Any keyboard aficionados *not* using mechanicals?

[garnett]

Are there any good non-mechanical options?

Since returning to decent spec desktop PC use I bought myself a Corsair Strafe mechanical keyboard (with Cherry Red silent keys).

It's been flawless in use for the 3 years I've had it but I'm clumsy typing with it, and don't really game like I had thought I might when I purchased.

My wife uses the machine but misses her old Apple keyboard, with keys you barely touch to register an input.

Is there a decent half-way house option?

 

[Donnie Fisher]

I'm not sure really, unless you get some weird unusual spec thing, then I've found keyboards now really fall into full depth or chiclet, with little that lies in the middle ground.

I've lost my mechanical keyboard to the boy who wanted all the RGB on it for his machine. I liked the 'feel' of the keys but I cant say that I was all that great at typing on it, and that I was better typing on the old apple keyboard chiclet design from the iMac I had before.

Due to covid, I had to setup my desk as a pseudo hotswap desk with my desktop and my wife's docking station for her work laptop, sharing the same display and keyboard/mouse. To facilitate the sharing, I bought a Dell Premiere Wireless Combo (KM717). It has a 2.4ghz dongle for normal wireless, but also has 2x bluetooth connections. so you can have it registered to 3x machines at any given time. You select which is active by sliding a switch on the keyboard itself or button on the mouse. Works brilliantly. Mouse is a bit rubbishy if you're used to gaming mice. Overall, the wife loves it, and I like it too.

Its a chiclet design and very very like an Apple keyboard. I would definitely say I type faster and more accurately on it than the mechanical one of old. It also looks and feels quite premium too.

Maybe something to look at / consider.

 

[Sparx]

Razer has a membrane one if you have a look at some of those. Has a more tactile feel of mechanical and lower profile.

 

[PC777]

I would like a mechanical keyboard but they're just too loud, in my research even the quietest switches are still a bit noisy and you have to pay a lot for the quietest ones.

I work from home typing late at night and also gaming, ended up getting a Kensington Advance fit, full size, but low profile keys keyboard with media buttons and uses very quiet, laptop style scissor switches. Been quiet for work and still good for gaming, a budget option as well.

 

[Saul Farrell]

YES! So I'm a big fan of mechanical keyboards but I decided to try a non-mechanical keyboard. I got the Steelseries Apex 5 and it is absolutely amazing! It comes with per key rgb lighting, an oled screen and is a full size keyboard for just £89.99! (RRP of £119.99 but they go on offer regularly) It is the best keyboard I've ever used. It isn't as loud as a true mechanical keyboard but the keys are the best feeling keys I've ever typed with. Seriously! Just look at all the reviews on youtube, some youtubers call it a "piece of artwork". If you are looking for a new keyboard then this would definitely be the one I recommend the most!

 

[Xelene]

I'm okay with either browns or apple chiclet keys, spongy membrane can go to hell.

 

[garnett]

Thanks for all the replies. Some great leads there.

I'm not sure really, unless you get some weird unusual spec thing, then I've found keyboards now really fall into full depth or chiclet, with little that lies in the middle ground.

I've lost my mechanical keyboard to the boy who wanted all the RGB on it for his machine. I liked the 'feel' of the keys but I cant say that I was all that great at typing on it, and that I was better typing on the old apple keyboard chiclet design from the iMac I had before.

Due to covid, I had to setup my desk as a pseudo hotswap desk with my desktop and my wife's docking station for her work laptop, sharing the same display and keyboard/mouse. To facilitate the sharing, I bought a Dell Premiere Wireless Combo (KM717). It has a 2.4ghz dongle for normal wireless, but also has 2x bluetooth connections. so you can have it registered to 3x machines at any given time. You select which is active by sliding a switch on the keyboard itself or button on the mouse. Works brilliantly. Mouse is a bit rubbishy if you're used to gaming mice. Overall, the wife loves it, and I like it too.

Its a chiclet design and very very like an Apple keyboard. I would definitely say I type faster and more accurately on it than the mechanical one of old. It also looks and feels quite premium too.

Maybe something to look at / consider.

Thanks. This is probably top of the list currently - looks decent and a good price.

Razer has a membrane one if you have a look at some of those. Has a more tactile feel of mechanical and lower profile.

I need to do some more reading up on this one.

I would like a mechanical keyboard but they're just too loud, in my research even the quietest switches are still a bit noisy and you have to pay a lot for the quietest ones.

I work from home typing late at night and also gaming, ended up getting a Kensington Advance fit, full size, but low profile keys keyboard with media buttons and uses very quiet, laptop style scissor switches. Been quiet for work and still good for gaming, a budget option as well.

Like you say, the price is right for this. Thanks. I'd not considered Kensington as a possible brand.

YES! So I'm a big fan of mechanical keyboards but I decided to try a non-mechanical keyboard. I got the Steelseries Apex 5 and it is absolutely amazing! It comes with per key rgb lighting, an oled screen and is a full size keyboard for just £89.99! (RRP of £119.99 but they go on offer regularly) It is the best keyboard I've ever used. It isn't as loud as a true mechanical keyboard but the keys are the best feeling keys I've ever typed with. Seriously! Just look at all the reviews on youtube, some youtubers call it a "piece of artwork". If you are looking for a new keyboard then this would definitely be the one I recommend the most!

That looks really nice but need to read up on the keys - they look similar to my cherry red silents, and I'm after something with less travel/lower profile.

I'm okay with either browns or apple chiclet keys, spongy membrane can go to hell.

Can you elaborate? Are you saying all membrane keys are spongy and unpleasant? Are there any chiclets other than Apple to consider?

 

[HACO]

I really like Apple's Magic Keyboard if I can't have a mechanical one (like at the office).

 

[LuckyBenski]

I've found that mechanical keyboards are noisy because of bottoming out, so switch choice makes no difference. Partly it's my typing style, I hit very hard. While membrane keyboards tend to cushion this a bit, it's still noisy. I've got single or double o-rings on my mechanical keyboards but they still make noise.

As you mentioned in the OP, I feel clumsy typing on mine now I'm full time at home. I'm sure I used to be better but for the last few years I've used 3-4 different keyboards across locations so maybe I'm not familiar enough.

Haven't really resolved this issue personally yet. I'm not married to mechs, they seem to wear out quicker anyway. And colleagues do notice my typing on voice calls, but again I think that's my aggressive attack

 

[darael]

This is one of the reasons I can't part with my old Logitech K200 keyboard. It's not as noisy as a mechanical keyboard, I prefer the softer feel, it has multimedia keys (I only really use volume and calculator keys)and has a proper full layout with a full enter key.

It seems that this sort of keyboard has ceased to exist, having given way to bling (RGB) and noise (mechanical).

 

[Saul Farrell]

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Thanks for all the replies. Some great leads there. Thanks. This is probably top of the list currently - looks decent and a good price.

I need to do some more reading up on this one.

Like you say, the price is right for this. Thanks. I'd not considered Kensington as a possible brand.

That looks really nice but need to read up on the keys - they look similar to my cherry red silents, and I'm after something with less travel/lower profile.

Can you elaborate? Are you saying all membrane keys are spongy and unpleasant? Are there any chiclets other than Apple to consider?

Ah okay. If you haven't noticed I'm a big steelseries fan. I believe that the Apex Pro TKL has an adjustable actuation which means lower travel distance, but the price on that is fairly high

 

[Saul Farrell]

I'm okay with either browns or apple chiclet keys, spongy membrane can go to hell.

Membranes are absolutely awful, the only positive would be the silent keys...

 

[adrichardson81]

There's always the G915. Slim keys, great feel and incredibly quiet with the tactile version.

 

[rG-tom]

Can you elaborate? Are you saying all membrane keys are spongy and unpleasant? Are there any chiclets other than Apple to consider?

If you like the Apple style, try the Logitech MX Keys, it's an absolutely beautiful keyboard. Solid aluminium base, can connect three devices at once, usb-c charging, scissor action

 

[merlin6r]

My son had a Cherry MX Corsair keyboard that I always hated because of the noise.

I got a Logitech G413 https://www.overclockers.co.uk/logi...-keyboard-uk-layout-920-008308-kb-25p-lg.html

Its mechanical but uses Romer-G switches rather than Cherry MX. Definitely much quieter.

It doesn't help my gaming one bit but its much nicer to type on. Took me a while to get used to it though, I think it's because you don't have to push the keys in as far. You do get used to it though...

 

[dowie]

That looks really nice but need to read up on the keys - they look similar to my cherry red silents, and I'm after something with less travel/lower profile.

Can you elaborate? Are you saying all membrane keys are spongy and unpleasant? Are there any chiclets other than Apple to consider?

I think I might know what you're after here, I hadn't initially looked for this myself but saw a review at the rainforest place that was so enthusiastic about this type of keyboard that I took a punt on it, I've found I do like it myself.

Basically, if you're mentioning Apple you're probably looking for "scissor switch" keys I think (the type Apple ditched then returned to in it's laptops and also uses in it's magic keyboards), one brand to consider is Kensington, they sell a pretty good value slim profile keyboard (branded as Advanced Fit) with scissor switch keys and it's cheap enough that you're probably not going to worry too much about taking a punt on it.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keyboard_technology#Scissor-switch_keyboard

Edit -
Doh... I didn't skimmed over/didn't read the thread or post I'd quoted properly... someone else has literally mentioned this exact same keyboard... apologies...

anyway if it helps at all in your choice I did buy one myself and it's been great so far

 

[Vince]

Closest keyboard you can get to apple quality and feel for typing in my opinion is the microsoft modern with touch ID. I have one, the wife has one and we both love it. I also have a ducky but much prefer typing on the microsoft board.

 

[ttaskmaster]

Mechanicals are great to type on, but the noise irritates and I hate how most of them have the backlighting spilling out from around each key.
I went back to my Logitech G19 partly for all the funky gay 'gamerz' features, but also because the only backlit bit of each key is the symbol(s) on it.

 

[Gray2233]

Mechanicals are great to type on, but the noise irritates and I hate how most of them have the backlighting spilling out from around each key.
I went back to my Logitech G19 partly for all the funky gay 'gamerz' features, but also because the only backlit bit of each key is the symbol(s) on it.

I'm pretty sure you can turn off the backlighting for 90% of keyboards?

I don't think I've ever owned one where you couldn't, which is sort of a necessity for me as I prefer them off myself.

My current Patriot V730 uses brown switches and it's been fantastic, although it's definitely louder than membrane, especially when you get up to decent typing speeds.

 

[rG-tom]

I'm thinking of giving the Logitech G915 a go since my fiancée has stolen my MX Keys. Low profile key caps with custom switches that are a fair bit quieter than the cherry ones i believe if you avoid the clicky switches:

https://www.logitechg.com/en-gb/pro...file-wireless-mechanical-gaming-keyboard.html

Bit more subtle than a lot of gaming keyboards too! Shame it's VERY expensive, though can get it for £150 ish through work...