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Why the Amazon Basics Keyboard Is My Favorite Keyboard

nickjanetakis.com

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Re: Why the Amazon Basics Keyboard Is My Favorite Keyboard

#211

Post by Havoc »

PascLeRasc wrote: post #137
sli wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, no offense to the author, but this article read like one written by someone who really doesn't know much about keyboards. There is a whole slew of different silent, non-clicky, tactile and linear switches to choose from, as well as sound dampening o-rings.

I can't really blame him though, if you assume Amazon is the standard marketplace for everything all you'll find is Cherry blue and red switches, and Razer/Logitech's versions of those. It wasn't until I attended a mechanical keyboard conference that I found out about Zealios, by far my favorite switch but near-impossible to find in pre-built boards. Even Clears, which are really great and my favorite Cherry switch,…

So if I had to buy something off amazon, what would I be searching for? (Gamer & programmer, preference quiet keys)

Re: Why the Amazon Basics Keyboard Is My Favorite Keyboard

#212

Post by hocuspocus »

kazinator wrote: post #198
neurotrace wrote: post #180

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Look in to Cherry MX Silent Red switches. I got a custom board made with those switches for ~$300. You can find cheaper ones but this is a specialty one. The keys are quieter than my mouse buttons and are comfortable to type on.

"I got a custom board made ..." That's a complete non-starter. I'm not making a custom board for anything not related to guitar. :) The general market of computer keyboard users is not going to build their own hardware for hundreds of dollars in parts if they just want a silent keyboard; that's practically the same as admitting these things are not available.

Just buy a Leopold then. They cost $150-200 shipped from Korea, a bit less if you find a local reseller.

Re: Why the Amazon Basics Keyboard Is My Favorite Keyboard

#213

Post by notus »

mirekrusin wrote: post #199
whitehouse3 wrote: post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thank you for mentioning this. That's a great data point and I will look into this further.

Bikram yoga (likely any yoga also) helps as well quite quickly.

I think yoga complements any strength training program really well. Flexibility is very important for weight lifting if you want to avoid long term injuries.

Re: Why the Amazon Basics Keyboard Is My Favorite Keyboard

#214

Post by Havoc »

moron4hire wrote: post #178
lewisflude wrote: post #33

I'm a keyboard enthusiast, I have a collection of ~15 mechanical keyboards with various switches, hand lubed, modded (spring swapped, stem swapped) various materials and sizes from the plastic HHKB to the monstrous TX1800 (fits the keys you'd find in a full size keyboard into the frame of a TKL). I'm happy the writer has found a keyboard that works for them. Although I think that they'd be able to get a better typing…

I think they'd get a better typing experience spending $25. The Amazon Basics keyboard is the worst keyboard I've ever used. This article is just forcefully contrarian.

>This article is just forcefully contrarian.

I've been typing on some I like it in the it does the job sense & I can leave it on my desk if away for a month or three without worrying about someone damaging or stealing it.

Re: Why the Amazon Basics Keyboard Is My Favorite Keyboard

#215

Post by _lbaq »

pmiller2 wrote: post #93

I know it’s been mentioned already, but my favorite is the MS Sculpt Ergonomic keyboard. I picked it up when I was starting to have RSI issues in my wrist and forearm. Together with some wrist braces, I was able to eliminate all pain in a few weeks. When I was looking, my criteria were: comfort, usability (bonus points for a standard layout), and PC/Mac interoperability. The Ergo Sculpt met all of those well, althoug…

I had a Sculpt keyboard for a month, picking it up for the same reason, but discovered that while it does improve things a bit, the keyboard is still too narrow for me and the keys are still sort of staggered and nondescript.

I eventually settled on a Kinesis Advantage 2 [1] with linear switches and is very happy about that.

[1] - https://kinesis-ergo.com/keyboards/advantage2-keyboard/

Re: Why the Amazon Basics Keyboard Is My Favorite Keyboard

#216

Post by cwyers »

hollerith wrote: post #145
maxaf wrote: post #83

I’ve used many different keyboards. I can’t say I’m a keyboard connoisseur, but I’ve probably used every possible combination of “keys” arranged on a “board”. My takeaway from all this is that the switches matter a lot less than how keys are arranged. You see, human hands will become injured over a prolonged period of contortion into the shape needed to operate standard keyboards. For this reason I prefer ErgoDox. ht…

>You see, human hands will become injured over a prolonged period of contortion into the shape needed to operate standard keyboards. There is no significant contortion needed to operate a standard keyboard. Sadly, the standard keyboard does encourage a regrettable bending of the wrist, but I have found it straightforward to learn not to yield to that encouragement. (Boards such as the Amazon Basics or Apple's keyboar…

> The Amazon Basics is $13 incl shipping ($10 each if you buy ten) whereas the cheapest configuration (no tilt kit, no wing rests) of your board is $270.

Or you could get a Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 for $35.

Re: Why the Amazon Basics Keyboard Is My Favorite Keyboard

#217

Post by pmiller2 »

gurkendoktor wrote: post #129
pmiller2 wrote: post #93

I know it’s been mentioned already, but my favorite is the MS Sculpt Ergonomic keyboard. I picked it up when I was starting to have RSI issues in my wrist and forearm. Together with some wrist braces, I was able to eliminate all pain in a few weeks. When I was looking, my criteria were: comfort, usability (bonus points for a standard layout), and PC/Mac interoperability. The Ergo Sculpt met all of those well, althoug…

I really wanted to love the Sculpt Ergonomic, but even after weeks of using it I found it hard to distinguish all the keys in the "right pinky" area without looking (Return and neighbors). The uniform spacing between keys looks fantastic, but my right hand could never figure out where it was. The F keys suffer from the same problem (no grouping), and are extremely mushy. I'd love to see a redesigned version. The incl…

I tried the Kinesis Advantage. There’s a lot to like there, and I really wanted to like it, but the layout got to me. Specifically, keys used in programming like curly braces, etc. didn’t fit my preexisting muscle memory from being a longtime touch typist. I really wanted something I could plug in and just go with, without relearning how to type.

Re: Why the Amazon Basics Keyboard Is My Favorite Keyboard

#218

Post by cwyers »

smacktoward wrote: post #183
lcall wrote: post #147

For what it may be worth to anyone, as someone who prefers an "ergonomic" split keyboard with a softer touch (so my hands and wrists don't get stiff; I also use a brace on the right hand just when typing), I have used several keyboards, and strongly disliking the Microsoft one (my hands hurt worse: some keys I use heavily like Alt and/or Space felt stiff), I tried a probably inexpensive one I really liked (but left t…

The Microsoft ergonomic keyboards have been on a long, slow decline since they first came out in the mid-'90s. The original Natural/Natural Elite/Natural Pro keyboards were fantastic, real tanks. Those eventually devolved into the Natural 4000/7000, which had the same good layout as the originals but soft, mushy keyswitches that would fail if you looked at them funny. And those eventually devolved into the modern Scu…

I would buy one immediately. And hell, they brought back the Intellimouse, so it's not unprecedented.

Re: Why the Amazon Basics Keyboard Is My Favorite Keyboard

#219

Post by bostik »

lcall wrote: post #147

For what it may be worth to anyone, as someone who prefers an "ergonomic" split keyboard with a softer touch (so my hands and wrists don't get stiff; I also use a brace on the right hand just when typing), I have used several keyboards, and strongly disliking the Microsoft one (my hands hurt worse: some keys I use heavily like Alt and/or Space felt stiff), I tried a probably inexpensive one I really liked (but left t…

The Freestyle is a wonderful keyboard indeed. The freely adjustable angle (+ distance if you need it) between the halves makes for a great typing feel.

I used to go for Microsoft split-ergo, and before that, the Logitech split one until it was discontinued. No more. FS2 may look funny but it's great for hands and the silent caps don't cause aural disturbances either.

Re: Why the Amazon Basics Keyboard Is My Favorite Keyboard

#220

Post by _lbaq »

pmiller2 wrote: post #217
gurkendoktor wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I really wanted to love the Sculpt Ergonomic, but even after weeks of using it I found it hard to distinguish all the keys in the "right pinky" area without looking (Return and neighbors). The uniform spacing between keys looks fantastic, but my right hand could never figure out where it was. The F keys suffer from the same problem (no grouping), and are extremely mushy. I'd love to see a redesigned version. The incl…

I tried the Kinesis Advantage. There’s a lot to like there, and I really wanted to like it, but the layout got to me. Specifically, keys used in programming like curly braces, etc. didn’t fit my preexisting muscle memory from being a longtime touch typist. I really wanted something I could plug in and just go with, without relearning how to type.

Give it a week or two, I faced the same uphill battle as you but eventually, the layout of the Advantage will payoff.
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