Author Topic: Is it worth buying an expensive keyboard for work? (Read 3593 times)

Dzhizus · « **on:** Tue, 04 October 2022, 02:05:29 »

I hardly ever play games, but I just love the way these keyboards look. So what should I do with it?

Morbii · « **Reply #1 on:** Tue, 04 October 2022, 02:28:12 »

Buy a case for it and you can enjoy it at both home and work.

ArchDill · « **Reply #2 on:** Tue, 04 October 2022, 08:27:04 »

I only keep two "nice" boards at a time. I keep one at work and one at home. They are both hhkb layout but work best for different things. I try to stay realistic with this hobby and not have more than I can use.

For home: Mx hhkb (Revo RJ with a brass plate) with customized tealios. I love the linear for gaming.

For work: Bluetooth hhkb with real force purple silent sliders and 55g domes. The tactility of the 55g domes feels so good for long typing sessions.

zslane · « **Reply #3 on:** Tue, 04 October 2022, 10:50:28 »

When you spend lots of hours per day typing on a keyboard for work, I think it is definitely worth it to have the best keyboard you can put under your fingers.

Karolus · « **Reply #4 on:** Tue, 04 October 2022, 10:54:31 »

Yes, but I'd make sure it's something proportional in expense to the risk of theft or damage at your office. I know someone who takes their work keeb to and from the office every day in a case, but that seems quite excessive to me.

ddot · « **Reply #5 on:** Tue, 04 October 2022, 11:08:19 »

I work in a small office with a pretty lax IT policy. Boss basically has the approach that he'll provide the keyboard and mouse that came with the computer. If I want to bring anything else, all the power to me. My desk has become a rotating selection from my collection over the years. I don't think anyone else in the office really gets what all the fuss is about, but they're generally amused by it. Although I did get some funny questions about the ErgoDox. At the moment I've got a macro keyboard, a 65%, a number pad and a trackball there. To me it's kind of like the mattress argument. If you're going to be sleeping on it for 1/4 - 1/3 of your life, might as well buy a good one. Same thing with work. I spend far more time typing at work than I do at home so I might as well enjoy it. I should also point out that aesthetics are pretty far down the important list for me. It's all about having a comfortable and enjoyable experience.

zslane · « **Reply #6 on:** Wed, 05 October 2022, 10:33:43 »

If you work in a place where a $300 keyboard isn't safe at your desk, then obviously you shouldn't leave a $300 keyboard at your desk overnight. And also, maybe it's time to find a better workplace.

Leslieann · « **Reply #7 on:** Wed, 05 October 2022, 11:42:26 »

Whatever you do, make sure they know it's yours.
I've seen more than once where anything going in, stays.

Also need to make sure others understand that it's yours and not a generic office keyboard that gets grabbed first time something happens to theirs. Which also relates to what I said earlier because a new manager can suddenly decide your keyboard is up for grabs and becomes his.

ArchDill · « **Reply #8 on:** Wed, 05 October 2022, 16:45:35 »

If there are a lot of people around, I would not tell them how much it is worth and/or lock it in a drawer if possible.

Findecanor · « **Reply #9 on:** Wed, 05 October 2022, 17:56:56 »

Get the keyboard that is best for your fingers, first and foremost. Those don't necessarily have to be that expensive.

I have a sticker with "This keyboard is the personal property of <my name>" on the bottom of every keyboard I have brought to work, ... and I use blank keycaps which makes my coworkers aware that it is mine and don't want to use it.

TheWonderBubble · « **Reply #10 on:** Wed, 05 October 2022, 18:20:26 »

Quote from: Findecanor on Wed, 05 October 2022, 17:56:56

Get the keyboard that is best for your fingers, first and foremost. Those don't necessarily have to be that expensive.

I have a sticker with "This keyboard is the personal property of <my name>" on the bottom of every keyboard I have brought to work, ... and I use blank keycaps which makes my coworkers aware that it is mine and don't want to use it.

If you get a good ergo board like a corne, dactyl, or even just an ortho, you can solve all these issues at once! Will be the best for your fingers, doesn't have to be that expensive, people will know it's not a normal board, and they won't want or know how to use it themselves!

lakeboredom · « **Reply #11 on:** Wed, 05 October 2022, 19:03:49 »

What do you mean games? That's not the reason you need a nice keyboard. Next time you're at Walmart, pull out your iPhone and compare it side by side to the $20 tracphones they sell.
If you use a keyboard for work, you deserve a real keyboard. Would you let your wife work an 8 hour day sitting in a hard whicker chair without a cusion? That's what using a ****ty keyboard is like.

HungerMechanic · « **Reply #12 on:** Wed, 05 October 2022, 20:19:42 »

If I were commuting, I would want something smaller like an IKKI68 Aurora.

You could buy a hotswap variant in a colour of your choosing. Then, populate it with hotswap switches so that you don't have the comittment of soldering. You'll have a keyboard nicer than any office keyboard, and it would be the biggest deal if it gets lost / stolen / destroyed.

[An even cheaper solution is to get an entry-level but quality board, maybe something made by AKKO or the Durgod K320. It won't break the bank, and you can get them with nice-enough keycaps.]

mohawk1367 · « **Reply #13 on:** Thu, 06 October 2022, 07:30:05 »

It depends on if you personally think it's worth it and if you have the extra money to spend. I personally think it's worth it if you sit at a desk and type a lot.

hvontres · « **Reply #14 on:** Sun, 09 October 2022, 02:27:44 »

I ended up building two of Pylon's boston keyboards so I can have one at home and one at the office.
The only major change for the office one was going with tactile switches rather than the clickbar switches I have at home.

jamster · « **Reply #15 on:** Mon, 10 October 2022, 02:53:08 »

Quote from: Leslieann on Wed, 05 October 2022, 11:42:26

Also need to make sure others understand that it's yours and not a generic office keyboard that gets grabbed first time something happens to theirs. Which also relates to what I said earlier because a new manager can suddenly decide your keyboard is up for grabs and becomes his.

Wow, sounds like there are some horribly dysfunctional workplaces out there!

Leslieann · « **Reply #16 on:** Mon, 10 October 2022, 13:13:45 »

Quote from: jamster on Mon, 10 October 2022, 02:53:08

Quote from: Leslieann on Wed, 05 October 2022, 11:42:26
Also need to make sure others understand that it's yours and not a generic office keyboard that gets grabbed first time something happens to theirs. Which also relates to what I said earlier because a new manager can suddenly decide your keyboard is up for grabs and becomes his.
Wow, sounds like there are some horribly dysfunctional workplaces out there!

The movie Office Space is not a comedy, it's a documentary.

Findecanor · « **Reply #17 on:** Mon, 10 October 2022, 13:26:11 »

Quote from: Leslieann on Mon, 10 October 2022, 13:13:45

Quote from: jamster on Mon, 10 October 2022, 02:53:08
Wow, sounds like there are some horribly dysfunctional workplaces out there!
The movie Office Space is not a comedy, it's a documentary.

The real world is sometimes much worse than that...

I once considered writing a book about things I've been through -- at one workplace. But I suck at creative writing, so...

jamster · « **Reply #18 on:** Wed, 12 October 2022, 22:03:22 »

Quote from: Dzhizus on Tue, 04 October 2022, 02:05:29

I hardly ever play games, but I just love the way these keyboards look. So what should I do with it?

Anyway, back to the original question. IMO it doesn't matter how they look, if your own keyboard is significantly more comfortable than the standard ones, and you type a lot then yes it's worth getting a comfortable keyboard for work. Whether this is the same as 'expensive' is another question.

I have a self-customised TKL at work. It took a lot of time to make, but it wasn't terribly expensive. It uses cheap Tai Hao caps. Feels good to me. Other people run either free Dell keyboards and a smattering run enthusiast keyboards, ranging up to Realforce and Ergodox. Nobody uses the full-metal, CNC jewellery cases that you see on the popular internet group buys- if someone turned up with one of those they'd probably be quietly laughed at.

Leslieann · « **Reply #19 on:** Wed, 12 October 2022, 22:20:51 »

Quote from: Findecanor on Mon, 10 October 2022, 13:26:11

Quote from: Leslieann on Mon, 10 October 2022, 13:13:45
Quote from: jamster on Mon, 10 October 2022, 02:53:08
Wow, sounds like there are some horribly dysfunctional workplaces out there!
The movie Office Space is not a comedy, it's a documentary.
The real world is sometimes much worse than that...

I once considered writing a book about things I've been through -- at one workplace. But I suck at creative writing, so...

Totally agreed.

Pretendo · « **Reply #20 on:** Fri, 14 October 2022, 16:37:56 »

If you're a software developer or somebody who types allot for work, then yes. If you use a computer to key in invoices for 10 minutes at the beginning of the day, then probably not.

If you do buy a nice keyboard for the office, try to be mindful of your coworkers. Check with anybody in earshot to see if the board is too noisy and if so, buy them a nice pair of ear plugs.

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Author Topic: Is it worth buying an expensive keyboard for work? (Read 3593 times)