Looking for a new keyboard, with some requirements (Black, no numpad, high quality)

[emil.s]

Hello!

Now It's time to buy a new keyboard, and this time a really good one! (I hope? )

Normally I'm writing on the laptop keyboard (Macbook Pro - old one, and Thinkpad T series) since I'm a lot "on the go", but I have had a Microsoft Ergonomic "some old model", some other ****ty scissor/membrane ones, and now I have a Steelseries 6Gv2 which sucks for writing...

However, I have no idéa about what keyboard thats good, and what to look for.

I will only use it for writing, so I guess Cherry MX Blue (or Brown) will be best?
Other requirements:
Black, but not glossy like Das kayboard...
Good build quality, It will be a lot in my backpack.
Shipping avilable to Sweden.
Equally shaped keys: I'm using Svorak (Swedish Dvorak), and I don't want my keyboad to look like an earthquake disaster...

Not a requirement, but it would be nice to have something in this size:
www 58bits com/blog/content/binary/InSearchofTheWorldsBestComputerKeyboardI_13E0B/SpaceSaver_01.jpg
No numpad, but still PgUp/down, Home, end etc.. in the righ place.
And USB-hub is nice, but no need...

Guess that there is no keyboard that will live up to all of that, but maybe?

What recomendations do you have?

[N8N]

Might want to wait until WASD introduces ISO layout keycaps and then get a custom set of caps made for a Filco or Leopold tenkeyless.  That's my best suggestion...  pretty much everyone but Deck who makes a mechanical keyboard uses keys of different heights for different rows, and Deck is a US company and only sells the Deck 82 in MX black (what I believe you have in your 6Gv2,) it's ANSI, and not a standard tenkeyless format.

Looks like you can in fact get a Swedish Filco

http://www.keyboardco.com/keyboard_details.asp?PRODUCT=807

couldn't find a link to a Swedish Leopold - maybe they don't make one

here's WASD's web site

http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/

supposedly they'll have ISO layout in December or thereabouts, and you could have a custom set of keys made for your "Svorak" layout.  Unfortunately unless Weyman gets the full character set working for all the fonts, that exercise might involve a lot of back and forth emailing to get the design just so, because I don't believe that the custom keyboard designer tool on their website supports characters outside the normal Latin-1 character set.

[Clickey]

Hi, welcome to geekhack, there is quite a few keyboards with all of those specifications. Check out Filco/Leopold tenkeyless, PLU/Noppoo Choc 87key, CM Storm 80%.

Probably one of the Chinese ones (PLU or Noppoo Choc) would be better because they are lighter, but might be less durable if you are going to be taking it around in a backpack. Most people would probably recommend a Filco tenkeyless (good/durable quality) with either blues or browns. Blues are not THAT loud, but if you are in a library or something, it might be too loud.

You can get them here http://www.keyboardco.com/. There is also the Filco zero which has simplified ALPS, but you may not like them so it is safer to go with cherry switches.

[Quarzac]

You'd probably do well with a Leopold, though I'm not entirely sure you can get those in EU. I know you can get Filcos though, and that would probably serve you well.

[shaippen]

My recommendation would be to get a filco, add blank keys, and touch type. I don't know of any keyboard with non-sculpted keys and your requirements so moving keys around probably isn't an viable, and sculpted keys are better anyway.

An other option would be to wait until wasd keyboards get tenkeyless and ISO, but that will take a while and you will need to ship them from the US.

[insilica]

Welcome to GH!

I don't know about Svorak! but Keyboard Co ship to most destinations.

Swedish layout keyboards from keyboard co.

Filco: (first one brown, then blue and then black)
http://www.keyboardco.com/keyboard_search.asp?SG=10038

But if you touch type and use an odd layout, consider grabbing :
http://www.keyboardco.com/keyboard_details.asp?PRODUCT=692

Realforce
http://www.keyboardco.com/keyboard_details.asp?PRODUCT=866

The above keyboards are considered top quality

[emil.s]

Hello, thanks!

The Filco tenkeyless looks really nice. And I think the blues will be fine. If I need to be quiet, I can always use the laptops own keyboard...
The Leopold did also look fine. And the detatchable cable is also a nice feature (if it doesn't break?). Because of the low dollar, it doesn't differ so much between a Filco from keyboardcompany, or a Leopold from Elitekeyboards. (But it seems like that there is only a 87 key versions avilable. Swedish needs the "extra" key in the middle row, taking space from enter. So on the Leopold 87 key the * ' key will be missing?)

And blank keys may be a good solution for the layout problem.
One more + for Leopold since that doesn't add any more cost... But it does still miss one key.

Otherwise the WSAD looks fine. I will not order anything before middle december, so maybe there will be some changes on the market?

[N8N]

I don't think WASD is planning on offering tenkeyless at any definite point in the future, but when they introduce the 104-key boards in ISO layout they should be able to make you the caps you want.  I was suggesting using their caps on an ISO Filco to get you where you want to be.

Alternately, if you want something NOW does anyone make a set of blanks for an ISO layout board?  I'm not aware of any, but I'm definitely an ANSI kind of guy.  However, other than the Enter key, a tenkeyless WASD set of blanks would work, plus you'd need the specific keys for left shift, the extra key next to it, and backslash/pipe which I believe that they offer separately (not sure about the Lshift, the others are standard 1x keys for the row on which they are installed.)

Edit: I guess that would be a 105-key board wouldn't it?

[shaippen]

Swedish needs the "extra" key in the middle row, taking space from enter. So on the Leopold 87 key the * ' key will be missing?)

It depends how you want to map the keys, but there is the same amount of keys in the enter area on both layouts, the extra key on ISO is the one beside the left shift. Ansi uses a longer shift. You could remap <>| to other keys if you want to.

it doesn't differ so much between a Filco from keyboardcompany, or a Leopold from Elitekeyboards

Did you consider shipping and customs for the Leopold?

I don't think WASD is planning on offering tenkeyless at any definite point in the future

Really? i was sure i read somewhere tenkeyless was on the way...

does anyone make a set of blanks for an ISO layout board?

Heh, it was linked two posts up

[emil.s]

Hello again!

I'm currently writing this on Blue Cherry MX switches, and these are definitely the right ones for me. (I have borrowed an QPAD MK-80 for some weeks).

But now it's time to order something for my self.

Right now it seems like the Filco Tenkeyless from The keyboard company is the best deal?
Or is ther anyting new on the market since the last few week?