Favorite rubber dome keyboard?

nathanak21 · 13 Jul 2012, 17:44

Do you guys have a favorite rubber dome keyboard? Personally I really like the newer apple keyboards. I find them ok to type on (maybe because of using my macbook.) Just thought it would be interesting to hear what you guys would use if you didn't have the ever-amazing mechanical keyboards.

EDIT: 100% rubber dome. not topre.

woody · 13 Jul 2012, 17:53

nathanak21 wrote:Do you guys have a favorite rubber dome keyboard?

Topre.

fossala · 13 Jul 2012, 17:56

HHKB

quanticle · 13 Jul 2012, 17:59

Are we including scissor switch keyboards as well? In that case, I'd like to nominate the Microsoft Arc. I had that before I upgraded to my current mechanical keyboard, and I liked (and still like) it very much.

nathanak21 · 13 Jul 2012, 18:02

quanticle wrote:Are we including scissor switch keyboards as well? In that case, I'd like to nominate the Microsoft Arc. I had that before I upgraded to my current mechanical keyboard, and I liked (and still like) it very much.

Sorry I wasn't very clear. Pretty much anything that is not considered mechanical

dirge · 13 Jul 2012, 18:33

Sun 5c

Daniel Beaver · 13 Jul 2012, 21:21

If we want to be literal, then Topre is the obvious winner. But of course what we're really talking about is non-capacitive boards. I have three:
#1 is the Logitech K350 (the wave keyboard). I don't actually own one, but they have a bunch around the office here. For a crappy mass-market keyboard, I'm always surprised at how nice it feels.

#2 The old Dell quietkeys (the "Made In Thailand" versions).
#3 is the Logitech k360. It's a compact wireless board with a great layout (dedicated tenkey cluster). I use it all the time for troubleshooting my headless boxes, and sometimes even use it as a regular keyboard. The key feel is mediocre, but the feature-set is excellent. This is my most-used keyboard after my Topres.

Some laptop keyboards (especially Thinkpads) are also very nice. You can't really "compare" them, though, because they're integrated into their own particular computer. I love thinkpad keyboards, but thinkpads themselves are a poor fit for me.

Ekaros · 14 Jul 2012, 04:26

Some Dells we have at school are usable.

woody · 14 Jul 2012, 08:53

nathanak21 wrote:EDIT: 100% rubber dome. not topre.

How do you define "100% rubber dome"?

nathanak21 · 14 Jul 2012, 22:30

Well, topre is sort of a hybrid. Just anything that isn't considered mechanical.

rhizo · 15 Jul 2012, 01:56

Dell Quietkey.

riffraff · 15 Jul 2012, 03:30

It's a very different style, but the Microsoft SideWinder X4 isn't that bad. Has good backlighting and high NKRO. It's a very low profile keyboard.

terrpn · 15 Jul 2012, 04:27

dell quiet key

ericbentley · 15 Jul 2012, 06:26

riffraff wrote:It's a very different style, but the Microsoft SideWinder X4 isn't that bad. Has good backlighting and high NKRO. It's a very low profile keyboard.

This is one of my favourites too, I recommend it to all my friends who can't spare the cash to go mechanical

ericbentley · 15 Jul 2012, 06:29

nathanak21 wrote:Do you guys have a favorite rubber dome keyboard? Personally I really like the newer apple keyboards.

The new Apple keyboards are actually a type of scissor switches, not rubber domes. I know because I've had a few with keycaps popping off!

urbanus · 15 Jul 2012, 09:13

Topre Realforce is the finest I've used. Cherry G86 is also good.

huttala · 15 Jul 2012, 14:09

I'd have to say that Apple's new boards are really nice concidering that they are rubberdome.
I've heard some trolling about the board and that it feels so good because it has separate rubber cups, but I don't know if I trust Ripster just jet.

dorkvader · 15 Jul 2012, 16:20

My (and most) Fujitsu's have separate rubber domes per switch (And nicely stabilized keys). It's probably the best scissor-switch keyboard I've used. Some apple and lenovo/IBM aren't bad, and there's some keyboard that'v used on lower-end Toshiba's that's exceedingly terrible (as in worst keyboard to type on).

Unfortunately, Fujitsu changed their keyboard with the Lifebook T901 and S761. It's not as good as the T900/T730/T5010/T4220/T4210/S760/etc.

My favorite keyboard with rubberdomes is my Olivetti ANK-27-102, followed by (probably) that old Dell quietkey that's randomly in the engineering lounge. I haven't tried those IBM Buckling rubber sleeve, or keytronic RD's yet, though.

RC-1140 · 15 Jul 2012, 16:33

My FujitsuSiemens Lifebook S6410 doesn't have Scissor Switches, but some strange rubber dome with stabilizer combination. Feels awful, but that's why I always have at least my G84-4100 with me. I think the better Rubber Dome Boards are the Cherry G86 series, but they're a little stiff imho.

damorgue · 15 Jul 2012, 16:57

Keytronic Ergoforce KT2001

kalrykh · 15 Jul 2012, 17:51

Im trying to figure out why some people think scissor switches arent rubber domes. Have you actually taken the key cap off one? You do know there's a rubber dome beneath it right

RC-1140 · 15 Jul 2012, 17:53

@kalrykh: sure, but due to the stabilization mechanism they feel differently, and the key travel is a lot shorter. So when somebody asks for Rubber Dome Keyboards I assume that he means the full travel ones.

damorgue · 15 Jul 2012, 17:55

Much like many people don't consider Topre to be rubber domes, even though one could claim it is just that, but with a slightly modified way of sensing the activation.

appeac · 15 Jul 2012, 19:09

I can stand using these at work.

Jim66 · 15 Jul 2012, 19:49

IBM Spacesaver II.

Ekaros · 15 Jul 2012, 19:51

appeac wrote:I can stand using these at work.

Yep we got those on school's computers too, not bad.

The Cherry's with reader are awful realy horrible that is...

wiredPANDA · 15 Jul 2012, 20:17

appeac wrote:I can stand using these at work.

These are shipping with the Dells we're ordering at work now. Don't know why, but I can't stand these. I think it's the case.

I enjoy the Lenovo Enhanced USB Keyboards. They have a good feel to the domes.

Findecanor · 15 Jul 2012, 20:34

appeac wrote:

These are actually (at least) three different keyboards that look the same. I think that some are even made by different manufacturers. The feel is different between them.

I used to prefer Key Tronic KT1000 for a long time. Now, I don't have any.

dorkvader · 15 Jul 2012, 23:34

RC-1140 wrote:My FujitsuSiemens Lifebook S6410 doesn't have Scissor Switches, but some strange rubber dome with stabilizer combination. Feels awful, but that's why I always have at least my G84-4100 with me. I think the better Rubber Dome Boards are the Cherry G86 series, but they're a little stiff imho.

Looking at that, I'm pretty sure that has the same keyboard as my 4220, and the other fujitsu computers listed in my previous post. Are you sure it doesn't have scissors? I know the larger keys have wire stabilizers, and dummy scissors on mine. (Also the FGH and J keys aren't movable, so I have a DVORAK-ish layout on mine.) It has individual little red domes under it. The newer (and somewhat similar looking) T901/T731 keyboards have clear domes, and they're awful. You can tell the difference, as the keys are pad printed instead of (probably) lasered, and the spacebar end lines up with the keys above it (instead of as on most keyboards, the spacebar ends are 1.5 or so off, so you don't get "four corners").

That said, I really enjoy the older fujitsu keyboards, and found them to be better than on most of the laptops we see. I prefer them to apple.

I'll grab another broken one from work sometime and take it apart again (but with pictures).

hashbaz · 16 Jul 2012, 04:52

We have these Goldtouch adjustable keyboards at work. They feel quite nice, even after getting used to MX and Topre switches.