Indestructible Mac keyboard?

December 13, 2007 1:22 PM

I break keyboards. Help me find a Macintosh keyboard that I will not break, or one that is easy to repair if I do.

So far I've managed to break the white keyboard that came with my iMac (dropped it), and the shiny new metallic keyboard I bought to replace it. (Space bar got stuck down. Don't know why, can't open it up to fix it.)

What keyboard can I buy that:
1. Is USB.
2. Has Macintosh keycaps. (No Windows logo please.)
3. Is robust, and easy to take apart to fix and clean.

posted by Mwongozi to computers & internet (12 comments total)

A friend of mine swears by this, to the point where he packs it in with his MacBook when on business trips.
posted by beaucoupkevin at 1:25 PM on December 13, 2007

Won't bother linking this to anything as the particular one I have doesn't exist anymore, but I've been clacking away on a Logitech wireless for the past six years or so. Their connectivity software is kind of lame, and you don't get to use the keyboard as a hub, but mine's been durable and reliable as long as I've had it.
posted by SpiffyRob at 1:27 PM on December 13, 2007

I just bought a Das Keyboard 2, which I'm very pleased with. It's an old-style clicky keyboard. It feels almost as good as my old Northgate keyboards did, all those years ago.

You won't have a problem with the keycaps, because all the keys are entirely blank. :)
posted by Malor at 1:48 PM on December 13, 2007

(oh, and I haven't taken this apart yet, because I just got it, but traditionally, the mechanical keyswitch units like the DK are highly serviceable.)
posted by Malor at 1:49 PM on December 13, 2007

The older Apple Pro Keyboard, with black key caps, is far superior to its white-capped replacement. They can be had for cheap on eBay and have been bulletproof for me.
posted by porn in the woods at 2:01 PM on December 13, 2007

(also, if your new metal keyboard crapped out, take advantage of your 1-yr warranty and get it swapped before it's too late)
posted by porn in the woods at 2:03 PM on December 13, 2007

From what I know, the Das Keyboard Malor mentioned is basically built just like the classic IBM keyboards. Which you can basically throw off a roof into a river before they'll stop working.
posted by Kellydamnit at 2:25 PM on December 13, 2007

A friend of mine continues to run and enjoy an Apple Extended Keyboard coupled with a Griffin iMate. It's a very slick setup.
posted by j.edwards at 2:31 PM on December 13, 2007

The other approach is to buy four or five really cheap keyboards for $15 each, and whenever you wreck one, pull another out of the closet and plug it in. Don't try for indestructibility, try for minimal acceptability at a low price.
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 2:52 PM on December 13, 2007

Like j.edwards' friend, I too run an Apple Extended Keyboard (the AEK II model) with a Griffin iMate. It's wonderful; the Extended Keyboard II has a magnificent feel and is as robust as any keyboard I've ever worked with (yes, even the vaunted Northgates). I absolutely love it, and people are amazed at just how quickly (and loudly ;) I can type on it. The only substantial thing it's missing from the current Apple keycaps is an eject key.

I'm not entirely sure it could be described as "slick," though, given that the Extended Keyboard looks like a giant boat sitting in front of my MacBook Pro.
posted by eschatfische at 3:03 PM on December 13, 2007

I type on an Apple Extended Keyboard II connected to a Griffin iMate as well. In fact, I have two iMates (one for work, one for home) and I have about 5 AEKIIs that I bought from thrift stores in case the one I have breaks. Someone at a previous job thought bringing my own personal keyboard to work was funny and got me a modded version at the Goodwill, with colored keycaps. Not sure if it's for Protools or Final Cut, but into my stash it went.

I've typed on IBM Type Ms (I have one of those too) and Northgates (when I was a draftsman my boss loved Northgate computers) and these Apple keyboards come very very close to duplicating their feel.

And boy are they heavy. I could kill a man with my Apple keyboard.
posted by Tacodog at 7:01 PM on December 13, 2007

I should mention that the Das Keyboard 2 is nothing like the IBM Model Ms in terms of overall build quality. The keys themselves are excellent, but the case is plastic and will twist a bit in your hands under pressure.

I have no doubt that the keys themselves can take a long-term beating, but I wouldn't go throwing it off any buildings. :)
posted by Malor at 6:47 AM on December 14, 2007