got a point...are the cheaper ones really that bad, though?

Al_B on 31/7/2010 at 19:33

They can be, yes. Ultimately it depends on how you type and how long you use it for. The budget keyboards don't have individual key switches instead they use a conductive key mat. The result can be a spongy, non-responsive keyboard.

Cherry have had a long reputation of producing good keyboards, but the last one I had from them felt flimsy and was very disappointing. The best one I've had was an old IBM keyboard - beige and loud so doesn't meet the criteria but it was a pleasure to use.

ZylonBane on 31/7/2010 at 19:50

Quote Posted by Enchantermon

I guess you've got a point...are the cheaper ones really that bad, though?

Eh, not really. I'd probably be fine with the $10 Kensington keyboard I picked up a few days ago, but it lays very flat, even with the little legs flipped out. Slim-profile keyboards seem to be in vogue right now.

june gloom on 31/7/2010 at 20:00

Personally I love media buttons, but then again I use a media player (Winamp) pretty much 24/7 so your mileage may vary. That said, I hate this keyboard for not having a proper shortcut key to open up My Computer.

Al_B on 31/7/2010 at 20:24

If you have a Window key then Window+E should bring that up.

ZylonBane on 31/7/2010 at 20:54

Or just, y'know, stick a shortcut to My Computer on the task bar and then click on it.

june gloom on 31/7/2010 at 22:09

I try to keep my quicklaunch as short as possible, and I've always been much faster with the keyboard anyway.

Thanks, Al.