Quiet TKL mechanical keyboard

[afton]

Is there such thing yet?

atm using Majestouch TKL brown switch but still too noisy for my liking.

[riotonthebay]

The switches themselves will be very quiet. Do you bottom out frequently? If so, something like soft landing pads from EK will help a lot with the sound, but also change the feel of the keys a bit.

[Linkbane]

As above. If you want to make your typing more silent, you need to learn how to type without bottoming out much. Other than clicky switches, all MX switches are inherently nearly soundless unless you slam it against the backplate.

[jabar]

Topre is much quieter than MX.

I have a G80 with Browns at work and it is easily the loudest noise source in the office.

[riotonthebay]

As above. If you want to make your typing more silent, you need to learn how to type without bottoming out much. Other than clicky switches, all MX switches are inherently nearly soundless unless you slam it against the backplate.

This has the added benefit of being better for your hands in the long run and allowing you to type faster.

[Linkbane]

Topre is much quieter than MX.

I have a G80 with Browns at work and it is easily the loudest noise source in the office.

If a non-click switch keyboard is loud, it's not actually loud, that's you doing the typing. I guarantee that if I typed like an angry gorilla on a Thorpe it would be much louder than my normal typing on Blues.

As above. If you want to make your typing more silent, you need to learn how to type without bottoming out much. Other than clicky switches, all MX switches are inherently nearly soundless unless you slam it against the backplate.

This has the added benefit of being better for your hands in the long run and allowing you to type faster.

Note that on Topre keyboards, on the other hand, not bottoming out is pretty much impossible given that it's a rubber dome, only modified by the spring.

[daerid]

I will say that every Topre board I've owned has been much, much quieter than any MX board I've ever owned.

As for quietest MX switch, I have to give that to the clears. Put some O-rings on there and they'd be even quieter. Lighter springs tend to make for louder keys, so keep that in mind if you want to do an Ergo-Clears mod.

[Linkbane]

I will say that every Topre board I've owned has been much, much quieter than any MX board I've ever owned.

As for quietest MX switch, I have to give that to the clears. Put some O-rings on there and they'd be even quieter. Lighter springs tend to make for louder keys, so keep that in mind if you want to do an Ergo-Clears mod.

Again, it's the typist, not the board. A keyboard doesn't make any noise by itself. Also, linear switches are quieter by design than tactile or clicky, again unless you bottom out hard.

[jabar]

let's put it into perspective, then: MOST people will type louder on a MX switch board than a RD or chiclet keyboard. It is highly dependent on typing style, but from my experience here those who tiptoe around the keyboard are in the minority.

quiet typing is a massive caveat for MX that requires changes to one's typing style. One way to alleviate it, other than silly o-ring or landing pad mods is to get a Topre board.

[tbc]

unsilenced realforce is noticably quieter than my minila brown and i DO know how to not bottom out.

[terrpn]

mechanical keyboards are "mechanical"......... parts moving, noise, sound of some sort

my linear switch boards can be louder because of bottoming out if you do not learn to hold back

if you want a quiet board than get a "rubber" dome

everyone one of my mechanical boards..........name the switch is noisy to an extent and music to my ears- go big or go home

it's like cars, the faster you want to go the more sound your going to get

[Linkbane]

let's put it into perspective, then: MOST people will type louder on a MX switch board than a RD or chiclet keyboard. It is highly dependent on typing style, but from my experience here those who tiptoe around the keyboard are in the minority.

quiet typing is a massive caveat for MX that requires changes to one's typing style. One way to alleviate it, other than silly o-ring or landing pad mods is to get a Topre board.

That's relative. You who bash your keys call it tiptoeing, while to me it's being much more efficient (hence my much higher typing speed), while you attack your board. I don't personally care because it's not my own things and it doesn't do anything for me how you type. Quiet typing is the expected, that's honestly the entire point of getting a mechanical for typing. If you want to type well on them, you have to learn not to bottom out, or you'll be the same or slower than on a RD, simple as that.

[tbc]

everything he said is true once you ignore the condescending bits.  the extremely vast majority of people bottom out (that is how most keyboards work).

but i really don't understand why you would bother using mx switches if you bottom out anyways.  the primary advantage of mx is the fact that you can reduce noise AND the impact to your fingers caused by bottoming.  at that point, you might as well go back to rubber.

which brings up the question: is the fact that most mech keyboard users bottom out the reason why so many people prefer topre? 

[rowdy]

Topre?

Matias??

[IvanIvanovich]

Get thick Cherry profile keys... they might not necessarily make keyboard quieter but they do lower the pitch and make entirely different clack thock when bottom out. Learn to stop at 2.5-3mm of travel when typing. Stiffer switch may be harder to bottom out, reducing noise there... but they top out much louder! The typist is the one making noise, though certain combinations of things surely won't help at all.
Just give up and get one of these then...

[jabar]

That's relative. You who bash your keys call it tiptoeing, while to me it's being much more efficient (hence my much higher typing speed), while you attack your board. I don't personally care because it's not my own things and it doesn't do anything for me how you type. Quiet typing is the expected, that's honestly the entire point of getting a mechanical for typing. If you want to type well on them, you have to learn not to bottom out, or you'll be the same or slower than on a RD, simple as that.

Quiet typing is not the entire point of mechanical keyboards. Long life of switches, higher quality deliverables like NRKO are. The expectation is not that other mech users must type like you do. While it makes it possible to type without bottoming out, those that do so are in the minority.

it is more efficient in terms of travel time, RSD alleviation and speed, but it is not what most do.

[Linkbane]

That's relative. You who bash your keys call it tiptoeing, while to me it's being much more efficient (hence my much higher typing speed), while you attack your board. I don't personally care because it's not my own things and it doesn't do anything for me how you type. Quiet typing is the expected, that's honestly the entire point of getting a mechanical for typing. If you want to type well on them, you have to learn not to bottom out, or you'll be the same or slower than on a RD, simple as that.

Quiet typing is not the entire point of mechanical keyboards. Long life of switches, higher quality deliverables like NRKO are. The expectation is not that other mech users must type like you do. While it makes it possible to type without bottoming out, those that do so are in the minority.

it is more efficient in terms of travel time, RSD alleviation and speed, but it is not what most do.

Because they're not efficient typists, obviously. I grant you that if you type 30 wpm, it really doesn't matter how you type, but if you type at 100 you probably have learned to stop bottoming out. Also you could stop your pretentiousness, as it has nothing to do with what I do. All you're doing is making an ad hominem attack which clearly shows your ability to communicate logically.

What's NRKO? What's RSD, for that matter? Do you perhaps mean NKRO (present in the minority of keyboards, and not because they're mechanical, as Razer and other companies have evidenced), and RSI, an injury which I suffer from due to repetitive stress?

[daerid]

Again, it's the typist, not the board. A keyboard doesn't make any noise by itself. Also, linear switches are quieter by design than tactile or clicky, again unless you bottom out hard.

Even when typing super slowly and making sure not to bottom out, the Topre was quieter than MX Reds (yes I compared them side by side). If I still had either my Topres or my MX red boards I would make a video, but I sold them a while ago.

[tbc]

the RF thock is just lower sound than anything from the cherry side (thin caps).  at the same 'decibel level', the RF will be quieter and easier to block out.  that's just the nature of human hearing.

[daerid]

... the primary advantage of mx is the fact that you can reduce noise AND the impact to your fingers caused by bottoming.  at that point, you might as well go back to rubber.

I disagree. Regardless of whether you bottom out or not, I believe that most people find that the action of a Cherry MX switch is much more pleasant than a rubber dome.

which brings up the question: is the fact that most mech keyboard users bottom out the reason why so many people prefer topre? 

I don't think so. I'm fairly sure bottoming out or not has fairly little to do with it. A Topre switch feels very unique, and not like a Cherry switch at all. Quite a few people find that Topre switches are more pleasant to type on, couple with the fact that bottoming out on a Topre is quite pleasant as well.

[demik]

I don't think so. I'm fairly sure bottoming out or not has fairly little to do with it. A Topre switch feels very unique, and not like a Cherry switch at all. Quite a few people find that Topre switches are more pleasant to type on, couple with the fact that bottoming out on a Topre is quite pleasant as well.

yup, while i still enjoy blues/greens (but mostly for the click), topre is my favorite to type on.

[Polymer]

Because they're not efficient typists, obviously. I grant you that if you type 30 wpm, it really doesn't matter how you type, but if you type at 100 you probably have learned to stop bottoming out. Also you could stop your pretentiousness, as it has nothing to do with what I do. All you're doing is making an ad hominem attack which clearly shows your ability to communicate logically.

You keep spouting this but you have proven to be wrong.  See Wrona and any other fast typist...with speed people bottom out..you bottom out..your video of you typing w/ blues is far noisier than anyone typing on Topre because they just don't make that much noise..Even if you slam Topre, it is much more of a THUD than a CLACK. 

The point of Cherry MX switches is not so you don't have to bottom out but it is one of its advantages.. You can of course, type without bottoming out.  In an ideal comfortable situation you are barely or lightly bottoming out...but for pure speed everyone bottoms out...In fact you are the only one on here claiming you need to NOT bottom out for speed..and yet your video shows you do bottom out quite a bit...

The advantage of not bottoming out is not speed (I'm very certain most people on here lose speed when not bottoming out and they've said as much) but it is better for your fingers in that you're not getting a jolt when you hit the bottom of the switch.  O-rings, landing pads, etc, can also help in this aspect. 

You keep claiming your speed has to do with not bottoming out but it doesn't..you type fast because you practice everyday for speed and you're using a non QWERTY layout.  I congratulate you on your effort to type faster but it has nothing to do with not bottoming out (you still bottom out a lot more than you think).  Again, pretty sure you're the only one on here I've actually seen say they type faster when trying to not bottom out..everyone else will at least admit they bottom out a lot more when typing for speed...I could be wrong but not one person has backed your claim and I've challenged it several times..There isn't one video of someone typing with really high speed and not bottoming out (as in less than 5% of the time). 

[Burz]

Is there such thing yet?

atm using Majestouch TKL brown switch but still too noisy for my liking.

If you're not wedded to geeking-out on custom key caps then look into the Matias Mini Quiet Pro. They even have a direct sound comparison on their website.

OTOH, if you don't mind scissor switch keyboards then a ThinkPad USB keyboard has one of the best 'feels' in its class and is quieter than a Quiet Pro (and at $65, about half the price).

[jabar]

Because they're not efficient typists, obviously. I grant you that if you type 30 wpm, it really doesn't matter how you type, but if you type at 100 you probably have learned to stop bottoming out. Also you could stop your pretentiousness, as it has nothing to do with what I do. All you're doing is making an ad hominem attack which clearly shows your ability to communicate logically.

What's NRKO? What's RSD, for that matter? Do you perhaps mean NKRO (present in the minority of keyboards, and not because they're mechanical, as Razer and other companies have evidenced), and RSI, an injury which I suffer from due to repetitive stress?

Yes, please nitpick my typos because god forbid keyboards are serious business around here. And I don't see any ad hominem attacks in any of my previous posts. Here's one for you: grow up.

[rowdy]

Because they're not efficient typists, obviously. I grant you that if you type 30 wpm, it really doesn't matter how you type, but if you type at 100 you probably have learned to stop bottoming out. Also you could stop your pretentiousness, as it has nothing to do with what I do. All you're doing is making an ad hominem attack which clearly shows your ability to communicate logically.

What's NRKO? What's RSD, for that matter? Do you perhaps mean NKRO (present in the minority of keyboards, and not because they're mechanical, as Razer and other companies have evidenced), and RSI, an injury which I suffer from due to repetitive stress?

Yes, please nitpick my typos because god forbid keyboards are serious business around here. And I don't see any ad hominem attacks in any of my previous posts. Here's one for you: grow up.

This is Geekhack.

Nitpicking typos is something that just happens around here.

Hence Thorpe

[Linkbane]

Because they're not efficient typists, obviously. I grant you that if you type 30 wpm, it really doesn't matter how you type, but if you type at 100 you probably have learned to stop bottoming out. Also you could stop your pretentiousness, as it has nothing to do with what I do. All you're doing is making an ad hominem attack which clearly shows your ability to communicate logically.

What's NRKO? What's RSD, for that matter? Do you perhaps mean NKRO (present in the minority of keyboards, and not because they're mechanical, as Razer and other companies have evidenced), and RSI, an injury which I suffer from due to repetitive stress?

Yes, please nitpick my typos because god forbid keyboards are serious business around here. And I don't see any ad hominem attacks in any of my previous posts. Here's one for you: grow up.

Sorry, I forgot to explain to you what ad hominem meant.