Author Topic: Vintage Rubber Dome Keyboards (Read 37432 times)

EscapeVelocity · « **Reply #100 on:** Thu, 02 July 2015, 17:00:21 »

While GeekHack was down these keyboards came in.

Focus FK-2001 with Complicated White Alps Made in China
Noppoo EC108 Pro 45g Topre
Apple AEK II Made in USA w/ White Alps

And I also got a Keycool Hero 104 RGB in White body with White Shinethrough Keycaps in Kailh Blacks coming

theryaner · « **Reply #101 on:** Fri, 03 July 2015, 03:44:28 »

Just got my olivetti keyboard! Will report on how it feels when I've had more time with it.

dante · « **Reply #102 on:** Fri, 03 July 2015, 15:17:56 »

Quote from: EscapeVelocity on Wed, 24 June 2015, 22:17:52

I highly recommend the Logitech UltraX, but hard to find in USB if that's an issue. (I have several available for sale cause I had to buy a case of them..LOL)

I had been looking for an Ultra X Premium, USB, and in Black for a while. I don't think they made many.

jerue · « **Reply #103 on:** Sun, 05 July 2015, 16:35:31 »

Picked up a Packard Bell 5131c when GH was down.

Imgur album here!

EscapeVelocity · « **Reply #104 on:** Sun, 05 July 2015, 21:38:29 »

Very cool jeure!

davkol · « **Reply #105 on:** Mon, 06 July 2015, 04:33:05 »

Yet another BTC rebrand? It's interesting that they still made them with Windows keys.

jerue · « **Reply #106 on:** Mon, 06 July 2015, 09:16:40 »

Quote from: davkol on Mon, 06 July 2015, 04:33:05

Yet another BTC rebrand? It's interesting that they still made them with Windows keys.

Yeah, I noticed the BTC branding on the keycaps. Windows keys are overrated...

EscapeVelocity · « **Reply #107 on:** Wed, 08 July 2015, 18:47:19 »

So Ive been trying out the Topre Clone 40g Noppoo EC108 Pro and it's definitely a good keyboard. I probably would like a bit more key press force in the spings.

Of the Rubber Domes I have on hand, the Noppoo Topre Clone 40g surpasses most on key feel. excepting the NMB RT6866W, which I prefer. The NMB RT6866W doesnt have a mushy bottom and springs back quickly. Feels very similar to the Noppoo, however it's much noisier than the Noppoo. Right behind the Noppoo I would rank the Logitech UltraX Premium, however the UltraX has shortened keystroke and flattish keys, which might be disliked by some, however the switch feel is fantastic. Next I would place the Dell QuietKey RT7D5JTW right behind the Noppoo as well, but with mushy bottom out...and the Dell KB-1421 which also has a mushy bottom out. Then the IBM 8923, which has mushy bottom outs and lacks in tactility combined with low force switches.

The Noppoo lacks tactility as well and is a light force switch. But the lack of mush at the bottom combined with the quick key return great. Definitely usable. The 55g version is probably the way to go. Ill probably be selling mine in the near future. It's just not that much "better" than some of these others, and I straight out prefer the NMB RT6866W (cept for noise) to the Noppoo 40g Topre Clone. The Dell QuietKey RT7D5JTW is right there as well (and it's quiet) but with a mushier bottom out.

EscapeVelocity · « **Reply #108 on:** Thu, 09 July 2015, 00:04:06 »

Here is a pic of my Noppoo EC108 Pro w 40g (45g) Topre Clones with MX Stems...below my Dell KB-1421. They have similar profiles, but the Noppoo is slightly heavier and has a detachable USB cable with bottom cable management...plus 4 extra media keys.

One minor aesthetic dislike about the Noppoo is the highly polished chrome/silver surface shining from between the keys, this might be helpful in use in a dark room with lights from the monitor only, though. Havent checked that out yet.

EscapeVelocity · « **Reply #109 on:** Thu, 09 July 2015, 00:45:27 »

One of the things I like about the Noppoo Torpre is that it is very stable key depress, it isnt wobbly. The IBM 8923 is bad with this. The NMB RT6866TW and Dell QuietKey RT7D5JTW also have very stable key depresses...as does the Logitech UltraX.

jerue · « **Reply #110 on:** Thu, 09 July 2015, 07:10:51 »

Quote from: EscapeVelocity on Thu, 09 July 2015, 00:45:27

One of the things I like about the Noppoo Torpre is that it is very stable key depress, it isnt wobbly. The IBM 8923 is bad with this. The NMB RT6866TW and Dell QuietKey RT7D5JTW also have very stable key depresses...as does the Logitech UltraX.

I'd bet this is because all of these keyboards (not the IBM) have much larger domes, providing the stability you like.

EscapeVelocity · « **Reply #111 on:** Fri, 10 July 2015, 16:03:54 »

Well, Im not sure about the physics of rubber domes. I guess I never thought about that. Always assumed the plunger/stem system was more important to that attribute. But now that you mention it, seems like that might contribute as well.

Snowdog993 · « **Reply #112 on:** Fri, 10 July 2015, 17:15:00 »

Quote from: EscapeVelocity on Sat, 20 June 2015, 17:33:10

KeyTronic LifeTime Series Classic PS/2 (Made in Mexico)

I found a true KeyTronic Classic AT keyboard as I was moving all my things...

I had to clean it up a bit, I haven't even tested it yet, I know I have some AT-PS/2 adapter somewhere around here, but everything is still in boxes and I have to dig through a lot to find one. I'm sure the keyboard works 100%
I'll follow up when I find an adapter here... somewhere...

EscapeVelocity · « **Reply #113 on:** Fri, 10 July 2015, 17:35:41 »

Cool.

The flip out feet on those KeyTronics are better than most. They have really grippy rubber on the bottom.

EscapeVelocity · « **Reply #114 on:** Tue, 14 July 2015, 19:47:38 »

Good news folks, I have a Chicony KB-5923 keyboard coming. Brand New in Box with AT connector

EscapeVelocity · « **Reply #115 on:** Mon, 27 July 2015, 17:55:37 »

My New in Box Chicony KB-5923 rubber dome came int today. Ill post pics and discription later.

Still waiting on the Keycool Hero 104 RGB

Blaise170 · « **Reply #116 on:** Mon, 27 July 2015, 18:29:45 »

I have some domes for sale in the classifieds if you might be interested.

EscapeVelocity · « **Reply #117 on:** Thu, 30 July 2015, 20:10:11 »

My Chicony KB-5923 is Made in Thailand with an AT style plug but with Windows 95 keys. It's branded US Logic and seems to have been made for Computer City retail chain (a division of Tandy Corp)

Anyways it seems to be a cheapened down version from the NEC and Digital branded Chicony KB-5923s that I ive been eyeballing.

The case seems to be cheaper, specifically the cable management channeling and the keycaps are simply pad printed. Im fairly disappointed in this purchase.

EscapeVelocity · « **Reply #118 on:** Thu, 13 August 2015, 16:00:12 »

My Massdrop Keycool Hero 104 RGB came in yesterday!

What a light show!

All in all I think I just prefer a single LED color in Green or Amber(Orange).

I do like the function where the keys light up as they are depressed and shine for a short time then fade. But dont anticipate using it much.

The other color that I really like on this keyboard is the shadings of blue that can be paused upon. You can get a nice medium skyish blue going. Looks real nice.

As to the rest meh. You can pause the color on orange and green as well. Which is nice.

I really dont care for the Font on the keys though, some futuristic looking thing kind of like on the CoolerMaster Quickfire Storms.

I do like the white key caps backlit as well. Better than blacks IMO.

The Kailh Blacks are nice, give a good amount of resistance (I dont care for the lower force swtiches like Cherry MX Reds)

Build quality is very nice. Not sure if Im excited about the braided cord or not. Meh.

I like the feel of the Kailh blacks better than the 40g Topre clones on the Noppoo EC108 Pro...which are too light for my tastes with barely perceptable tactility.

I have Kaihl Blue keyboard the Thermaltake Tt Sport Poseidon ZX tenkeyless model...which I like. Dont care for the Blue LED backlighting on this one so much and the LEDs are really bright. I keep it on the lowest brightness setting of the 4 available.

TheO-RingGuys · « **Reply #119 on:** Fri, 14 August 2015, 15:43:35 »

Awesome review! I love the Dell Quietkey kb's B)

dante · « **Reply #120 on:** Fri, 14 August 2015, 16:41:36 »

It's not vintage - but it is cheap; give the Dell model #07KKPH a try; very decent!

ander · « **Reply #121 on:** Sun, 23 August 2015, 02:47:51 »

I'd like to add my two nominations for excellent RD boards:

The HP C3758 / C3758A. Here's a recent GH thread on them. Built by Key Tronic but designed by HP, their full-travel, tactile keys feel as close to a Topre as any non-Topre I've used. New ones can still be found for $20–25. It's a lot of KB for so little dough.

One of the Lexmark-made "quiet" IBM Model M's (p/n's 70G8638, 71G4643, 71G4644). They're often overlooked because of the inevitable comparison to their great buckling-spring counterparts. But they're still Model M's, and many feel they're the best RDs ever made.

BTW, EscapeVelocity, while we really appreciate your starting this interesting topic, do you realize how hard it is to find details about particular boards—from a search engine, GH's Search box, or using Find on the page itself—with extensive KB-list signatures like yours peppering the site? I'm sure we'll all quite impressed with how many boards you've managed to accumulate, but how often do you think we need to be reminded?

macguy80 · « **Reply #122 on:** Tue, 25 August 2015, 02:40:28 »

Quote from: Snowdog993 on Fri, 10 July 2015, 17:15:00

I found a true KeyTronic Classic AT keyboard as I was moving all my things...

Ah, memories... My first-ever PC clone came with a keyboard that looked just like that, except it was PS/2. Just like yours, it was unbranded except for the bottom label. Windows 98 was brand new at the time. It got thrown out in a move. I never thought to write the model number down, because at the time, I was under the false impression that all rubber domes were bad just by virtue of being rubber domes. Since then I've used some truly bad boards that have made me pine for it. It was before they got into Ergoforce or other such gimmicks. Hopefully I'll find one some day.

BADBADNOTGOOD · « **Reply #123 on:** Sat, 05 September 2015, 20:02:11 »

Have you tried a HHKB Lite 2? Do you think if you tried a diffrent E03600 variant it would be able to compete with the NMB and QuietKey?

jerue · « **Reply #124 on:** Sun, 06 September 2015, 12:21:42 »

I found a very interesting vintage rubber dome at my Goodwill yesterday, the Manhattan True-Touch keyboard. It has one-piece caps with an extremely long stem which makes key presses nice and tactile; I'd argue the Dell Quietkeys are still better overall.

BUT, the best thing about this board is the layout, I think it's ISO but it's an ISO layout I can actually tolerate (normal size backspace and 1.25u left shift and small right shift). This is the best/closest picture I can find online:

I hope it's still there next time I go - I forgot to bring my phone yesterday when I went. I almost bought it b/c of the layout but $3 for a rubber dome...meh

yomammary · « **Reply #125 on:** Sun, 06 September 2015, 21:38:49 »

I've been using my KeyTronic at work since I sold my HHKB and man the weight feels amazing. That's the best thing about this rubberdome.

Snowdog993 · « **Reply #126 on:** Thu, 17 September 2015, 12:45:30 »

Quote from: Snowdog993 on Fri, 10 July 2015, 17:15:00

Quote from: EscapeVelocity on Sat, 20 June 2015, 17:33:10
KeyTronic LifeTime Series Classic PS/2 (Made in Mexico)

I found a true KeyTronic Classic AT keyboard as I was moving all my things...

Show Image

Show Image

I had to clean it up a bit, I haven't even tested it yet, I know I have some AT-PS/2 adapter somewhere around here, but everything is still in boxes and I have to dig through a lot to find one. I'm sure the keyboard works 100%
I'll follow up when I find an adapter here... somewhere...

I forgot to follow up on this post. I found the AT to PS/2 adapter and the keyboard works just fine. I'm typing on it now, and it's better than a lot of other rubberdome keyboards I have used. I would call it heavier than others I have used.
All in all, it's a nice keyboard for what it is.

ctm · « **Reply #127 on:** Fri, 18 September 2015, 15:47:44 »

I found a Goldtouch rubber dome split keyboard and it feels quite nice despite the age. I would say it's the best rubber dome I have tried.

BADBADNOTGOOD · « **Reply #128 on:** Fri, 18 September 2015, 23:09:28 »

I just found this keyboard called the Windy Vanguard v101... It appears to have NMB rubber domes and in a color I have never seen before. Dark green. Seems to only be available overseas but I wonder if we got these dark green domes state side many in a re-branded version or something. idk something interesting I might have to try out. Keyboard comes in some crazy colors too.

http://mitateda.blog.fc2.com/blog-entry-36.html
(I'll embed some pics later)

jerue · « **Reply #129 on:** Fri, 18 September 2015, 23:30:00 »

Quote from: BADBADNOTGOOD on Fri, 18 September 2015, 23:09:28

I just found this keyboard called the Windy Vanguard v101... It appears to have NMB rubber domes and in a color I have never seen before. Dark green. Seems to only be available overseas but I wonder if we got these dark green domes state side many in a re-branded version or something. idk something interesting I might have to try out. Keyboard comes in some crazy colors too.

http://mitateda.blog.fc2.com/blog-entry-36.html
(I'll embed some pics later)

The Packard Bell 5131 I posted earlier on this page looks like a rebrand, except all of the keys in that photo have individual domes, not just modifiers. They look smaller too, I don't see much room for DIY. The additional symbol keys are neat though, I'm only used to seeing those on high-end boards like the Hi-Pro or the HHKB Pro JP.

BADBADNOTGOOD · « **Reply #130 on:** Fri, 18 September 2015, 23:51:32 »

lol damn I'm on a roll. IBM Space Saver II has light green NMB domes I've also never seen before.

http://www.tt.rim.or.jp/~naoz-i/keyboard/sskii_4.html (Will embed pics later)

dante · « **Reply #131 on:** Sat, 19 September 2015, 19:57:13 »

Quote from: ander on Sun, 23 August 2015, 02:47:51

I'd like to add my two nominations for excellent RD boards:
The HP C3758 / C3758A. Here's a recent GH thread on them. Built by Key Tronic but designed by HP, their full-travel, tactile keys feel as close to a Topre as any non-Topre I've used. New ones can still be found for $20–25. It's a lot of KB for so little dough.
One of the Lexmark-made "quiet" IBM Model M's (p/n's 70G8638, 71G4643, 71G4644). They're often overlooked because of the inevitable comparison to their great buckling-spring counterparts. But they're still Model M's, and many feel they're the best RDs ever made.

Several questions:

How would you compare the Lexmark M rubber domes to the HP 3758/A? Do you prefer one over the other?

Do the Lexmark M membrane keyboards also suffer from broken plastic rivets?

invariance · « **Reply #132 on:** Fri, 25 September 2015, 05:42:21 »

I decided to take my Digital LK46W-A2 into work to use for a bit to see how it feels.

I acquired it NIB and shuddered at the thought of using it at home with kids around, so this is the only other place I can use it.

I took a photo of the serial # at an angle so the embossed printing could more easily been seen.

The LK series of boards are for OpenVMS and as you can see it is an ISO layout, so it makes it a little more interesting to use: placement of Ctrl, Find and Select are Home and End and Re-move is Del.
As yet I don't know if the Compose Character/Help/Do/F17-F20 have an equivalent function, so sometime I will find a program to see what they are outputting (if anything).

I was trying to find the years it was manufactured without much success. I picked it up with a Digital Server 5000, which was the 'white box' equivalent of the Alphaserver 1200 and designed for Windows NT4 (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AlphaServer). The Alphaserver 1200 was release in 1994, so there is a pretty good chance that the LK46W-A2 started life then also (not necessarily this one though), right up to 2007 when they were discontinued.

So far has a nice feel: no wobbly keys and a nice firm linear feel, and most of all it doesn't feel mushy.

chyros · « **Reply #133 on:** Fri, 25 September 2015, 07:10:26 »

I've been saving up over a dozen vintage rubber dome keyboards so far, almost all of them dome with slider. I plan to do a dome with slider all in one review at some point. For me the one that stands out way above the rest is BTC conductive dome with slider over PCB (in short, BTC dome with slider). It's excellent, better than some mechanicals I have.

SamirD · « **Reply #134 on:** Fri, 25 September 2015, 11:48:29 »

I actually have the Dell and a lot of those IBM ones since they came with all the Pentium Pro 200 systems I have. I actually hated them and got a bunch of Ms for those systems. Those systems never went to their original destination, but may soon enough if not 20 years late.

I have a few of the IBM rubber domes as well. While I can't type as fast as I can on my M, they come a close second as my hands' favorite keyboard--and probably my favorite non-clicky.

Oh, I forgot that we bought a Keytronic when we built our 486 back in the early 1990s. We still have it and it's a favorite of my hands too because of the lighter touch than the IBM rd.

ander · « **Reply #135 on:** Tue, 29 December 2015, 01:40:14 »

Sorry to post to Ye Olde Thread, but a NIB Dell KB-1421 came in at the community recycling depot where I volunteer, and I managed to get it. (They know I'm the resident KB maniac and take pity on me.) I really like it!

What you notice right away is how compact it is—you won't find a thinner bezel on any board. And yet there's a heft to it, and the case is solid, with no flex. It looks and feels well-made, not cheap at all.

This is indeed a dome board, not a membrane (interior photo here, courtesy of this Italian reviewer). I've found there are two kinds of RD boards: Those where you can really feel the domes, and those where you can't (usually because the domes are smaller). This falls into the 2nd category. But while it may not give you Topre-style thocky feedback, I think it's faster and more responsive as a result.

To me, it feels like a shorter-throw version of Cherry MX Reds. Just as smooth, with a decently satisfying "tick" when you bottom out, and no rattle or mushiness. Of course it won't last as long as an MX board—but considering you can get them new for around $15, it's hard to complain.

kekman · « **Reply #136 on:** Tue, 29 December 2015, 05:04:39 »

Alright, anyone mind helping me ID a keyboard I found a few weeks back? It's a Honeywell model no. "E03601ELHW-C". It's a full sized board, uses DIN5 connector, and is some weird ANSI/ISO mix where the enter is inverted ISO and the \| key is one half of where a regular ANSI backspace would be. I've never tried any high quality rubber-domes before, but I'm guessing that these would make the cut. They're extremely crisp and stiff, and the legends use a really nice font, with really nice geometrical, round letters. The windows logo is 98, I'll put some pictures up tomorrow. If I had to compare topre to a rubber dome, this would be the board I'd use in comparison.

chyros · « **Reply #137 on:** Tue, 29 December 2015, 07:19:03 »

Quote from: ander on Tue, 29 December 2015, 01:40:14

Sorry to post to Ye Olde Thread, but a NIB Dell KB-1421 came in at the community recycling depot where I volunteer, and I managed to get it. (They know I'm the resident KB maniac and take pity on me.) I really like it!

What you notice right away is how compact it is—you won't find a thinner bezel on any board. And yet there's a heft to it, and the case is solid, with no flex. It looks and feels well-made, not cheap at all.

This is indeed a dome board, not a membrane (interior photo here, courtesy of this Italian reviewer). I've found there are two kinds of RD boards: Those where you can really feel the domes, and those where you can't (usually because the domes are smaller). This falls into the 2nd category. But while it may not give you Topre-style thocky feedback, I think it's faster and more responsive as a result.

To me, it feels like a shorter-throw version of Cherry MX Reds. Just as smooth, with a decently satisfying "tick" when you bottom out, and no rattle or mushiness. Of course it won't last as long as an MX board—but considering you can get them new for around $15, it's hard to complain.

You have a BTC, right? How do they hold up to that?

tronbeaver · « **Reply #138 on:** Tue, 29 December 2015, 09:03:33 »

Quote from: kekman on Tue, 29 December 2015, 05:04:39

Alright, anyone mind helping me ID a keyboard I found a few weeks back? It's a Honeywell model no. "E03601ELHW-C". It's a full sized board, uses DIN5 connector, and is some weird ANSI/ISO mix where the enter is ANSI and the \| key is one half of where a regular ANSI backspace would be. I've never tried any high quality rubber-domes before, but I'm guessing that these would make the cut. They're extremely crisp and stiff, and the legends use a really nice font, with really nice geometrical, round letters. The windows logo is 98, I'll put some pictures up tomorrow. If I had to compare topre to a rubber dome, this would be the board I'd use in comparison.

Got a pic?

SamirD · « **Reply #139 on:** Tue, 29 December 2015, 13:10:50 »

Quote from: kekman on Tue, 29 December 2015, 05:04:39

Alright, anyone mind helping me ID a keyboard I found a few weeks back? It's a Honeywell model no. "E03601ELHW-C". It's a full sized board, uses DIN5 connector, and is some weird ANSI/ISO mix where the enter is ANSI and the \| key is one half of where a regular ANSI backspace would be. I've never tried any high quality rubber-domes before, but I'm guessing that these would make the cut. They're extremely crisp and stiff, and the legends use a really nice font, with really nice geometrical, round letters. The windows logo is 98, I'll put some pictures up tomorrow. If I had to compare topre to a rubber dome, this would be the board I'd use in comparison.

Got the FCC ID for it? Pic of course would help too.

kekman · « **Reply #140 on:** Wed, 30 December 2015, 06:03:30 »

Sorry for the delay, here's some pics. Apologies for the quality

SamirD · « **Reply #141 on:** Wed, 30 December 2015, 06:46:07 »

Quote from: kekman on Wed, 30 December 2015, 06:03:30

Sorry for the delay, here's some pics. Apologies for the quality

Last pic says it all--Keytronic Corp.

These are frequently compared with Topre. I have two of them including an original one I bought back in the mid 1990s. Congrats on finding a great board!

kekman · « **Reply #142 on:** Wed, 30 December 2015, 15:17:06 »

Quote from: SamirD on Wed, 30 December 2015, 06:46:07

Quote from: kekman on Wed, 30 December 2015, 06:03:30
Sorry for the delay, here's some pics. Apologies for the quality
Last pic says it all--Keytronic Corp. These are frequently compared with Topre. I have two of them including an original one I bought back in the mid 1990s. Congrats on finding a great board!

Cheers! Found it on the side of the road along with some more junk, a shame that it wasn't alps but this is still quite nice too!

MeltingTeeth · « **Reply #143 on:** Wed, 30 December 2015, 16:41:02 »

Quote from: SamirD on Wed, 30 December 2015, 06:46:07

Quote from: kekman on Wed, 30 December 2015, 06:03:30
Sorry for the delay, here's some pics. Apologies for the quality
Last pic says it all--Keytronic Corp. These are frequently compared with Topre. I have two of them including an original one I bought back in the mid 1990s. Congrats on finding a great board!

Wait, I can just buy some old Vintage keyboard instead of a Topre?

Thanks Obama!

SamirD · « **Reply #144 on:** Thu, 31 December 2015, 09:16:14 »

Quote from: MeltingTeeth on Wed, 30 December 2015, 16:41:02

Wait, I can just buy some old Vintage keyboard instead of a Topre?

Thanks Obama!

Well, kinda. They're no Topre I'm sure (I've never felt a Topre yet), but bang for buck they're probably in the same range since a Topre costs almost 10x the Keytronics, even when both are brand new.

Quote from: kekman on Wed, 30 December 2015, 15:17:06

Cheers! Found it on the side of the road along with some more junk, a shame that it wasn't alps but this is still quite nice too!

That's an awesome save! Keytronic is still in business and those boards have a lifetime warranty, so you scored a great board for life!

kekman · « **Reply #145 on:** Thu, 31 December 2015, 20:44:57 »

Quote from: SamirD on Thu, 31 December 2015, 09:16:14

Quote from: MeltingTeeth on Wed, 30 December 2015, 16:41:02
Wait, I can just buy some old Vintage keyboard instead of a Topre?

Thanks Obama!
Well, kinda. They're no Topre I'm sure (I've never felt a Topre yet), but bang for buck they're probably in the same range since a Topre costs almost 10x the Keytronics, even when both are brand new.
Quote from: kekman on Wed, 30 December 2015, 15:17:06
Cheers! Found it on the side of the road along with some more junk, a shame that it wasn't alps but this is still quite nice too!
That's an awesome save! Keytronic is still in business and those boards have a lifetime warranty, so you scored a great board for life!

In comparison with Topre, Topre boards have much lighter actuation, I would say that the actuation point is slightly higher on the Keytronic than Topre, and there's slightly more keycap wobble on the Keytronic than topre. Overall, Topre provides much smoother typing experience as the high actuation point and force of the Keytronic can prove quite jarring.

chyros · « **Reply #146 on:** Fri, 01 January 2016, 06:50:16 »

Tbh I'm stunned people are praising Key Tronic so much XD . I've had over a dozen and they were all "slightly above average" at best. I've had MANY rubber dome keyboards that were so much better they left it trampled in the dirt pretty much.

SamirD · « **Reply #147 on:** Fri, 01 January 2016, 07:22:17 »

Quote from: kekman on Thu, 31 December 2015, 20:44:57

In comparison with Topre, Topre boards have much lighter actuation, I would say that the actuation point is slightly higher on the Keytronic than Topre, and there's slightly more keycap wobble on the Keytronic than topre. Overall, Topre provides much smoother typing experience as the high actuation point and force of the Keytronic can prove quite jarring.

That's interesting that you mention lighter actuation as I find Keytronics much lighter than an M, probably on par with stock Cherry blues. On the keycap wobble, it seems to vary as my original board has a lot more than the 'newer' one I have.

Quote from: chyros on Fri, 01 January 2016, 06:50:16

Tbh I'm stunned people are praising Key Tronic so much XD . I've had over a dozen and they were all "slightly above average" at best. I've had MANY rubber dome keyboards that were so much better they left it trampled in the dirt pretty much.

You've seen a lot of them too! Which models stand out as much better? I'd be curious to try some of them.

chyros · « **Reply #148 on:** Fri, 01 January 2016, 08:17:48 »

Quote from: SamirD on Fri, 01 January 2016, 07:22:17

You've seen a lot of them too! Which models stand out as much better? I'd be curious to try some of them.

I'd have to rummage through my box of dome with slider boards back home to find out all of them, but from my recollection especially BTC and Monterey dome with slider stood out, they are really good. However, also NMB dome with slider, Olivetti rubber domes, and Bloomberg miniature domes were definitely better. Fujitsu Peerless would've been better if they used better stabilisers. Fujitsu dome with slider is mushy, but still better than Key Tronic. Even Key Tronic dome with slider was better than Key Tronic rubber domes, as I recall.

SamirD · « **Reply #149 on:** Fri, 01 January 2016, 08:34:12 »

Quote from: chyros on Fri, 01 January 2016, 08:17:48

Quote from: SamirD on Fri, 01 January 2016, 07:22:17
You've seen a lot of them too! Which models stand out as much better? I'd be curious to try some of them.
I'd have to rummage through my box of dome with slider boards back home to find out all of them, but from my recollection especially BTC and Monterey dome with slider stood out, they are really good. However, also NMB dome with slider, Olivetti rubber domes, and Bloomberg miniature domes were definitely better. Fujitsu Peerless would've been better if they used better stabilisers. Fujitsu dome with slider is mushy, but still better than Key Tronic. Even Key Tronic dome with slider was better than Key Tronic rubber domes, as I recall.

Interesting. How do I know if my Keytronics are just dome or dome and slider?

News:

Author Topic: Vintage Rubber Dome Keyboards (Read 37432 times)