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![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/9X1g9.jpg)
I was wondering if anyone knew of a keyboard that I'd be able to use without driving myself insane.
I've been looking for a keyboard for the last 4+ years in anticipation of the day my last Logitech UltraX (pictured above) gets too worn out to use. I first started using one in 2006 and quickly realized I needed to buy three spares. I'm seriously glad I did, though. Apparently since Logitech realized I'd found hardware I liked, they discontinued the model. I've since given one of my spares to my brother, swapped out my original one in 2009 to start using another spare, and brought my last spare to work in 2010 to use at work.
The one I'm using at home is starting to show some serious signs of age (entire patches of silver paint fading away to reveal the black plastic underneath and multiple keycaps' lettering disappearing). It's still usable, but it's clearly time to find a replacement. One small problem, though. By my own admission, I'm horrendously picky when it comes to keyboards and I've gotten sufficiently annoyed enough trying out a couple different keyboards to finally hope that someone might already have an answer for me. Hey, at least I can lay out specific criteria I'm looking for instead of 'something good for gaming.'
Specific models already ruled out:- Razer Lycosa -- keys are far too wobbly, rubberized keys are a terrible idea as well
- Das Keyboard Silent -- keyboard too tall, too much key travel to bottom out, not resistance... very unfortunate since it has a perfect layout (use this as a reference if my layout criteria ends up being confusing)
- Ace KUA100 -- too much flex
- SIIG Low Profile -- too much flex
- Logitech K120 -- too much flex, mushy membrane switches
- Logitech Ultra-thin Illuminated -- double-row delete key, omitted AppsKey
- Logitech K800 -- wireless, omitted AppsKey
- Fellowes Microban Slimline -- too much flex
- Various Microsoft keyboards -- all mushy membrane switches and whoever invented curved rows without going all-out ergonomic deserves a painful death
Essential criteria:- Absolutely must be wired USB
- Must not have "macro" keys
- Not chiclet keys (not enough tactile feedback with flat key surface)
- Not mechanical keys (buckling spring, Cherry, or otherwise; they're all unfortunately too tall and the elitist attitude surrounding people insisting on them gets old)
- Scissor switch mechanism (think of circa 2004-2006 laptop keyboards)
- Single-row enter key
- Both Windows keys must be present (left and right)
- Context menu key (typically between Win and Ctrl on right side of keyboard) must be present
- Must have numeric pad
- Unmodified home key cluster (no double-row Delete, must have Insert key)
- Unmodified PrintScreen/Scroll Lock/Pause row
- Double-width (standard) Backspace key
- Maximum height under 1"/25mm (stand a quarter on its edge -- it must be thinner than that)
- Cannot flex significantly on keypresses
Preferable, but I can live without if it fits pretty much everything else:- No 'Function' modifier key -- must be between Ctrl and Win in lower left otherwise
- Standard F1-F12 spacings between F4/F5 and F8/F9
- Multimedia keys -- play/pause, stop, forward, back are nice to have
- No wrist rest or removable wrist rest
Niceties, but not game-breaking whatsoever:- Backlight -- nothing fancy, with physical on/off switch if needed
- Anti-ghosting -- it's this far down on the list because I've honestly never run into ghosting aside from contorting my hands just to try to get it to trigger. Still, nice to know it's there
- Metal internal frame -- unlikely for a keyboard to resist flexing without, but if they can do it with plastic, you won't see me complain
This is very, very likely the most neurotic list of requirements for a keyboard, but after trying several different keyboards for 2-4 weeks, I've come to realize exactly how specific my keyboard preferences are. I used the Das for about 3 weeks and even at the end, I couldn't pass 105 WPM (as a synthetic benchmark for how comfortable I am with a specific board). After using the Razer Lycosa for two weeks, I managed 120, but the wobbly keys never really sat well with me. As a reference point, even on a bad day, I'm pushing 140+ with the UltraX.
I've spent dozens of hours researching keyboards by now, and if anyone's already found something that fits what I need, I'd be seriously grateful.
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tl;dr: I need a full-size keyboard with an un-fucked-with layout, moderate- to no-frills, and must have laptop keys. Halp?
  
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Flat keys? Non-mechanical? Seriously...
Zowie Celeritas. It has mechanical keys and is non-flat, yet its a very good mechanical and not too noisy keyboard with a complete standard layout, if you don't love that I don't think any keyboard will do for you. Your requirements are all good if you would not put all of them together. I don't think a keyboard you want exists.
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On February 28 2012 19:18 Type|NarutO wrote:
Your requirements are all good if you would not put all of them together. I don't think a keyboard you want exists.
It DOES, though -- my current board satisfies literally every one of those essential conditions.
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On February 28 2012 19:25 SigmaoctanusIV wrote:
Then buy that same keyboard again... Selling it on Amazon really cheap.
Looks like I forgot to list USB as a requirement 
The price also isn't cheap, with the original price was $14.99 for each. The few that I can find still being sold are like this one; they're listed at far higher than their original price.
That aside, even if I get the same keyboard again, I'm not exactly looking forward to just delaying the realization that I still haven't found a replacement model to go with.
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212 Posts
Why the hell would anybody want to buy a membrane keyboard. Come on.
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Scissor reinforced membrane keys are actually less wobbly than mechanical keys.
That, and typical key travel for membrane is 5mm or more, key travel for mechanical is around 4mm, and key travel for scissor is typically 3mm or less.
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Dell SK8115 look it up.
Edit: If you want one thats even shorter, grab the newer Dell models, I'll look up the model number next time if I remember but those are even shorter, and suit your needs.
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Not trying to be funny in the least bit by saying this, but good luck finding one. If its not mechanical or membrane, you will have a hard time finding one for a decent price that is actually worth while. Also, I've never seen a scissor-switch keyboard with backlights...
You really would've been better off just hunting google for keyboards like that as most people here are gamers, and most gamers consider thin keyboards or basically anything that isnt mechanical or a membrane similar to the g15 garbage as they are just really unreliable. All most all typers I know use mechanical keyboards and the one's that dont use VERY expensive membrane keyboards.
EDIT: and to the post above mine, im using that keyboard right now until I get a mechanical one ^.^
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You do realize if you buy another keyboard you will spend a lot more than the listed 30$ ? :/ If you don't want the same again -> read my first comment, the keyboard you wish does not exist, at least none I would know.
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On February 28 2012 19:55 Zlasher wrote:
Dell SK8115 look it up.
+ Show Spoiler +
- Membrane switches
- Relocated PrintScreen cluster
Nope 
On February 28 2012 19:56 AeroEffect wrote:
Not trying to be funny in the least bit by saying this, but good luck finding one. If its not mechanical or membrane, you will have a hard time finding one for a decent price that is actually worth while. Also, I've never seen a scissor-switch keyboard with backlights...
Well, I know it's difficult to find a proper replacement or I wouldn't have spent the last four years trying :X
Aside from that, backlighting was intially done on scissor switch keyboards -- Zippy keyboards come to mind real fast. All the chiclet keyboards coming out on laptops lately are scissor switch as well.
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i would try to help, but apparently im a needledick hipster for loving how my mechanical sounds. sorry.
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I really hope you are not as picky with other stuff in life.
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You would probably be best off customizing your own keyboard using linear mechanical switches with modified depth.
Your comment regarding mechanical switches is very rude, politically incorrect, and does nothing but discourage people who know about keyboards from helping you.
I second NarutO here, you'd be a pretty impossible person to deal with if you were this way with other aspects of life...
oh yea, and you should just get a Das Model S, it's a great keyboard, has the layout you want, and if you give it some time you'll realize that MX browns are better for gaming than any scissor switch, and the height of the keyboard itself can be compensated by a palm rest.
Being this picky about something generally means you've spent too much time reading/thinking, and too little actually trying things out.
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Basically you're saying "I want a bad run-in-the-mill gaming keyboard". It's just really hard to give serious suggestions when you poop all over what makes keyboards good (being mechanical). I mean... if you want those rubber-shit keyboards, does it really matter? There's a million of them, just find one with a setup of keys you like and buy it, they are either cheap enough to buy a new one if you dislike it/it breaks, or expensive and totaly not worth it since they aren't mechanical anyway.
I would recommend the Steelseries G6v2... but since it's actually a good keyboard, you'd probably hate it.
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Get a Model M. Best keyboards ever made.
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On February 28 2012 20:19 CatNzHat wrote:
oh yea, and you should just get a Das Model S, it's a great keyboard, has the layout you want, and if you give it some time you'll realize that MX browns are better for gaming than any scissor switch, and the height of the keyboard itself can be compensated by a palm rest.
Being this picky about something generally means you've spent too much time reading/thinking, and too little actually trying things out.
The Das Model S is the 'Silent' Das model I've already mentioned (it's actually on a shelf a couple feet behind me right now, in fact). In an ideal world where I can carve out a half-inch deep slot in my desk to drop the keyboard into, and then replace all the switches with 90g actuation, 1.5-2mm travel mechanical keys, I could probably live with it, but I haven't quite been able to find anyone selling anything other than commodity Cherry Red/Blue/Black/Brown switches that are usually 40-60g actuation and 4mm travel.
With regard to the impression that I hadn't tried out keyboards, here's just a few of them I gave a serious tryout to:
Razer Lycosa: Bought one and used it for 2 weeks
Das Model S: Bought one and used it for 3 weeks. Gave it a second 1.5 week shot with a neoprene/gel wrist rest and still couldn't get used to it.
SIIG Low Profile: Bought one for work and used it for 2 weeks and realized how aggravating keyboard flex is on most plastic fantastic keyboards.
Ace KUA100: Loaned from coworker for a week and the flex felt just like the SIIG.
Logitech K120: Standard low-cost rubber dome fare; plenty of them at work. Used one for a month despite it being far too mushy.
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Filco Majestouch from keyboardco.com. Best Keyboard EVER!
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On February 28 2012 20:23 Tobberoth wrote:
Basically you're saying "I want a bad run-in-the-mill gaming keyboard". It's just really hard to give serious suggestions when you poop all over what makes keyboards good (being mechanical). I mean... if you want those rubber-shit keyboards, does it really matter? There's a million of them, just find one with a setup of keys you like and buy it, they are either cheap enough to buy a new one if you dislike it/it breaks, or expensive and totaly not worth it since they aren't mechanical anyway.
I would recommend the Steelseries G6v2... but since it's actually a good keyboard, you'd probably hate it.
Don't get it, it's not that good, if you get a mechanical you should go all out and get a really good quality one.
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On February 28 2012 21:25 Recognizable wrote:Show nested quote +On February 28 2012 20:23 Tobberoth wrote:
Basically you're saying "I want a bad run-in-the-mill gaming keyboard". It's just really hard to give serious suggestions when you poop all over what makes keyboards good (being mechanical). I mean... if you want those rubber-shit keyboards, does it really matter? There's a million of them, just find one with a setup of keys you like and buy it, they are either cheap enough to buy a new one if you dislike it/it breaks, or expensive and totaly not worth it since they aren't mechanical anyway.
I would recommend the Steelseries G6v2... but since it's actually a good keyboard, you'd probably hate it. Don't get it, it's not that good, if you get a mechanical you should go all out and get a really good quality one.
Yeah but he doesn't want mechanical anyways so it doesn't really matter.
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EPT![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/NzZti.jpg)
