keyboard advice please :)

I'm the happy owner of a m17x r2, and have been for around 6 years now. Its still working fantastically, but now that I'm retired and not travelling all the time I want to get a super nice desktop (floortop? lol) computer. One of the things I seriously love about my r2 is the keyboard. I've been looking around at gaming keyboards, but they all seem to have the old style huge mushy keys. I love how crisp and responsive my m17x keyboard is, the lighting is perfect too. I've been to lots of brick stores like bestbuy and frys trying to look at keyboards, but I've been unhappy with all the ones I've seen, and shopping online for one is a daunting task because of a lack of pictures and good reviews discussing the points I'm interested in. I lurk here alot and thought I'd ask what you guys might recommend that would be very similar to my r2 keyboard. Thanks in advance for any input you have!

 

I'll give the standard party line first and advise that if you want a really good typing tactile experience, there are plenty of places that sell restored/replica IBM Series M mechanical keyboards out there. You can plug them in via USB or the original port (with a USB adapter) and there are even wireless versions of them available. I feel you on how awful most keyboards are these days; Apple's chiclet island-style keys are now the norm, and I absolutely hate it... though it can be entertaining to throw chum in the water and gripe on a forum about their keyboards, then watch the fanboys and fangirls swoop in to defend their terrible product.

The non-standard party line is that although it's verboten to talk well about another manufacturer on the AW forums, MSI has heard the griping and moaning of people like us and done something about it. In a nutshell, it;s a 980m-equipped mechanical keyboard-slinging 18.4" gaming laptop that, provided you like dragon imagery on your laptop, is made for you.

MSI's forthcoming product.

I love my R1's keyboard, so I fully empathize. The new AW keyboards are probably the closest to what you're currently looking for in terms of design. Good luck.

 

I didn't realize it was bad to talk about other stuff on these forums, sorry! Is there a better spot to ask for advice on notebook review than here? I just thought that folks here would know what my r2 keyboard is like and maybe be able to point me in the right direction for a freestanding keyboard that is very similar.

Thanks for the info! I might have to look at the new AW keyboards, I saw one a few years ago and it had the big fat slow keys like every other gaming keyboard seems to these days, so I hadn't considered them. I'll also look into the IBM one you mentioned.

I've played with the chicklet keyboards in the stores and decided I don't care for them either. The keys seem to get bound up on the edges of the frame and just don't seem as responsive. The things I love about my r2 keyboard are how crisp and low profile the keys are, I dont have to press them for a year and a half for them to register anything. I also LOVE the way its lighted, with the white text and outlines that the lights glow through. It makes it easy to see in any lighting condition, and I've found that if I'm working on a different keyboard I really miss it now.

 

Not to worry; these forums are actually some of the more civil ones I have ever encountered. I have occasionally seen people gork out when MSI, Clevo and other gaming notebook manufacturers are mentioned, but it hasn't happened in a while. Hope the keyboard info helps you out.

 

I moved your thread to accessories, hopefully, tapatalk included a redirect (first time doing this with tapatalk).

Anyways, there is the good old MS sidewinder that might float your boat. Otherwise, if you can sample the various mech switches, not easy, I know, you'd get a pretty good idea of what you'd like.

IBM also has some Thinkpad laptop like keyboards for desktops if you don't mind something basic, but woth a good laptop keyboard feel.


Sent from my STYLISTIC Q584 using Tapatalk

 

I recommend the CM Storm Quickfire, they are tenkeyless and comes with options for the most popular switches (red, brown and blue). The price isn't that expensive and the product quality is good.


Or if you don't want a mechanical you can always get a Realforce 87UB (feel is similar to rubber dome keyboard).

 

I do not want to sound out of the way, but I owned quite a few notebooks. At first I thought alienware has one of the best keyboards out there but then MSI steelseries is one of the best keyboard you will find in a notebook. nothing beats them... Other than that, you have to go with external mechanical keyboards. There are some wireless / Bluetooth mechanical keyboard out there, you have to search on google...

 

I'd go with Matias for wireless keyboards, but they use ALPS switch.