A couple of years ago, I
posted that I had purchased a Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000.
Time to update with other keyboards I've tried:
- Unicomp SpaceSaver PC
- These are built at the Kentucky plant that used to make IBM Model M and later Lexmark Model M keyboards
- This is a smaller model, compared to the original Model M molds, but uses the same buckling spring switch design as the Model M keyboards
- IBM Model M
- One purchased for $0.75 at a thrift store
- Another purchased new in box, manufactured in Mexico
- The classic buckling spring design
- Realforce 55g keyboards
- These use a thick membrane (compared to your normal membrane keyboard), a spring, and capacitance to drive the switch mechanism
- Very quiet, and (in my opinion) wonderful to type on
- I have tried both the 103 key and 87 key versions
- 55g refers to the force required to press the keys -- in this case, the keys require uniform force to actuate
I originally purchased the Microsoft keyboard in an attempt to reduce wrist pain I was had while typing. Later, I discovered that the pain was caused in large part by how I used my hands to operate a mouse, a trackpoint, or a trackpad. Moving just from the wrist, instead of whole arm movements, caused wrist pain. Keyboard choice, wrist movement was taken care of, had a small affect, but did change depending on switch type. (For me -- this is different for each person).
For example, most keyboards are membrane switch keyboards. These are cheaper to manufacture, and are great for the toss it and forget it mentality when they break. Unfortunately, the force required to operate such a keyboard is low, until the key clashes as it bottoms out, and finally activates. It would be like pounding the heel of your foot into concrete repeatedly, instead of letting your foot act like a spring to gently take the blow of landing on the ground. Your fingers can take a beating operating a membrane switch computer.
The Microsoft keyboard uses that same, very popular, switch design. Unless you know where to look, or what to look for, that is what most of your keyboards are going to use (and, I imagine, a great profit margin for the manufacturers for keyboards that cost a premium, but are very, very cheap to produce). So changing to the Microsoft keyboard did not provide much relief, and could aggravate wrist pain.
This is where the new keyboards above came into play, and I played with some different key switch designs. The Model M and Unicomp keyboards both utilize a buckling spring design. The force applied in these cause a spring to compress, and eventually buckle, activating the switch. The benefit of this design (and most mechanical switches) is that you can feel the actuation before you bottom out. This gives you an opportunity to slow down and let off, before bottoming out.
I liked them while I tried the Model M and Unicomp keyboards. They were my first mechanical keyboards, and great in part because they make a nice racket, and they can have a nice, crisp, feel as the switches activate. I have to admit that I think that the Unicomp keyboards feel a little "mushy" compared to the Model Ms, but I don't think that you will notice it when you use either keyboard for a decent amount of time. That said, finding a good Model M can be hard, as they are typically used, and overall the Unicomp keyboards are just as good, as they are made in the same plant as the Model M keyboards. Unicomp's customer service was great when I had to send a keyboard back for a malfunctioning '~' key.
Downsides to buckling spring keyboard include, when coming from a membrane type keyboard, your hands will tire fairly quickly, and they can be very noisy. Give using one some time and your hands will become stronger, and it won't remain a problem for long. Unfortunately the noise doesn't go away.
The Realforce keyboards are interesting, because they are a membrane switch, but the membrane doesn't activate the key switch in the same way that your typical keyboard works, and the membrane is thicker and more resilient. The keyboard uses a spring inside the membrane, which causes a change in capacitance between two small points under the switch, which then registers a key press. They also feel very different compared to a buckling spring keyboard, and don't feel much like a typical membrane keyboard.
The result of how the keys work is that you have a fairly smooth resistance as you press the keys. I think they're buttery smooth to type on, in large part because the resistance is so smooth, and because they don't bottom out quite the same as a typical membrane keyboard. Its like you get a nice gentle landing as you press the key to the bottom of its full movement. They also have the benefit that you can feel when they activate, before you bottom out, so that you don't have to crash all the way to the keyboard bottom -- you can let up once you've registered a key press.
I've settled on using the 87 key Realforce keyboard at work, because I didn't want to keep driving my coworkers crazy, and because it is a very, very nice keyboard to type on. I also don't miss the ten key, which means less movement toward the mouse.
One downside to all of this is that I have a lot of keyboards, that may never break.
