What is the Best Out-of-the-Box Keyboard?

[SL89]

CODE is the best. HHKB is an inferior layout with too few keys. And Realforce is subject to Topre love / hate. People make much ado about the caps on WASD boards, but they are indeed perfect out of the box. They only are meh after a year or so.

[czarek]

Shiny caps are fine for some. I actually prefer shiny ABS over SP's DSA PBTs which are rough as hell.

Of course best out of the box keycaps you can get today come on Topre, there is no question about it. The build quality of Realforce is also top notch, the feel is outstanding, and you're right, if you have strong fingers or don't type much, 55G Realforce is probably the best experience you can buy today.
Can't say that about 45G Topres which are very uneven (it's 15G tolerance after all, I had RF 45G EK edition, and still have black HHKB, both pretty inconsistent), and can't say anything about variable because I haven't tried them.

Also to me SSK doesn't count. Those are collector's pieces, you can't just go online and buy one whenever you feel like getting one or your old one fails. Same goes to Kishsavers, Symbolics, lovely Space Invaders (my A2000 keyboard is very pleasing board without any mods) or Focus with Blue Alps (which I got finally and was very disappointed with).

[czarek]

CODE is the best. HHKB is an inferior layout with too few keys. And Realforce is subject to Topre love / hate. People make much ado about the caps on WASD boards, but they are indeed perfect out of the box. They only are meh after a year or so.

Code is indeed very good if you're up for TKL/Fullsize. Not perfect because their MX Blues suck and they don't offer linear switch option. Many people (myself included) dislike Cherry tactile (non clicky) switches.

The case, layout and keycaps are very, very nice though. I must say I really like painted ABS keycaps with lasered labels as used on Code and other backlit keyboards. They feel very similar to thin ABS doubleshots with nice smooth surface.

[SL89]

Topre may have good caps, but it lacks resistance / weight. Also there are no CODE's with blues afaik. Just Green, Clear and Brown. Unless they changed that. WASD has the rest, but CODE only had certain flavors.

[Hypersphere]

Well, this thread is about each person's opinion of the best keyboard out of the box with no after-box mods.

Much depends on what one considers satisfactory with respect to all the elements that go into a keyboard -- switches, keycaps, layout, overall build quality.

The HHKB has it all for me: 60% form factor, a layout that I find intuitive and efficient, and beautiful dye-sub PBT keycaps.

Although I like the build quality and hefty switch weight of the RF87U 55g, it does not have the HHKB layout or the 60% form factor. If I am permitted to use keyboard remapping software without violating "out of the box", then it would difficult to choose between the RF87U and the HHKB.

I accept that we shouldn't count the IBM SSK because it is no longer in production. However, how should we count the forthcoming brand new F62 and F77 keyboards? If this is going to be a one-time-only thing, then perhaps these would not even qualify as custom jobs such as a GON keyboard. Nevertheless, I think a brand-new Kishsaver would be had to beat.

[Muirium]

Most don't, but some SSKs do qualify for this contest.


http://deskthority.net/post207271.html#p207271

This shot pretty much sums up my answer.



Keyboards are subjective. (Hello forum full of different opinions!) For me, these are the apex boards. No MX or Matias comes even close.

[bocahgundul]

HHKB hands down the best keyboard out of box

[Hypersphere]

The drop for the KC60 didn't have a single option for Gateron or MX reds and No LEDs. Wut?

The Pok3r is programmable too; what makes the KC60 a better choice? What, exactly, does "complete programmability" mean? Can it be programmed to send keycodes to an iPad for operations like the home button, the lock/sleep button, search, select all, etc.?

The drop also didn't say what material the case is made out of. The Pok3r has an aluminum case; is that true for the KC60 as well?

I'm basically trying to determine if/how the KC60 is better than the Pok3r(s) I already have for connecting up to an iPad.

I don't have answers to all your questions, but there are numerous reviews and comparisons for the KC60 and Pok3r available on the web.

It appears that the current Massdrop for the KC60 is not a true new drop. Apparently, they are simply selling off extras from cancelled orders. Hence, the poor selection -- most of the better options have been taken.

My limited understanding of the two keyboards (Pok3r and KC60) is that the KC60 enables you to program any key in any layer (including the default layer 0). You can also designate any key as Fn. It also appears that the KC60 has a total of 10 layers that can all be programmed. I think that the Pok3r has 4 layers and that you cannot remap the default layer. The KC60 requires you to reflash the firmware to change the programming, whereas the Pok3r can be remapped on the fly.

Another advantage of the KC60 is that although the switches are plate-mounted, if you do not have LEDs already installed, you can open the switch tops for swapping stems/springs, lubing, or installing stickers.

The KC60 has a plastic case, but it has standard mounting holes for installing in aftermarket aluminum cases.

If the Pok3r is working well for you, I do not see a compelling reason to switch to the KC60. However, for me, I found the KC60 programming to work better for me than the Pok3r, mainly because of the ability to remap the default layer.

EDIT/PS:

Some things I like about the Pok3r:

+ Works well with Leopold PBT keycaps; minimal bottoming-out noise. Leopold caps are handsome and well made, but they don't work well on all Cherry mx-mount keyboards with respect to bottoming out noise or conflicting with wire stabilizers.
+ Improved Cherry stabilizers? They don't feel as mushy as those on the Poker II, and Cherry stabilizers facilitate swapping keycaps on stabilized keys.

Some things I don't like about the Pok3r:

- Cherry stabilizers. Although they seem improved in the Pok3r, they still feel mushier than Costar-type stabilizers.
- Hardwired Fn and Pn keys. Because of the way I use the Pok3r, I end up with these as two dead keys on the bottom row. I prefer all keys on the board to have scan codes that can then optionally be reassigned.

[TuxKey]

Realforce 87u 55g's are what I have always recommended...sadly the only true OOB board I have now is a SSK.

Imagine if we had a silent FC660C...

strange i had the same idea a couple of weeks ago..Wanting to have a Silent FC660C...And now i have the board and the Silent rings are under way ...very excited to start building my silent FC660C hope the rings are as good of better than the Type S construction of the HHK pro2 -S..

[TuxKey]

After having tried a a bunch of keyboards and different switches
And getting a few sets of double-shot pbt keycaps.

I settelt with two keyboards that i actually consider NOT to be "The Best Out of the Box Keyboard"
FC660C topre 45g and FC660M cherry-mx-clears.

If regular usage was the only factor i would say these two are the best out of the box keyboards out there.

But as a keyboard lover there is more to consider..
1) keycaps, sizes and side printing capsLock light, future upgradeability pimping up your board
2) typing feeling a combination of sound bump, landing.
3) programability , dip-switches,
4) size of board
5) switch type, usage scenario gamer vs typist and periodes of time

To keep my reply short.

i would say the Best Out of the Box keyboards are these two (two switch families two winners)

- Topre; Realforce 78U Silent white model
Nice readable printing, and silent what else could you ask for with default size keycaps.

- Cherry MX; Input Club K-type
The things you can do with this keyboard (as i understand it) blow anything else out of the water..
Default keycap size backlighting that is programable so you could have different lighting schemes to help you remember one or multiple layers and functions.. (i know it's not out yet)

I they will give us EU folks a way to grab one without the extra 31% and have switches equal to mx-ergo clears
(brown springs) i will have to grab one..

Take care all..

[mars]

I sold all my keyboard assets when I got my hhkb.
I guess it says a lot about it.
Picture features a pbt spacebar (thanks again Matt3o), so 99% out of the box perfection?

IMG_2158.JPG (138.79 KiB) Viewed 3700 times

[seaworthy]

This is a valuable thread. If a person could somehow clairvoyantly see into the future to ascertain their time-tested likes and dislikes by sampling the opinions of others, it could really save a lot of money and time.

You could almost limit the sampling universe to just an HHKB or something else (you’re highly likely to love it or hate it). So start with the HHKB. If you like it you’re done; if not, it holds its resell value well and you’re out nothing but your time. Of course the presumption I'm making is you're comfortable trying a smaller board.

But where’s the fun in end running all the anticipation of waiting for kit in the mail and sampling the cornucopia of switches? Even if we could mainstream a taste pallet, we’re all too arrogant to profit from the opinions of others at the cost of our own freedom to fail.

[Muirium]

Between the HHKB, the FC660C and the Realforce lineup, Topre has the whole size spectrum to choose from. My advice for anyone starting out that can afford it, is to pick whichever layout appeals best, and if you don't like the feel, sell it for very little loss indeed.

Everything gets more complicated in other switch families. Topre is the easiest (if not the cheapest!) one to sample, and so many of us settle on it for life that it's absolutely worth a shot.

[TuxKey]

Topre is the easiest (if not the cheapest!) one to sample, and so many of us settle on it for life that it's absolutely worth a shot.

It's just bin a couple of days but i'm really getting used to my new Topre FC660C..

Perhaps a red arrow cluster ..And a nice PBT Space bar and i'm set for life


BTW the white PBT Topre Spacebar out there from massdrop and so on..That white isn't the same as the white i have correct?

So perhaps red would look better with a red arrow set..Combined with the Red Esc key could look slick
Don't want to bother a certain nice guy with a third request hahah So i won't Topre boards last so the red Trinity will have to wait

[seebart]

Nice, I would have gone for the white with dye-sub PBT's but since I got very lucky in finding mine I had to go with Hangul lasered PBT keycaps.

IMGP2286.JPG (970.35 KiB) Viewed 3630 times

[jacobolus]

Though it’s far from perfect, the best one currently for sale is the Matias ErgoPro,


Or a case could be made for the μTRON, but it’s a pretty expensive niche keyboard. Likewise for the Maltron.

If you include defunct keyboards from the 1990s or various hobbyist DIY projects, there are various other contenders. Hopefully in the future there will be more competition.

All the stuff you folks are listing is the same uninspired and inhumane one-piece design from the 19th century.

[Muirium]

All of those suck compared to the Datahand! If we're going full ergo, let's cut to the chase.

[jacobolus]

The Datahand is not for sale. Also, my personal opinion is that its design is based on a poor understanding of hand biomechanics. It’s mainly useful for people who are so severely injured that they cannot physically type on other keyboards without pain. As far as I’ve seen, even after extended training/practice, typing on a Datahand is substantially slower than a standard keyboard.

The other possible keyboards to list here are chording stenography keyboards of various sorts. They are very expensive though, take months of training to reach basic proficiency, can’t be mastered without years of heavy practice, and are mostly useful for typing prose, not general-purpose computer control. So I can’t really recommend them as “best out of the box”.