this post was submitted on 17 Nov 2024
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Mechanical Keyboards

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Are you addicted to the clicking sounds of your beautiful and impressive mechanical keyboard?
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Here you can discuss everything about mechanical keyboards (and only mechanical keyboards).

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We all love mechanical keyboards, but are there any normal keyboards that hold a special place in your heart?

I for one love the keyboard on the old IBM thinkpads.

I also have a special place in my heart for the old Dell membrain keyboards that used to be in every school library in the 90's

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[–] nekusoul@lemmy.nekusoul.de 3 points 14 hours ago (2 children)

Not any specific model, but I kinda like low-profile keyboards using scissor switches often found in laptops. Not as great as a mechanical, but I like how they bring over some of the aspects of clicky/tactile switches while also being low profile.

[–] EddoWagt@feddit.nl 1 points 7 hours ago

I probably type fastest on a keyboard like that, but I still don't like how the actuation is all the way at the bottom. That makes it a bit annoying for gaming in my opinion, where you need to hold pressure to hold a key down

[–] Zoop@beehaw.org 1 points 11 hours ago

I feel the same way! They're pretty neat.

[–] BigPotato@lemmy.world 1 points 11 hours ago

I have a Logitech G100 combo of a mouse and keyboard. Rubber domes, came with a grub cover. It's been over a decade and it's my go-to "need to work on a computer" set.

Actually, the mouse out of that one is still in active use right now.

[–] Zachariah@lemmy.world 16 points 23 hours ago (4 children)

I really liked my Microsoft Natural Keyboard in the late ’90s.

It was so huge, I ended up learning to mouse with my left hand, so I wouldn’t have to reach so far.

[–] MaxHardwood@lemmy.ca 3 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

I've been using a split keyboard ever since this exact model was brought home. I finally gave up on the Sculpt and got a Keychron in Alice layout (K15). Not the same but the closest I've found in mechanical

[–] Zachariah@lemmy.world 1 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

How do you like it?

I have a Q6 that I’m very happy with except it being non-ergo.

[–] MaxHardwood@lemmy.ca 2 points 13 hours ago

Absolutely love it.

I greatly miss the arc from the Scultp and I use a microfiber cloth to induce an angle between the keyboard and a bad aftermarket wrist pad.

The QMK firmware is a major bonus. I built a custom mouse jiggles into my keyboard

[–] thejml@lemm.ee 8 points 22 hours ago

My boss still uses these to this day. A while ago he found a deal and bought like 10, new in box. He has one everywhere and backups to spare.

[–] southsamurai@sh.itjust.works 3 points 21 hours ago* (last edited 21 hours ago) (1 children)

Yup, best keyboard I've ever used. They made slightly different versions over the years that fit my hands as well, but none that lasted the way those do; mine is still fully functional.

[–] elbowgrease@lemm.ee 3 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

I had one of these about 7 years ago. didn't realize their history went so far back

[–] Zachariah@lemmy.world 3 points 22 hours ago

You can see the PS/2 connector in the pic.

[–] Timecircleline@sh.itjust.works 1 points 13 hours ago

I'm a fan of my MX keys, though Logitech does make a mechanical version.

[–] ipkpjersi@lemmy.ml 6 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

I was also thinking old Thinkpad keyboards, and Dell membraine keyboards. Those were both widespread enough that nearly everyone back then had used them, and some of us still remember them lol

[–] Icecreamface@lemmy.ml 1 points 22 hours ago (2 children)

I bet someone has taken the original thinkpad keyboards and put it in a housing to use like an external keyboard, just haven't looked into it. I have the shinobi which is a mechanical interpretation of the thinkpad keyboard. It's OK but I prefer the original.

[–] everett@lemmy.ml 2 points 18 hours ago

Someone certainly has... IBM and Lenovo themselves! Both have sold external ThinkPad keyboards over the years that are (in some cases) literally laptop keyboards, with a TrackPoint, in housing.

[–] ipkpjersi@lemmy.ml 1 points 22 hours ago

I hadn't heard of the shinobi, I might have to check that out! Cheers.

[–] dave@feddit.uk 2 points 18 hours ago

ZX Spectrum. That is all.

[–] the_kung_fu_emu@lemmy.world 2 points 19 hours ago

I will always have a soft spot for the Unicomp line for carrying forward the old Model M legacy. For odd ducks in the truly commercial space, the layout of the TypeMatrix can't be beat!

[–] breckenedge@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Apple’s Bluetooth keyboards have been pleasant to type on, albeit a bit pricy.

[–] Pechente@feddit.org 1 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

My main gripe with them is that they do not offer to pair multiple devices and quickly switch between them. They do however feel great and I've found nothing that comes close in terms of reliability and typing experience. I settled for a Logitech keyboard for now and it's just fine but I wish there were more premium options available.

[–] Icecreamface@lemmy.ml 1 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

The Logitech MX Keys keyboards are the answer.

[–] Pechente@feddit.org 1 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

Not really. Had one of those. Quality is meh and typing doesn’t feel nearly as good

[–] Icecreamface@lemmy.ml 2 points 20 hours ago

Fair enough

[–] Reverendender@sh.itjust.works 2 points 22 hours ago

This thing is actually what got me into Mechanical Keyboards a a year and a half ago or so. Doesn't seem to be available anymore.

[–] MechKit@beehaw.org 2 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

I spent way too much money building mechanical keyboards, and I could never get to like the feel. So now I am using non-technicals. Guess I am just weird.

[–] Icecreamface@lemmy.ml 2 points 22 hours ago

It's almost like how I spent so many years configuring Arch and tweaking it and now I just use debian.

[–] wjrii@lemmy.world 1 points 22 hours ago

My first nearly proper computer was an Atari XE Game System. The keyboard is well known to be fairly crap, but it didn't feel that way at the time.