Mechanical for Mac

[varslot]

Hi!

Working as a graphic designer with a standard Apple keyboard at the moment, and it's not a satisfying affair...

What are my options? I know of the Das Model S, but the design doesn't appeal to me (no offence!).

As much as I enjoy TKL, I actually use the numpad for work, so TKL is not an option. It's also worthy to mention that I'm working in Norway, so a Norwegian/Nordic layout would be nice.

I appreciate any suggestions, and sorry if I'm missing out on something really obvious.

[HendyZone]

All mechanical keyboard works perfectly for Mac, I'm mac user too

maybe you can use remapping software for option and etc

[vivalarevolución]

Matias has been making mechanicals keyboards specifically for Macs for years.  They have plenty of options.

http://matias.ca/products/

I have a lightly used Matias that I would attempt to sell you, but it's a tenkeyless model, which is not what you are looking for.

[varslot]

All mechanical keyboard works perfectly for Mac, I'm mac user too

maybe you can use remapping software for option and etc

Wow, really? Now I feel kinda stupid. So I can choose from all of the existing keyboards out there, and just replace the cmd key? That's just... I feel so happy right now.

I guess I should change the topic of this thread to be about Apple keycaps replacements then.

Thanks!

[quickcrx702]

Matias has been making mechanicals keyboards specifically for Macs for years.  They have plenty of options.

http://matias.ca/products/

I have a lightly used Matias that I would attempt to sell you, but it's a tenkeyless model, which is not what you are looking for.

+1
I highly recommend that you get a Matias board.  I use my laptop pro on a Linux box so the keymapping is slightly off, but it is an excellent keyboard so it doesn't bug me.  If you have a Mac, which these keyboards are designed for, then it's a no brainer in my opinion.

[HendyZone]

All mechanical keyboard works perfectly for Mac, I'm mac user too

maybe you can use remapping software for option and etc

Wow, really? Now I feel kinda stupid. So I can choose from all of the existing keyboards out there, and just replace the cmd key? That's just... I feel so happy right now.

I guess I should change the topic of this thread to be about Apple keycaps replacements then.

Thanks!

Yeah if you feel weird with windows logo, you can change the keycap with command symbol

http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/index.php/products/keycap-mod-packs/os-cherry-mx-keycaps-set-of-2.html

[vivalarevolución]

And you might already know this, but the Mac OS allows you to change the location of your modifier keys, so you can change Alt to Command and so on to make the layout identical to a Mac.

[joneslee85]

I think the best would be the Ducky Premiere DK9008P, it comes with DIP switches that allow you to swap the position of Win key and Alt key

[varslot]

Matias has been making mechanicals keyboards specifically for Macs for years.  They have plenty of options.

http://matias.ca/products/

I have a lightly used Matias that I would attempt to sell you, but it's a tenkeyless model, which is not what you are looking for.

Thanks for the suggestion, but I didn't fall in love with the frame design. I like the frame to be more... Symmetrical, I guess.

All mechanical keyboard works perfectly for Mac, I'm mac user too

maybe you can use remapping software for option and etc

Wow, really? Now I feel kinda stupid. So I can choose from all of the existing keyboards out there, and just replace the cmd key? That's just... I feel so happy right now.

I guess I should change the topic of this thread to be about Apple keycaps replacements then.

Thanks!

Yeah if you feel weird with windows logo, you can change the keycap with command symbol

http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/index.php/products/keycap-mod-packs/os-cherry-mx-keycaps-set-of-2.html

Thanks, that's quite handy!

I think the best would be the Ducky Premiere DK9008P, it comes with DIP switches that allow you to swap the position of Win key and Alt key

Yeah, that's true. Good suggestion! I guess I'll have to look around for while to find something that satisfies my needs. Thanks guys!

[tooki]

All mechanical keyboard works perfectly for Mac, I'm mac user too

I disagree. Two things make many mechanical boards Mac-unfriendly:

• Uneven-size modifier keys. On Macs, Command and Option (and Shift, but it's unproblematic) are the primary modifiers, Control is secondary. On Mac-friendly keyboards, Control, Win and Alt keys are all the same size, usually 1.25. This means you can remap and still have Command and Option be the same size. Some mechanical keyboards, even ones made for Mac, like the Matias, inexplicably make the Control key bigger and the Win key smaller. On a Mac, that means the least-important modifier is a big key and the most important ones are smaller.
• Many compact mechanical boards use a Fn key to provide extra functions, like media control, as an extra layer. This key is often in place of the right Win key, which is needed on the Mac to become the right Option key. (And note that because these Fn keys are hardware-level -- they are not sent as keycodes to the computer -- they do not work for Mac commands that use the "real" Fn key, in particular triggering dictation.

maybe you can use remapping software for option and etc

Not strictly necessary, Mac OS X can do that out of the box. But I use KeyRemap4MacBook to map media playback to F-keys.

[tooki]

Also, for what it's worth, WASD keyboards makes nice Mac keycap sets. They have one little error, though: they retain the "insert" label for the key above forward-delete. On a Mac, that's actually the "help" key.

[joneslee85]

Another suggestion for you is to buy Korean keyboard like 38GT or 356CL or something that could be programmable. Even some board that has no Win key is perfect to be tuned for Mac layout too, you can make Caplock the Ctrl, your Ctrl be Alt and Alt will be Apple key.

[1pq]

I'd hate to have alt in the place of control, though...

[Belfong]

Matias may not have symmetrical shape but it has 3 USB ports on the keyboard - useful to charge the iPhone, iPad and iPod. That's the reason they designed that shape - to allow all these devices while not getting in the way. Also in August, they are releasing an ergonomics keyboard, available for pre order now. You might want to take a look too.

[vivalarevolución]

• Uneven-size modifier keys. On Macs, Command and Option (and Shift, but it's unproblematic) are the primary modifiers, Control is secondary. On Mac-friendly keyboards, Control, Win and Alt keys are all the same size, usually 1.25. This means you can remap and still have Command and Option be the same size. Some mechanical keyboards, even ones made for Mac, like the Matias, inexplicably make the Control key bigger and the Win key smaller. On a Mac, that means the least-important modifier is a big key and the most important ones are smaller.
• Many compact mechanical boards use a Fn key to provide extra functions, like media control, as an extra layer. This key is often in place of the right Win key, which is needed on the Mac to become the right Option key. (And note that because these Fn keys are hardware-level -- they are not sent as keycodes to the computer -- they do not work for Mac commands that use the "real" Fn key, in particular triggering dictation.
  

Regarding your number one, I imagine a lot of Mac keyboards have different size modifiers becuase tha was the way it was done on older Mac keyboards.  Personally, I prefer the different sizes because I can identify the modifiers without looking. [/list]

[SonOfSonOfSpock]

All of Apple's current keyboards have uneven sized modifiers. It's not a big difference though. I find the biggest difference is that Apple puts command closer to the middle than PC keyboards so you can more easily hit it with your thumb. Matias does the same thing. Not many others do this that have anything approaching a standard layout.

[varslot]

@tooki
I don't really mind if the sizes are non standard mac layout. All I want is a nice looking keyboard that functions well with mac. But thanks for the heads up!

@joneslee85
That sounds really frustrating, haha. No offence!

@Belfong
I have enough USBs on my Apple monitor, so I don't need any on my keyboard.

@SonOfSonOfSpock
I totally agree with you here, even though I probably will never find a keyboard I want with a cmd closer to the middle.

[varslot]

http://www.keyboardco.com/keyboard/usa-topre-realforce-87uw-variable-mini-black-on-beige-keyboard.asp

How do you guys think this badboy will work on my Mac? I'm thinking of buy an external numpad as I love TKL too much. The ctrl and cmd cap are bigger, just like the Apple keyboard.

Is there any catch to this?

I'm also very curious to be a owner of a topre... 

[1pq]

Yes, it will work fine with a mac. You'll want to swap the modifiers in system preferences, though.

[tooki]

Regarding your number one, I imagine a lot of Mac keyboards have different size modifiers becuase tha was the way it was done on older Mac keyboards.

Not exactly. The small middle modifier seems to me to be far more common on PC keyboards than Mac ones. And on Apple keyboards old and new, the differences in size are much, much smaller. (I looked at a current Apple wireless as well as a 1987 Apple Extended Keyboard.)

I just hate having a tiny option key, which I use all the time, and a giant control key, which I seldom need. Especially on a Mac keyboard it seems senseless to give such prominence to the least-used modifier...