The best keyboard I've ever used personally (never used a mechanical) is the logitech illuminated keyboard that uses logitech's Perfect Stroke keys. In fact, I wouldn't even buy another keyboard, except that I started getting arm pain from stretching my arm out to the right to use my mouse. I bought an enermax aurora tenkeyless keyboard because I heard the keys were similar. They aren't. They are terrible, but my arm is healed since using this keyboard for a couple of months. Now I want a good keyboard without a tenkey.
I use my keyboard for both work and gaming. I'm a computer science student now and I spend a lot of time at my computer. I don't want the keys to be too stiff, because I don't want to strain my fingers. I also want it to be relatively quiet. I program in VIM often, and anyone who uses that program knows that you absolutely need a capslock light. That rules out the topre tenkeyless boards
From researching, it looks like the cherry browns might be a good fit and be somewhat comparable to the logitech keys. Does that sound right? Has anyone used both? I am kind of worried about the key chatter threads that seem to be popping up on these boards with the cherry browns lately. Is that something I should worry about?
Or, if you know of another keyboard that uses the same logitech 'perfect stroke' keys and doesn't have the 10-key or a bunch of media controls that make the keyboard so wide it might as well have a tenkey, then that would be ideal. Any other suggestions are also very welcome.
Firstly, I note that I'm looking at a very old post, and secondly, it's gone way off topic.
I write as a heavy user of keyboards as a typist not as a gamer (but who has observed gamers):
Do not be "afraid" of bottoming-out on a full-stroke keyboard, and do not choose one that is too soft. I have a good selection of older mechanical keyboards, including a 'fleet' of IBM Model-M Extended battleship keyboards. For continuous typing, a heavier keyboard does less injury. The first non-switch keyboard (1980s) that I used had a foam pad with a foil contact so that it was "cushion stopped". Great speed was achievable at a severe cost to users in that the then 'new' disease of RSI became very prevalent. OH&S had to change policy and rely on 'harder' keyboards. Most of the switched keyboards I have used contain the now discontinued ALPS line of switches. These can be found in so many color-codes that I don't know the specs of them all. The best balance between hardness and tactility that I have found is the Yellow Clicky. While these are the greatest balance for me, I stick to the IBM (while it may be a bit slower for me) because it copes better with dirt. Although when a failure occurs, these keyboards are not reparable, I have enough on the shelf that they should last me a lifetime. In the rare event that they don't, an equivalent of the Model-M is now manufactured in the U.K. for approximately US$100. Who needs the "Windows keys"?
Of Cherry MX switches, I recommend the Blue Clicky or the Black Silent. I ended up in this thread because I was searching for more info on the Logitech PerfectStroke (and am still none the wiser). I have yet to find a decent keyboard on a modern laptop, hence I always carry an external keyboard with me. Finding something that is tactile yet quiet for use in a classroom environment is very difficult, and I have had my best luck with some of the $10 cheapy versions because, one doesn't have to type at full speed to take class notes.
I have also explored the world of sculpted keyboards and alternative layouts, e.g., Maltron (q.v.) or, its blatant knock-off, Kinesis. I have one of each. They both have decoder issues, so I'm unable to use them. Both use Cherry MX switches. If, as a gamer, you only rely on the WASD keys, either of these keyboards may suit. However, as I have seen gamers leaping across the keyboard all over the place with only one hand, neither of these would be suitable. For gaming, I would still recommend a tactile (clicky) switch, particularly if you don't rely on hitting-bottom to know that you've pressed the key, and a flatter keyboard is better.
The worst I have encountered to date is the visually stunning but useless offering from Apple. Its sleek aluminium finish and almost-flush keys are very appealing but, to a true typist, there is no feeling or feedback at all. You cannot feel if you are on the home-row, and you can't tell if you're touching or pressing a key.
If you're a true hacker, give a Cherry MX switch based keyboard serious consideration. Opening it up to replace one faulty switch is not particularly difficult. In a world where soggy laptop-style keyboards are becoming standard desktop replacements, Cherry is unable to keep up with demand for quality, so much so that it is currently taking minimum action against a Chinese company that is producing replica switches.
These days, when I service someone else's machine, if I observe an "above average" keyboard, I always advise the customer to retain it when upgrading as the quality of the replacement will disappoint.
Edits: Typos. It's ironic that I claim to be a good typist and have to correct minor errors due to a current nerve disorder.
