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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Merak on Tue, 25 January 2011, 14:24:38

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: Merak on Tue, 25 January 2011, 14:24:38

Hi everyone, which laptop would you suggest me with a comfortable keyboard?

i'm typing from an IBM X41, and i also have a macbook pro pre unibody.
Besides the specs, which laptop do you think has the best keyboard?
Old models too.
I still find my old Powerbook G3 wallstreet one of the best laptos keyboard i've ever used, i still write something with it..easy stuffs of course...the puter is 12 years old!

I'm also planning to get a HHKB Pro 2..euro is strong lately!

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: Findecanor on Tue, 25 January 2011, 14:37:22

Quote from: Merak;284631

Old models too.

If you write that, then someone is bound to post a picture of a "portable" computer from the 1980's with clicky full-sized Cherry or ALPS keys ...

I haven't tested that many laptops. I quite liked the keyboard on my ThinkPad at work, though.

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: Pylon on Tue, 25 January 2011, 14:46:04

(http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=15103&stc=1&d=1295988332)
Supposedly types like a Model M. Has to be good.

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: Keymonger on Tue, 25 January 2011, 15:03:53

It's possible that we might see fatter laptops in the future. At the moment, everything has to be thin or it will look 'ridiculous', even for heavy desktop replacement laptops. I think the novelty will wear off and we then might at least see some laptops with mechanical keyboards.

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: seung on Tue, 25 January 2011, 15:21:47

Can't go wrong with a Thinkpad!

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: microsoft windows on Tue, 25 January 2011, 15:32:08

I  like the keyboard on  my old Compaq 486  laptop.

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: Pylon on Tue, 25 January 2011, 15:39:52

Though if you want a new keyboard, I think the ones on the new Thinkpads (T410, etc.) are pretty good.

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: firestorm on Tue, 25 January 2011, 15:48:58

The keyboard on my wife Lenovo Y510 Ideapad is decent enough.  It is the best we could find locally, and we were buying locally specifically so we could buy something based on keyboard feel.  It at least has beveled keys, as we found that the flat keys on many notebooks were annoying.

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: Merak on Tue, 25 January 2011, 15:59:05

Oh wow!
that's a very nice ibm M4-1!
i really like it, and i'm following an auction on ebay right now for the same space saver keyboard, and it got quite pricy already, even if there are still a few days left.

this is my wallstreet

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gSo8Jyo18A

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: manfaux on Tue, 25 January 2011, 15:59:17

ML switches on a laptop  keyboard would be nice.

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: Merak on Tue, 25 January 2011, 16:05:13

Quote from: ripster;284703

Most important thing with a modern laptop (they'll all be pretty similar scissor switches anyway) is to measure key pitch.  If it ain't 7.5" from A to ' you're in for some adjustments.

Show Image

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5245/5374129411_609de07998_z.jpg)

Anyone measured their Apple yet?   I'm still curious whether they have a non-standard vertical pitch.

eh...my macbook has an italian layout, and we use a different SMI...so i can't help you to find it out, is the ' the key next to the "L" ?

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: letsgetCUTTY on Tue, 25 January 2011, 16:13:52

I've owned the same Thinkpad for 5 years. Everything still works, a few of the function keys have broken but no biggy. Some of my more frequently used keys do get really "mushy" after a while though.

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: Moogle Stiltzkin on Tue, 25 January 2011, 17:35:41

I've had experience with laptops before. It's no fun carrying around heavy laptops ...

I tried out my bro's mac laptop. I liked the chiclet keyboard on it. It's probably the best i've used so far for a laptop.

Previously i've typed on scissor switches which i hate.

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: Superfluous Parentheses on Tue, 25 January 2011, 17:46:01

Lenovo X201 has a pretty good keyboard. Certainly the best laptop board I've touched in a few years.

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: Pylon on Tue, 25 January 2011, 18:38:28

Quote from: Moogle Stiltzkin;284753

Previously i've typed on scissor switches which i hate.

The Mac keyboards are basically a chiclet keycap over a scissor mechanism.

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: bullock on Tue, 25 January 2011, 18:44:00

ML type switch , outlook good , touch feeling bad,,,,

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: twej on Wed, 26 January 2011, 00:14:50

ThinkPad no doubt.  By all accounts, the T60 / T60p was the best recent one, but I'd bet the latest T/W/X series models are virtually just as good, not to mention head and shoulders above other laptop keyboards.

Typing this from a W500 and it's the best laptop kb I've ever had the pleasure of using.

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: keyb_gr on Wed, 26 January 2011, 10:48:12

Quote from: manfaux;284706

ML switches on a laptop  keyboard would be nice.

I wonder why they were never used in one anyway. Too late?

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: woody on Wed, 26 January 2011, 12:00:44

I'd dig an ML laptop.

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: keyboardlover on Wed, 26 January 2011, 12:01:45

I'd dig an MX laptop! Or topre for that matter!

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: runeazn on Wed, 26 January 2011, 13:02:09

hhmmm keyboards

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: itlnstln on Wed, 26 January 2011, 13:04:49

Best laptop keyboard: HHKB.

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: itlnstln on Wed, 26 January 2011, 13:30:21

Kill the HHKB?  How, by smothering it?  Gang-rape?

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: hfcobra on Wed, 26 January 2011, 14:50:01

i have a decent laptop, but the keyboard chatters like crazy.  It bothers the crap out of me so i really cannot honestly say that any up to date laptop will have a good keyboard   :(

I need to try someone else's first and it may just be the way that i type, who knows?

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: itlnstln on Wed, 26 January 2011, 15:10:10

My GF's old IBM has a great keyboard.  Her newer Acer has a pretty crappy one, though.  I'm not a big fan of the keyboard on my Dell, either.  I think IBM (and maybe Lenovo) might have had the best stock keyboard on the market.  I haven't tried the Apple keyboard, either, but I can't imagine that it would be any better than anything else on the market.

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: itlnstln on Wed, 26 January 2011, 15:20:51

Quote from: ripster;285393

You guys can really tell that much difference between the same sized laptop keyboards with scissor switches?

You must all have ultra-sensitive hands.

No.  For me it's:

-IBM keys
-Everything else

I really can't tell the difference between most scissor-switch keyboards.  IBM did something a little different with theirs, though.

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: Pylon on Wed, 26 January 2011, 15:26:35

Yes, scissor switches vary a lot in feel. Same with rubber domes. Some are mushy, some have a very sharp tactile bump, some are frictiony, etc.

Also, keycap shape and texture plays into it a lot.

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: Superfluous Parentheses on Wed, 26 January 2011, 15:26:46

Quote from: ripster;285393

You guys can really tell that much difference between the same sized laptop keyboards with scissor switches?

You must all have ultra-sensitive hands.

I dunno. The lenovo boards feel much better than any other laptop I've tried in the last few years. If you want a more in depth description, I'd have to go out and buy one. Which I might to, but not within the next couple of months.

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: Merak on Wed, 26 January 2011, 16:04:51

Well, about Apple's laptop keyboards, they almost feel the same, talking about the last 10 yers there are 2 major choices, the powerbook/ibook/Macbook pro till 2008 the almost file the same.
The second option is the new stile keyboard, which first came out wth the first intel macbook, and it has been moved to the Pro series too starting from the seocnd half of 2008. I can tell that they are good keyboard in my opinion, i just don't like that much the keycap shape, it's too flat, and i like to feel the key by itself even if i like the ambinet light sensor, it's very useful in my opinion.
It's true that i enjoy more typing on the x41 than on the macbook pro laterly...this is my first IBM, and i bought it used off ebay, just to try something different than an apple computer...oh..i'm runnin ubuntu on here...of course :P

i've mostly used Apple's puters for pleasure, during my university years, and now i'm forced to use windows due to my profession, autocad runs much smoother on a pc than on a mac.

i was also thinking about getting the Lenovo x201 even if here in Italy is totally overpriced, almost 2000$ which makes it not that worthy if u don't really need something that portable and fast.
Also..no chance to try the keyboard since not so many resellers around here..

Oh, i found a nice olivetti echos color today on eaby, i'm following the auction, the keyboard looks very nice!

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: hasu on Wed, 26 January 2011, 19:43:30

Quote from: itlnstln;285265

Best laptop keyboard: HHKB.

I agree.
My HHKB sits on lenovo most of the time, though X201s keyboard is so nice.

This pic told me the usage of HHKB.
(http://www.lugos.si/lugos/rms2000/pic/RMS-2000-10-13/pic00001.jpg)

This laptop is the best.
http://www.leaza.com/?j=3&m0=10.hw&m1=10.hh (http://www.leaza.com/?j=3&m0=10.hw&m1=10.hh)

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: kps on Wed, 26 January 2011, 22:08:18

Nice Orange ALPS. The layout isn't too bad, either, having the control key in the right place; all it really needs is the cursor keys shuffled to the correct ⇠⇣⇡⇢ order.

(http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=15134&stc=1&d=1296101087http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=15134&stc=1&d=1296101087)

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: hasu on Thu, 27 January 2011, 03:33:42

Quote from: ripster;285517

Still, nobody has explained WHY the IBM/Thinkpad  Scissor Switch should feel better than any other Scissor Switch (other  than nostalgia).

 

I don't think the Thinkpad keyboard is way good than others, however, it is still nice.

This article explains why the Thinkpad keyboard has good feel.
Unfortunately Google must be useless as usual to translate this Japanese article.
http://plusd.itmedia.co.jp/pcuser/articles/0711/14/news016.html
 (http://plusd.itmedia.co.jp/pcuser/articles/0711/14/news016.html)
In the article this keyboard engineer form "Yamato" labs indicates two points in terms of key feel.
1. shape of keytop: cylindrical curve and front side slope
2. optimized force curve of switch

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: db_Iodine on Thu, 27 January 2011, 03:53:28

My old Thinkpad keyboard was definitely much better than my current Dell laptop keyboard.

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: keyb_gr on Thu, 27 January 2011, 05:53:18

Even IBM notebook 'boards are not all alike. In the 60/61 series, there were like 3 different OEMs for them, with those from NMB being reputed to have the nicest feel (can't say I'm surprised there).

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: funnyperson1 on Thu, 27 January 2011, 08:10:37

Quote from: ripster;285517

Sounds like it's Happy Hacking Keyboard versus Big Blue Scissor.  Still, nobody has explained WHY the IBM/Thinkpad Scissor Switch should feel better than any other Scissor Switch (other than nostalgia).

The Lenovo/IBM keyboards have a more tactile feel, theres no flex in the backplate, and are generally stiffer than keyboards from other manufacturers.  The cheapo Dells and HPs I've used generally have mushy keyboards, and there's a lot of flex in the chassis.

Now the professional laptops (Latitude, HP Probook, etc.) generally have very good key feel and are pretty close to the ThinkPad level.

I have an X201 right now, it has an excellent keyboard.  I had a Latitude D620 before that also had a very good keyboard, bu the consumer-level Dells, HPs, and Compaqs I had prior to that were all mush.

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: itlnstln on Thu, 27 January 2011, 08:32:23

I have a bunch of work I need to get done during a training class today (I'm not the target audience, just attending).  I'm doing the "Stallman."  The keyboard part, of course, not the caveman thing.  I GTL regularly.

(http://www.lugos.si/lugos/rms2000/pic/RMS-2000-10-13/pic00001.jpg)

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: Merak on Thu, 27 January 2011, 15:24:58

i really liked this X41, i'm going to sell it on ebay, because its performances are really too poor nowdays, everything takes ages...and it's pi§§§in me off..so i think i'm going to replace with soemthing more recent, like an x61 with a core 2 duo.
The typing feeling is very nice btw, i've to admit that, and i prefer to type on this than on my macbook pro....

i still think that the wallstreet has a very nice keyboard actually..too bad its performances are much worse than this IBM lol

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: jaynoon on Fri, 28 January 2011, 04:45:00

I just got a MacBook Air today. While the keyboard is the same as on my MacBook Pro (sans backlighting, the true anti-otaku), the machine is so damn rigid that it definitely feels better. I really like it.

(http://images.apple.com/macbookair/images/design_unibody2_20101020.png)

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: Culinia on Fri, 28 January 2011, 07:43:39

Quote from: Merak;284710

eh...my macbook has an italian layout, and we use a different SMI...so i can't help you to find it out, is the ' the key next to the "L" ?

According to this: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/Italian_keyboard_touchtyping.png

it's the # key i.e. second one from enter in the home row.

Title: Best laptop keyboard
Post by: The Solutor on Mon, 28 March 2011, 05:42:06

The best laptop keyboard I've ever touched is the one from the Thinkpad X100e /Edge 11/ Thinpad X120e.

Nothing to do with the Apple like chiclet stile, and even better than the Thinkpad classic keyboards.

But keep in mind that I'm speaking about the NMB built version.

The other built from Chicony or Alps are not so good (alps better than chicony, anyway but I think that this keyboard has only two OEMs, likely NMB and Chicony).

BTW the Chicony keyboards have a better trackpoint buttons.