Best quality keyboards

It's not often brought up but in this time of multiple competing high quality laptops in the same price range, there's not much to compare between except for the general aesthetics.

For me they are a major consideration for which laptop I settle on. My current budget being ~1400-1500 dollars I am looking most at the MSI GT60 for its steelseries keyboard that is very precise and responsive as well as having a good tactile depression and quick double tap speed.

What other mid range gaming laptops (i7 3610QM, GTX 660M or 670M) have good quality keyboard builds?

I am also looking at the Lenovo Y580 since it comes at unbeatable price for its power but I have been unable to physically play with one because no one carries it my state. I am nervous about buying products I haven't had a chance to try especially with something like a keyboard.

Has steelseries or another reputable keyboard maker teamed up with any other companies except MSI to deliver a quality typing experience?

 

Thinkpad line.

 

Quality Keyboards? I'll highly recommend the ThinkPAD line.

For gaming? still lol........


While the keyboards may be top-notch I'm not sure the systems would be anywhere near 'gaming standards' - (ie. cheap, fast and have a stupidly overpowered gaming gpu installed).

 

I hear lenovo recently moved from its old keyboards to an Accutype.

Does anyone own a Y580 and can comment on how it feels? There's no way I can get to one physically and if it meets my expectations the Y580 is my clear choice for a laptop.

 

I've had the Y470p as a review unit (see my sig) and it's an okay keyboard. They feel similar to traditional style keyboards in terms of key throw and curvature (it fits your fingers better than flat keys found in other island-style keyboards), but I don't like Lenovo's placement of non-alphanumeric keys. Same thing for the new Thinkpad keyboards (wrapping up a W530 review).

The older Thinkpad keyboards are absolutely amazing, however. You can't get any better than that, unless you want to use an external mechanical keyboard.

 

Damn. I guess that means I can't get to it as the old Thinkpads are both well.. old, and not designed for gaming.

Looks like the GT60/70 steelseries keyboard is my best bet then.

 

I'm waiting for a thinkpad that lenovo has opted to stuff stupidly overpowered gaming gpu. They should do it and make a new line for it....The Z line.

 

What? The last gen Thinkpads are certainly not old; Sandy Bridge will still perform beautifully. The Quadro 2000M is similar to the GeForce GT 555M, so it's a decent mid-range card for gaming.

You don't need the latest and greatest CPU to game...

 

I mean there's a chance that I may pick it up at the end of this summer or this winter. I do want it to last so I don't really want to spend money on an older generation model.

 

Still, SB will last you for awhile. Hell, a noticeable amount of people here still use C2D systems (and the ones with good GPUs still game).

Thinkpads are also built to be more durable and reliable that consumer laptops like the GT60/70. There's still a lot of T60 and T61 laptops running these days.

 

The CPU is great but I wish thinkpad had a gaming line. I'd like the business build quality and durability but I'd also like it to be a monster in gaming. An asus g55 in a T530 body would be perfect. I'd be willing to spend for that sort of set up. I keep my laptop for 5+ years and so I'd have no problem spending nearly $2000 for a set up.

 

It'd be awesome if they did, though unfortunately it's all about markets. People buying workstations tend not to use them for games, and people buying gaming laptops usually replace them in a year or two.

I just wish Lenovo offered the FirePro GPU, at the very least.

 

I suppose the economics do make sense.

"Gaming" laptops tend to fall out of use in 3-4 years anyways and don't need to last forever.

 

My top 3 KBs:


1)ThinkPads
2) Macbooks
3) Older Elitebooks (8x70w)

 

Traditional thinkpad (not the new crap) and dell business that arent chicklet style. Everything else is subpar at best.

As for SB chips, well I dont think my 2860QM will become anywhere near obsolete in the next several years.