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Best keyboard
- Thread starter max2
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I prefer mechanical keyboards. My keyboard of choice is the Das Keyboard Professional 4.0 (Mac edition). Unfortunately, the current models no longer seem to use the Cherry MX switches. Mine still does and the Windows version also does in some cases.
Most recently grabbed the matias tactile pro. Very satisfying click, theres also a quiet version.
I use an Apple Extended Keyboard 1 with Orange Alps with all my Macs & Hacks
Also, any buckling spring option I love.
Apple "design" is wonderful, but they are sacrificing on function with regard to their newer keyboards from my perspective. The feedback from true mechanical key switch options is 2nd to none in my book.
Also, any buckling spring option I love.
Apple "design" is wonderful, but they are sacrificing on function with regard to their newer keyboards from my perspective. The feedback from true mechanical key switch options is 2nd to none in my book.
There's no one "best keyboard" for anyone.
What matters is -the kind of keyboard- you prefer.
Some prefer the lightest touch with little key movement at all.
Some folks like the Apple-styled keyboards (I can't stand 'em!).
Some folks like "old-style" mechanical key keyboards that look like refugees from an old PC.
Best thing to do is try out as many as you can find, and decide which style you like best.
A friend bought one of these:
http://www.pckeyboard.com/page/product/UNIZPHA
What matters is -the kind of keyboard- you prefer.
Some prefer the lightest touch with little key movement at all.
Some folks like the Apple-styled keyboards (I can't stand 'em!).
Some folks like "old-style" mechanical key keyboards that look like refugees from an old PC.
Best thing to do is try out as many as you can find, and decide which style you like best.
A friend bought one of these:
http://www.pckeyboard.com/page/product/UNIZPHA
These are the best keyboards for hard typists, those who type all day, and those who learned computing on the Model M keyboards of yore. Visually abhorrent, but fantastic to use.
http://modelfkeyboards.com
If price is no issue and noise is no problem...these new Model F's are the cream of the crop (for me anyhow)
If price is no issue and noise is no problem...these new Model F's are the cream of the crop (for me anyhow)
Hi,
Is there any 'For MAC' keyboard such as the Das keyboard 4 .... without that top tier quality? Struggling to find a replacement MAC keyboard...with the cmd button etc..
Thanks
Is there any 'For MAC' keyboard such as the Das keyboard 4 .... without that top tier quality? Struggling to find a replacement MAC keyboard...with the cmd button etc..
Thanks
Logitech makes a nice solar powered full size keyboard for Mac with dedicated volume, brightness, and mission control keys. It is slim and wireless but slightly mushy with mixed durability. However, it offers a nice balance between price and trade-offs.
PCkeyboard makes a Mac version of the old Model M keyboards. They have great travel, durability and the classic sound that only buckling spring keyboards make. On the other hand, they are heavy, loud, pricey and only come wired. Despite this, the keyboard could easily last you 20 years; so you get that for which you pay.
I'm a long time model M user and was able to get a Spacesaver M last week. Here are my thoughts on it.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/unicomp-spacesaver-m-thoughts-and-initial-impressions.1982792/
Short answer is that I love it. Despite the "dated" design, I prefer it over all of the other mechanical keyboards I've used.
BTW, I have a bunch of Apple Extended II keyboards. They are good boards, but the feel and sound of the cream Alps switches(in most of them, although some have Mitsumi that are similar both in functionality and feel) is quite different from a buckling spring. Also, Alps switches have a much shorter duty cycle than buckling springs and there's a decent chance you'll find dead or dying keys on any AEKIIs you buy these days. They're not a huge issue to fix, but do take some time(I've written up the process on here for doing it). Also, the Griffin iMate ADB-USB adapters are getting increasingly difficult to find.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/unicomp-spacesaver-m-thoughts-and-initial-impressions.1982792/
Short answer is that I love it. Despite the "dated" design, I prefer it over all of the other mechanical keyboards I've used.
BTW, I have a bunch of Apple Extended II keyboards. They are good boards, but the feel and sound of the cream Alps switches(in most of them, although some have Mitsumi that are similar both in functionality and feel) is quite different from a buckling spring. Also, Alps switches have a much shorter duty cycle than buckling springs and there's a decent chance you'll find dead or dying keys on any AEKIIs you buy these days. They're not a huge issue to fix, but do take some time(I've written up the process on here for doing it). Also, the Griffin iMate ADB-USB adapters are getting increasingly difficult to find.
Mechanical keyboards really are in a league of their own when it comes to feel / feedback, raw performance (as it pertains to key registration), and especially durability / overall build quality (which is sort of what you'd expect, as manufactures moved to membrane / rubber dome keyboards because they were far cheaper).
You get a better / more customized typing experience with mechanical keyboards. There are switches suited to all sorts of different personal preferences, from the actuation force required to activate a switch, to whether you want to hear an audible click, or want it to be silent, whether you want to feel a tactile bump, or want a smooth linear action.
Even the keycaps themselves you can get in a much higher quality / more durable PBT plastic, with dye sublimated, or laser engraved lettering (so the keycaps don't get all shiny / the lettering doesn't wear off after a few weeks / months of use).
While they are typically a bit more money relative to membrane / rubber dome keyboards, you'll get many, many years out of a mechanical keyboard (e.g. Cherry MX switches are typically rated for 50 million keystrokes each), whereas you likely need to replace membrane / rubber dome keyboards every couple of years.
Anyway, some solid brands are Filco, Leopold, Ducky, Das (as was mentioned in the first response).
If you're on a tight budget, the Cooler Master QuickFire Rapid (the standard model, NOT the backlit model) is an outstanding keyboard, as it's very, very similar to the more expensive Filco Majestouch Tenkeyless.
Interesting thread, as I was thinking of replacing my Apple bluetooth keyboard with a new one.
Has anybody tried a Razer mechanical keyboard? They are not Mac keyboards but they have full Mac support, and you can remap the layout if needed.
I quite like the look of the BlackWidow Chroma.
Has anybody tried a Razer mechanical keyboard? They are not Mac keyboards but they have full Mac support, and you can remap the layout if needed.
I quite like the look of the BlackWidow Chroma.
While I haven't used any Razer keyboards myself, from what I've heard / read, the overall quality is lacking relative to other options. I also believe Razer uses their own mechanical switches (as opposed to Cherry MX).
Pretty much any mechanical keyboard should work with a Mac, and can be re-mapped though, regardless of whether it's explicitly specified. I'm using a Filco Majestouch Convertible 2 Bluetooth keyboard with my MacBook Pro (which only supports Windows), and it works flawlessly (connected over Bluetooth in 5 seconds, without any additional drivers / software).
I'd recommend sticking with the well established / tried-and-true brands. Filco is considered the standard by many people (all their keyboards are built like a brick shithouse), and you can't go wrong with anything from them. Filco keyboards are available on Amazon.
If you want backlighting, the Ducky Shine keyboards are usually regarded as the best option. The best place I've found for Ducky stuff (in the US anyway) is https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/
The Ducky Shine 5 has RGB backlighting like the Razer BW Chroma:
http://www.duckychannel.com.tw/page-en/ducky-shine-5/
Another solid option is Leopold. One good place to buy Leopold keyboards is from the eBay seller widebasket. They're based in South Korea, but ship pretty much anywhere (I've gotten stuff shipped to the United States and it took a little under 2 weeks).
As another post mentioned, Das also makes solid keyboards, and has a Mac-specific model you can get on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Das-Keyboard-Professional-Mechanical-DASK4MACSFT/dp/B00TU7UA86
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Thanks for the info - that's very interesting. I used to like Razer mice, but now I think about it, I had two fail with bad microswitches, so perhaps I should stay away.
I definitely want backlighting, so the Ducky Shine 5 looks to be my best option. I'm also looking for that ultimate "clicky" experience as I type (I'm a novelist, so I do a lot of typing!), which I think would be Cherry MX Blue, according to a comparison table I found on Reddit.
I'll report back
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Thanks for the info - that's very interesting. I used to like Razer mice, but now I think about it, I had two fail with bad microswitches, so perhaps I should stay away.
I definitely want backlighting, so the Ducky Shine 5 looks to be my best option. I'm also looking for that ultimate "clicky" experience as I type (I'm a novelist, so I do a lot of typing!), which I think would be Cherry MX Blue, according to a comparison table I found on Reddit.
I'll report back
Yep, blues are typically thought of as a typists switch. As long as the clicking doesn't bother you, blues would be a good place to start (I spend a lot of time at the keyboard programming, and have always preferred blues as well).
It ultimately comes down to personal preference though, as there are also plenty of people that like reds for typing, and blues for gaming.
If you have any computer shops around you, you can typically test out the difference switches there, or you can simply purchase one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/WASD-6-Key-Cherry-Switch-Tester/dp/B00AZQKCD4
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
I just bought a Logitech G910 with cylindrical keys (as opposed to the original hard edged keys that it was released with).
It is a little softer to type than on cherry brown keys, to me, it is no better or worse, but definitely different.
I had a couple of requirements for a new keyboard. I needed backlighting and I would have stayed with Apple if they had one with numeric keypad AND backlighting. Since I was going to leave the Apple one, I also wanted full size arrow keys and full size function keys.
The Ducky Shine 5 really, really tempted me. But what made me go with the Logitech was that the Logitech was customisable under macOS, especially the lighting per key and lighting routines and that, because it had proprietary Romer G mechanisms, it has NO color bleeding of any kind, which to me looks better than the Ducky, which color bleeds under the keys. However, the fact that the Ducky has all functionality in hardware was really hard to pass.
Anyhow, with the Logitech you can also customise the extra G-keys to launch FaceTime, turn off the screens or other functions. I am really just starting to explore it. I like it very much.
It is a little softer to type than on cherry brown keys, to me, it is no better or worse, but definitely different.
I had a couple of requirements for a new keyboard. I needed backlighting and I would have stayed with Apple if they had one with numeric keypad AND backlighting. Since I was going to leave the Apple one, I also wanted full size arrow keys and full size function keys.
The Ducky Shine 5 really, really tempted me. But what made me go with the Logitech was that the Logitech was customisable under macOS, especially the lighting per key and lighting routines and that, because it had proprietary Romer G mechanisms, it has NO color bleeding of any kind, which to me looks better than the Ducky, which color bleeds under the keys. However, the fact that the Ducky has all functionality in hardware was really hard to pass.
Anyhow, with the Logitech you can also customise the extra G-keys to launch FaceTime, turn off the screens or other functions. I am really just starting to explore it. I like it very much.
Just be careful of the Logitech software in OS X upgrades! They always have to be upgraded with new versions every single time OS X is updated!
