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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: NormaJean on Wed, 14 December 2011, 17:06:45

Title: What is the incentive of going from a Unicomp to an actual model m?
Post by: NormaJean on Wed, 14 December 2011, 17:06:45

Hi there,

I guess the titles is pretty self explanatory, I just got a unicomp spacesave... what are the advantages of going for the vintage model m?

Except of course the sick nerd cred that comes along with owning one of those.

Title: What is the incentive of going from a Unicomp to an actual model m?
Post by: slueth on Wed, 14 December 2011, 17:09:09

There is none, except look and lower cost. Maybe some rivets are lost in the vintage one?  The model m is kinda like the customizer while the space saving one is more compact.

Title: What is the incentive of going from a Unicomp to an actual model m?
Post by: shrap on Wed, 14 December 2011, 17:27:27

They aren't the same:

The Model M - Black Label vs Blue Label vs Unicomp - Did Quality Decline?? (http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:6550)

Title: What is the incentive of going from a Unicomp to an actual model m?
Post by: NormaJean on Wed, 14 December 2011, 18:59:33

I don't know about number one but that article answers my questions ;D

Thanks!

Title: What is the incentive of going from a Unicomp to an actual model m?
Post by: czarek on Thu, 15 December 2011, 11:23:10

Well but comparing weights of Fullsize to Space Saving to Space Saver isn't really fair.
Like saying BMW 7 series (full size car) is heavier than Mercedes - Benz C class (compact executive) - you don't have to be a scientist to know that.
Apart from that one it's all right. Thing is Unicomp's internals are ALMOST the same as old IBM Model M, there was some cost cutting over the years and the quality control in Unicomp sucks compared to IBM which leads to some moulding marks on plastic and some squeaks here and there but it's not a big deal. Overall sound and feel is ALMOST the same. Differences are caused mostly by wear and the fact that some Unicomp keyboards (black ones) use single piece keys, while most IBMs are using 2 piece keys. In fact I couldn't say any difference between Customizer 101 (2 piece keys) and NIB Model M SSK. I've got both around the same time.