Laptop keyboards with "nicest" tactile feel

c88 · 26th March 2009, 12:59 PM

I am in the market for a new laptop and an important part of the purchase decision is reliant on tactile feel.

So far the nicest keyboard I've tried recently belongs to that of a Vaio Z. It really has a nice crispy click when you press on a button.

I've tried the new macbooks as well, but I found the keys to be a bit spongy and half-hearted for my tastes.

I am interested if anyone could offer some suggestions for desktop keyboards as well, which are readily available from mainstream sources.

Opinions and suggestions would be most welcome.

Annihilator69 · 26th March 2009, 5:54 PM

IBM's / Lenovo's personally have the best keyboards.

Mr. Bump! · 26th March 2009, 7:35 PM

depends on your taste I must say I'm not the hugest fan of the Macbook keyboard but for another reason. The indented keys really make it annoying sometimes... I mean you hit a key and there's really not that much travel. It kinda feels like your bashing against the keyboard sometimes, but it's not that bad that I complain.

Keyboards are very subjective things... go to Harvey Norman or similar that's got a few laptops on display and have a play around till you find one you like.

elephantman · 26th March 2009, 10:38 PM

I've used many and my favourite is IBM/Lenovo by a huge margin

Mr. Bump! · 27th March 2009, 5:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elephantman

I've used many and my favourite is IBM/Lenovo by a huge margin

prolly cause they're still that chunky 80's clicky style keyboards

seriousely I just like to pick on lenovo because their design hasnt changed in the last 20 years

shift6 · 27th March 2009, 12:14 PM

I'm also one who thinks the best way to judge a keyboard is to see and try out for yourself. I would say the previous gen MBPs had nice keyboards...

But yeah, pop into an Office Works / Harvey Norman / Dick Smith and check out a few brands. Each brand will tend to have similar keyboard designs from there you can kinda narrow it down to what laptop brand you want.

elephantman · 28th March 2009, 4:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Bump!

prolly cause they're still that chunky 80's clicky style keyboards

seriousely I just like to pick on lenovo because their design hasnt changed in the last 20 years

I hope it never does, its the best out of all of them for me personally.

billme · 28th March 2009, 5:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elephantman

I hope it never does, its the best out of all of them for me personally.

Same here! Good old R60/R61s/R400s/R500s at work.

Just don't get the cheapie Big W types, get a Thinkpad or check out these new Ideapads.

stmok · 28th March 2009, 9:12 PM

+2 for ThinkPads.

Their keyboard layout is the most logical. I mostly use the TrackPoint.
(...And Linux works on them with minimal issues!)

Dad uses an R40. My sister and I, each have a T43.

I've tried out MacBooks at the Sydney City branch of Myer...I don't like them.

xtrobe · 29th March 2009, 1:52 AM

+3 for thinkpads

my old t40 had the best keyboard ever. t61 is pretty close.. lenovo use three different manufacturers for their keyboards and each have a slightly different feel - so you can easily change keyboards if you don't like it... (at least with the t60/61, t400/500 series are interchangable)

generally speaking...
toshiba - the shiny keyboards are crap
dell - keys are too small/close together, flex, some weird layout..lattitude series is ok
compaq - keys too thin, low action..some very clicky
hp - business class feel close to ibm/lenovo, but home versions are ok

c88 · 29th March 2009, 11:13 PM

Thanks for the replies.
Just an update

Did some more laptop testing, tried various models from toshibas, fujitsu, compaq, hp, asus, sony and apple.

Still very much preferred the Sony Vaio Z. The keys just feel solid and precisely fitted. The contact points for the keys are smaller than normal but i found it to be very comfortable and accurate to type on.
At Harvey Norman the price was $3400, pretty expensive in my opinion. The exchange rate is a killer.

I tried the new Macbooks (both standard and pro) again, and i tried very much to like them. In my personal opinion, something doesn't feel right with them. It just doesn't feel like a nice machine to use.

The keyboard on the old aluminum macbook pro had a nicer feel... but it felt really soft.. mayb it was because it had been used as a display model for a while? Still i dont think it was my type.

So... I am now interested in the higher end lenovos but i havent seen them around any retail shops around Brisbane. Anyone know where i could get my hands on them?

26th March 2009, 12:59 PM	#1
c88 Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: brisbane Posts: 265	Laptop keyboards with "nicest" tactile feel I am in the market for a new laptop and an important part of the purchase decision is reliant on tactile feel. So far the nicest keyboard I've tried recently belongs to that of a Vaio Z. It really has a nice crispy click when you press on a button. I've tried the new macbooks as well, but I found the keys to be a bit spongy and half-hearted for my tastes. I am interested if anyone could offer some suggestions for desktop keyboards as well, which are readily available from mainstream sources. Opinions and suggestions would be most welcome.

26th March 2009, 5:54 PM	#2
Annihilator69 Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Como, Perth Posts: 4,347	IBM's / Lenovo's personally have the best keyboards. __________________ Intel E8400 @ 4 ghz \|\| Gigabyte P45 DQ6 \|\| 4GB Ballistix Tracers \|\| Galaxy 8800 GT vmodded \|\| 2x 750GB Samsung Raid 1\|\| 24" Dell OCAU Extreme Cooling Club H²O Member Storm G4, Bix3, Swiftech Mcw-50 GPU Block, Swiftech MCP-350 Pump Trades List

26th March 2009, 10:38 PM	#4
elephantman Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: 2111 Posts: 1,399	I've used many and my favourite is IBM/Lenovo by a huge margin __________________ I am locust Avatar by Gnato

26th March 2009, 7:35 PM	#3
Mr. Bump! (Banned or Deleted) Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: QLD Posts: 3,645	depends on your taste I must say I'm not the hugest fan of the Macbook keyboard but for another reason. The indented keys really make it annoying sometimes... I mean you hit a key and there's really not that much travel. It kinda feels like your bashing against the keyboard sometimes, but it's not that bad that I complain. Keyboards are very subjective things... go to Harvey Norman or similar that's got a few laptops on display and have a play around till you find one you like.

27th March 2009, 12:14 PM	#6
shift6 Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Sydney Posts: 313	I'm also one who thinks the best way to judge a keyboard is to see and try out for yourself. I would say the previous gen MBPs had nice keyboards... But yeah, pop into an Office Works / Harvey Norman / Dick Smith and check out a few brands. Each brand will tend to have similar keyboard designs from there you can kinda narrow it down to what laptop brand you want.

28th March 2009, 9:12 PM	#9
stmok (Taking a Break) Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Sydney Posts: 6,271	+2 for ThinkPads. Their keyboard layout is the most logical. I mostly use the TrackPoint. (...And Linux works on them with minimal issues!) Dad uses an R40. My sister and I, each have a T43. I've tried out MacBooks at the Sydney City branch of Myer...I don't like them.

29th March 2009, 1:52 AM	#10
xtrobe Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Ultimo, Sydney Posts: 85	+3 for thinkpads my old t40 had the best keyboard ever. t61 is pretty close.. lenovo use three different manufacturers for their keyboards and each have a slightly different feel - so you can easily change keyboards if you don't like it... (at least with the t60/61, t400/500 series are interchangable) generally speaking... toshiba - the shiny keyboards are crap dell - keys are too small/close together, flex, some weird layout..lattitude series is ok compaq - keys too thin, low action..some very clicky hp - business class feel close to ibm/lenovo, but home versions are ok

29th March 2009, 11:13 PM	#11
c88 Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: brisbane Posts: 265	Thanks for the replies. Just an update Did some more laptop testing, tried various models from toshibas, fujitsu, compaq, hp, asus, sony and apple. Still very much preferred the Sony Vaio Z. The keys just feel solid and precisely fitted. The contact points for the keys are smaller than normal but i found it to be very comfortable and accurate to type on. At Harvey Norman the price was $3400, pretty expensive in my opinion. The exchange rate is a killer. I tried the new Macbooks (both standard and pro) again, and i tried very much to like them. In my personal opinion, something doesn't feel right with them. It just doesn't feel like a nice machine to use. The keyboard on the old aluminum macbook pro had a nicer feel... but it felt really soft.. mayb it was because it had been used as a display model for a while? Still i dont think it was my type. So... I am now interested in the higher end lenovos but i havent seen them around any retail shops around Brisbane. Anyone know where i could get my hands on them?