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9 great mechanical keyboards for coders

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Re: 9 great mechanical keyboards for coders

#3
post #2

No Das Keyboard? How can I be leet without a blank keyboard[1]. (I've owned two standard(clicky, and silent) of them over 3 jobs and both are still going strong) [1] - http://www.daskeyboard.com/daskeyboard-4-ultimate/

Das Keyboard is my current favorite also. I have three.

Re: 9 great mechanical keyboards for coders

#4
One thing I rarely see discussed in any detail in mechanical keyboard roundups is a noise comparison. For a tool for "coders", many mechanical keyboards can be pretty disruptive to your coworkers if you're using it in a workspace without a closed door.

My favorite switches for typing (and thus, coding) are MX blues. Unfortunately these are also the loudest, with a distinct click at each key activation. You can purchase small rubber rings that act as dampeners on each key, but this also changes the feel of the keyboard.

I'd pay well for a solution that lets me have both the tactile experience I enjoy and the sound level I need to use a mechanical keyboard at work. Until then it's bog-standard rubber domes for me.

Re: 9 great mechanical keyboards for coders

#6
Topre switches are the best ever, and they get no love in the fervent mechanical keyboard community. It's just "cherry cherry cherry" ad nauseum with the occasional model-m imitator like the ones in this article.

Do yourself a favor and get a Realforce keyboard. It's typing nirvana.

Re: 9 great mechanical keyboards for coders

#7
post #2

No Das Keyboard? How can I be leet without a blank keyboard[1]. (I've owned two standard(clicky, and silent) of them over 3 jobs and both are still going strong) [1] - http://www.daskeyboard.com/daskeyboard-4-ultimate/

I have a Das Ultimate - look really cool, but the switches started failing at random recently. I then found out they don't use Cherry switches, but another unproven brand. Either I'm just unlucky or they need better switches.

I picked up a CODE keyboard with Cherry MX Greens that works great. The greens are a little harder to type than I expected, but I'm used to them now and quite happy with them.

Re: 9 great mechanical keyboards for coders

#8

One thing I rarely see discussed in any detail in mechanical keyboard roundups is a noise comparison. For a tool for "coders", many mechanical keyboards can be pretty disruptive to your coworkers if you're using it in a workspace without a closed door. My favorite switches for typing (and thus, coding) are MX blues. Unfortunately these are also the loudest, with a distinct click at each key activation. You can purcha…

I'm a fan of Das Keyboard Silent. The feel is slightly different from my clicky but it's still pretty solid.

Re: 9 great mechanical keyboards for coders

#9

Topre switches are the best ever, and they get no love in the fervent mechanical keyboard community. It's just "cherry cherry cherry" ad nauseum with the occasional model-m imitator like the ones in this article. Do yourself a favor and get a Realforce keyboard. It's typing nirvana.

There are a few of us at work that love Topre - HHKB + replacement controller board <3

Re: 9 great mechanical keyboards for coders

#10
By far my favorite "mechanical" keyboard is the Topre Realforce 104u[0]. When I initially purchased it, I thought it was the biggest waste of money. Over the span of about a month, maybe I broke it in or maybe I just got used to it? But it essentially felt like I was typing on buttery smooth pillows. It's not sensitive until you actually try to type on it. And it just feels so good. Like no other keyboard I've ever had.

I would honestly recommend it over every other mechanical keyboard I've had (blues, reds, clears, browns, the hi-profile version of the topre).

[0] https://www.amazon.com/Realforce-Keyboard-English-Layout-Xf0...

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