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Ask HN: What is the best Keyboard nowadays?

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Re: Ask HN: What is the best Keyboard nowadays?

#41

Post by bdunbar »

jgeorge wrote: post #30
drKreso wrote: post #3

Two best are Dinove Edge & IBM model M... I have both and I prefer IBM (buckling spring is priceless when you grook it)

Unicomp still makes buckling spring keyboards with IBM's Model M (as well as other IBM) designs. They're loud as hell but feel great. http://www.pckeyboard.com/ You can ask them for Mac keycap replacements to swap out the ctrl/windows/alt keys with control/option/command keycaps. Works great on my Mac with swapping Alt and Option key functions in the keyboard preferences panel.

They're loud as hell

I work in a semi-open plan office. I was concerned about this last year when I got my Unicomp keyboard.

I've been assured by my peers that the sound is noticeable, but not loud.

Re: Ask HN: What is the best Keyboard nowadays?

#43

Post by mcartyem »

philh wrote: post #19

I'm a fan of the TypeMatrix 2030: http://typematrix.com/ It's not perfect - in particular, the double-height shift keys take too much good pinky real estate. But it's very comfortable. I haven't tried any other ergonomic keyboards, so I can't compare.

It needs other improvements too.

The cut, app, play, calc, www buttons are largely getting in the way (particularly www.)

PageUp and PageDown are nearly useless, since you have to strain your wrist to get to them being down there.

And the Fn key is frighteningly useless, hidden as far left down as possible. How could anyone use the blue arrow keys with it?

Also, has anyone noticed the TypeMatrix 2020 was softer than the TypeMatrix 2030?

Re: Ask HN: What is the best Keyboard nowadays?

#44

Post by mcartyem »

Here's my question: why are there arrow keys on a keyboard?

And if there must be, why aren't they on top rather than the bottom?

It is precisely the movement of tilting your wrist to the right and moving it back that causes strain. If the keys were on top, there's enough flesh around your elbow to allow extending the hand straight forward without strain.

Re: Ask HN: What is the best Keyboard nowadays?

#46

Post by jbarham »

pasbesoin wrote: post #29
jbarham wrote: post #8

I bought the standalone Thinkpad keyboard [1] and love it. It's compact as it doesn't have a separate number pad, and feels just like the legendary Thinkpad keyboards. At $59 it's not cheap, but IMO is worth it. FWIW it also includes a TrackPoint, but I never use it as I prefer a mouse. 1. http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/controller/e/web/LenovoPo...

IIRC, there have been two versions of this keyboard. The first included a trackpad. The current does not. Some user comments that I read also seemed to indicate a bit of difference in the flexing of the overall board, between the two models, but I no longer recall those. The first version was also significantly more expensive. If I can ask you, how large is the palm rest in front of the keys, on your model? I was tem…

> how large is the palm rest in front of the keys, on your model?

I'd guess it's about the same size as the palm rest on my T410 Thinkpad laptop. Certainly it's bigger than the non-existent palm rest on most keyboards, but I've never found it an issue.

Re: Ask HN: What is the best Keyboard nowadays?

#47

Post by pasbesoin »

jbarham wrote: post #46
pasbesoin wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

IIRC, there have been two versions of this keyboard. The first included a trackpad. The current does not. Some user comments that I read also seemed to indicate a bit of difference in the flexing of the overall board, between the two models, but I no longer recall those. The first version was also significantly more expensive. If I can ask you, how large is the palm rest in front of the keys, on your model? I was tem…

> how large is the palm rest in front of the keys, on your model? I'd guess it's about the same size as the palm rest on my T410 Thinkpad laptop. Certainly it's bigger than the non-existent palm rest on most keyboards, but I've never found it an issue.

Thanks. I've poked at a 420 in the store, and it seemed while the palm rest was about at the limit of what I could tolerate, in size, that it might work for me.

Tell Lenovo they owe you a commission. ;-)

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