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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: nar on Fri, 21 October 2011, 00:34:03

Title: Mechanical Numpads that work without Num Lock?
Post by: nar on Fri, 21 October 2011, 00:34:03

So after 2 weeks with my compact keyboard without a numpad, I realized I really need one in certain situtations. But this keyboard has the numpad keys overlayed on normal keys whenever Num Lock is enabled, so I need a numpad that works when Num Lock is disabled.

Any suggestions?

I'm open to any switch type, and something radically different from topres on the numpad may give an interesting experience (I gave up on a topre numpad, EK is selling them for more than my keyboard itself >_<).

Title: Mechanical Numpads that work without Num Lock?
Post by: duncan on Sun, 23 October 2011, 04:48:39

A few options:
http://www.keyboardco.com/keyboard_details.asp?PRODUCT=754

http://www.keyboardco.com/keyboard_details.asp?PRODUCT=620

http://www.keyboardco.com/keyboard_details.asp?PRODUCT=736

http://www.keyboardco.com/keyboard_details.asp?PRODUCT=216

http://www.keyboardco.com/keyboard_details.asp?PRODUCT=217

Title: Mechanical Numpads that work without Num Lock?
Post by: sinis on Sun, 23 October 2011, 04:51:38

I find the Goldtouch very tempting. And the Cherry one with the ML Switches.

edit: assuming you are situated in USA, this is the one I thought of:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Goldtouch-USB-Numeric-Keypad-Hub-GTC-0077-/120796041056?pt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&hash=item1c20014f60
or this
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Goldtouch-GTC-0077-BLACK-Ergonomic-Keypad-PC-New-/150339020098?pt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&hash=item2300e76542
or
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Goldtouch-GTC-0033-Ergonomic-Keypad-Windows-NEW-/400084598394?pt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&hash=item5d26e67e7a

Title: Mechanical Numpads that work without Num Lock?
Post by: arplod on Sun, 23 October 2011, 06:15:51

The Filco feels a bit 'off' - clatterier, I guess that's because the plate in there isn't heavy enough - when you line it up alongside even a Filco brown keyboard, but I can confirm it has independent num lock. I use them with laptops with num overlays and it works fine. You can see the num lock being triggered on the laptop each time I press a key on the Filco pad.

If you're going to be doing any serious degree of numpad-tapping though, I think the stability of the 'full' keyboard is beneficial. That is, if you don't have any requirements like needing to have it on the left hand side.

Title: Mechanical Numpads that work without Num Lock?
Post by: nar on Sun, 23 October 2011, 20:50:42

I might get the Filco, it seems to be relatively cheap on Amazon JP and I'm ordering something from there soon anyways.

I'd get a full keyboard, but I just really like this topre now and a full topre is quite expensive compared to this.