Keyboard flex

What does the term keyboard flex mean and how does this affect typing on the keyboard? I have seen it used repeatedly here and I have no idea what it refers to. I have been to a small computer store and asked a salesperson what it meant and they had never heard of it. All I can tell it is something not good. The hel 80 is one laptop I am considering getting and I keep hearing this term when it is described.

 

This is the keyboard flex of an Acer Aspire. The HEL80's is not quite as dramatic, but the video illustrates the concept of flex very well. To me all notebook keyboards have some flex, and it doesn't bother everybody.

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That is quite more dramatic than the HEL80s flex. The right side has a little bit of flex, but I find that the middle-left side of it has the most, even when not pressing very hard. For me the flex comes down as I press the button, not down on the keyboard after the button is pressed. The keyboard is none-the-less very easy to type on so it shouldn't be too big of an issue.

 

Although the keyboard flex really doesn't bother me and I like the Hel80 keyboard a lot it will affect the Enter key and the directional keys a little. I find that I have to hit the Enter key more towards the center and with just a little force I was used to hitting it on the edge with a Thinkpad and it would Enter everytime but now once in a while if I hit it on the edge with the Hel80 it doesn't always give me an Enter (carriage return linefeed). Again I have just gotten used to hitting it a little harder and more on center and it doesn't bother me at all. The rest of the keys are very easy to type and make a little noise but that doesn't bother me either. Overall the keyboard is very good IMHO.

 

hell, I never knew that's what it was. It never bothered me...

I'm not too heavy of a typer though, so that may be why.

 

Thanks for the video. Would you say the flex is more noticeable by people who hit the keys hard or soft?

 

I'd think it would be more noticeable to people who hit the keys hard, since they are using more force to press down on the keys - hence pushing them further into the notebook itself, whereas people who type softly wont be exerting as much force.

 

My keyboard doesn't hardly flex at all, but i'm a very light typer... On a good keyboard you can "feel" when the keys are down enough to register and you get used to only pushing to that point.

 

I'm actually using my notebook's keyboard right now (I rarely do that). It definitely gets the job done but I'm more of a touch typer. When I do hit the keys harder though, I actually kind of like the feel of this keyboard. It's fine unless you're really picky about notebook keyboards, in my opinion.