Best tactile keyboards (preferably similar to old AT layout?)

Stringtheory · Jan 8, 2016

Reference point: Keyboards similar to old IBM AT, with F-Keys at left

My beloved old clacky-sounding IBM AT keyboard has finally bit the dust.
I'm so accustomed to its layout that I'd love to find something similar, with
F-keys at the left side and preferably no separate cursor control pad (I just
use the numeric pad for cursor control.

I suspect that may not be available, so any suggestions for good tactile
keyboards would be appreciated.

guanyu210379 · Jan 8, 2016

The nearest feel to old IBM keyboards?
I find Cherry MX switch blue keyboards are quite similar.
You can try to look any mechanical keyboards from any brands, which use that blue switch.
e.g. QPad MK-80 MX Blue.

Pay really a good attention on the switch type.
You can find blue, brown, red, etc. Each has different typing feel.

The lay-out with F-Keys on the left? I have no idea.
My IBM had the F-keys on the top, just like today's normal keyboards.

R_1 · Jan 8, 2016

http://clickykeyboards.com/

These guys rebuild older keyboards and here they have model F's
http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cfm/fa/categories.main/parentcat/9934

this is another IBM rebuilder maybe he can fix your baby.
http://phosphorglow.net/

Stringtheory · Jan 8, 2016

guanyu210379 :

Good tip, thanks! There's a Youtube video for everything now, and I
actually found one that covered the various models of Cherry switches
(wtf?) They said the brown switch is similar to blue, but quieter acoustically.
That seems like it should work as well.

Yeah the old keyboards had the F-keys in a row down the left, which
was brilliant cause you could reach any combo of ctl or alt with any
F-key with one hand. The change to the top row made all those
combos very clumsy, and it's more difficult to find the keys without
looking.

Stringtheory · Jan 8, 2016

R_1 :

I emailed both. Phosphor didn't have any in stock but tipped me to a circuit
board that converts the old AT keyboard to USB! That may be the perfect
solution.

guanyu210379 · Jan 10, 2016

Stringtheory :

guanyu210379 :

Good tip, thanks! There's a Youtube video for everything now, and I
actually found one that covered the various models of Cherry switches
(wtf?) They said the brown switch is similar to blue, but quieter acoustically.
That seems like it should work as well.

Yeah the old keyboards had the F-keys in a row down the left, which
was brilliant cause you could reach any combo of ctl or alt with any
F-key with one hand. The change to the top row made all those
combos very clumsy, and it's more difficult to find the keys without
looking.

Yup, I use the brown keys too.
Not as loud as the blue one and it is still very tactile.

Search

Best tactile keyboards (preferably similar to old AT layout?)

Stringtheory

Honorable

guanyu210379

guanyu210379

Illustrious

R_1

Expert

Stringtheory

Honorable

Stringtheory

Honorable

guanyu210379

Illustrious

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page