Unpopular Keyboard Opinions

[limitz]

Let's hear them.

I'll start off.

1. I hate 60% boards, and rarely use my Poker 2. The lack of arrow keys kills me, and I can never be productive or get serious work done on one.

2. I think HHKB boards are overrated, and the layout dumber than a Poker. I think custom MX, HHKB layout boards are just as stupid (Viper, Happy).

3. I think Topre is overrated, and lower quality than MX (despite the higher price) as the board tends to get stiffer over time.

[munch]

3 and 2 I mostly agree with... but the layout of HHKB is sort of personal preference. I personally don't like it.
60% boards + numpad is the way to go in regards to #1 IMO. then you get arrow keys + other keys for productivity, and numbers if you are into that.
and you can just put it away if you need the space more. but the main reason I guess is because I have my mouse + kb quite close to one another, and prefer space on the right side of the kb.
so it just feels nicer on the left side.

[Fragil1ty]

3 and 2 I mostly agree with... but the layout of HHKB is sort of personal preference. I personally don't like it.
60% boards + numpad is the way to go in regards to #1 IMO. then you get arrow keys + other keys for productivity, and numbers if you are into that.
and you can just put it away if you need the space more. but the main reason I guess is because I have my mouse + kb quite close to one another, and prefer space on the right side of the kb.
so it just feels nicer on the left side.

1. I cannot stand 60% boards either, I don't think they look attractive what so ever and although using a HHKB was an enjoyable experience, I couldn't ever use it as my daily driver.


2. I don't like TKL boards, I think they're too big, but I'm currently forcing myself to change because of bad past experiences with 75% boards.


3. I don't think the HHKB is over-rated per say, but I do think they're a bit overpriced.


4. I cannot stand blank keycaps, I think they are a waste of money and just do not look that appealing/attractive to me. (I'm currently using Leopold stealth keys, side printed keycaps essentially and I can only just tolerate using these).


5. I think a lot of these esc key replacements, the gas masks, the helmets and all that kind of stuff are just repulsive and why someone would want to put that on their keyboard in the first place is beyond me.

[jdcarpe]

Yes, the HHKB layout is definitely a personal preference. It's not for everyone. While I love the layout, some people can never get used to it.

But as to Topre getting stiffer over time, what evidence do you have of that happening? Have you used a Topre over a period of years and measured the force curve over a long time span?

[keymaster]

60% keyboards aren't practical, even with the programmable layers. I liken it to people who build their linux distros "from the ground up". They're just senselessly creating a rabbit hole of unnecessary work.

Artisan keycaps are just plastic at the end of the day -- people often forget that.

Any mixing of keycap sets or keycap material is blasphemous. Also, the keyboards with entire rows of artisan keycaps. Offenders should be taken out and shot.

Topre is not overrated. 55g feels delicious as ****, but they could get tiresome when using for hours on end.

[connorelsea]

Artisan keycaps are just plastic at the end of the day -- people often forget that.

And art is just chemicals on a canvas! 

[nubbinator]

• I think the ergodox layout is sub-optimal and made even worse when the keyboard is properly tented.
• I hate Model Ms.  I think they're overrated and mediocre feeling in comparison to MX, Alps, and Topre.  Model Fs are the only buckling spring boards worth using...and that includes the SSK being in play.
• Alps>MX>Mathias Alps.  Mathias Alps, while not bad, just do not feel anywhere as nice as Green, Blue, or Orange Alps.  Even Salmon and dampened Cream Alps are nicer.
• Orange Alps are as good as Topre and dramatically cheaper.  They're also easier to mod.
• I think SA profile is literally the worst key cap profile I have ever tried.  I'd rather use slick and shiny halfway worn through SP DCS caps than an SA set.
• I think 40% keyboards are silly and a gimmick that creates more work to use than it's worth.  I'd prefer to create a palm sized chorded keyboard and learn how to chord keys than use a 40%.
• 75% keyboards provide an interesting middle ground between 60%, TKL, and fullsize, but I think every single one of them looks stupid and all have weird layouts.
• Every keyboard should have a winkey.
• Full sized keyboards should all be made with the num pad arrow keys, and so on on the left hand side.
• Plate mounted Topre boards like Realforce and the FC660C are horrible feeling and you might as well just buy a rubber dome keyboard like a Dell Quietkey or DT-35 and mount it to a metal plate with a layer of insulation between the plate and the PCB.
• I hate blank key caps.  They're like spinners on cars to me.

I had some more, but they're less about keyboards and more about how people treat keyboards and caps.  And this is unpopular opinions, so I expect a fair amount of disagreement.

[Puddsy]

I hate the HHKB

[appleonama]

1. Just about every keycap set designed on pimpmykeyboard is ugly. When I see pictures of these keycaps on someones keyboards looks even worse.

2. SA keyset is horrible to type on and looks horrible.

3. I think model M and any other so called "vintage" keyboard is stupid.

4. If you think 60% keyboards are not practical well 40% are even worse. They seem like a major handicap.

5. I hate gamer looking or branded keyboards (razer, corsair, logitech, ect.)

[yasuo]

traditional qwerty sgg

[cheesedgrate]

Not a huge fan of the Vader Clack.

[connorelsea]

3D printed caps look bad. Topre switches are glorified rubber domes. The Poker 2 is really ugly.

[calvinhousecat]

Filco and Das are stupidly overpriced.

[Oobly]

Wow, what a hatefest. Let's join in. 

HHKB layout - not for me, I couldn't get used that arrow layout.
Topre - also not for me, I don't like the feeling and I don't like that I can't change the feeling through mods. I think all Topre boards are overpriced. From a production perspective, MX boards require more work since the switches and diodes need to be soldered. So the extra cost is not justified, IMHO.
Model M - okay, but just okay, F is better. 2KRO is a bit of a deal breaker - membranes, yuck. Personally still prefer MX ErgoClears, though.
75% boards - why bother, you have to get used to a really funky layout and it's impossible to find replacement keycap sets. Still have to move your hand to reach F keys and arrows, may as well stick with TKL.

On the other hand:

60% boards - love them, especially when they are fully programmable like the GON NerD60 or have a really well designed Fn layer like the original Pure. Poker II style programmability is acceptable if you don't mind about the Fn and Pn key placement. Not having to move your hands so much to access F keys, arrows, edits, etc can be a boon to productivity if the Fn layer suits you and you take a little time to get used to it.
SA profile - love it, currently my favourite with Cherry coming 2nd.
Gaming boards - I'm allergic to the "gamer" marketing speak and overhype, but I'd consider a "gamer" board if it had all the features I wanted at a decent price and was made by a company with a good track record for reliability and support.
Smooth keycaps - I don't mind them, but it's nicer if I've worn them down myself. Gives a board some character, I like to see well-used products.

[tribade]

Gaming-branded keyboards are terrible.  Poker 2 looks terrible and I don't like the layout (I do like the HHKB layout though...I don't know I guess I'm weird).  Ducky/Das/Max keyboards are all ugly as sin.  As are Datamancer keyboards.  Model Ms are great keyboards, but they're ugly, and that includes SSKs and industrial versions of both.  75% boards are the worst form factor I've ever seen.

[neun_sechs_zwei]

Why don't more keyboard nerds use Kinesises?

Looking forward to my first 60%. I use arrow keys often enough, especially highlighting text with modifier keys in regular use, that I wonder what I'll do. Probably try WASD on left hand.

Or use the mouse I guess. (double-click + drag to select words is awfully fast)

There are also ctrl-A,E,T,N,P and other ways of moving around.

And editors that don't use arrow keys. (But dammit if you can't get a mouse working with them in this day and age...)

Is that all unpopular enough? ha.

[Grim Fandango]

1. I think that Cherry MX switches are much too loud to be of any real use to me, and am surprised so few other people feel like this (if I can't use it at work or in the living room, there is no point in having them).

2. I do not like the look of keyboards with many colors and many artisan keycaps.

3. I do not like the layout of the HHKB or practically any <80% keyboard. I think they look great but am not interested in using them (bought one for the looks but was frustrated with it)

4. Numpad layers on tenkeyless are underrated and are something I consider an essential feature that is often ignored. If you get used to it, it as as effective as having a numpad, yet people call it useless all the time.

5. I do not get how anyone can like blank keycaps. I am extremely comfortable typing anything without legends. However, take my fingers of the home-row and I have no clue. Which means that typing while eating a sandwich for example, is a hassle. I figure that if that goes for me, there is a good chance that this is true for others regardless of them being able to touch type any symbol or number on the keyboard.

6. I love the feel of Topre and easily prefer them over any Cherry MX even if they are overpriced. Rubber-dome is like a bad word, but personally I do not care as much (or at all) about the exact mechanic as I care about how it feels.

7. I like the feel of smooth shiny ABS better than PBT

8. I do not see the point of white or beige ABS cases as they will look like crap (discoloration) in just a few years.

[tbc]

1. abs keys aren't worth buying

2. hhkb layout is beyond stupid retarded.  especially the ctrl key that should actually be a backspace

[neun_sechs_zwei]

I also think Poker looks terrible... if you're gonna put arrow keys in a 60% board what's the point?  (edit... er, whatever, the other one with the arrow keys)

Along the same lines... ctrl-alt-win/win-alt-pc-ctrl is a waste of space. Bottom row filled out with 1.25X keys is ugly.

[AuRinBei]

Topre is overrated as hell, especially on GH. The main issue is that they are so freaking inconsistent. Two supposedly identical boards can feel totally different, and even switches on the same board can feel totally different. I have a 40g switch on my 55g board. What the **** is that ****? This thing cost over $200, and you can't get the tolerance below +/- 15g? I've had 3 Topre boards, and all have had this problem. Also, despite the superior plunger design, the keycap stems aren't as uniform as in most MX keycaps. This leads to some keys sounding different on the upstroke. Topre keyboards still sexy as hell though.

Browns are the worst switch. They are just awful. I guess that opinion is not that unpopular around here though.

I don't get how a 45-50g actuation force became the standard weight that everyone wants. I can't not bottom out on anything that light. I wish they made a 75g Topre.

ABS is totally worthless outside of novelty keycaps. I don't get how anyone can try PBT or POM and then stand going back to ABS. I'm not interested in 99% of group buys because they're all ABS.

DSA profile is the ugliest thing I have ever seen in my life. Not keycap profile, thing.

Mechanical keyboards aren't that much more durable than rubber domes. Every rubber dome I have has seen more use than any of my mechanical keyboards, and they all work fine. In fact, most rubber dome keyboards have better keycaps than most stock mechanical keyboards.

Scissor switches are great. I prefer them for gaming to anything other than MX Blacks. They are more tactile than Browns. I prefer laptop "chiclet" style keyboards to any other non-mechanical.

Brobots are 10x cooler than Clacks.

I will not put a set of keycaps on my keyboard if the "capslock" key says capslock. That isn't where capslock goes, that's where control goes, and anything that says different is a lie. Vague symbols are acceptable.

Windows keys are borderline essential to if you use windows. I have never hit it while playing games either, probably because my pinky has no reason to be down there because that's not where control is.

Fullsize keyboards are useless. Get a numpad and put it on the left. No functionality is lost, and you can now operate arrow keys and number keys at the same time easily.

Every keyboard should have a function key on the left hand bottom row that turns WASD into arrow keys. The bottom row should be windows, function, alt. Caps should be fn+ctrl.

The FC660C looks baller as hell. One of the best looking keyboards I've ever seen.

[ajx]

I dont think 60% keyboards arent pratical, its a matter of use, for someone who heavily coding or making some works under excel or such software, yes i can call it unpractical
Form my use, i find them perfect if manufacturer implemented logical and accessible dedicated arrows
The winners are Pure Pro, Pure,  FC660C, Minila, each one of them has some downsides especially for the layout (most of them has non standard layout)
Poker II is really popular despite of lacking logical dedicated arrows but people focus more on its standard layout/overall build though
Plus being fully programmable can help into their success
But its came in last in my own preference:
- 60% is sort of compromise between accessibility and compactness, Sacrificing either numpad or F-keys could be acceptable for some people, but going over all these limitations, nah i can't
Lets me take an example, i get used to type on my Pure, of course, always enabling fn key for numbers keys or F-keys would irritate me a bit, but i can access arrows keys through fn+spacebar which enable for good these arrows keys (fn+space again=disabled)
Its a sort of compromise for me
Minila, FC660C, Pure Pro owners don't even need to pay attention into it, they have directly arrows keys like any TKL
To sum up, a good 60% keyboard certainly needs to have logical and accessible arrows keys which isnt the case of Poker II
My dreamed 60% would be a mix of Poker II build and Pure/Pure Pro arrows keys (not really fan of Pure Pro layout but it has arrows keys)

[Oobly]

I forgot to mention:

Standard QWERTY layout keyboards in general - horizontal stagger design is to allow levers to reach the hammer mechanism. QWERTY character layout is to prevent neighbouring keys being pressed too rapidly in succession and jamming the gravity returned hammers.... Oh wait.. WE DON'T HAVE THESE THINGS ANY MORE. Yet the design has persisted, due to being familiar. It's not logical, it's not comfortable or ergonomic, it's not even symmetrical or aesthetic. The ONLY reason to use it is familiarity. When the only reason you still do something a certain way is tradition, it's time to make a change, based on more current requirements.

[jevvix]

1. MX Brown/clear switches are worse than linear switches, and that's saying a lot because...
2. Linear switches are an unpleasant experience and they shouldn't exist.
3. Topre is overpriced and over hyped.
4. ABS as a keycap material is fine, even more so if they're doubleshot.
5. Full sized keyboards are the best.
6. "They don't make them like they used to." The standard build quality on vintage keyboards is better than 95% of the crap being mass produced today.
7. I'd rather have a CMStorm QFR than your $800 Korean TLK 'custom' riced-out kawaii whatever.

Bring on the hate

[fohat.digs]

1. Dedicated arrow keys are essential.
2. Numpad is essential.
3. Mouse/keyboard problems exist because of the mouse.

[heedpantsnow]

SA sucks. I freaking hate it.
People say the following:
"It's the retro bomb!", "It's the future of profiles" pick one, you can't have both
"It looks awesome"...except on 40% or 60% boards or even larger boards with low profile cases.  That's a lot of keyboards.
"It's ergonomically superior"...except for all of the people who type slower on it, experience more finger fatigue, or just generally find typing on it annoying and unpleasant. Also theories abound on it actually being intended for angled beam springs and not even for the 0 degree mounted MX switches we are putting them on.
"This GB will be SA"...just like the last 10.  Oh yay my favorite 5 words.

[skuko]

yeah i don't like SA either.

i tried the filco sphericals and had to remove them, because i started having wrist pains due to the unnatural angle, because the caps are too damn high

a wrist rest partially alleviates this, but it's just additional clutter on the table i don't really need, so i'll stick to my cherry profile thick PBT caps without the need of a wristrest.

[Photekq]

Cherry G80s are amazing to type on

Flex due to no plate or a bendy plate isn't always a bad thing

Dedicated arrow keys are absolutely necessary

[Roibhilin]

- people often forget that.

coffee is just bean water. tea is just leaf water

[jdcarpe]

1. DSA is terrible. I hate using it, and won't buy from any group buys with DSA profile.

2. SA profile (sculptured, not uniform) is fun! They are my second favorite, after Cherry Corp or GMK thick ABS.

3. PBT is all hype. I prefer thick ABS by a wide margin. I can use PBT, of course, but I prefer thick ABS. Much, much prefer double shot ABS over dyesub PBT.

4. ErgoClears are just okay, but stock clears are better.

[ynrozturk]

Where to begin..

1. I hate the HHKB. Way too over priced and over hyped.
2. A board decorated with artisan caps just looks terrible and ugly.
3. Artisan caps in general. Clacks just look ugly.
4. Realforce keyboards look terrible, every single one of them.
5. People going crazy for switch stickers. Doesn't even make a noticeable difference.
6. I can't stand full sized keyboards.
7. 40% boards are just a stupid impractical phase that will pass soon.
8. I hate the Miami look.
9. People who put a bunch of random color caps on their boards.

[berserkfan]

OK, I'll just rehash the same things I have been saying on this site:

1) Matrix keyboards are fun
2) 1x spacebars are the most space efficient and user friendly
3) relegendables are vital for people who want to try different layouts
4) we need Matrix layout Model Fs
5) Topre is overpriced
6) linear switches are terrible
7) brobots, clacks, gummyrots and whatever weird artisan keycaps are worthless because they bring no utility and interfere with switch actuation
expensive Korean customs have no intrinsic superiority to unfashionable keyboard manufacturers
9) that winkeyless layout with 7x spacebar is inferior to a modern layout with win keys and other keys (remember, it is very easy to use autohotkey to map your winkeys to do something else, so why not, that's exactly what I do!)

[FoxWolf1]

1. The number pad is a good thing, and nice to have as part of the keyboard rather than a standalone unit.
2. Likewise, the full size layout is actually quite nice.
3. Someone should remake some version of the old Key Track trackball keyboard layout: full size with trackball in place of the arrow keys, arrow keys like laptop mouse buttons built into the trackball surround, real mouse buttons at the bottom.
4. Switch covers for enhanced protection against liquids and debris are an awesome feature and should be used more often, especially on really expensive keyboards. The idea of spending hundreds of dollars on a custom keyboard might seem slightly less insane to me if I knew it wouldn't die in the event of an accident with some coffee. 
5. There is such a thing as "too minimal" in case design.
6. If I were, for some reason, going to buy a backlit keyboard, it wouldn't be a Ducky.
7. If I I were going to buy another non-backlit keyboard, it still wouldn't be a Ducky.
8. Artisan keycaps: what is the point? They do not make anything better-looking, better to type on, or better to game with.
9. In general, the appearance of a keyboard isn't that important. Font, in particular, is not worth obsessing over.
10. As enthusiasts, we should be excited about improvements in performance, even if there's no particularly pressing need for the improvement, and even if the improvement is small. After all, getting one extra point in a game, one time, during your entire lifespan, is still better than not getting it...

[CPTBadAss]

1) I don't like Topre switches. I'll never own a Topre board other than one to tour.
2) I don't like DSA sets and I'll never buy a set.
3) I think most artisan caps look like **** but no one wants to be honest and tell the makers to continue improving their designs/processes. People want exclusive **** and are willing to kiss ass to get it.
4) I think PBT is way way way overhyped and if I could get away from using it, I would.
5) I think printed keycaps look better than blank ones.
6) I always prefer my boards to have the winkey.
7) I think everyone who is into mechanical keyboards should learn how to touch type. It's like being a car enthusiast who can't drive a stick shift. How can you full appreciate the hobby when something so fundamental is missing.
8 ) Looking at yet another beige/grey set makes my eyes sad. I'm tired of lame color schemes. It's not retro or classic or even nostalgic looking, it's bland and boring.

[yasuo]

1) I don't like Topre switches. I'll never own a Topre board other than one to tour.

novatouch the only?

OK, I'll just rehash the same things I have been saying on this site:

1) Matrix keyboards are fun
2) 1x spacebars are the most space efficient and user friendly
3) relegendables are vital for people who want to try different layouts
4) we need Matrix layout Model Fs
5) Topre is overpriced
6) linear switches are terrible
7) brobots, clacks, gummyrots and whatever weird artisan keycaps are worthless because they bring no utility and interfere with switch actuation
expensive Korean customs have no intrinsic superiority to unfashionable keyboard manufacturers
9) that winkeyless layout with 7x spacebar is inferior to a modern layout with win keys and other keys (remember, it is very easy to use autohotkey to map your winkeys to do something else, so why not, that's exactly what I do!)

matrix are really nice? how you type on it? your hand straight  i prefer sym sgg for non split
ive seen davkol type on pos kibord looks no prob but someone type on typematrix looks odd

[CPTBadAss]

1) I don't like Topre switches. I'll never own a Topre board other than one to tour.

novatouch the only?

I'm getting a Novatouch but I don't really consider that a personal keyboard. I'm merely holding onto it so that the community can try it out. Plus I didn't buy it for me or pay any money.

[ConscienceDrop]

a) Topre, and its acolyte followers are all disillusion. it feels like a rubber dome (it does make a nice sound i think this is 90% of the reason people like them)

b) full size boards are ugly and none effective

c) PBT caps are amazing and necessary if a keyboard comes with a none standard layout and does not supply PBT caps stock then it CANNOT be bought.

d) The HHKB has that ugly ass tramp stamp on it that totally ruins its design.

e) buckling spring feel and sound like ****. although the start of the key press is very nice the rest is garbage.

f) i don't personally really like artisan caps, but to each their own. however the artisan community seems to be made up 50%/50% really cool people and otherwise **** eating *******s.

g) keyboards are fun and i like them

h) i love all of you

[CPTBadAss]

g) keyboards are fun and i like them

h) i love all of you

       

[dante]

1. Keyboards with cables that run underneath in channels suck!  The cable always pops out for no good reason.  I'm not against this method as it helps protect the hub but I haven't seen a good application of the technique yet.

2. IBM M2 > IBM F AT > All other M's.  Sorry, but it's true.

3. 4mm travel distance is way too much - closer to 3.0-3.5 is perfect.

4. Folks who cry like little babby's about rubber domes "oh you type just for a couple days and then the keyboard is mushy!  it's trash - TRASH!" or "I tried a rubber dome and didn't like it - therefore ALL rubberdomes suck - or ALL rubberdomes have poor quality."  That's like me trying a single MX switch on an off brand and suddenly declaring all MX boards as crap.

5. POM plastic is the best plastic.  You are all crazy for thinking otherwise.

[hwood34]

I'm a conformist ok?

[jdcarpe]

Topre is a rubber dome. And those of us that use Topre understand that. There is nothing inherently wrong with rubber domes. Topre uses a capacitive PCB under the dome, with a spring to provide the inductive switching mechanism. That's how it works, and we understand it. It's far, far, far away from a $2 crap dome keyboard with membrane that comes bundled with a PC.

[keymaster]

3) I think most artisan caps look like **** but no one wants to be honest and tell the makers to continue improving their designs/processes. People want exclusive **** and are willing to kiss ass to get it.

some hardcore truth right there

[heedpantsnow]

Typing on MX reds is like typing on a cloud of b00bs. 

Typing on Topre is like typing on rubber b00bs.

All others are like typing on dead kittens.

POM keycaps get sweaty and start to feel gross.

Black PBT keycaps often look dark purple.

[hwood34]

3) I think most artisan caps look like **** but no one wants to be honest and tell the makers to continue improving their designs/processes. People want exclusive **** and are willing to kiss ass to get it.

I think at least with caps like BBs he got it to a point where there weren't any imperfections. That's the main thing I have against CC skulls. Not that I don't think that they're cool lookijg, I just think that he could update the molds every once and a while so there are those obvious imperfections. But I do understand that some cas makers are definitely going for a handmade, artisan feel.

[Schwarz]

I guess some of these opinions aren't that unpopular. Just less heard in the keyboard community...

1) HHKB is overpriced
2) Topre fanboys are getting way too excited about a keyboard that feels like a smoother rubberdome
(I will say I'm in the camp that loves the HHKB layout. It made me change the ctrl/caps lock keys on all my keyboards)

3) Rainbow colored keyboards look cheap and childish
4) Artisan caps, see #3

[hwood34]

3) Rainbow colored keyboards look cheap and childish

yeah, all those colors just kinda looks tacky to me, like no thought was put in to making a sleek or at least original set.

[Battou62]

1) I dislike the DSA profile, and OEM profile as well.
2) I don't understand "Artisan Key Caps", and will never have any on my board.
3) If it's not a Classic Beige, BoW, or Dolch color scheme, I probably don't like it.

[mogo]

g) keyboards are fun and i like them
h) i love all of you

[connorelsea]

)
3) Rainbow colored keyboards look cheap and childish
4) Artisan caps, see #3

It's weird to see a lot of people hate on the super popular artisan key caps in this thread. I always thought of collecting artisan caps in a similar way to having a few paintings on the walls of your house, but maybe I am wrong!

[Findecanor]

* DSA is ridiculous. It is literally like having OEM profile home row keys all over the board.
* Matrix layout is not ergonomic. At all.
* Alps' Black and Cream force curve with its high actuation point and drop is at fault for rubber domes getting popular.
* You have to mod Cherry MX to make them feel good, and that SUCKS.
* ErgoDox is overrated.
* Cherry MX Red are stupid.
* Buckling springs are overrated.
* Heavier keyboard does NOT make for a better typing experience.
* Plate-mounting Cherry MX does not make it better.
* Lower profile is better.
* Cherry stabilisers > Costar stabilisers.
* Most scissor switches that are not super-cheap have a higher feel of quality than Cherry MX or Alps, because they are more stabilised.
* Clacks look like the super-cheap toys you get in a cereal box or with cheap candy you buy at a shady place. You could just as well buy action figures or Lego minifigs and place them next to the keyboard - it is cheaper, they usually look much better and you could actually type on the keys if they have proper keycaps instead.

[yasuo]

how about this raibow? not childish i think