New keyboard after a long time

[cj133]

Hi all,

I think it's time I finally make a switch after a very long time.
My 1986 model M started acting up tonight, and sadly I'm not surprised....

A few years ago I had it converted to USB by Unicomp.  There were several reasons for this decision, one of which was the plug in the back of mine had issues and I wanted better compatibility.  Unfortunately, I also had several other new Unicomp keyboards have similar issues. 

I honestly don't have time for this and as much as I love buckling spring, I need a reliable keyboard both at home and at work.  I do a mixture of gaming and typing, but no macros or anything. 

I've used an MX Cherry red Corsair keyboard and it was ok.  Better than rubber dome for sure but I didn't care for the linear feel.

The wife hates how loud my model M's are, so I was thinking it may be a good idea to go with an MX Cherry brown board.   Something like the Das Keyboard model S.   I don't care about lights. but I do want a good solid feeling keyboard and I like feedback.  It seemed like MX Cherry clear switches best suited me, but I can't find any keyboards that use them?

Basically,
Who makes a solid, heavy mechanical keyboard that could be called the closest thing to a model M, without the noise?
I don't care about lights, but if it's got them that's fine too.

[SpAmRaY]

If you're looking for an mx keyboard with clears mechanicalkeyboards.com has some leopold boards with them.

https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=3549

They might have some others but this one shows in stock and their website is a pain to use on my phone.  I'm a fan of the fc980m layout if you want not quite full size.


To me no mx switch is anything like a model m but I'm sure someone else can offer an opposite opinion.

Some say mx greens because they are heavy and clicky but they are fatiguing to me.

Sent from my SM-G970U1 using Tapatalk

[tp4tissue]

Clears and Green are both fatiguing for long duration use.

[cj133]

Clears and Green are both fatiguing for long duration use.

Is the same said about buckling spring?

[tp4tissue]

Clears and Green are both fatiguing for long duration use.

Is the same said about buckling spring?

Ultimately down to preference, but if anyone finds green/ clears fatiguing, they -should- find buckling spring fatiguing as well, because the area under the force curve is similar.

MX-blue is the long time, lite-switch.

The other part is how much you actually type. For example, if you're coding. 90% of the time, you're just thinking, so the actual total typing isn't that intense. In this case, even if a switch is more fatiguing, because total-fatigue is low, the force curve doesn't really matter.

Vs,  Someone working at USPS data-entry,  where it's 95% typing, hours over hours.

[Sintpinty]

Clears and Green are both fatiguing for long duration use.

Is the same said about buckling spring?

Ultimately down to preference, but if anyone finds green/ clears fatiguing, they -should- find buckling spring fatiguing as well, because the area under the force curve is similar.

MX-blue is the long time, lite-switch.

The other part is how much you actually type. For example, if you're coding. 90% of the time, you're just thinking, so the actual total typing isn't that intense. In this case, even if a switch is more fatiguing, because total-fatigue is low, the force curve doesn't really matter.

Vs,  Someone working at USPS data-entry,  where it's 95% typing, hours over hours.

Light linears ftw!

[cj133]

Light linears ftw?  Let's keep that talk to a minimum, you're scaring me.   )


I was able to do 128WPM on my model M back in highschool.  Now days, I'm down into the 90s though.


On a serious note, is Leopold considered a good solid keyboard?  How do they do with gaming?

One thing I always loved about the model M in gaming is the fact I don't have to hold much pressure on the keys.  Meaning, once I trigger the spring in W I can lift up quite a bit and still keep walking.  Call it lazy, but it's something I always liked.

The keyboard I used with Cherry MX Reds, to me, felt like the keys were just bottoming out rather than giving actual feedback.  Perhaps that's from my sausage fingers being used to buckling spring keyboards, and maybe I'd get used to it and lighten up?  I don't know.

[rxc92]

Leopold are considered to be on the top end of consumer (non-custom) boards and you definitely wouldn’t go wrong with them if you’re looking for a nice stock board. I’d recommend a clicky switch, and some of the Kailh BOX switches are greatly superior to Cherrys if you can get one with them.

[Riverman]

If the OP's wife hates how loud the buckling spring boards are, then an MX blue keyboard might not be that much better.  I know my wife thought a Das Keyboard with blue switches I had for a short period of time was horrible sounding.  A brown keyboard might be more acceptable.  I'll second or third the recommendation on a Leopold keyboard.  Just keep in mind that the current ones don't have windows in the key caps for the lock keys, so the only indicator you get is a glow around the base of the cap.  That bugs me, but otherwise they're wonderful keyboards.  They should really replace that slightly tacky "high end mechanical keyboard" name plate with standard caps/scroll/num lock lights.

[Findecanor]

Leopold, Varmilo, Ducky, in that order are considered the best consumer brands. They are known for having consistently high quality.

Don't buy a keyboard of one of the gaming brands, but do try out mechanical keyboards in stores to see if you might like the Cherry MX Blue switch. You won't find Cherry MX Clear or Green there though.
Note also that there are many clones of the MX switches, so unless it specifically says "Cherry MX Blue", then you might be trying something else.

[cj133]

There's physical stores that have good keyboards?
It seems like the only place I can find with a lot of options is
Mechanicalkeyboards.com

[Findecanor]

There's physical stores that have good keyboards?

Those stores are rare. But there are many stores with mediocre keyboards with standard mechanical switches.

[Hyde]

To be honest, Cherry switches will not be able to duplicate the feeling you get with Buckling Spring, just not gonna happen.  Matias switches won't get there either.

That being said it will be really hard to match buckling spring feelings but at the moment just off my head you *might* like Fujitsu Libertouch, I've demoed them in Japan 3 years ago I think you should be able to still find new ones out there.  They're kind of like rubberdome + slider design so strictly speaking they're rubber dome but I find they feel very mechanical.  They're also not dead silent but would be on part with MX Brown / regular keyboard....etc.

Though my personal preference would be just get a 45g or 55g silenced Topre.  It has the best compromise in typing feel vs super quiet.  Also bigger smoother tactile bump vs the Cherry switches.

In terms of weight I find 45g Topre is slightly heavier than MX Brown, 55g Topre feels closer to MX Black in terms of how heavy it is.  I can type comfortably with 45g Topre and 55g tire me out after a while, but 55g will feel more tactile.

Good luck and let us know what you end up with. 


EDIT:  Nvm Fujitsu Libertouch might be Japanese layout only.  Since it's only sold inside Japan.

[cj133]

To be honest, Cherry switches will not be able to duplicate the feeling you get with Buckling Spring, just not gonna happen.  Matias switches won't get there either.

That being said it will be really hard to match buckling spring feelings but at the moment just off my head you *might* like Fujitsu Libertouch, I've demoed them in Japan 3 years ago I think you should be able to still find new ones out there.  They're kind of like rubberdome + slider design so strictly speaking they're rubber dome but I find they feel very mechanical.  They're also not dead silent but would be on part with MX Brown / regular keyboard....etc.

Though my personal preference would be just get a 45g or 55g silenced Topre.  It has the best compromise in typing feel vs super quiet.  Also bigger smoother tactile bump vs the Cherry switches.

In terms of weight I find 45g Topre is slightly heavier than MX Brown, 55g Topre feels closer to MX Black in terms of how heavy it is.  I can type comfortably with 45g Topre and 55g tire me out after a while, but 55g will feel more tactile.

Good luck and let us know what you end up with. 


EDIT:  Nvm Fujitsu Libertouch might be Japanese layout only.  Since it's only sold inside Japan.

I suspect I'll be fine.
Right now my objective is to find something reliable, that's quieter than the model M if possible, and, above all, that works better than this low profile HP keyboard I'm using at work.

I can do 90+WPM on a model M with very few errors but the amount of mistakes I make on this HP keyboard is disgusting.

I can make it work, but not well.

At home I do a mixture of typing and gaming.
At work I do typing and CAD \ 3D modeling as well as G code modifications etc.  Not a huge amount of typing but the little I do is important.  I have a Unicomp space saver model M I used for a while that randomly started typing 5's.  That was VERY VERY bad in a line of G code where I didn't notice it.  The keyboard almost got launched across the shop.