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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: 8_INCH_FLOPPY on Tue, 23 November 2010, 00:04:15
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I have now tried two different quality white alps keyboards to test and compare to my Monterey blue alps keyboard. One of them is made by Micro Connectors, and the other white alps keyboard is a new old stock unused Northgate Omnikey 101. The blue alps keyboard does have a bit more wear than the MicroConnectors keyboard.
Here is a list of things that I don't like about white alps:
- Inconsistent feeling across the board with different keys. Return, delete and enter all require different amounts of force and each one has a different sweet spot
- Too much friction. All the switches feel kind of dirty, even if the keyboard has never been used before. All white alps switches that I have tried have kind of a scraping sensation when you press the key down.
- Very poor stabilization of most switches. The keys all have a lot of play. The tolerances are loose enough that you can jiggle them around. The pressure applied to each key must be at a precise angle. If I am not pressing at the top dead center of the key, friction becomes so bad that the key might stop 1/2 way down without even registering. This is really bad. I'm not a messy typist, but both of these boards are a pain to type on for this very reason
Contrast the previous complaints with Monterey blue alps:
- Equal force required to push down every key. There might be a difference between the enter key and the 1x1 keys, but it's less noticeable on this keyboard than on any other keyboard that I have ever used.
- Very smooth. This is tied for the smoothest alps keyboard that I have ever used. That includes blacks and creams. There is no grating friction in the keys at all. If I didn't know any better, I'd say each key has been throughly oiled.
- The tolerances of this keyboard are much tighter. Key stabilization is perfect, at least as good as the black cherries I've used, possibly better. I could press any key from any angle, and there is no jiggling, no play, no looseness I can feel at all. There is also no friction if pressure is not applied at the correct angle. I can push down the corner of the "A" key, applying force at 45 degrees from parallel to the key without any noticeable friction.
- The click on the Blue Monterey alps is so much more crisp. It's just a *click*. There's no grating muffled thunk.
My Micro Connectors keyboard and my new Northgate Omnikey 101 felt more or less the same, so I don't have any reason to believe that any other white alps keyboard is going to be significantly worse or better. Based off of Ripster's review and claims that white alps and blue alps are the same, it seems to follow that Monterey alps are better than real blue alps as well.
***DISCLAIMER**********************
2 white alps keyboards is a small test sample, even if one of them is a NOS Northgate Omnikey. I will need to sample a few more keyboards to get an accurate sample. Also, I don't know if they were complicated or simplified, and I'm not willing to pull apart the switches to find out. I'm a big diyer and I like messing with electronics, but I draw the line at opening up alps switches. I already broke some really brittle ones once, and I don't want to risk that again.
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Comments? Person experiences? Feeling like cussing me out?
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what's the most accessible KB with blue / monterey alps?
edit: i mean the easiest to find and buy
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what's the most accessible KB with blue / monterey alps?
edit: i mean the easiest to find and buy
Most common: Chicony KB 5181. Has the small backspace problem.
Very rare: Siig Minitouch KB 1903 made in Taiwan.
There are very very few of either of these keyboards new in box left, you'll have to buy used.
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Most recent 1/2 decent deal on a Chicony KB-5181 posted here (http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?t=12877).
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i got my chicony 5181 and i have to agree with the OP, i favor the montereys to the white alps. Yes the difference is subtle, but I definitely feel that the montereys are more consistent across the board and have a sharper click to them.
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The Filco Zero is using white Alps and I have stopped using it because of exactly the reasons you mention.
Additionaly to the "too much friction" i have a scratching sound on some keys after some usage.
Reading your comparison I think I want to try out the Monterey Blue Alps :)
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Theres a very pricey Siig Minitouch 1903 with blue monterey switches for sale in the classified area ;)
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It's difficult for me to effectively use a keyboard with white ALPS. I got an AT102W about two months ago and have been trying to use this keyboard at work, but to no avail. I agree that the white ALPS feel a bit grainy and irregular. Very dissapointing.
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Since it's such a popular classic, someone must know what type of white alps was used on the Northgate Omnikey 101. If you know, please speak up.
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My Northgate Omnikey 102 had complicated whites.