Model M vs Unicomp

[noisyturtle]

I've actually never typed on a Model M, but did recently get a Unicomp out of curiosity and love it. How does the Uni compare to the feel and sound of IBM's buckling spring?

[captain]

Pretty much the same thing, although the 30yo IBM feels a bit stickier, but not much.

[mich]

Unicomps are slightly lighter than early Ms, but I'd say that they are still heavier than Ms made by Lexmark around 1995, although I've never done a direct comparison between these two.

Actuation point is relatively high as in old IBMs, unlike a bit lower in late Lexmarks (well, maybe my '95 Lexmarks were simply heavily worn-out).

[retsteel]

I have recently acquired a Kentucky wildcats unicomp and I must say that the only difference that I notice between it and my blue label '93 IBM is that it is a little higher pitched in the clicks, really nothing that changes in how it feels to use it. I also have a grey label '90 IBM and that one might be a little heavier, but that one also does not work so I don't really use it much. I did switch to the wildcats keyboard but that's only because I like the blue.

[Keyboarder]

Just a tangent but somewhat related...Is there any difference between the unicomp classic/ultra classic models besides the weight of them?

[captain]

I got my replacement wildcats. Interesting that they are built on different cases entirely. One has the old IBM "speaker" grille on the bottom, and is hardwired up with a rubber plug where the jack would have been, above F4, with a coiled cable. Its case doesn't stay snapped together properly.

The other has no grille, and is hadwired straight into the case in the middle, with a rather short, straight phone cord type cable.

Both of them have kind of ragged edges on the KU logo. It looks like a high school art project, not a company that made True Blue keyboards. :-/

The keys all work though. It's just little cosmetic things that kill the Unicomps.

[slueth]

What are you doing, looking at it on its side all the time?  I think its because it snaps together and there isn't screws at the bottom of the case(too thin at the bottom for screws from how they designed the case), you should be able to crimp the bottom edge and it should snap together by making sure all the prongs are hidden.

[rknize]

Just a tangent but somewhat related...Is there any difference between the unicomp classic/ultra classic models besides the weight of them?

Not sure what you mean.  The difference is the case.  The Classic has the huge case like the old Model M.  The Ultra Classic has a tighter case with most of the dead space removed.  The internal frame is the same as far as I know.

[rknize]

To the OP: the Unicomps weigh less and sound a bit higher-pitched.  I have 4 different Model Ms and they all have slightly different sounds and feels amongst each other.  A lot depends on the condition of the board.  The difference between the Unicomp and the Model M probably falls pretty close into this margin of perception-error.