geekhack Community > Ergonomics

new to mechanical, looking for advice

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silk186:
Currently I have a Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 which I have be using for several years and a Microsoft Natural Keyboard Elite before that. I have been hearing a lot about mechanical keyboards and cherry keys for a while but haven't tried one in many years.

I will be typing a lot in the following months I will be writing my thesis.

I'm looking for recommendations for a comfortable, ergonomic mechanical keyboard. I Googled what I was looking for and another forum recommended this site.
 
I will also be gaming but don't use programmable keys and don't want something too noisy. It would be great if the keys had LED back lighting for use in the dark.

Hopefully that is not to much to ask for from a keyboard, it would be easier if newegg types listed them.

oneproduct:
Most of the keyboards aren't ergonomic, and those that are don't have LED backlighting as far as I know. If you want an ergonomic one, the Kinesis contoured advantage is pretty awesome, but pricey at around $300 and a bit too unconventional for some, but I'd swear by it myself. There's also the Kinesis freestyle which is an adjustable split keyboard, not sure how much that costs.
http://www.kinesis-ergo.com/keyboards.htm

Outside of Kinesis the other ergonomic one I know of is Maltron which is basically similar to the Kinesis contoured advantage but about twice the price. For non-ergonomic ones, in terms of comfort I imagine that they would be the same. For backlighting there's the Deck legend (http://www.deckkeyboards.com/) and the Razer blackwidow ultimate (http://store.razerzone.com/store/razerusa/en_US/pd/productID.211651300) but this one has blue switches and would thus be noisy, not sure what kind of switches the Deck legend comes with.

Other brands are more about build quality or keyboard layout and are generally not backlit or ergonomic, though there are more in each category that I'm simply not aware of I'm sure, but these are the ones I hear about often here regarding these two features.

xmrxkrazy:
First of all, Welcome to GeekHack!

Just as oneproduct said, most keyboards aren't ergonomic. Also, most mechanical keyboards aren't backlit. There are backlit ones though like the Data911.
Most people have Cherry MX switches
Cherry MX Brown and Blue are tactile.
Cherry MX Red, Clears, and Blacks are linear.
Buckling Springs - Oldschool IBM Model M/F
Alps Switches

For more info, read ripster's all you need to know about mechanical keyboards.

Basically, Filco's are the go-to keyboard. They are solidly built and are simple and clean looking. If you are going to go the commercial route, Steelseries and Razer have keyboards that I've stated below.

Some basic boards to start out with.

Filco Majestouch Cherry MX Brown.
http://www.amazon.com/Filco-Majestouch-2-Keyboard-FKBN104M-EB2/dp/B004VKUSG6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1316682229&sr=8-1

Rosewill Cherry MX Blue. (Supposedly a rebranded Filco)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823201040

Steelseries 6Gv2 or 7G. Cherry MX Black.

Razer Black Widow or Black Widow Ultimate. Cherry MX Blue.

Lanx:
if you're used to an ergonomic keyboard, especially one such as the msergo 4k that stresses many good ergonomic themes (many but not all) then i say just get a kinesis, nothing comes close. this is really a short answer, if you want a long winded one by all means ask and i'll give, but the short answer is
if you want mechanical ergo... kinesis is really the only one that comes close to offering the best of the bunch. (yes price sucks) or what they call price of admission.

xmrxkrazy:
First of all, Welcome to GeekHack!

Just as oneproduct said, most keyboards aren't ergonomic, unless typing regularly is ergonomic.. Also, most mechanical keyboards aren't backlit. There are few backlit like Data911 keyboards.
Most people have Cherry MX switches
Cherry MX Brown and Blue are tactile.
Cherry MX Red, Clears, and Blacks are linear.
Buckling Springs - Oldschool IBM Model M/F
Alps Switches

For more info, read ripster's all you need to know about mechanical keyboards.

Basically, Filco's are the go-to keyboard. They are solidly built and are simple and clean looking. If you are going to go the commercial route, Steelseries and Razer have keyboards that I've stated below.

Some basic boards to start out with.

Filco Majestouch Cherry MX Brown.
http://www.amazon.com/Filco-Majestouch-2-Keyboard-FKBN104M-EB2/dp/B004VKUSG6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1316682229&sr=8-1

Rosewill Cherry MX Blue. (Supposedly a rebranded Filco)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823201040

Steelseries 6Gv2 or 7G. Cherry MX Black.

Razer Black Widow or Black Widow Ultimate. Cherry MX Blue.

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