I’m a writer, both professionally and artistically, so I spend hours a day pounding on the keys.
I have a PC I use primarily for gaming, with which I use a Corsair Cherry MX Red keyboard. I find it tiresome to use for extended typing, and not very comfortable. I think the main issue is the pressure required to hold down the key. I find it is really a strain and thus do most of my work on my Macbook Pro, which has a keyboard I love… but laptops are not ergonomic for other reasons. I would prefer to work at my desk.
Some writers rave about mechanical keyboards, which is part of the reason I bought it, but if I am going to use my PC for extended periods of writing, I’m going to need a new keyboard.
Some rando on the internet recommended this one, Razer Green, but I of course have no idea what the tactile difference would be.
While I do use it for gaming, this would be first and foremost a writing tool.
As I consider this a professional expense, I would spend up to $300 on a good keyboard.
Cherry MX Red switches are not really for typing, IMO. It’s a “linear force” key switch - it’s like pushing on a spring that never goes “click.”
Cherry MX Blue is a bit better for typing. That’s what I’m using now. But after a long time, my pinky gets a bit tired from pushing the shift key. I’m considering getting an MX Brown to see if it’s noticeably lighter or not.
Unicomp keyboards are made in the USA and are almost identical to IBM Model M keyboards. They “purchased the license, tooling and the rights to the design for the buckling-spring keyboard technology (the technology behind the famous IBM Model M and many other keyboards) from Lexmark International, Inc.”
My friend got one and it compares very favorably to my 1986-vintage Model M that’s still going strong. That is what I would buy if I had to replace the Model M.
I was starting to get carpal tunnel syndrome and when I switched to it, that went away. Getting used to the split in the key could take 1-2 weeks. Amply worth it and not that expensive.
Any straight keyboard is going to run into the problem that it forces at least one of your wrists to bend which leads to fatigue/CTS.
I’m a writer too and completely agree with this. I’d really recommend trying a split keyboard; if you touch-type they don’t take long to get used to. Straight keyboards are hell on your shoulders, wrists and forearms as the years go on.
I tried several split keyboards before settling on the Kinesis Freestyle, which I love. They seem to have changed it a bit, though – the Kinesis Maxim looks more like the version I have now.
Whatever you get, it’s worth investing a bit of money to make sure you’re comfortable.
I might eventually go ergonomic, we’ll see how it goes. So far I’ve been lucky enough never to have issues with RSI in my hands (not so lucky with my back.) I take frequent breaks.
Part of the issue, is, well I am a gamer, so the ideal keyboard would also work with a good gaming setup.
I went to Best Buy and tried out some different keyboards, and I came home with this, the Corsair K70 RGB Rapidfire. It has a new kind of switch called Cherry MX Speed which means the lightest pressure needed to type among all Cherry switches, as I understand it. It’s new so there’s not a lot of info on it as regards writing performance. But when I was testing out the different keyboards I came back to that one, over and over.
My less than 24-hour assessment is that I love it. I am a rapid typist (just clocked myself at 97 wpm on a speed test.) This baby is designed for speed and the keypresses required are very light. The one caveat I’d give is that it punishes poor accuracy. It’s very easy to press a key on accident.
Oh, and the sparkly backlights are a nice bonus. I wasn’t aware when I made the purchase but they are limitlessly customizable in color and pattern. I’m such a dork.
I’ve been using the older, single color version of that keyboard for about a year, and in general I like it. It took me a little while to reprogram my typing, so that I’m not bottoming out the key each time I press one. My only other issue is that the software to program the backlighting on the individual keys isn’t at all intuitive.
My daily driver for work is a Das Keyboard 4 Professional with MX Blue switches. It also comes in an MX Brown version. Don’t worry, this isn’t the infamous one with blank keys.
Not cheap, but my fingers like it. One common “problem” with mechanical switch keyboards is that they’re largely marketed to gamers, so they’re festooned with garish colors, crazy lighting, etc. The Das is refreshingly solid black, save for the understated red ring on the volume knob.
Since you already have a keyboard I guess my suggestion of a