looking for a small but comfortable QWERTY keyboard - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 20, 2023, 05:48:58 pm
content: Ultra portable laptop have been a "Status Symbols" for a while, since when Toshiba released several models of the Libretto over the 90s and early 2000s, first in Japan and only a bit later in the US, and no matter which model, those damn things were (and still are) more about an idea of the future than actual functionality.And that's precisely the point now: you buy a computer the size of a paperback book, and with a full QWERTY keyboard each key is half the size achiclet, so they are nearly impossible to hit accurately.So I ask you: on a device the size of an 8"-10" LCD, have you ever found a really comfortable and precise keyboard to use for writing, text, or code activities?If so, which one?

author: audiotubes
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 20, 2023, 07:46:34 pm
content: I've been using mechanical keyboards, forever. I don't know of anything micro, there may well be, but "tenkeyless" keyboard with good mechanical switches and lately bluetooth, are more available than ever.

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 20, 2023, 08:10:18 pm
content: Quote from: audiotubes on November 20, 2023, 07:46:34 pmwhich models?

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 20, 2023, 10:49:26 pm
content: Keyboards on mobile devices, even larger ones like 17" laptops, are almost all huge piles of crap, so don't even try that with a small device. It's hopeless.I do much prefer mechanical keyboards as well, but even the smallest ones are bigger than a 10" display.You can have a look at the "60%" mechanical keyboards, there are tons of them out there - you can start on Amazon just to see, and go from there. They may still be too large for your use case, I don't know.

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 20, 2023, 11:14:00 pm
content: andoh-oh-ohmechanical keyboards 40%

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 20, 2023, 11:40:01 pm
content: If the limited number of keys is fine, that could work. =)

author: audiotubes
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2023, 09:19:28 am
content: Quote from: DiTBho on November 20, 2023, 08:10:18 pmIn the old days I could answer you. Now it's impossible due to the relatively huge interest which led to a wide availability of all kinds of brands, formats, and options. Some companies make the key switches and boards (Cherry for example) but many newcomers use OEM switches and make the board themselves.

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2023, 12:56:31 pm
content: about the old days ...

author: Stray Electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2023, 01:37:57 pm
content: I bought my first laptop computer, an NEC Multispeed, in 1986specificallybecause it had a full sized keyboard and I never regretted it. To me it's weird that the computer companies are now making laptops with bigger and bigger screens but are still trying to pass off undersized keyboards as somehow functional.

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2023, 02:14:08 pm
content: Quote from: Stray Electron on November 21, 2023, 01:37:57 pmyup, that's precisely my point

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2023, 02:38:13 pm
content: These units in the above pictures were the ancestors of modern netbooks. I've tried them all, time after time ins in exhibition events and fairs, all terrible about the keyboard to the point where you really wouldn't want to type anything on them for more than 40 minutes!I installed a vt100 emulation program on a Toshiba Libretto 486 running DOS, it was fast enough for the task running a serial connection (agetty /dev/ttyS0,119200bps on the other server machine), but the keyboard was so terrible that you would only like to use the unit as "monitor", e.g. "htop", "netmon", or similars.All, except the Psion5, on which I found comfortable enough with the keyboard to type some articles, but meh ... using vt100 as a terminal for a server is something I haven't been able to do for more than 80 minutes, and not because of the screen, but - again - because of the keyboard.So, the problem is always the keyboard! I've tried many of them, and I have to say: of the ultra portables, I didn't feel comfortable with any of them! and with the modern 8" ones that sell on Alixepress (someone reviewed on Youtube), things are even worse, because those keyboards, on the one hand, have a better aesthetic appearance (copied from the Apple Magic Keyboard, resized to fit a smaller shell), on the other they are much more annoying to use.

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2023, 03:56:31 pm
content: like this one, on Aliexpress.

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2023, 01:59:57 pm
content: a good overview of the past

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2023, 04:35:49 pm
content: Quote from: SiliconWizard on November 20, 2023, 10:49:26 pmWhen I bought a laptop a couple years ago, I initially looked at 13" devices thinking about easier storage and carrying, but ended up with a 15" laptop because of price and features, and I am really glad I did not get anything smaller, and I would try to go larger now if possible.Smaller laptops have their place where portability is a primary consideration, but they are not suitable as a temporary desktop replacement.Quote from: Stray Electron on November 21, 2023, 01:37:57 pmApple and now others include laptop styled keyboards with their desktops. At least here we can replace the keyboard with something more suited to, well, typing.

author: c64
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 23, 2023, 11:04:08 pm
content: Quote from: DiTBho on November 20, 2023, 08:10:18 pmAny mechanical keyboard will be way better then any laptop one. Just choose by the looks. Backlight (color, etc.). Keycaps - some have better looking letters. Although keycaps are easy to replace.And of course you need to decide which switches you need. Linear, clicky ...

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 24, 2023, 02:59:41 pm
content: considering the switch and keycap, what is the maximum height of a key?

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 24, 2023, 06:55:24 pm
content: So,thisanswers about the keycap profiles

author: abeyer
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 24, 2023, 09:02:23 pm
content: Quote from: DiTBho on November 24, 2023, 06:55:24 pmMany switches follow the mechanical dimensions of the MXs for compatibility, so there's less variation there, but therearea few options for low profile keyswitches too, if you're trying to reduce height. I've tried the Kailh Choc low profiles and they felt pretty nice for a compact switch.