Hi everyone! I wonder what do you think of Low pro keyboards

[tommyamoszhao]

Personally, portability, desk space & functionality is what I think a keyboard should have, so I build this project and put it on ic, it comes out pretty few people are into these points. So, what do you think of a low pro keyboard comparing to a normal one? anything, strength, weakness. Or what do you dig when you're looking for a keyboard?

[Volny]

I imagine it has a lot to do with typing style. I detest the feel of laptop or Mac keyboards, because it feels like I'm banging my fingers on wood. But I'm a heavy typist. If I was a light typist I might like the feathery glide of short keys.

As for portability and desk space, those are both negative attributes to me, not positive ones. Keyboards are for working, not for taking on strolls. And they are too important to compromise on features just for the sake of more desk space. In my opinion they should take up as much room as they want. Which is not all that much, anyway. If you can fit a monitor on your desk, you can fit a full size keyboard. And if you only have one monitor, you need to get another monitor.

But I'm towards one end of the spectrum. I'm a power user, and my #1 complaint with 100% keyboards is that they don't have enough keys. Whereas most people around here seem to prefer smaller keyboards.

Though low profile is probably unpopular with many people here due to the arguably less satisfying feeling and sound, and the diminished choice of switches on the market.

[MIGHTY CHICKEN]

Pro-thin, low travel
Con-Low travel, kinda rare

[tommyamoszhao]

I imagine it has a lot to do with typing style. I detest the feel of laptop or Mac keyboards, because it feels like I'm banging my fingers on wood. But I'm a heavy typist. If I was a light typist I might like the feathery glide of short keys.

As for portability and desk space, those are both negative attributes to me, not positive ones. Keyboards are for working, not for taking on strolls. And they are too important to compromise on features just for the sake of more desk space. In my opinion they should take up as much room as they want. Which is not all that much, anyway. If you can fit a monitor on your desk, you can fit a full size keyboard. And if you only have one monitor, you need to get another monitor.

But I'm towards one end of the spectrum. I'm a power user, and my #1 complaint with 100% keyboards is that they don't have enough keys. Whereas most people around here seem to prefer smaller keyboards.

Though low profile is probably unpopular with many people here due to the arguably less satisfying feeling and sound, and the diminished choice of switches on the market.

Hey thx for clearing it out for me, low pro keyboard indeed is a rare zone, no need to mention I aimed for the Plank layout. I guess you are right, people see more in feeling and sound than low profile.

[tommyamoszhao]

Pro-thin, low travel
Con-Low travel, kinda rare

Thanks! Low pro plus 40%, rare zone in rare zone. and thx for the opinion on key travel, I guess in here, short key travel is not majority would want.

[tp4tissue]

What is a pro-keyboard vs  amateur-keyboard ?

[Findecanor]

I wouldn't mind lower-profile if it could be made as good as a full-height keyboard -- but you can't. My choice of switches don't exist in a low-profile variant. Nice keycaps don't exist for low profile.

[jcoffin1981]

"Low Profile" doesn't really have a set definition.  With that said I don't like keyboards that are too high.  The case if often thicker and taller that it needs to be, and on an incline.  However, there still needs to be some key travel.  Many of the super thin boards as Volny said feel like you are banging your fingers on wood.

[Leslieann]

Personally, portability, desk space & functionality is what I think a keyboard should have, so I build this project and put it on ic, it comes out pretty few people are into these points. So, what do you think of a low pro keyboard comparing to a normal one? anything, strength, weakness. Or what do you dig when you're looking for a keyboard?

Define low profile.
Do you mean the switch, such as Cherry ML and laptop style switches or are you referfing to case style, GMMK with it's floating keys or a traditional style like NK65 which has a perimeter wall or are you reffering to how tall the entire board is, I.E. how far off the desk the keycap sits.

The case is personal preference, it really shouldn't effect typing in any way, though it can make a board weaker or stiffer.
How tall a keyboard is overall absolutely effects typing and even your health, lower here is always better (tilt is a different function).
As for low profile switches, that's personal preference.

[tommyamoszhao]

What is a pro-keyboard vs  amateur-keyboard ?

To anser your question, I think to have a “pro”(as in professional) title needs a huge effort in designing, manufacturing and verifying the product, have at least one feature that the market hasn’t thought of but turns out to be very useful.
But low-pro here is mentioned as low-profile

[Leslieann]

Pro, Elite, Collectible, XT, Type R, Limited, Gamer, all these terms mean exactly the same thing..
Absolutely nothing, it's marketing fluff.

There is no definition of any of this stuff and the moment you assign a hard definition someone will use it to take advantage of it.

[tommyamoszhao]

"Low Profile" doesn't really have a set definition.  With that said I don't like keyboards that are too high.  The case if often thicker and taller that it needs to be, and on an incline.  However, there still needs to be some key travel.  Many of the super thin boards as Volny said feel like you are banging your fingers on wood.

well I guess there hasn't been a public definition for 'low profile' yet, sinse majority keyboard manufacturers uses the cherry standard, low profile comes from cherry low profile switches.

[tommyamoszhao]

Personally, portability, desk space & functionality is what I think a keyboard should have, so I build this project and put it on ic, it comes out pretty few people are into these points. So, what do you think of a low pro keyboard comparing to a normal one? anything, strength, weakness. Or what do you dig when you're looking for a keyboard?

Define low profile.
Do you mean the switch, such as Cherry ML and laptop style switches or are you referfing to case style, GMMK with it's floating keys or a traditional style like NK65 which has a perimeter wall or are you reffering to how tall the entire board is, I.E. how far off the desk the keycap sits.

The case is personal preference, it really shouldn't effect typing in any way, though it can make a board weaker or stiffer.
How tall a keyboard is overall absolutely effects typing and even your health, lower here is always better (tilt is a different function).
As for low profile switches, that's personal preference.

Thx Leslieann, I agree with you, lower is always better with the same or very close typing feeling.

Like Volny said, laptop style keyboard is just like finger polisher unless you have gliding typing style. For Low profile, I mean profile like Cherry MX Low profile, my definition about it is mainly about the switches，take cherry MX low profile for example, after assembly, plate to case minimum distance could be around 4.8-6mm depends on different mounting method, for fix mount 4.8 is save, for loose mount like gasket, 5.8 is save. comparing to standard MX switch profile, 7-9mm is the gap from plate to case. As for the distance from plate to keycap-bottom, low profile is 4.2 while standard profile is 6.7, overall difference comparing low profile to normal profile in keyboard height could be larger than 4.3mm. Actually, I've built one 40% with low profile switch and one 60% preonic with standard MX switch, the ovedall height(from keycap-top to case bottom) using same type of keycaps, 40% is 19.97mm while 60% is 25.44mm.

Personally, for lower height, I typed more comfortably, my wrist & forearm feels less tired after work, and I have to use an arm rest for my 60% to achieve the same result, but again it could be just me feeling this way.

[Volny]

How tall a keyboard is overall absolutely effects typing and even your health, lower here is always better

             

I don't know what the actual science of ergonomics says, but I personally suspect that the common way of positioning the keyboard up close to the torso is probably bad for ergonomics. It forces your arms and wrists into acute angles and tense positions, and encourages your chest to remain tight and closed. I wonder whether much of the discussion about wrist height, wrist angle, hand symmetry etc. actually stems from trying to compensate for that initial mistake.

Over the years, my arrangement has evolved to the point where my keyboard is some 30-40cm away from my body. It actually began when I used to use PCs at the same time, with one keyboard in front of the other. It was a stupid setup in retrospect and I've long ditched the second PC. But I'm glad that it taught me to type from a distance. It felt weird initially but I quickly got comfortable with it. I now use the space in front of the keyboard for a notebook to plan and jot things while I work, a much-needed part of my workflow. Even if the notebook weren't there, I'd keep the keyboard the same distance from me simply because it feels comfortable this way. I have two super comfy 'wrist pads' for my elbows, and my arms are relaxed, there's almost zero bend in my wrists, and my elbows are at right angles.

Since joining this forum I was surprised by how much discussion and effort goes into typing angles, keyboard height profiles, ergo layouts, split keyboards, and all the rest of it. All that stuff just seems basically irrelevant to me, since I've never experienced discomfort while typing. Whether your hands are tilted/raised/lowered/symmetrical just doesn't seem to matter much when they're out in front of you. But when I move them up nearer my abdomen (where I think most people tend to type), suddenly the muscles and tendons all tense up, and every shift in position is noticeable.

I'm on the PC a ridiculous amount every day, yet I've never had any issues with RSI, wrist pain, or anything like that. Body problems from sitting too much, yes (bad posture, stiff lower back, etc.). But my fingers, wrists, and arms have always been just fine. Maybe I'm just lucky or the RSI time bomb hasn't gone off yet. But I also wonder whether my increased keyboard distance is part of the reason.