Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

New Model M Is an American-Made Keyboard That Puts a Spring Back in Your Typing

tidbits.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

61–70 of 282 posts

Re: New Model M Is an American-Made Keyboard That Puts a Spring Back in Your Typing

#61

Post by schwartzworld »

executesorder66 wrote: post #45
skocznymroczny wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think a lot of the hype around mechanical keyboards in general is overblown. I had a period of transitioning to mechanical keyboards. I couldn't get used to the high-rise keys and long travel times which made my wrists hurt and made typing a chore. I kept convincing myself that I just had the wrong type of switch, so I changed keyboards every few months seeking that perfect feeling. The closest I got was low-profil…

So I'm not alone. I really can't understand the appeal of a mechanical keyboard. - They are loud - They are expensive - The keys are massive and ugly - Massive travel time (So slow to type on) Sure they are a bit more customizable, but is that really worth all the drawbacks? Especially the worse typing, which is the main point of a keyboard. If you are a mechanical keyboard fanatic, and my comment angered you, please…

I probably don't speak for everybody, but I can try to speak to your points above:

- They are loud

They can be loud, depending on the switches you get. However, some people feel that they benefit from it. The loud clicks are satisfying in some way. Maybe it's an ASMR thing for some people. For me, the sound feels like feedback.

- They are expensive

They can be. But so can regular keyboards. My first mechanical was like $40.

- The keys are massive and ugly

Unless you put low profile switches on your keyboard

- Massive travel time (So slow to type on)

Unless you put fast switches on your keyboard. The clickiest keys tend to be the slowest, but I don't type more than 80 words per minute anyway, and when I'm coding a lot less than that. But you can definitely get faster switches.

Here's another reason: it's fun. It's just fun. Sure maybe it's just cosplaying as a hacker, but it's still fun.

And most mechanicals can be remapped really easily, to allow custom workflows. Or layers. What I may potentially lose in words per minute, I gain by creating an intuitive key map that lets me reach the keys that I actually need day to day.

Re: New Model M Is an American-Made Keyboard That Puts a Spring Back in Your Typing

#62

Post by rgoulter »

executesorder66 wrote: post #45
skocznymroczny wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think a lot of the hype around mechanical keyboards in general is overblown. I had a period of transitioning to mechanical keyboards. I couldn't get used to the high-rise keys and long travel times which made my wrists hurt and made typing a chore. I kept convincing myself that I just had the wrong type of switch, so I changed keyboards every few months seeking that perfect feeling. The closest I got was low-profil…

So I'm not alone. I really can't understand the appeal of a mechanical keyboard. - They are loud - They are expensive - The keys are massive and ugly - Massive travel time (So slow to type on) Sure they are a bit more customizable, but is that really worth all the drawbacks? Especially the worse typing, which is the main point of a keyboard. If you are a mechanical keyboard fanatic, and my comment angered you, please…

> Sure they are a bit more customizable, but is that really worth all the drawbacks?

Yes.

Or at least, "mechanical keyboards" is broad enough that it also includes ortholinear or column-staggered designs, as well as split keyboards. (i.e. I mean a more narrow "some mechanical keyboards are much better than non-mechanical" rather than arguing "mechanical keyboards are always better than non-mechanical").

Typical keyboards have staggered-rows, and are asymmetrical. (The distance from left-ctrl to index finger is different from right-ctrl to index finger). The biggest downside of this design is it encourages heavy usage of the pinky finger, as well as stretching fingers, and moving the hand from home row. Compare the number of keys relegated to the pinky finger vs the much stronger thumb.

The customizability of these keyboards affords further techniques to reduce hand movement and pinky usage.

I'm happy to take the trade-off of a slightly longer travel time for the benefit of reduced usage of the pinky finger, reduced hand movement.

These benefits are orthogonal to the switches being mechanical. Maybe it's easier to come up with these designs by making use of mechanical switches. But almost all the "ortholinear or column-staggered, split" keyboards I'm aware of are mechanical.

Re: New Model M Is an American-Made Keyboard That Puts a Spring Back in Your Typing

#63

Post by Krisando »

znpy wrote: post #57

I own a real model m and an unicomp endura pro. The model m was cheap because I literally pulled it out of the dumpster. The endura pro was a complete waste of A LOT of money considering double shipping (usa to usa and usa to europe since they would not ship to europe, and that implies a re-shipping handling fee) and import duties on top of that. The keyboard is loud but doesn't add anything really to my typing. And…

> I own a real model m

I have one made in 1986.

> The endura pro was a complete waste of A LOT of money considering double shipping (usa to usa and usa to europe since they would not ship to europe, and that implies a re-shipping handling fee) and import duties on top of that.

That's so strange, they delivered directly to Europe for me.

I have an older unicomp and a newer unicomp since the retooling last year.

> The keyboard is loud but doesn't add anything really to my typing.

Compared to my previous mechanical gaming keyboard which used linear switches and other membrane keyboards, I don't typo really at all on any of these keyboards. I think the tactile response is what helps with that for me.

> Really, don't waste your money on an unicomp keyboard.

I think the new model m (from last year) is fine - it doesn't have some of the flex and other things that the older Unicomp keyboads had. I still don't really understand the double charge you got when I didn't have it.

> Mechanical keyboard is just a meme in my opinion, and one of the dumb ones.

I don't really consider the Model M a mechanical keyboard, it's a membrane keyboard to me and the best membrane keyboard I've ever used.

Re: New Model M Is an American-Made Keyboard That Puts a Spring Back in Your Typing

#64

Post by scaladev »

wccrawford wrote: post #59
scaladev wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not to rain on your parade, but 10 years is nothing. I'm still using my cheap A4Tech KV-300H bought back in early 2011 for about $15. It works just as it did the day it was bought, except for some minor cosmetic wear. It had tea, coffee, and water poured on it about a dozen times, continuing working as before after a few hours in a warm place. I really don't get the usual "get one mechanical keyboard and it'll serve…

For a cheap keyboard, 10 years is forever . I was burning them out every year or 2 for a while. Then I bought a decent mechanical keyboard, and it's been a beast. No signs of aging and it's been 4 years. Dramatic improvement. His comparison wasn't between mechanical keyboards. It was from a cheap keyboard to a mechanical.

But I am using a cheap keyboard. About 10 times cheaper than the cheapest mechanical keyboard that's decent enough to spend any money on. That's the entire point of my comment above.

Re: New Model M Is an American-Made Keyboard That Puts a Spring Back in Your Typing

#65

Post by brandonmenc »

pixel_tracing wrote: post #58

Is anyone else not a fan of these mechanical keyboards? I seem to have missed the hype (and I had old computers in the early 90s) Just don’t understand the current hype. If you use these please know bringing them to an office will make most dislike you due to the noise they make

Very overrated, imo.

When I was a kid my dad would take me to the office where I'd play on actual IBM PCs (we had a clone at home) and I loved the mechanical keyboards, although I didn't dislike the non-mechanical one at home.

As I got older I pined for a mechanical keyboard. Then I discovered that other people missed them too. Then they started making them again.

I've tried them a number of times. They are a novelty that satisfies nostalgia for a few minutes.

Then I try to do some actual work on one and realize that they are annoying and loud, and the keys require way too much force and travel.

I'll take any generic, modern, low-profile, laptop-style keyboard. They're just so much easier to type on.

Re: New Model M Is an American-Made Keyboard That Puts a Spring Back in Your Typing

#66

Post by bombcar »

danaur wrote: post #7

Unicomp model M is not the same as the original model M the typing feel is considerably different. I purchased one and ended up returning it since it was so different than the model M feel I was expecting

The build quality is also sadly lacking - I’ve tried two or three Unicomps over the years and they all die eventually. The genuine model m keep trucking along.

Re: New Model M Is an American-Made Keyboard That Puts a Spring Back in Your Typing

#67

Post by Krisando »

hocuspocus wrote: post #8

Unicomp had piqued my interest when the first rumors about a new SSK were brought up 10+ years ago. Today I'm a bit with other posters in this thread, regarding the design and build quality. When it finally comes out, I don't think I'll buy one. In 2021 you can buy much, much better keyboards. I really enjoy my Leopold with PBT keycaps and Cherry silent red switches, even more than my expensive Topre Realforce

As someone who owns one of their keyboards since the retooling in 2020, it pretty much invalidates reviews on their keyboards prior to it.

Re: New Model M Is an American-Made Keyboard That Puts a Spring Back in Your Typing

#68

Post by Nursie »

executesorder66 wrote: post #45
skocznymroczny wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think a lot of the hype around mechanical keyboards in general is overblown. I had a period of transitioning to mechanical keyboards. I couldn't get used to the high-rise keys and long travel times which made my wrists hurt and made typing a chore. I kept convincing myself that I just had the wrong type of switch, so I changed keyboards every few months seeking that perfect feeling. The closest I got was low-profil…

So I'm not alone. I really can't understand the appeal of a mechanical keyboard. - They are loud - They are expensive - The keys are massive and ugly - Massive travel time (So slow to type on) Sure they are a bit more customizable, but is that really worth all the drawbacks? Especially the worse typing, which is the main point of a keyboard. If you are a mechanical keyboard fanatic, and my comment angered you, please…

They are louder, that's no issue for me though. I don't mind.

Are they are expensive? I paid less for mine than an equivalent apple keyboard, for example.

I like the aesthetic, personally.

The typing on them is, for me, both faster and more accurate. Well beyond that and of far more importance for someone who uses their hands to make money, I find the long travel and mechanical resistance is much, much more comfortable and less strain inducing.

Re: New Model M Is an American-Made Keyboard That Puts a Spring Back in Your Typing

#69

Post by freeone3000 »

executesorder66 wrote: post #45
skocznymroczny wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think a lot of the hype around mechanical keyboards in general is overblown. I had a period of transitioning to mechanical keyboards. I couldn't get used to the high-rise keys and long travel times which made my wrists hurt and made typing a chore. I kept convincing myself that I just had the wrong type of switch, so I changed keyboards every few months seeking that perfect feeling. The closest I got was low-profil…

So I'm not alone. I really can't understand the appeal of a mechanical keyboard. - They are loud - They are expensive - The keys are massive and ugly - Massive travel time (So slow to type on) Sure they are a bit more customizable, but is that really worth all the drawbacks? Especially the worse typing, which is the main point of a keyboard. If you are a mechanical keyboard fanatic, and my comment angered you, please…

I find mechanical keyboards much nicer to type on - the keys have enough force to actively push back into position, which gives a great pressed/not-pressed response. This definitely helps when typing quickly. The key travel distance should be about the same as a membrane keyboard - activation happens at the midpoint, not the terminal point, so if you're using the full travel distance you're typing too hard.

Re: New Model M Is an American-Made Keyboard That Puts a Spring Back in Your Typing

#70

Post by executesorder66 »

rgoulter wrote: post #62
executesorder66 wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So I'm not alone. I really can't understand the appeal of a mechanical keyboard. - They are loud - They are expensive - The keys are massive and ugly - Massive travel time (So slow to type on) Sure they are a bit more customizable, but is that really worth all the drawbacks? Especially the worse typing, which is the main point of a keyboard. If you are a mechanical keyboard fanatic, and my comment angered you, please…

> Sure they are a bit more customizable, but is that really worth all the drawbacks? Yes. Or at least, "mechanical keyboards" is broad enough that it also includes ortholinear or column-staggered designs, as well as split keyboards. (i.e. I mean a more narrow "some mechanical keyboards are much better than non-mechanical" rather than arguing "mechanical keyboards are always better than non-mechanical"). Typical keybo…

> These benefits are orthogonal to the switches being mechanical.

Yeah you raise some good points, but as you mentioned here it doesn't really have anything to do with the types of switches. It's just that most of these non-standard keyboards happen to be mechanical.

In my comment I am mainly talking about the pros/cons of switching to mechanical switches.

Post reply on HN