Spending those royalties ... on a decent keyboard.

[Simon Haynes]

Took my daughter to look at PC monitors today, and while I was browsing I decided to try a few mechanical switch keyboards.

Long story cut short, I ended up spending way too much on a Corsair K70... but at least it's writing-related, yes?

I'll be forced to use my laptop for a week at the end of this month, and last night I tried to write a chapter using the inbuilt chicklet keyboard. Argh, ugh and urgh.  I managed 300 words before vowing to never use it again. It was absolutely awful.

I've been using a relatively nice Logitech keyboard with my PC for the past 5-6 years, but there's nothing like a proper clicky, tactile keyboard. Noisy, but light and fast.

[Tonyonline]

there's nothing like a proper clicky, tactile keyboard. Noisy, but light and fast.

I couldn't disagree more!
I used to have a clicky, tactile keyboard when I had a computer, and the thought of losing it when I changed to a Mac was a horrible thought, but the little keyboard I use now is SO much better. It's light, fast and I wouldn't go back to that big, clunky, noisy keyboard, ever.

[Robin]

I don't like noisy keyboards either! I love my laptop keys they are light and fast with an unobtrusive sound. All that clicking gives me a headache 

[WasAnn]

Took my daughter to look at PC monitors today, and while I was browsing I decided to try a few mechanical switch keyboards.

Long story cut short, I ended up spending way too much on a Corsair K70... but at least it's writing-related, yes?

I'll be forced to use my laptop for a week at the end of this month, and last night I tried to write a chapter using the inbuilt chicklet keyboard. Argh, ugh and urgh.  I managed 300 words before vowing to never use it again. It was absolutely awful.

I've been using a relatively nice Logitech keyboard with my PC for the past 5-6 years, but there's nothing like a proper clicky, tactile keyboard. Noisy, but light and fast.

I immediately went to amazon to check it out. Oooo...looks sweet! I like mech keyboards as well, but I've grown accustomed to almost any type of keys at this point.

[Simon Haynes]

I find I don't like spongy keys, and I'm not sure whether it's my imagination, but as the keyboard on the laptop gets cooked by the heat from the processor and the video card, the 'spongy' becomes 'solid' and then 'hit it with a hammer'.

I do like a nice soft-touch keyboard, but on the other hand this one seems to be more accurate.

[HSh]

I don't think I've ever tried a mechanical keyboard, although I used to use old manual typewriters quite a big back in the day.  I don't know if that's similar.
 
I finally got a Neo2 Alphasmart recently, and I LOVE it.  It cost about thirty bucks used.  Best money spent for me. 

I got a fancy Kinesis Advantage keyboard a couple of years ago for over 200 dollars and I didn't find it useful at all, ended up selling it again.  I just couldn't adjust to it.

[Maggie Ann]

I don't think I've ever tried a mechanical keyboard, although I used to use old manual typewriters quite a big back in the day.  I don't know if that's similar.
 
I finally got a Neo2 Alphasmart recently, and I LOVE it.  It cost about thirty bucks used.  Best money spent for me. 

I got a fancy Kinesis Advantage keyboard a couple of years ago for over 200 dollars and I didn't find it useful at all, ended up selling it again.  I just couldn't adjust to it.

I use my Neo Alphasmart when I'm working at the library or McD's or Panera. The problem with the clickey keyboards is they annoy everyone around me. My first Alphasmart was a 3000, and while the sound was satisfying to me, I got a lot of complaints.

[Simon Haynes]

Back when my writing habit went on past everyone else's bedtime, a quiet keyboard was essential. Now I can thrash away at the keys all night.

[Max]

I use a logitech solar powered one at home. I like it a lot. But when I'm on the road, it's the Microsoft surface's keyboard. That doesn't quite do it for me.

Does an Alphasmart compare to a mechanical keyboard? How much so?  I've been toying with the idea of a mech, but I don't want to have a lot of resistance when typing. I do well with the alphasmart.
Anyone know?

[anauthor]

I have two mechanical keyboards and love them. Quite often hook one up to my laptop and use it and a monitor. One is a Das Professional Model S for Mac and one is a Ducky One keyboard with pink and teal keypads... because I can...

[Wonder]

I too love my mechanical keyboards and have a hard time writing on chicklet style keyboards for more than two hours at a time. (My fingers feel fatigued)  I have a Das Keyboard for everyday use, and a smaller gaming keyboard I sometimes travel with.

There are two aspects to a “clicky” keyboard: the sound and the tactile bump you feel when you press the key. I could take or leave the sound, but I like a key that has a bump you can feel (no mush) and a decent traveling distance so I can feel like I’m digging into the keys.

If the sound bothers you, some types of mechanical keys are quieter than others.

Blue Switches: Loudest
Brown Switches: Medium
Red Switches: Quiet

Usually, the louder the click, the firmer the “bump” feeling. Blue Switches are too loud for me, reds aren’t tactile enough. I prefer browns.

A switch is a little mechanism that sits below the keycap.

Wonder

[Simon Haynes]

I didn't know about blue, brown, red switches until this afternoon, and I've been heavily into computers for almost four decades!

The guy in the shop was great, he unpacked three different keyboards for me and I typed out paragraphs on each one to get the feel for them.

It came down to a choice between red and blue, and while the red was quieter, I wasn't as keen on the soft touch. I preferred the more aggressive feedback with the blue switches, and that's what I'm typing on now. (I don't know whether I tried a brown, but if I end up getting a second keyboard for the laptop I'll look into it then. If I do that, I'll get a narrower one with no numeric pad.)

I've already written 4000 words of my WIP on this thing, no problem at all.

I used to have a pair of those old IBM M keyboards, but sadly I got rid of them during a major clearout or I'd probably be using one now.

[Leegreg]

Clicking and feelings are all well and good, but the important question not being asked is, how is the RGB background lighting? That’s where the real speed and power of a keyboard comes from.

[Shoe]

I use a Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 on every device. I don't know how people make do with linear keyboards, though we humans can get used to anything.

https://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Natural-Ergonomic-Keyboard-Business/dp/B004SUIM4E/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1539540978&sr=8-3&keywords=ergonomic+keyboard

[Simon Haynes]

Clicking and feelings are all well and good, but the important question not being asked is, how is the RGB background lighting? That’s where the real speed and power of a keyboard comes from.

Believe me, that was the first thing I got rid of. (My first question to the guy in the shop, too.)

I need backlit keys because I sometimes work in low light conditions. But I use the Corsair app to choose a nice, soft creamy/green coloured light, which - I now realise - looks exactly like glow in the dark paint.

[Jo]

Okay, now I am officially salivating.

[Ghost5]

I needed this thread a month or so ago when my cat dumped an enormous tumbler of water over my Mac keyboard and I was shopping for something new. Thanks for all the tips (because anyone with a cat knows it'll probably happen again when I let my guard down).
 

[Maggie Ann]

I needed this thread a month or so ago when my cat dumped an enormous tumbler of water over my Mac keyboard and I was shopping for something new. Thanks for all the tips (because anyone with a cat knows it'll probably happen again when I let my guard down).
 

Or if your 4 yr old grandson thinks he's helping Grammy by cleaning her laptop with Windex. Keys, screen, every little nook and cranny. He did a very good job. 

[dgcasey]

I wrote this review over on the OTHER site and thought I would pit it here, too. I got this keyboard about a month ago and when I say inexpensive, that's what I meant. It was just over $22 on Ebay and that included the shipping. Not only that, it was delivered in two days and arrived on a Sunday. I imagine the seller didn't make a whole lot off this sale.

When I started researching the keyboards, I gravitated toward the blue switches with what I read. The red switches didn't seem to me that they would have enough of that clicky-clacky feel to them and the green switches seemed like they might be a little too stiff for my tastes. I figured the blues would be a good compromise between them and I was correct.

This new keyboard doesn't have the key press tension that the old Model M IBM keyboards used to have and that's not a bad thing. Those old keyboards were rated with a tension of about 70 grams for a key press while these blue switches are rated about 50 grams. It feels perfect for me after typing on it for a few days.

It did take a little searching to find this keyboard because I specifically looked for blue switches. A lot of the ads on Ebay neglect to mention anything about the switch color and you'll find that a lot of them are just membrane keyboards that say they have a mechanical "feel" to them. Don't believe them. Look for a seller that includes some photos of the keyboard with a few keys removed so you can see the switch underneath. You should be seeing either green, red, blue or brown posts. There are other colors, but I won't get into those.

This keyboard was actually built with gamers in mind and so it comes with some backlighting that is completely useless to me. It has about a dozen different backlight settings for different light shows. My favorite setting is OFF. The keys still flash each time I press a key, but that's a lot less intrusive than having the lights doing wild patterns under my fingers while I'm trying to concentrate. You may find the light show to be something you like.

Overall I am quite happy with the keyboard. The feel of the keys as they depress is quite satisfying and reminds me a lot of the IBM keyboards I used to use back in the 70s and 80s and 90s. I didn't realize how much I missed that feel. There is the clicky-clacky sound of the keys that does bring a smile to my face as I'm typing away. I wouldn't recommend this keyboard for anyone that will be using it in a room where other people are present, especially a bedroom. This keyboard came with a ten-key pad, but I have seen others that didn't have that. I like having the key pad because i do use it on occasion when entering data on a spreadsheet.

I like this keyboard so much that I am selling my Logitech wireless keyboard and mouse setup. I will actually order another one of these in the near future because I want to use it as a base for building myself a steampunk keyboard and this keyboard will be perfect for that. The price was low enough to take the chance and if it didn't work out, it was nothing to worry about.

If you have any questions please ask.



The ad for the keyboard. Oh, and I don't get anything from sales of this keyboard or even know the seller. I just knew that a few people here were thinking about trying this type of keyboard out and thought they might like this. I just looked though and saw the seller was sold out. Not surprising at the price he was asking.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/104-Key-Mechanical-Gaming-Keyboard-Blue-Switch-Illuminated-RGB-Backlit-Rainbow/263835949261?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

[WasAnn]

Back when my writing habit went on past everyone else's bedtime, a quiet keyboard was essential. Now I can thrash away at the keys all night.

That sounded vaguely dirty.

[Tom Wood]

 

[Simon Haynes]

Back when my writing habit went on past everyone else's bedtime, a quiet keyboard was essential. Now I can thrash away at the keys all night.

That sounded vaguely dirty.

Was it the thrashing part or the all night part? ;-)