Clicky keyboard

Hi there guys!

My keyboard has recently been broken, and I would like to buy a mechanical (clicky) keyboard. Now I have seen Das Keyboards and they are like £90! I would like to buy one, but IMO that is way tooooo much for a keyboard... Is there a place I could get one for under £30-40?

Thanks!

 

http://pckeyboards.stores.yahoo.net/cus101usenon.html

Based on the original. Based on the best.

A bit pricey though. Buckling spring is what you want.

 

any others?

 

Well if you REALLY want to go vintage, you can pick up the original IBM Model M on eBay for about 40USD (about 24GBP) plus shipping, then throw in a PS/2>USB adapter. They have quite a following.

 

you can also go for DIATEC Majestouch FILCO keyboards..

there are lots of models , from the light to hard mechanical keyboards...

check this out...
its a very good website
http://elitekeyboards.com/

oh...clicky is the sound produced by mechanical keyboards...not all are clicky actually...

 

+1, nothing beats the real deal.

 

I like the tactile response, but not the noise. What's a good solid mechanical keyboard that is neither ergonomic nor loud?

 

The IBM model M keyboards are AWESOME. I spent quite some time researching them a few months ago. They are true tanks. I think I read that the keys are rated for 25 million keystrokes a piece ! They weigh a ton and don't move on the desk like the cheap light weight keyboards. They have a metal backplate for God's sake. I love the noise too.

I bought 2 vintage original IBM M series keyboards made by IBM in the US in the mid 80's(before they were outsourced and built by someone else outside the US). They are more than 25 years old and work perfect! Why 2 you ask? Because I want one as a backup in case the one I have goes bad(highly unlikely).

Check out this site if you want more info on them.

BTW - if you want to hook them up as USB I have heard that not all PS2 to USB adapters work. The ones sold on the site I linked above are tested to work however.

 

The Model M went into production in 1985, but was scarce until 1986-7 (the 1984 copyright date on the back is misleading). So yours are probably not 25 years old -- unless they're actually the older Model F keyboards with the different layout. But they'll probably still be working when they hit their 25th birthday!

Best current deal on a mechanical keyboard -- other than the aforementioned Unicomps -- would likely be the ABS M1 or the Scorpius M10. Be forewarned, though, that the M10 has been known to have some reliability problems caused by dodgy QC.

 

You are right, I mis-counted. One of mine is from 87, so that makes it 22 years old

 

Ebay an old Model M

 

tactile eh...
well try the keyboards with Cherry MX Brown Switches..

there are three types of cherry MX switches...
black brown blue

noise : black > brown > blue
tactile : black > brown > blue

blue switches are found in DAS Keyboards...and when you type got the click click sound...
while the other two , doesnt produce any click sound...but the "tack" "tack"
sound....black is the loudest....and you can find blacks in steelseries 7G

while those browns....can only be found in filcos

 

You can also find the Cherry brown switches in Compaq MX11800, often found used on eBay for $25 or so. Also in Kinesis' countoured ergonomic keyboard -- the one with the "bowl"-like halves. That one is definitely not in your price range, though!

If the goal is a decent mechanical board with some tactility at a cheap price, check eBay for Dell AT101W (US layout) or AT102W (UK/ISO layout). These have Alps black switches, which are tactile but non-clicky. These will be quieter than the clicky Alps white switches, or the Cherry blue switches, or buckling spring... but I still wouldn't necessarily call them "quiet". The keycaps themselves will still make noise when they impact the backing board on which the switches sit -- and that'll be louder than most modern cheapie keyboards. But quieter than most mechanical boards.

 

Out of curiosity, what makes a mechanical "clicky" keyboard different from any other "regular" USB keyboard?

 

Mechanical keyboards use a different key mechanism. Underneath each key is a buckling spring mechanism, which produces a tactile "click" feeling while typing, as well as a very audible click sound. Ordinary keyboards nowadays use silicone domes that are much quieter, but also softer in tactile feedback. Many typists and programmers praise the mechanical "clicky" keyboards, especially the IBM model M, for their superior typing experience, as well as their durability and quality. They're pretty heavy too. I think the Model M is over 5 pounds, the weight of an average 14" laptop! This helps prevent it from moving around the desk, in addition to adding to the "durable" feel.

As for the closest feeling keyboard without the noise, I'd actually say laptop keyboards are pretty good. They use "scissor" key switch technology. I find the short travel with the sudden "click" feeling you get when the key hits the bottom to be much superior to ordinary bundled desktop keyboards, which are mushier and usually quieter.

 

Fascinating. I might look into one of these...I love the features of my G15 desktop keyboard, but the tactile response could definitely be more pronounced.

 

There is no comparison between the model M and the regular modern keyboards of today. They feel completely different. Every time you press each key it is like you are pressing a toggle switch rather than a normal keyboard key. Hard to explain in words but very easy to feel when you type on it. This is a toy that true NERDS :GEEK: appreciate

Check out this Youtube review for more info.

Also check out this fun video of someone typing fast on it.

 

Or the old Northgate keyboards

 

http://www.keyboardco.com/

that seller is in the UK, has both filco and cherry g80-3000 boards which are excellent.

 

i would prefer to purchase from the UK, thanks!

 

any ideas for cheap keyboard like under £20?

thanks

 

For a true-blue mechanical keyboard? I'd say your best bet is to get a used Model M from eBay or similar.

 

thanks for the recommendation, this is a fantastic keyboard and am typing on it right now! +rep and i would recommend this keyboard to anyone as it offers a lot of tactility at a cheap price!

 

I like laptop keyboards myself for the same reason: Tactile feedback. I have myself a wireless HP Elite keyboard with the same mechanism. It can be had at fry's for $40. It's not the best keyboard functionality wise. It has no palm rest, no indicator lights. But it has by far the best typing experience in my opinion, next to the much higher priced Logitech dinovo edge keyboard.

 

Funnily enough, I dislike laptop keyboards because of the lack of tactile feedback. The key throw -- distance the key moves when you depress it -- is so small that there isn't room for proper tactility. The short key throw means that you'll often be applying more force at the point that you bottom out the key, causing more force to be "pushed" back into your finger. For me this means finger pain after moderate use -- although it's okay for light use.

I'm glad that you like the Dell keyboard, fattail95. The AT101W was one of the first mechanical keyboards that I encountered when I started searching for a quality keyboard last year (not counting the IBM Model M, which probably everyone has used at some point). I found mine locally for $3.99 at a thrift store, but it's still possible to find new AT101s on eBay US for $20 shipped.

 

I came from years of Logitech keyboards, which have like zero tactile feedback. The keys don't "click" in when you depress them. And the long key travel actual bothers me. When I do miss a key and I end up hitting two, a long keytravel actually makes me stop and have to look at my screen and see which key I hit.

I got myself an HP elite Wireless keyboard that has a very short key travel and the keys click in when you hit them. I love it. The worst part about the keyboard though is the lack of indicator lights though. So you aren't sure if Capslock is set or not without actually hitting the keys.

 

I never use caps lock, so that wouldn't be an issue for me. Seriously... can't recall the last time I intentionally activated caps lock. I'm more likely to activate it accidentally, because I have a keyboard on one of my PCs that has the Control key in that location -- and I've become used to that layout.

Oh... and I agree that the laptop-style scissor switch keyboards are often better than the awful rubber dome keyboards made by Logitech, Microsoft, Saitek, and others. So although I dislike laptop-style keyboards, I dislike common rubber dome keyboards even more so.