What do you think is the best Keyboard for younger relatives?

[SadTeRrA]

I have plenty of nephews and nieces. I don't want to get into design choices with the children that'll blow up my wallet. What's some of the most favorable keyboards you've given others?

[jamster]

Just from my own observations- something that clicks, something with backlighting.

[Fraaaan]

Get them a Keychron C1 or C2. They're cheap, hotswappable, use Gateron switches and have an RGB option. They're fantastic keyboards for the money.

[SadTeRrA]

I was considering a keytron or a womier for the rgb vomit. But the Clicky thing to make it loud makes me want to get them jades....XD

[Leslieann]

Nothing hot swap.
Get something quality but not super expensive: Ducky, Vortex, Leopold, etc...

You don't want it to be fragile, too hardcore, or unreliable, you don't know if they will like this hobby. For all you know it may just be a keyboard for them, make it a nice one and if they want to go go down that dark path they have a solid start. I would aim for browns, again, just a good solid starting point.

[fohat.digs]

A standard layout. There will be a computer lab in every school that they will attend in the foreseeable future, and there is no point in confusing muscle memory before it even gets established.

[Darthbaggins]

I gave my son my CoolerMaster Pro S (MX - Browns), so far he loves it for his normal uses - also his friends complain about their boards at home when they use his or the other rig I have setup w/ a Velocifire TKL as well.

[Volny]

And stick one or two artisans on them for some extra personality and delight factor. Not the really expensive ones, but some mass produced ones you can get on aliexpress: cat paws, love hearts, skulls, whatever they're into.

[timw4mail]

Even the $50 no-name mechanical keyboards, with non-Cherry switches are pretty good these days.

Just due to curiosity, I've bought a few of these as I've seen them.

Examples:
-Newmen GM711 : Outemu? box Switches, hot swappable, adjustable rgb patterns without external software, volume knob.
-Blackmore Nocturna: Same switches, built-in rgb patterns, media keys, volume knob.

Both of these have the switch-on-slab look (no top cover), with a metal-covered baseplate and minimal flex.

(It's amazing how much cost went down when Cherry patents expired)
-

[Nerif]

I have plenty of nephews and nieces. I don't want to get into design choices with the children that'll blow up my wallet. What's some of the most favorable keyboards you've given others?

that's some "IMHO" incoming

Buy for them something YOU wanted to use. If you are into good vintage keyboards - go for it, buy this for kids. They should know what good keyboard is from their childhood. Try to tell them that this old keyboard is really nice for gaming, tell a lie that you have a friend that won some local championships in fortnite/valorant/csgo/etc. with this keyboard. Children tend to believe in literally everything they hear.

[jamster]

that's some "IMHO" incoming

Buy for them something YOU wanted to use. If you are into good vintage keyboards - go for it, buy this for kids. They should know what good keyboard is from their childhood. Try to tell them that this old keyboard is really nice for gaming, tell a lie that you have a friend that won some local championships in fortnite/valorant/csgo/etc. with this keyboard. Children tend to believe in literally everything they hear.

This sounds like advice from someone who does not have any experience with kids.

Also: NKRO.

[rowdy]

Depends on the age of the recipient.

My teenage daughter loves my Womier K61, especially some of the lighting modes.

It is small enough to fit anywhere, and has a standard layout (except the "arrow keys").

It also has hot-swap switches, so if she doesn't like the Gateron reds I can swap them for something else, clicky or otherwise.

She already has a small collection of keycaps and a few artisans (grabbed an extra couple every now and again for her back when I used to collect such things).

[Rafen]

I bought my son a Red Dragon board with the clicky switches and he loves it. Cheap enough that if it breaks I can pick him up another but still gives him the plesure of typing on a mech.

[fohat.digs]

When my daughter was growing up she had no interest in keyboards at all. I gave her good quality rubber domes (always standard full-size layout) but it meant nothing to her. When she went to college she got her first laptop and has never even looked at anything else since.

I gave my son a Model M at about age 8 to ensure a background in "heritage" and that lasted a couple of years. Then we did a weekend project of painting the case of a Dell AT101W "camouflage" and that was good for a couple of more years. When gaming got to be something important, he got a Cherry G80-11900 for a bit, then I went in and got him a Filco TKL with blacks. Not long thereafter we added O-rings and I got some "special" keys for WASD, arrows, Escape, etc (but not artisans).

When my son got a laptop that was it for probably 80%-90% of the time, with very occasional casual gaming now.

But at least they both got in a few years on decent conventional keyboards before sliding into the abomination of laptop keyboards.

[chungsteroonie]

I found it important for the kids to find something that they really gravitated towards to put in the board. . . and it may or may not conform to the "hobbyist's" opinion of what is best.  For me, my 6yo girl was really drawn to these cheap keycaps on Aliexpress that are adequate quality AT BEST. . . but I bought them, and my 6yo loves them because it is her "kid's board".  She shares a computer in the house with her mom who does private tutoring and needs a numpad for math.  For gaming, keep in mind that a small child's shoulder width is much smaller than an adult.  Keeping it small is important for ergonomics if gaming is in the picture.



Under the hood, the board is made from the "lowest tier" parts but is assembled with care and runs/sounds in a VERY respectable performance tier. 
 IT has standard 60% tray mount PCB, gat yellows that she helped lube and film, dremel-cut aluminum half plate, Gummy Worm O-ring mount/mod.

After using this board for a few months, and starting to appreciate some of the ergonomics for typing and gaming, she dove in a bit deeper and was VERY interested in actually helping build a board.

[ideus]

The best board for kits is the one they already have, either, on their cellphones, computers, or tablets. They become bored too soon, to invest real money on something they will get tired of.

[jamster]

Depends on the age of the recipient.

My teenage daughter loves my Womier K61, especially some of the lighting modes.

It is small enough to fit anywhere, and has a standard layout (except the "arrow keys").

It also has hot-swap switches, so if she doesn't like the Gateron reds I can swap them for something else, clicky or otherwise.

She already has a small collection of keycaps and a few artisans (grabbed an extra couple every now and again for her back when I used to collect such things).

Just looked up the K66 on the back of this recommendation, looks great, until I noticed no home or end keys. Back to square one.

[rowdy]

Depends on the age of the recipient.

My teenage daughter loves my Womier K61, especially some of the lighting modes.

It is small enough to fit anywhere, and has a standard layout (except the "arrow keys").

It also has hot-swap switches, so if she doesn't like the Gateron reds I can swap them for something else, clicky or otherwise.

She already has a small collection of keycaps and a few artisans (grabbed an extra couple every now and again for her back when I used to collect such things).

Just looked up the K66 on the back of this recommendation, looks great, until I noticed no home or end keys. Back to square one.

Worst "feature" of the keyboard is the arrow keys - Fn + WASD.

Sounds like it makes sense, until you realise that you need to use both hands to get arrow functions.

I use mine almost entirely for gaming - it's great, it's small so leaves more room to thrash the mouse around.

My daughter will most likely have a similar usage pattern.

[ideus]

Depends on the age of the recipient.

My teenage daughter loves my Womier K61, especially some of the lighting modes.

It is small enough to fit anywhere, and has a standard layout (except the "arrow keys").

It also has hot-swap switches, so if she doesn't like the Gateron reds I can swap them for something else, clicky or otherwise.

She already has a small collection of keycaps and a few artisans (grabbed an extra couple every now and again for her back when I used to collect such things).

Just looked up the K66 on the back of this recommendation, looks great, until I noticed no home or end keys. Back to square one.

Worst "feature" of the keyboard is the arrow keys - Fn + WASD.

Sounds like it makes sense, until you realise that you need to use both hands to get arrow functions.

I use mine almost entirely for gaming - it's great, it's small so leaves more room to thrash the mouse around.

My daughter will most likely have a similar usage pattern.

Over time, I became convinced that arrows that are activated by a same-hand function key could be really useful. I am talking of the HKKB style "diamond" arrow cluster or using either IJKL or HJKL, but I prefer to have a thumb-activated function key, instead of the pinky-activated solution in the HKKB. I am not sure if teens or kids may be willing to try it, but I have used versions of these solutions for more than five years now with no regrets. If you can activate the arrows with one hand any chorded action like Ctrl+arrows or Alt+arrows is easily doable.

[rowdy]

Depends on the age of the recipient.

My teenage daughter loves my Womier K61, especially some of the lighting modes.

It is small enough to fit anywhere, and has a standard layout (except the "arrow keys").

It also has hot-swap switches, so if she doesn't like the Gateron reds I can swap them for something else, clicky or otherwise.

She already has a small collection of keycaps and a few artisans (grabbed an extra couple every now and again for her back when I used to collect such things).

Just looked up the K66 on the back of this recommendation, looks great, until I noticed no home or end keys. Back to square one.

Worst "feature" of the keyboard is the arrow keys - Fn + WASD.

Sounds like it makes sense, until you realise that you need to use both hands to get arrow functions.

I use mine almost entirely for gaming - it's great, it's small so leaves more room to thrash the mouse around.

My daughter will most likely have a similar usage pattern.

Over time, I became convinced that arrows that are activated by a same-hand function key could be really useful. I am talking of the HKKB style "diamond" arrow cluster or using either IJKL or HJKL, but I prefer to have a thumb-activated function key, instead of the pinky-activated solution in the HKKB. I am not sure if teens or kids may be willing to try it, but I have used versions of these solutions for more than five years now with no regrets. If you can activate the arrows with one hand any chorded action like Ctrl+arrows or Alt+arrows is easily doable.

Exactly, and the main point is that the HHKB Fn key is on the right, as are the keys used for arrow functions, allowing for one-handed activation.

On the Womier, Fn is on the right and WASD is on the left, requiring two hands, although I have somewhat large hands and can stretch across the keyboard with one hand, but it is awkward and inconvenient.

[jamster]

Exactly, and the main point is that the HHKB Fn key is on the right, as are the keys used for arrow functions, allowing for one-handed activation.

On the Womier, Fn is on the right and WASD is on the left, requiring two hands, although I have somewhat large hands and can stretch across the keyboard with one hand, but it is awkward and inconvenient.

I used autohotkey for a while to simulate cursor keys (spacebar + IJKL). That worked very nicely and could be worth trying.

[rowdy]

Exactly, and the main point is that the HHKB Fn key is on the right, as are the keys used for arrow functions, allowing for one-handed activation.

On the Womier, Fn is on the right and WASD is on the left, requiring two hands, although I have somewhat large hands and can stretch across the keyboard with one hand, but it is awkward and inconvenient.

I used autohotkey for a while to simulate cursor keys (spacebar + IJKL). That worked very nicely and could be worth trying.

On a Mac?  I have only one Windows PC which is used exclusively for games, and that is where the K61 currently resides.

My HHKB is connected to my server, and all the other computers are Mac.

[kajahtaa]

Gerbers from GitHub plus bumpons

Super cheap

[HungerMechanic]

Most aren't very discriminating in terms of switch-feel. Browns or brown-like is pretty safe. As others said, even cheap clone $50 boards may be adequate.

Backlighting is important, the more RGB and the more customizable, the better. Lighting tends to be important here.

If you are going to be near this board, you might want to consider silent switches like U4 Boba, Bobagum, or Aliaz.

[jamster]

Bought a Keychron K3 for my son the other day. He really likes it (RGB!)

I also checked out the Womier K66, couldn't figure out if there was some kind of key combo to make up for the lack of an End key, so skipped it.

The Keychron K2 which I'd initially been intending to pick up was discarded quickly- that thing is an absolute brick, with a massively raised profile. Seems really un-ergonomic.

[Kokukenji]

I gave my son a red dragon low profile keyboard on his 8th birthday to accompany his PC. Moved him up to a Corsair K70 (hand me down) this year. Will likely introduce him to a budget custom mech keyboard next year if he's interested. I think it'll be a great building experience.