

Best Desktop Keyboards - uladzislau
http://lifehacker.com/5933853/five-best-desktop-keyboards

======
wickedchicken
I personally can't stand Apple's keyboards. They look very nice, obviously,
but I find them cramped for typing. I have a keycapless Das that is a dream
and I've been considering a Kinesis for a long time.

If you don't know how to touch type, I _highly_ recommend the Das Model S
Ultimate Silent. Two weeks with that cleared it all up, but make sure you have
a backup for typing passwords.

~~~
pivo
I thought I'd hate the Apple keyboard (on my MacBook Pro) but I ended up
really liking it a lot. Even more than my nice mechanical keyboard. It's very
quiet and I can type much faster than I can with the mechanical keyboard.

~~~
ChrisPebble
As much as I love my Das Keyboard, I must admit I don't mind the Apple
keyboards at all for most tasks. If I had to do anything like transcription,
then yes, but for most tasks like programming or surfing, I'm surprised how
seamlessly I can switch from a mechanical keyboard to an Apple keyboard and
back again.

------
moe
I used to be a Model M fanatic for about a decade.

Then Apple released the chicklet keyboards and had me hooked after a week.

What I don't understand is how the Logitech's belong in that list. The G83
used to be bearable but all others that I've tried (including the fancy ones
with the display) were a wobbly mess.

~~~
wyclif
Also a huge IBM Model M fan here. That's what I grew up using. After a brief
spell of using cheap rubber dome keyboards that were becoming the blight on
humanity they still are, I got a Unicomp Linux model with the Caps Lock and
Ctrl keys swapped. It's buckling spring bliss as far as I'm concerned, with a
USB. I'll never go back to non-mechanical after using a RFK.

------
fsckin
Best keyboards? Four out of five of the reccomended keyboards are membrane and
scissor switches, which are designed for cost and space savings, not
ergonomics.

If you type more than a few hours per day, check out a mechanical or hybrid
(Topre) keyboard. Your wrists will thank you.

geekhack.org is a good resource.

~~~
polyfractal
Do they make non-clacky mechanical keyboards? I absolutely cannot stand the
clacky old IBM keyboards from my childhood.

I currently use a "Logitech Illuminated Ultrathin Keyboard" and love it. But
maybe I'm a freak, my wrists/hands feel a lot better using thin, laptop style
keys rather than big clunky mechanicals.

~~~
BadassFractal
Topre isn't nearly as clacky by default, but it also comes in a silent model.
I haven't tried it myself, so can't tell how silent it actually gets.

------
gingerlime
Nothing beats the old IBM Model M with its buckling spring mechanism!

I wish there was a modern alternative at a reasonable price and with a USB
connection (especially in Europe where it seems harder to find niche keyboard
products for some reason, or perhaps I just didn't discover it yet)

~~~
dvdhsu
Unicomps are pretty much clones of the Model M. They're available for 80 USD.
I'm not sure how much shipping to Europe is, unfortunately.

<http://pckeyboard.com/page/category/UKBD>

~~~
wyclif
I have a Unicomp "Linux" model. This was a model they used to sell stock with
the Caps Lock and Ctrl keys swapped. It's wonderful for programming. I think
now they will customise the keyboard for a small additional fee if you like
that setup, or you can DIY.

------
spoon16
I have settled on the Leopold ten keyless. I picked mine up from
elitekeyboards.com.

I really like how the Leopold types and it's not frustratingly loud like many
mechanical keyboards.

~~~
mapleoin
The noise level of mechanical keyboards is a function of the keyswitches being
used. From your comment I'm assuming you got the black or brown switches?

~~~
barrkel
I have a Corsair K90 with cherry red switches, which are still quite noisy -
the noise comes from the keys bottoming out, rather than the switch itself.

You can get little rubber rings to dampen them though.

------
BasDirks
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Hacking_Keyboard>

That list is a joke btw.

~~~
alanhenry
I would have loved to include the Happy Hacking Keyboard on the list. It's one
of my faves - but that said, the list is based on nominations and votes. It
may be a joke, but it's a joke based on hundreds of nominations from readers,
so there's that.

~~~
BasDirks
A well-researched article/list would have produced a valuable resource. This
is true for all high-end electronics. Apple makes beautiful garbage when it
comes to keyboards (and mice). They make this fundamental mistake of applying
to human interfaces an aesthetic perfect only for storage and other static
equipment.

------
eta_carinae
It's depressing that only one in five of these keyboards is ergonomic. If
you're a developer today and you are planning on typing on a keyboard for at
least the next ten years, picking any other keyboard than an ergonomic one is
a guaranteed path toward painful and permanent pains in your wrists and
forearms.

Switch to an ergonomic keyboard today, you'll be glad you did.

~~~
barrkel
I've been typing on keyboards for the past 20 years, no pains at all. I credit
it to Dvorak, myself.

~~~
eta_carinae
Some people seem to be immune to it, you might be one of the lucky few.

Make no mistake, though: Dvorak is an aggravating factor in carpal tunnel
syndrome. The faster you type by moving your fingers only and not your hands,
the more likely you are to start feeling the onset of CTS.

Ironically, the best way to make sure you won't suffer from CTS is by typing
with just two fingers.

~~~
barrkel
All the anecdotes I've read on Dvorak switchers indicate relief from CTS
compared with Qwerty. For the same speed of typing, Dvorak users move their
fingers less than Qwerty users.

It would be nice to have some hard data.

~~~
hollerith
learning a new layout makes you pay close attention to the movements. I
predict that switching from dvorak to querty will show the effect, too.

------
ChrisPebble
My ideal keyboard would be a DasKeyboard Model S with the layout of
Microsoft's Natural Ergonomic Desktop keyboard. I am befuddled as to why
neither DasKeyboard or EliteKeyboards make an ergonomic model.

I know the Model M came in a split model, but they are extremely expensive
(when they can be found).

~~~
hapless
The Kinesis Advantage uses the same Cherry keyswitches as a Das Keyboard, and
has a split ergo layout:

<http://www.kinesis-ergo.com/advantage.htm>

~~~
ChrisPebble
I've been tempted before but the layout looks a bit extreme. Does it take a
while to get used to or is it a pretty easy switch?

~~~
kabdib
I tried a Kinesis like that a few years ago and couldn't stand it.

If Microsoft made a Natural keyboard with slightly clacky keys (or even the
original Natural keyboard again) I'd buy a couple dozen of them and stay with
them for the rest of my life. Unfortunately, the keyboard folks at MS have
been doing a poorer and poorer job over the last few years; the most recent
ones (from the 4000 up) are squishy-keyed disasters that I can't type on
reliably. [Don't get me started on F-lock. What were they /thinking/?]

------
pepve
Can someone explain the difference between membrane, scissor and mechanical
keyboards? I have no idea what my preference would be. Let alone what kind of
keyboard I'm currently using (which is the best I one ever owned).

I'm also surprised why no-one seems to take travel into account. I find that I
type more relaxed (and faster) on keyboards with flat keys that don't travel
much.

------
MrBlue
Not to sound negative but I can't wait till I have enough karma points to down
vote. This list of "Best Desktop Keyboards" is quite lacking.

------
zer
Filco Majestouch 2 Tenkeyless with MX Brown switches for me.

Besides the advantages of the mechanical switches (the Browns are also not
that loud as others) I really dig the compact size. The only time I ever used
the numpad was when I had to work on spreadsheets. Thankfully I was able to
graduate from that.

------
dag11
I used to use an Apple chichlet keyboard at my computer (even though it's not
a mac) because I loved typing on it.

Then I decided to buy a Daskeyboard (Model S Professional) and it's been
absolutely _amazing_.

~~~
phillmv
Do they make those without the numpads? It's silly but after all these years
typing on a laptop I've come to loathe the distance my hand has to travel to
reach the mouse - especially on my MS Natural 4k.

~~~
spamizbad
What you want is a "Tenkeyless" model. You can obtain boards with the same
Cherry MX Blues (or Browns in the "Silent" version) that are "tenkeyless"
style from brands whose quality is about on par with Das.

They can be found at several places, but the two I know of are Elite Keyboards
(Leopold):
[http://www.elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=leopold,tenke...](http://www.elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=leopold,tenkeyless)

and Keyboard co UK on Amazon.com (Mainly Filco)

I've used a tenkeyless Filco (blue) and tenkeyless Leopold Brown and I love
'em both. I don't really miss the numpad.

------
kmfrk
A lot of really weird suggestions. This needs a lot more mechanical keyboards
in it. I don't even know if you would ever want a Logitech keyboard.

Check out /r/keyboards for some more interesting suggestions.

~~~
alanhenry
I agree - I would have loved more mechs on the list. They just don't seem to
have caught on with the general public just yet though. We had a half-dozen in
the nominations list, but all told they got fewer votes collected than some of
the others that made the top five.

------
Kerrick
I've got a Logitech K800 and an IBM Model M. I prefer the IBM Model M, but the
K800 is the only thin, wireless, backlit keyboard that I've found that's still
pleasant to type on after getting used to an IBM.

------
gall
I'd love to find an analogue for the _feel_ of a mechanical keyboard in a
laptop keyboard. Something with at least 3mm travel and the actuation point at
2mm.

------
legutierr
I'm thinking about getting one of these: <https://secure.trulyergonomic.com/>

Has anyone tried it?

------
hello_asdf
I would really like to get that Das Keyboard Ultimate edition, any one have
any comments on either that model or their keyboards in general?

------
tezza
Microsoft Sidewinder X6 gets my vote.

Removable numpad, banks of accelerator keys and volume spinners top off
excellent key action.

------
ibotty
somehow all the better ergonomic ones are missing: typematrix (i own one of
those), kinesis, etc.

that's kind of lame for an article titled "best desktop keyboards"

~~~
alanhenry
If you look closely, you'll notice they're the best as voted on by our
community. It looks like their tastes and yours differ somewhat.

~~~
ibotty
and? if you ask people who never bought a keyboard what keyboard is best the
methodology might not be the best...

------
mattacular
What a lame article... I don't know why I expected more from Lifehacker.

Anyone who does a lot of typing at work is not going to like Apple keyboards.
Those things ruin your fingers because the keys have no give. It is kind of
similar to what running on concrete will do to your knees.

~~~
rimantas
What? You know, they work even without bangint on keys like crazy. Just
lightly tapping them.

~~~
mattacular
Why would I want to alter my entire typing style for no reason other than to
use YET-ANOTHER-APPLE-PRODUCT(TM) ? I have a Macbook, and the keyboard is fine
for most situations. But whenever I try to do a lot of writing or programming
on it, my fingers end up hurting really badly.

