Introduction: From Full-Size to 60% KeyboardsMy introduction to mechanical keyboards started with the IBM Model M, which is definitely a full-size keyboard complete with a main typing area, navigation island with arrow keys, a numeric keypad, and a row of Function keys along the top.
As I learned more, I discovered "tenkeyless" (TKL) keyboards that lacked the numeric keypad. Upon trying this form factor, I realized that the smaller design was more ergonomic. The TKL allowed me to keep the mouse closer to my centerline and helped prevent a painful condition called "mouse shoulder". I seldom use the numeric keypad in my full-size keyboards anyway, but for those who like to have the option, some TKLs are equipped with an embedded numeric keypad that can be activated, for example, by hitting NumLock or Shift+NumLock.
The TKLs were an improvement for reclaiming desk space and they seem to have been gaining in popularity, but they retained an awkward feature -- asymmetry. By eliminating the navigation island with its inverted-T of arrow or cursor keys, the keyboard gained an overall symmetry -- it could be aligned with the centerline of the user's body and the center of the computer monitor. At the same time, a keyboard without a navigation island was shorter in length, making it possible to move the mouse even closer to the centerline, resulting in even greater efficiency and ergonomic comfort.
Some people, myself included, seldom use the top row of Function keys (F-keys). Therefore, going a step beyond eliminating the navigation island with its cursor keys, it was possible to reduce the front-to-back width of the keyboard by eliminating the top row of F-keys. The resulting device is commonly called a 60% keyboard; it contains roughly 60% of the number of keys found on a full-size contemporary keyboard and is approximately 60% of full-size length. Despite the small size and reduced number of keys, 60% keyboards retain full functionality in a hidden functional layer by accessing navigation and F-keys via a Fn key in combination with keys in the visible primary layer. For example, F2 might be accessed via Fn+2, and Up Arrow might be accessed by Fn+[ or Fn+w, depending upon the keyboard.
Until recently, the world of 60% form-factor keyboards has been dominated by the Topre-switch Happy Hacking Keyboard Pro 2 (HHKB Pro 2) at the high end of the market and the Cherry mx-switch Poker II at the low end. As 60% keyboards have been gaining in popularity, new models have been introduced, such as the Filco Minila, Tex Beetle and Ducky Shine Mini. The Ducky Shine Mini retained a standard layout like the Poker II, while the Minila and Beetle added dedicated arrow keys in the visible primary layer at the expense of changing the standard layout and changing the standard sizes of some keys. These three mini keyboards all use Cherry mx switches.
Toward the end of 2014, Massdrop announced a Group Buy for the Infinity 60 keyboard kit with a layout inspired by the HHKB Pro 2 and a printed circuit board (PCB) compatible with either Cherry mx or Alps-inspired Matias switches. In addition, Matias started a Group Buy for its own 60% design that incorporates arrow keys in the visible primary layer. The Matias keyboard maintains a standard layout in the main typing area by using half-height arrow keys, which is possible with Matias switches but not possible with Cherry mx switches.
Finally, Keyboard Paradise (KBP) expanded its new 60% line of Cherry mx keyboards (the KBP V60) by adding keyboards with Matias switches. These include the Matias Click (also known as the Matias Tactile Click), the Matias Quiet Click, and the newest addition to the Matias-switch line, the Matias Linear. The KBP V60 Matias Click (abbreviated here as V60MTS-C) and Matias Quiet Click (abbreviated here as V60MTS-Q) are the subjects of this comparative review.
KBP V60MTS Mini Keyboard -- OverallPackaging. Each V60 MTS keyboard is packaged in sturdy and attractive black and red box that is suitably small for a 60% keyboard -- the box is even smaller than the one that comes with the HHKB Pro 2. The keyboard is wrapped in a thin, flexible styrofoam sleeve. Along with the keyboard is a small plastic bag with an assortment of extra keycaps, a plastic keycap puller, a mini-USB cable, and a handy two-sided manual sheet written entirely in English. The manual has an overall layout chart, tables and partial layout charts showing the effects of different DIP switch settings, and tables depicting the functions of the Fn key.
Size and weight. The V60MTS measures 11.5 x 4.0 x 1.6 inches (292 x 102 x 40.6 mm) and weighs 1.2 lb (544 g). This is slightly smaller and a bit heavier than the HHKB Pro 2.
Appearance. The keyboard has a black ABS plastic case with a textured matte finish. The stock keycaps are thin ABS with laser-engraved infilled legends (
Figure 1).
Construction. The KBP V60MTS is made in Taiwan. The keyboard feels solid, and the case is rigid and does not flex or creak. The keyboard sits level on the desk and is held in place by four non-skid rubber pads. The bottom of the case is slanted to provide a comfortable typing height. However, it does not have flip-out feet. Accordingly, because I like just a bit more tilt, I have added self-adhesive white silicone rubber feet, as shown in
Figure 2; this is a readily reversible enhancement, as the feet can be peeled away from the case without leaving a residue. The keyboard has plate-mounted switches and uses Alps-type wire stabilizers for the long keys (Backspace, Enter, Left Shift, Right Shift, and Spacebar).
Features. As shown in
Figure 2, There are 6 DIP switches on the bottom of the keyboard. These provide 15 configurations including a variety of placements for Escape, Fn, CapsLock, Tab, Win, Alt, and Menu. The Fn key can be used in combination with other keys to control some 36 functions. The DIP switch and Fn options are clearly listed in the manual, and functions in the Fn layer are displayed on the front of the keycaps as shown in
Figure 1.
The Matias-switch versions of the KBP V60 keyboard do not include backlighting, as found in the Cherry mx versions of the V60. I prefer not to have backlighting, in part because I usually swap out stock keycaps for solid caps without windowed legends. There are, however, two indicator LEDs -- one for CapsLock and the other under the Right Shift to indicate that certain keys have been toggled to arrow keys.
Typing Sound and Feel -- V60MTS-CMatias Click switches are also known as Matias Tactile Click switches, despite the fact that both Matias Click and Matias Quiet Click switches are equally and emphatically tactile. As their "click" moniker indicates, these switches click, and they do so with a vengeance. However, although the switch is loud, I like the Matias click sound, which I find similar to the that of IBM capacitive buckling springs found in Model F keyboards, such as the IBM XT. The Matias click is deeper and more metallic than the higher pitched plasticky sound of Cherry mx blue or green switches.
The tactility of the Matias Click switch is pronounced and occurs early in the keystroke, coincident with actuation and the audible click. Actuation force of the Matias Click switch is 60 cN (g) and the key travel is 3.5 mm, which might be compared to Cherry mx Blue (55 g and 4.0 mm) or Cherry mx Clear (65 g and 4.0 mm). However, the Matias Click switch does not feel at all heavy or abrupt.
I have not seen a force-displacement curve for Matias switches, but to me their feel is nothing like a Cherry mx switch. The Matias switch feels as if actuation occurs at the same time as the tactile bump and audible click, with decreasing force thereafter. In contrast, in Cherry mx switches, the force continues to increase past the actuation point.
Whatever the scientific explanations might be, I prefer Matias Click switches over any Cherry mx switch for typing sound and feel. Indeed, I would rank the typing experience with Matias Click switches at a similar level with Topre or IBM capacitive buckling spring (Model F) switches and somewhat better than IBM membrane buckling spring (Model M) switches.
Typing Sound and Feel -- V60MTS-QMatias Quiet switches do not have an audible click, and they have built-in dampeners to deaden both the downstroke and return stroke sounds. However, they feel as if they have the same pronounced tactility as the Click version, and they have the same actuation force and displacement (60 g and 3.5 mm). The Matias Quiet switches are indeed quiet -- they seem quieter than my HHKB Pro 2 Type-S or any other keyboard I have ever used. The feel is reminiscent of Cherry mx Clears, but smoother and without the fatiguing post-actuation rise in force required to continue to the end of the stroke. I prefer typing on the KBP V60MTS-Q over any Cherry mx keyboard, and like the KBP V60MTS-C, I would rate the keyboard favorably alongside my IBM XT, Realforce 87u (both 45 and 55g Topre switches), and HHKB Pro 2 (45g Topre, both standard and Type-S).
It was difficult to decide which Matias version (Quiet or Click) I prefer. The Click version provides a more definitive typing experience -- the audible click reinforces the tactile feedback. However, the Click keyboard is definitely noisy, and if I were typing in the presence of others, I might need to sacrifice the additional feedback for keeping the peace with my family or colleagues by opting for the Quiet version. On the other hand, I find the relatively deep metallic sound of the Click version to be personally agreeable, unlike the higher-pitched plasticky noise made by Cherry mx keyboards.
Enhancements -- Layout.
The KBP V60 keyboards have a wealth of DIP switch settings and Fn key combinations, but while I found some of the DIP switch settings useful, I promptly remapped the keyboard to my favorite layout (that of the HHKB Pro 2 and Mac OS X mode) using Karabiner software for the Mac. Fortunately, it is possible to swap Fn with a remappable key, so that even though I ended up discarding all the default Fn-key functions, I was able to define my own by using Karabiner. This enabled me to swap Backspace and Backslash, remap CapsLock as Control and Fn+Tab as CapsLock, and to set up the bottom row as Ctrl, Opt/Alt, Command, Spacebar, Command, Opt/Alt, Ctrl, Fn.
Enhancements -- Keycaps.
Like many contemporary keyboards, the KBP V60MTS-C and V60MTS-Q keyboards are populated by thin ABS keycaps with laser-engraved infilled legends. In the case of Cherry mx keyboards, there is a wealth of excellent replacement keycap sets available, and I usually opt for dye-sublimated PBT for aesthetics, longevity, visibility, and feel. To me, ABS feels clammy and overly smooth, whereas PBT feels agreeably dry and slightly textured -- some PBT keycaps feel somewhat like pumice stone.
Unfortunately, as good as Matias switches are, they have key stems that are compatible only with Matias or some Alps-mount keycaps. Although Matias will be offering keycaps on their web site relatively soon, these will only be ABS, at least at first, and it is not yet known if they will offer keycaps to fit the bottom row of the KBP V60 Matias keyboards. Consequently, in order to replace the stock ABS keycaps on the KBP V60 Matias keyboards, they must be sourced from vintage Alps-switch keyboards. Fortunately, such keyboards can still be found.
For example,
Figure 3 shows the KBP V60MTS-Q with lasered ABS modifiers from a Dell AT101W and alphanumerics from a SIIG Suntouch Jr. The doubleshot caps look great, but being ABS they feel clammy.
Figure 4 is a view of the V60MTS-C with dye-sublimated PBT keycaps from an IBM 5140 convertible computer. The IBM keycaps look beautiful, and they have the unmistakeable dry touch of PBT. The modifiers are stock ABS; the red Escape key is doubleshot ABS from Signature Plastics. This Figure also captures a minor quibble: only one Mac OS X Command keycap was included with the extra keycaps. This omission reflects the default setup options, which do not include having a Command key on each side of the spacebar, but this is possible using the right combination of DIP switch settings and Karabiner software.
Figure 5 illustrates another minor quibble. Neither the CapsLock nor the Control keycap for the CapsLock position had a window for the indicator LED, although there is sufficient light leakage to see when the CapsLock is on (Fn+Tab in my case).
ConclusionsThe KBP V60MTS-C and V60MTS-Q are notable keyboards that offer Matias Click or Matias Quiet Click switches in a 60% form factor keyboard with a standard layout. DIP switches provide layout options, and in combination with Karabiner software, it is easy to configure the keyboard to various layouts, including Mac/HHKB.
Typing on either the V60MTS-C or the V60 MTS-Q is a pleasure. I much prefer either Matias switch to any Cherry mx switch (including red, black, brown, clear, blue, and green). The Matias Click and Matias Quiet Click both offer superb tactile feedback, and the Click switch adds auditory feedback that coincides with the tactile bump and actuation. Overall, I prefer the sound and feel of the Matias Click switch by a small margin, but if I need silence when typing, the Matias Quiet Click version of the keyboard is the quietest mechanical keyboard I have ever encountered.
An advantage of premium keyboards such as the Topre Realforce 87u, HHKB Pro 2, or vintage IBM buckling spring keyboards is their stock dye-sublimated PBT keycaps. For those who do not like the stock ABS laser-engraved/infilled keycaps on the KBP V60MTS keyboards, the relative shortage of replacement keycaps with Alps/Matias stems is a drawback. However, at least some replacement keycaps will soon be offered for sale on the Matias web site, and it is possible to source excellent replacement keycaps from certain Alps-compatible keyboards.
Overall, I really like the KBP V60MTS keyboards, and I intend to add them to the all-time favorites in my keyboard rotation along with such notables as the IBM XT, RF 87ub 55g, and HHKB Pro 2.
