Need a non-flakey ergonomic keyboard recommendation

September 8, 2011 8:37 AM

Microsoft Comfort Curve keyboard... love the layout and key feel... hate the flakiness. Any comparable keyboards out there that don't flake out?

This keyboard is notorious for having keys just stop working. Apparently had to do with static charge build up, and a quick fix was holding the keyboard in one hand and smacking it with the other.

I have one, and it has exhibited this behavior for quite some time. Maybe every other week I'd have to hit it, and that would fix it. Great! because it's a cheap keyboard, yet feels very nice to my hands - largish ctrl, windows, and alt keys, nice short key travel, etc.

Not that this matters, but with a few modifier key changes, I use this keyboard with my hackintosh.

Anyway, now the keys are flaking out much more often, and smacks to the keyboard are not really solving the problem well enough. I might just buy another, despite many consumer warnings of flakiness (I just don't know if their experiences are really worse than mine were when it worked to my satisfaction).

Anybody have experience with keyboards with a somewhat ergonomic layout, largeish ctrl, windows, and alt keys, and somewhat short key travel that don't flake out?

Note that I don't have RSI... yet.

posted by schmoppa to computers & internet (7 answers total)

Check out Logitech's Wave.
posted by Horselover Phattie at 8:43 AM on September 8, 2011

Wave looks nice, very similar layout to the Comfort Curve. Reviews for people who have tried it on mac say that changing modifier keys somehow doesn't stick if it gets unplugged, at least as of reviews from summer 2010.
posted by schmoppa at 9:01 AM on September 8, 2011

Summary: Like a good pair of shoes, I just bought another one.

I haven't found a good replacement for the Comfort Curve. It's a great value and doesn't have all the gimmicky buttons that make other keyboards bulky (and require additional software). The low profile keys and height have me hooked.

My first comfort curve lasted almost 4 years before the keys wore out. At the time, I found a replacement for $20 at Staples. Looking online, it looks like the price has gone up slightly to ~$28 (link).
posted by colecovizion at 10:52 AM on September 8, 2011

I've loved the Microsoft Natural Keyboard line: Both the old white Natural Keyboard Pro and the newer black with pleather Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 (I think there may be another Pro or Elite or something in there for my specific model). Both are very comfy, though the newer one with the pleather handrest are moreso (also much more money). I've used both for...a long time. Since it came out, with very heavy use much of the time. I've not had a single problem with either of them, which makes sense given they are high-end business models. The downside is that they are not cheap- I typically see form for at least $40 in stores, though I've heard they are cheaper in the US.
posted by Canageek at 12:26 PM on September 8, 2011

Seconding Canageek's recommendation of the Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000. I have one at home and one at work. They are tanks. Unless you have a naughty cat who likes to shred pleather (I wrapped the unfortunate victim in packaging tape, and it's surprisingly still ok).
posted by xiaolongbao at 1:06 PM on September 8, 2011

They also stand up to cat hair quite well, also eating at your keyboard! I've had to clean my laptop keyboard several times due to both of those issues, but never my desktop keyboard, despite it spending more time around my cats.
posted by Canageek at 1:24 PM on September 8, 2011

went with the devil I know and bought the comfort curve again... thanks all
posted by schmoppa at 12:07 PM on September 11, 2011