Comfortable Mac-compatible keyboards for people who type a lot: Y U NO EXIST?
June 29, 2012 7:05 AM Subscribe
So the 'H' key on my aluminum Apple USB keyboard gave up the ghost and I'm using the wireless Bluetooth keyboard while casting about for other options...
I've got a desktop setup with a Mac mini and am working from a home office located directly on the other side of the wall from the bedroom. I'm a translator and do an awful lot of typing, sometimes for like 48 hours at a stretch. While I actually found the old aluminum Mac keyboard to be pretty comfortable to type on, I've got fond memories of the old chunka-chunka-chunka keyboard that came with my ancient Epson 286 and am considering shelling out for a mechanical keyboard of the back-when-men-were-etc. type. That said:
1) I use the iTunes media keys (aka F7 through F9) and volume keys (F10 through F12) an awful lot, and would be bummed if my replacement keyboard didn't have them. (Or if I had to bust out a Sharpie and label the keys as such myself, though I guess this would not be the end of the world.)
2) (More importantly) My wife already takes a fairly dim view of my tendency to pull all-nighters for work, and claims that she can hear even the whisper-quiet tapping from my Apple desktop keyboards. (You and I may know this to be an insane delusion, but she believes it.) It seems safe to surmise that anything operating at Das Keyboard-style volume levels will drive her instantly bugshit, to say nothing of what it will do to the cats. (I poked around on YouTube looking for videos comparing Topre switches, which are supposed to be quieter, to Cherry MX switches; videos were inconclusive but it sounded like "quiet" was kind of a relative term here.)
3) I've never had problems with carpal tunnel syndrome, but do find that my fingers and hands jam up and get all shitty after I've been typing on chiclet-style keyboards for a few hours straight. It seems like mechanical keyboards are significantly better for this, but then again that might be Internet folk-wisdom of the "gold-tipped cables make sound shinier" variety, and it's not as if I have any actual understanding of the subject.
4) Looking around at keyboards online, the options seem to be limited to either more or less literal copies of my old Epson 286 keyboard (i.e., no iTunes control/OS X keys) or all-black-with-neon-highlights s00per-l33t keyboards for gamers, which I emphatically am not. I'm not looking for a keyboard that will express my personality; I'm just looking for something that will let me type and play/pause/control music volume without having to Alt+Tab all the time.
tl;dr - I would like a keyboard that feels good to type on, is Mac-compatible w/r/t volume and playback controls, and is not obnoxious to everyone in my immediate vicinity. Price is no object, for certain values of "price" and "no object." Any suggestions or advice would be very welcome indeed.
I've got a desktop setup with a Mac mini and am working from a home office located directly on the other side of the wall from the bedroom. I'm a translator and do an awful lot of typing, sometimes for like 48 hours at a stretch. While I actually found the old aluminum Mac keyboard to be pretty comfortable to type on, I've got fond memories of the old chunka-chunka-chunka keyboard that came with my ancient Epson 286 and am considering shelling out for a mechanical keyboard of the back-when-men-were-etc. type. That said:
1) I use the iTunes media keys (aka F7 through F9) and volume keys (F10 through F12) an awful lot, and would be bummed if my replacement keyboard didn't have them. (Or if I had to bust out a Sharpie and label the keys as such myself, though I guess this would not be the end of the world.)
2) (More importantly) My wife already takes a fairly dim view of my tendency to pull all-nighters for work, and claims that she can hear even the whisper-quiet tapping from my Apple desktop keyboards. (You and I may know this to be an insane delusion, but she believes it.) It seems safe to surmise that anything operating at Das Keyboard-style volume levels will drive her instantly bugshit, to say nothing of what it will do to the cats. (I poked around on YouTube looking for videos comparing Topre switches, which are supposed to be quieter, to Cherry MX switches; videos were inconclusive but it sounded like "quiet" was kind of a relative term here.)
3) I've never had problems with carpal tunnel syndrome, but do find that my fingers and hands jam up and get all shitty after I've been typing on chiclet-style keyboards for a few hours straight. It seems like mechanical keyboards are significantly better for this, but then again that might be Internet folk-wisdom of the "gold-tipped cables make sound shinier" variety, and it's not as if I have any actual understanding of the subject.
4) Looking around at keyboards online, the options seem to be limited to either more or less literal copies of my old Epson 286 keyboard (i.e., no iTunes control/OS X keys) or all-black-with-neon-highlights s00per-l33t keyboards for gamers, which I emphatically am not. I'm not looking for a keyboard that will express my personality; I'm just looking for something that will let me type and play/pause/control music volume without having to Alt+Tab all the time.
tl;dr - I would like a keyboard that feels good to type on, is Mac-compatible w/r/t volume and playback controls, and is not obnoxious to everyone in my immediate vicinity. Price is no object, for certain values of "price" and "no object." Any suggestions or advice would be very welcome indeed.
Best answer: Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard. Say what you will about MS, but they make great keyboards. I also have a genuine IBM Model M, which I love for aesthetic reasons, but I can type twice as fast on the MS keyboard and it doesn't make my hands hurt after all-nighters.
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 7:31 AM on June 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 7:31 AM on June 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I'm typing on a Topre right now. I'm not sure about the absolute volume difference between it and the chicklet-style aluminum Apple keyboards that everyone else in the lab uses, but it's a different sort of noise. The Apple keyboards are a little "rattle-y" and this is a deeper sort of noise.
Cherry Black switches are probably the quietest of the mechanical bunch, given their linear feedback profile and uniform high weight. I believe you can also get bumpers to prevent noise from the keys hitting the bottom of their motion for Cherry switches as well.
It doesn't have preprogrammed OS X shortcuts, but that's easy enough to remedy with remapping/global hotkey software. I'm guessing you use headphones; I have a headphone amp (this one) which has a physical volume knob, and I prefer it greatly to adjusting system volume with a function key. Plus, better sound.
I also have an old IBM Model M at my desk. Tell you what-- I'll work up volume comparisons of the three.
posted by supercres at 7:31 AM on June 29, 2012 [2 favorites]
Cherry Black switches are probably the quietest of the mechanical bunch, given their linear feedback profile and uniform high weight. I believe you can also get bumpers to prevent noise from the keys hitting the bottom of their motion for Cherry switches as well.
It doesn't have preprogrammed OS X shortcuts, but that's easy enough to remedy with remapping/global hotkey software. I'm guessing you use headphones; I have a headphone amp (this one) which has a physical volume knob, and I prefer it greatly to adjusting system volume with a function key. Plus, better sound.
I also have an old IBM Model M at my desk. Tell you what-- I'll work up volume comparisons of the three.
posted by supercres at 7:31 AM on June 29, 2012 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Thanks for the suggestion, qxntpqbbbqxl - will check out key-remapping options for the MS keyboards. These will be *way* easier to find in Beijing (where I live) than exotic solid-lead keyboards, and the prospect of paying under $50 instead of $200 is a mighty appealing one!
Oh, man, supercres, a three-way comparison including the aluminum keyboards would absolutely make my weekend!
I noticed the solar-powered keyboard on Logitech's site, Buharistan. I'm seated right at the computer, so wirelessness is not really a high priority (and is actually a negative for battery-powered keyboards insofar as it's a thing that I'll have to think about). 'Sleekness' is nice, but not actually a high priority, especially if the keyboard is going to offer more or less the same typing experience as the stock Apple keyboard -- which the chiclet key-design seems to promise.
posted by bokane at 7:48 AM on June 29, 2012
Oh, man, supercres, a three-way comparison including the aluminum keyboards would absolutely make my weekend!
I noticed the solar-powered keyboard on Logitech's site, Buharistan. I'm seated right at the computer, so wirelessness is not really a high priority (and is actually a negative for battery-powered keyboards insofar as it's a thing that I'll have to think about). 'Sleekness' is nice, but not actually a high priority, especially if the keyboard is going to offer more or less the same typing experience as the stock Apple keyboard -- which the chiclet key-design seems to promise.
posted by bokane at 7:48 AM on June 29, 2012
Best answer: I use a USB Microsoft keyboard with my MacBook Pro, and it works great. Not only is it comfortable and quiet, but the F1-12 keys map perfectly to the Mac-specific keys and the media control buttons all work with iTunes with no tweaking.
This is my third Microsoft keyboard, and I've been extremely happy with all of them in terms of design and comfort. The fact that they work so well with Mac OS X is just icing on the cake.
posted by anaximander at 8:16 AM on June 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
This is my third Microsoft keyboard, and I've been extremely happy with all of them in terms of design and comfort. The fact that they work so well with Mac OS X is just icing on the cake.
posted by anaximander at 8:16 AM on June 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
Best answer: The comparison video. Note: the Topre and Model M sit about a half-inch closer to the microphone than the Apple keyboard. Still, it surprised me how loud the Topre was.
posted by supercres at 8:18 AM on June 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by supercres at 8:18 AM on June 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Awesome, supercres -- that's extremely, extremely helpful! It's great to have a comparison of the Topre with the chiclet keyboard. My wife has confirmed that the Topre is disqualified for reasons of noise; very glad to find that out before dropping megabucks on the keyboard. I guess the Microsoft keyboards are the current area of focus, then.
posted by bokane at 8:46 AM on June 29, 2012
posted by bokane at 8:46 AM on June 29, 2012
Best answer: You may be surprised by the Microsoft keyboards as well. I have an older one here, and it's on par with the Topre; much louder than the Apple USB keyboard. They're rubber-dome switches, but they still travel, which produces noise: more than low-travel chiclet keyboards, anyway.
posted by supercres at 9:20 AM on June 29, 2012
posted by supercres at 9:20 AM on June 29, 2012
Best answer: back in the day, I actually really liked the old PS/2 MS Natural keyboards.
there are a couple more options to consider. both use Alps key switches, which are of a slider design and not the buckling spring kinds that the Model M use (and that I think the Cherry switches are?), so they're still clacky and tactile but not as loud or "heavy" as the Model M-alikes.
one is actually a new keyboard - the Matias Tactile Pro. they release new versions of this every so often, and it's made to be really Mac friendly first, so it has the media keys and all that jibjab on it. it's also USB, and features an actual USB 2.0 hub in it (like the Apple wired 'board) with 3 ports. the only drawbacks with it are that it's $150 (kinda pricy but in line with the Topre and Unicomp-style keyboards) and that they've actually stopped making the current model, though the new 4.0 version is supposed to be in production as of July. this YouTube video has some audio of the keys being activated.
my other suggestion would be to just find an old Apple Extended Keyboard II and a Griffin iMate - the AEII is what the Matias board is based on and is also quite nice to type on. the problem with these is that neither the AEII nor the iMate is produced anymore so you're stuck with eBay. (you could also try the AppleDesign Keyboard, which is a rubber-dome design but I actually kinda liked. since it's not "legendary" you should be able to find 'em cheap. it will also require the iMate, though, since it's an ADB keyboard.) this YouTube video is of an Extended Keyboard (the II is slightly different but also uses Alps keyswitches, so it'll sound about the same).
additionally, Unicomp, who still makes the actual Model M keyboards, does also make a rubber-dome version of the regular Model M. dunno if it's any good but it'll have the key travel of the M buckling spring board, just without the spring bit (which makes all the noise and provides the tactileness). they also do make 104-key versions of the Model M too.
keep in mind that you can pretty well remap keys in OS X to function like the keys on your regular Apple keyboard - the Scroll Lock and Pause keys on my Model M function as the brightness controls and the Caps Lock is now Option. you can do a bunch with the support built into OS X, or you can add on something like Keyboard Maestro to add more functionality. (personally, I just remapped Caps Lock and the Spaces/Dashboard keys - the brightness thing happened automatically - and left the other keys out; I use the Apple Remote to take care of the iTunes stuff. then, I have to monkey around with Windows pretty often and having actual F-keys is more useful to me.)
posted by mrg at 11:32 AM on June 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
there are a couple more options to consider. both use Alps key switches, which are of a slider design and not the buckling spring kinds that the Model M use (and that I think the Cherry switches are?), so they're still clacky and tactile but not as loud or "heavy" as the Model M-alikes.
one is actually a new keyboard - the Matias Tactile Pro. they release new versions of this every so often, and it's made to be really Mac friendly first, so it has the media keys and all that jibjab on it. it's also USB, and features an actual USB 2.0 hub in it (like the Apple wired 'board) with 3 ports. the only drawbacks with it are that it's $150 (kinda pricy but in line with the Topre and Unicomp-style keyboards) and that they've actually stopped making the current model, though the new 4.0 version is supposed to be in production as of July. this YouTube video has some audio of the keys being activated.
my other suggestion would be to just find an old Apple Extended Keyboard II and a Griffin iMate - the AEII is what the Matias board is based on and is also quite nice to type on. the problem with these is that neither the AEII nor the iMate is produced anymore so you're stuck with eBay. (you could also try the AppleDesign Keyboard, which is a rubber-dome design but I actually kinda liked. since it's not "legendary" you should be able to find 'em cheap. it will also require the iMate, though, since it's an ADB keyboard.) this YouTube video is of an Extended Keyboard (the II is slightly different but also uses Alps keyswitches, so it'll sound about the same).
additionally, Unicomp, who still makes the actual Model M keyboards, does also make a rubber-dome version of the regular Model M. dunno if it's any good but it'll have the key travel of the M buckling spring board, just without the spring bit (which makes all the noise and provides the tactileness). they also do make 104-key versions of the Model M too.
keep in mind that you can pretty well remap keys in OS X to function like the keys on your regular Apple keyboard - the Scroll Lock and Pause keys on my Model M function as the brightness controls and the Caps Lock is now Option. you can do a bunch with the support built into OS X, or you can add on something like Keyboard Maestro to add more functionality. (personally, I just remapped Caps Lock and the Spaces/Dashboard keys - the brightness thing happened automatically - and left the other keys out; I use the Apple Remote to take care of the iTunes stuff. then, I have to monkey around with Windows pretty often and having actual F-keys is more useful to me.)
posted by mrg at 11:32 AM on June 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Great answers, all -- and thanks again to supercres for going above and beyond with that recording! Will keep looking around for the next week or so, but right now it looks like I may end up picking between a Microsoft ergo keyboard and another USB Apple chiclet keyboard -- and noise considerations may end up making the latter the default choice.
Thanks for the suggestion about the AppleDesign Keyboard and AEII keyboards, mrg -- I'll take a look around, but anything exotic or out of production is probably going to be tough considering that I live in China. The rubber-dome version of the Model M bears further looking-into as well.
Thanks, everyone!
posted by bokane at 9:04 PM on June 29, 2012
Thanks for the suggestion about the AppleDesign Keyboard and AEII keyboards, mrg -- I'll take a look around, but anything exotic or out of production is probably going to be tough considering that I live in China. The rubber-dome version of the Model M bears further looking-into as well.
Thanks, everyone!
posted by bokane at 9:04 PM on June 29, 2012
Response by poster: Another question for those of you with Microsoft keyboards: how interchangeable are key caps? I know that I can just software-remap the 'Alt' key next to the Space bar to correspond to the Command key, and then remap the 'Start' button to Alt/Option, but in a perfect world I'd like to swap the two keycaps for aesthetic reasons as well. (I know this is a dumb thing to care about.)
From photos I've been seeing online -- particularly of the Wireless Comfort Desktop 5000, which is the current front-runner -- the key caps look like they might plausibly be the same size and shape, and thus swappable, whereas the caps for other keyboards look decidedly non-interchangeable. Anyone out there have a keyboard they've tried this with?
posted by bokane at 1:31 AM on June 30, 2012
From photos I've been seeing online -- particularly of the Wireless Comfort Desktop 5000, which is the current front-runner -- the key caps look like they might plausibly be the same size and shape, and thus swappable, whereas the caps for other keyboards look decidedly non-interchangeable. Anyone out there have a keyboard they've tried this with?
posted by bokane at 1:31 AM on June 30, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by SansPoint at 7:18 AM on June 29, 2012