It's been a lo-o-o-ong time since my last stay here at Deskthority. I suppose I felt that I just got a little "too into it" (although I don't think it's actually possible to get too into these things...) and decided to re-focus for a while.
Lot's of keyboard related stuff happened since my last Keyboard Love Story VIII - since NTC KB-6252EA and Dell AT101W (which I donated to my godson just last weekend). I'm going through my notes from 2012-2013 and will also try to recap the crucial parts into this post. Enjoy!
I placed a pre-order on Matias Tactile Pro 4.0 on 13th of November 2012 and the board arrived to Finland one week later. I'd say that's rather fast. First impression of the board was a bit like "Huh, wasn't this supposed to be 4.0 not 3.0?" so I emailed their support:
Hello! I've just received the package. However, how can I actually tell
that this is the Matias Tactile Pro _4_ as I ordered it?
Everything on the package refers to 3.0 and the part number begins with
FK302 ... ?
Fair enoough, excellent service! After messing around with the board a little bit, I got curious about it, being all new switches etc. Not that many companies make their own switches, right? So I wrote to their support and apparently Edgar Matias himself replied. Awesome service!Dear Samuli,
Yes, you have the 4th version. The part number and bar code remained the
same.
There have been no 3rd version keyboards for 6+ months so it would be
impossible for you to have an old one, unless you buy used on ebay.
Regards,
Barbara
The keyboard itself is very solid, although the glossy, plastic look doesn't do it for me but then again, it's probably to please Apple fanboysHi Samuli,
Thanks for your email…
> I'm a happy owner of the new Matias Tactile Pro 4.0 clicky keyboard and
> also an active member of a keyboard enthusiast forum Deskthority.Net,
> you might've heard of it.. Anyways, I was wondering, since the new
> Matias contains all-new switches, do you have any kind of spec sheets or
> data sheets available of the new clicky switches? I'd be interested in
> sharing some information (actuation force for example) about the new
> switches into the Deskthority wiki.
We plan to release data sheets as soon as we start selling the switches -- within the next month. In the mean time, I can tell you that the actuation force is 60±5 gf.
> Also, if you don't mind, I'm curious about where are the switches
> manufactured and by which plant? I've understood that Alps Electric
> passed over the manufacturing of their switches to Forward Electronics
> (Fuhua) which has recently stopped manufacturing the switches... So, I'm
> just wondering, is it /you/ who are /actually/ manufacturing the
> switches in Taiwan or have you contracted some other electronic company
> to do so?
It's a little more complicated than that...
The switches are made in China. We designed and own all the tooling used to manufacture them, but there are a lot of different parts that go into a switch, and they are not all made in one factory.
For example, the outside enclosure is injected polycarbonate. The metal spring is made in a specialized spring factory, which is different from the factory that makes the clicker and the terminal leads. You get the idea. There's a whole supply chain.
I can also tell you that I oversee all product design myself personally. That was especially true of the new switches, which were in development for 2 years. I spend a lot of time in factories, making sure things are done properly, and training people on the production lines. There are a lot of little manufacturing details that need to be checked and documented, so that the product is done correctly every time.
Actually, I just got back from China yesterday. I spent most of December there, which unfortunately meant missing Christmas with my family.
Thanks again for your interest…
Best regards,
Edgar
The cover squeaks a little bit when bent and it does attract fingerprints. Also, one or two of the switches don't click, otherwise perfectly functional. There's an interesting unique feature to this board: The sound. Tapping the keycaps makes a clack-like sound, so it’s not the switches that make the loudest sounds, it's the caps! Keycaps feel like POMs, maybe even PBTs but according to some forgotten and unconfirmed sources, Signature Plastics does their caps and they are lasered ABS but don't take my word on it.Matias Tactile Pro 4.0 instantly became my new favorite. Superb tactile feel and sound on the switches, great feeling (and funky sounding) keycaps and plenty of features for Apple users. Windows users don't get much extra but with the help of their custom driver, you get to swap places of the modifier keys so that they feel like home. There's also an excellent tool for Windows users called SharpKeys which I use to make right Ctrl key to act as Left Windows Key... Great for those old boards without Winkeys.
Despite finding a brand new favorite, I was still hunting for boards with switches that I hadn't tried out yet. And it was around the same time when I received a GSE KPT-84. I've understood, that this keyboard is actually from an old video editing system GSE MPE-200SX
GSE KPT-84
- Blue KPT switches
- Very interesting space bar stems
- Top row with the function keys is noticeably lower than in other keyboards I’ve had
- Some keys are slightly stiff
- Switchable xt/at (I assume)
- Very light, lighter than Noppoo Choc Mini
- The case makes a nice reverberation for the clicks and spring pings
- Lower pitched click than Cherry MX Blue
- Compared to Cherries, the actuation point is quite high up or early
- Enter doesn’t click at all, it has a tactile feel but is softer than the rest of the keys. Another review stated the same so it’s likely a feature not a bug.
- Awesome double-shot keycaps, thicker than the Tulip caps!
- Very nice feeling on the caps, texture feels like Noppoo POM
But then, a year later, in November 2013, something happened... I received an email from a guy who was selling a Monterey K108 - FKD45AK108. Well, whattahey! Let's give it a shot! Monterey arrived a week or two later..
Monterey K108 is, other than the switches, exactly the same as my older NTC board. The case is the same, the board is the same, the controller chip is different but it appears to be the same PCB without much modifications. But what about the switches! They're awesome! Didn't have to lubricate them or anything. I really like them. They have this slightly crunchier, more tactile feel to them than white ALPS and the sound is very pleasing, steady, low pitched clicking.
It's now 2014 and I've finally settled with three keyboards. These I will keep using at least throughout this year: IBM Model M, Matias Tactile Pro 4.0, Monterey K108 (FKD45AK108). Maybe I'll try the NTC with white ALPS again... Or maybe I'll grab myself some flashy new Cherry MX board later this year... Yeah... I guess you could say that I'm back.
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