Mechanical keyboards reviewed

[TreverT]

This was completely off-topic for my pipe blog, but I thought the techies might enjoy - I just wrote a detailed review of two of the mechanical keyboards available for the Mac:

Keyboard Wars!

I've been wanting a good mechanical keyboard for a few years... after profoundly hating the standard flat Chiklet-keyboards that come with current Macs. I finally broke down and got my hands on two, which I lived with and compared for a few weeks. It's amazing how much improvement I've seen in my typing accuracy. With those silent rubber-dome keyboards, I was always missing letters - Every paragraph would have four or five letters missed. I guess it's just a generational thing, and tied to what I grew up typing on. It helps that the keyboard I picked, the Mattias, looks remarkably like my old TRS-80 keyboard.

 

[Anonymous]

Cherry still makes the old mechanical ones.

http://www.cherrycorp.com/english/keyboards/Office/G80_3000_MX/index.htm

 

[Kyle Weiss]

Had an old IBM metal-case monster from an 8086 that I used for years, DIN-5 adapters galore, until I was forced to "go laptop" for portability. Much different to type on. I'm probably so weak in the fingers now I doubt I could use it efficiently. :lol: Takes me a bit to adjust to a mechanical typewriter, too.

 

[TreverT]

Cherry, alas, doesn't make them for Macs. I can only look on in envy at the variety of mechanical keyboards available for PCs. There are just a handful for Macs. As for the typing, yeah, it has been an adaptation. The Das that I reviewed didn't really need much more effort, it had terrific smooth key switches that just *snicked*, but the Mattias Quiet Pro has damped keys that are a bit different. I don't like their feel as much as the Das, but they also lack the Das's squeakiness. I've definitely had to learn to hit the keys harder, though... which is OK, really. It lends well to frenzied typing. Now I can really pound the keys, for all those feverish political debates that I don't get into. irat:

 

[Anonymous]

Well, I found at least one MAC keyboard there: (had to look :cyclops: )
http://www.cherrycorp.com/english/keyboards/Security/6644/index.htm

Probably not what you'd want either as it is set up with a security card reader.

 

[Carlos]

IBM Model M. I have three in use at the moment, including at work. Above the function keys is a pencil holder. Also great for marking function keys with small Post It's for when I am working a ham radio contest. The bonus is, if a co-worker goes postal they can be used as a shield or weapon because of the steel sheet inside of them. :sunny:

 

[deathmetal]

Cherry still makes the old mechanical ones.

http://www.cherrycorp.com/english/keyboards/Office/G80_3000_MX/index.htm

These have always been reliable and there are models inexpensive enough to include with a custom build PC at insubstantial additional cost to the user.

 

[WarlockBob]

Das makes some fantastic keyboards. I'm a huuuuuge fan of them.

Right now, at home, I use a Corsair K70 (the fun keyboard with all of the RGB keys and custom lighting) with Cherry MX Browns. Clicky, but at a good level of sensitivity and key length for both typing and gaming. I love the dang thing.