Rank favorite keyboards

[Phaedrus2129]

Rank your top ten favorite keyboards, including ones that you've tried or no longer own. Don't list ones that you haven't actually used.


1. Cherry MX SPOS (MX brown)
2. IBM Model M13 1994 (BS)
3. XArmor U9BL (MX blue)
4. Cherry G80-8200 (MX brown)
5. IBM Model M 1988 (BS)
6. Das Professional S (MX blue)
7. XArmor U9W prototype (MX blue)
8. PC Reveal KB-7061 (clicky white Alps)
9. Cherry G84-4100 (ML)
10. Compaq MX-11800 (MX brown)

[keyboardlover]

I don't have a top 10, but...
My top 5:

1. Topre Realforce 103UB variable force
2. Topre Realforce 103UB 55g
3. Filco Majestouch tenkeyless (cherry mx brown)
4. Compaq MX11800 (cherry mx brown)
5. Dell AT101W (Black alps)

The first 2 I currently own and the last 3 I previously owned but no longer own.

[itlnstln]

1) ??
2) HHKB/RF 103/G80-1863/G80-3000

If that's any indication, I have keyboards that are very good, but none are perfect.

HHKB layout, RF build quality and Cherry browns would get there.

[panda-R]

i have a top 1... that would be my Filco Majestouch Tenkeyless (Blues)... its my only board sadly..

[Rajagra]

Favourites:

• Realforce 87U variable force.
• HHKB Pro.
• Das III Ultimate.
• Compaq MX11800.
• Belkin Nostromo N52te.

I have to include the N52 as a favourite as it never leaves my desk. I have to exclude my IBM model Ms as I don't actually use them. I respect them but don't love them.

Honourable mentions (places 6 to 10?) go to:

• IBM model M 1391406.
• Unicomp Customizer.
• IBM Ultranav Travel.
• Typematrix 2030.
• Dell AT102.

i have a top 1... that would be my Filco Majestouch Tenkeyless (Blues)... its my only board sadly..

That isn't sad at all.

[MissileMike]

1. Filco Majestouch 104 key brown
2. IBM Space Saving 84 Key
3. Matias Tactile Pro 3.0
4. Unicomp Customizer 104 / IBM 42H1292 Model M
5. IBM 1391401 Model Ms
6. NMB R101 Space Invader Switches
7. Cherry POS Brown Keyboard
8. Dell Quietkey domes
9. ABS M1
10. Dell AT101W

[Kairxa]

Haven't got the chance to own them all, but here's the keyboards I've ever tried:

1. Razer Blackwidow (tried, love how the keys felt)
2. Filco blues with 104 keys (currently owned)
3. Powerlogic Zen Z200 (only tried, doubt you'll find em in the US market)
4. Filco browns (only tried)
5. Filco blacks/Steelseries 6Gv2 (tried)

Meanwhile, by their sound or personal hypes:

1. Topre Realforce variable
2. Razer Blackwidow
3. Filco zero
4. Filco blues 104 keys
5. Filco browns

[mr_a500]

 

[MissileMike]

Man if a Vic 20 made your list, I would hate to see the ones that didn't.  That was one terrible keyboard.

[elbowglue]

Clicky:
1) SMK-88 Cherry blues
2) Desko BMOS PCB mounted Cherry blues (switches came from G80-3000LSCRC)
3) Filco Tenkeyless cherry blues
4) Siig Minitouch blue monterey
5) Filco full sized, Cherry blues
6) Cherry G80-3000LSCRC-2
7) Laser Clicky (smk) keyboard
Siig Minitouch white alps
9) Chicony KB 5181 blue monterey
10) Any Buckling springs
11) Chicony KB 5191 Fake cherries

Nonclicky:
1) Ricercar SPOS
2) Compaq MX 84u
3) Cherry G80-1863
4) Compaq MX 11800
5) Filco full sized Cherry browns
6) Topre 86u
7) Topre 101 key
Cherry MX8100
9) Dell AT101w
10) Anything with cherry blacks

For me it's #1 switch, #2 layout and form factor.

[patrickgeekhack]

i have a top 1... that would be my Filco Majestouch Tenkeyless (Blues)... its my only board sadly..

Actually, you are in a good position. Too many choices cause paralysis. Sometimes you can get into a loop where you can't decide which keyboard you want to use.

[HaaTa]

Hmm, really hard as this changes hourly for me...

But it'll usually end with the Model F AT and μTRON at the top.

[mr_a500]

Man if a Vic 20 made your list, I would hate to see the ones that didn't.  That was one terrible keyboard.

Like many mass produced computers of the era, there were many variations and versions. The one I have feels great. It beats my two "Made in USA" AEK II keyboards.

[Fwiffo]

I guess I can just list all the keyboards I've used for more than a day and actually remember...

1. Filco Majestouch Tenkeyless (MX Browns)
2. HHKB Lite 2
3. That old mechanical Mac keyboard, whatever it was called
4. Model M (can't say which one)
5. Honeywell rubber dome

[microsoft windows]

Here're my keyboards, from best to worst.

BEST

1. IBM Model M5-2
2. Focus FK-9000
3. Compaq MX1800
4. Dell Quietkey
5. NEC RT101
6. Cheap old rubber dome from Gateway2000
7. Cheap old rubber dome from Micron PC
8. Micron laptop keyboard
9. Dell laptop keyboard
10. Crapple Rubber Domes

WORST

[ManjyomeThunder]

1. Dell AT101W (Black Alps)
2. Unicomp Customizer 104
3. IBM Model M
4. ABS M1
5. Razer Lycosa
6. ASUS island-style laptop keyboards
7. Sony island-style laptop keyboards
...
9999. Any Apple keyboard.

[7bit]

Cherry G80-3000LPCEU-2 (best switches I've ever used, wrong layout, but one gets used to it over time, ... somehow)
.
Sun Type 4 (just for the layout's sake, can't recall if it was well for typing)
.
.
.
SGI Granite (didn't like the layout, did like its cool design, didn't know it's mechanical in those days)
.
my good old model F style Comodore board (RIP; rubber dome, but I loved the function keys being at the right place (left actually) and no stupid extra arrow keys, 2nd best layout)
.
.
.
.
Wintech ... (best rubber-dome keyboard I've ever used in terms of typing feeling (@10EUR only), wrong layout)
.
Cherry G83-61?? (still the wrong layout)
.
.
.
.
.
.
Cherry G86-? (worst keyboard ever, except for the media keys which where great for terminal switching; I used it for 1/2 a year, made me finally go the other direction and buy a real keyboard)

[NewbieOneKenobi]

I'd have trouble ordering them around in terms of what I would say to be my favourite.

On the other hand, judging by the frequency of use by me:

1. Model M (~406)
2. The Hama scissors board from my sig
3. Dell black Alps (hard to tell which)
4. Black Cherry G80 with touchpad

A very honourable mention goes to the rubber dome IBM SK-8820, which is my fastest-typing keyboard that I'd probaly be using, had I not discovered mechanical kyboards.

Now I can tell you there's a lot of things I don't like in the M, particularly how I end up using too much force because of the increased needs of the spacebar (I've learned to type as fast as normal with merely barely pressing the letter keys, truly minimal force necessary, but the spacebar destroys the rhythm by requiring a solid thump). I also prefer the feel of the black Cherries to the black Alps for sure but the typing outcome is basically a bit too uncertain to rely on.

All in all, weren't it for the spacebar, the M would be my favourite without questions, I believe. Brown Cherries would be a strong competitor without their 80g spacebar as well.

I've just got the blue sliders NEC off Sixty and I have a hunch it could become one of my favourites.

I'll probably have to keep looking anyway. The spacebar will be one of the most important factors or even the most important one in my choice. (So much that if anybody can recommend a tactile clicky keyboard with a particularly good spacebar, please PM me.)

[hfcobra]

i only have one board, but i love it!  the XArmor U9BL with cherry blues.   Hoping to try out cherry browns next year though when i have some money saved up and the brown version of this board comes out.

[Sam]

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Edit: why won't this message board software allow me to properly write it as "IBM PC AT"?  Maybe a filter for people who type text in all caps.

[keyboardlover]

Maybe a filter for people who type text in all caps.

That's exactly what it is.

[elservo]

HHKB Pro 2
Filco Majestouch
...
Profit!

[theferenc]

1. HHKB Pro 2
2. Custom Unicomp Customizer 101 (UNIX Layout)
3. Dell AT101W
4. IBM Model M
5. Filco Majestouch Tenkeyless (Brown)
6. AEK II -- don't know why, but it's much less comfortable than the Dell.
7. Sun Type 6 USB -- rubber dome, but still nice

I *loathe* any and all chicklet keyboards.

For me, switch and layout are equally important. Which is why I rank them in the order which I do. While I can adjust to the ANSI layout fairly quickly, I find the UNIX layout so much easier to use. Especially when coding.

[kriminal]

Filco tenkeyless brown, (plate mounted ftw)
IBM pc XT (arguably the smoothest model m)
IBM model m
...
to be continued

[mr_a500]

For me, switch and layout are equally important. Which is why I rank them in the order which I do. While I can adjust to the ANSI layout fairly quickly, I find the UNIX layout so much easier to use. Especially when coding.

Layout is important to me, but I didn't consider layout in my ranking. If I did, only 3 or 4 keyboards would still be in my top 10.

[theferenc]

Layout is important to me, but I didn't consider layout in my ranking. If I did, only 3 or 4 keyboards would still be in my top 10.

And you wonder how a rubber dome made it into my top 10.

For me, layout can make huge productivity gains while coding. So it's a time spent vs. comfort spending it thing.

[ricercar]

(1) The keyboard I just finished modding
(2) The second most recent mod.
(3) Kinesis Contour - ergonomic Cherry browns [unless this falls in slot 1 or 2].

[8_INCH_FLOPPY]

Everyone should be required to post pictures.

[dissident]

my favorite, the filco with cherry browns, has started shorting out where the wire comes out from the keyboard. it's used as a HTPC in the living room and gets moved from the couch to the floor in use. Logitech mice suffer the same problem, they short out where the wire comes out from the mouse. Meanwhile, my sennheiser HD555 headphones have withstood YEARS of being carried around by the cord, tossed about, and still work great.

Sucks when the weak point of a piece of quality equipment is the cord, and they can't make them sturdier, able to withstand some abuse.

[dissident]

thanks for the post, I'll give it a try.

[spronkey]

Microsoft Windows' idea of using colours was neat, so I'll borrow it

Of the keyboards I have *actually* used:

BEST

1. Ducky DK-9008 (Cherry MX Brown)
2. Apple PowerBook G3 PDQ Model (ALPS? Scissors)
3. Apple Extended II (ALPS Clickies)
4. ThinkPad X31 (NMB Scissors)
5. Apple Design Keyboard (Circa 1998 - Domes?)
5. Dell SK-8110 When New (Domes, wears out quickly)
6. Apple MacBook Pro Unibody Chiclet
7. Dell QuietKey
8. BTC Keyboards Circa 2002

WORST

I particularly enjoyed the scissor keyboards of the earlier PowerBook G3s - http://guide-images.ifixit.net/igi/gh4Wg2MinFWnlbTK.medium is a reasonable picture of them. The black boards with the PDQs were notably better than the translucent bronze boards of the PBG3 Lombard and Pismo and the Apple notebooks that have followed.

Interestingly, my ThinkPad X31 also has a much better keyboard than my ThinkPad T60 - it's notably more solid, and much quieter. The X31 has NMB switches while the T60 has ALPS.

Heh, I've been a keyboard nerd for way longer than I thought... cool :]