Looking for an Awesome Keyboard

[Volatile]

+1 on saitek

http://www.saitek.com/

[Numpad]

a keyboard i want... Optimus maximus

not cheap but i think in the future it'll be standard

[jingarelho]

a keyboard i want... Optimus maximus

not cheap but i think in the future it'll be standard

me too. but still very expensive.

[benplace]

I love my Microsoft wireless entertainment desktop 8000. I think it is the only wireless backlit keyboard.

[theyarecomingforyou]

I use the Saitek Eclipse and it's a cool keyboard. I really wish there was something better out there but I haven't found it - keyboards definitely seem to be overlooked.

[Tamilboy86]

Logitech DiNovo Edge (Y)

[)-(orus]

Holy smoke...you really opened the flood gates with this one. The problem when buying a keyboard is that there is just such a massive selection available these days, that cater to just about every type of user out there.

You really need to be a bit more specific and decide...

a) What is it exactly you want from your new keyboard?

b) How much can you realistically spend?

Remembering, of course, that your input devices are your portal to your digital world in my somewhat humble opinion they deserve as much consideration as when shelling out for your graphics card or CPU.

Well if you want an Awesome then you should get the Optimus Maximus keyboard of course!! http://www.artlebedev.com/portfolio/optimus/

LOL...That one had to be in there somewhere, unfortunatly its just a little too expensive for most users, the new concept looks to be exteremly interesting as well, although the jury remains out on whether the absence of tangable keys may hinder its usability.

For my 2 pence worth, I currently use Microsoft Lazer Dektop 6000 for both work and home and absolutely love them. At ~?40 for the full desktop they carry, what I consider to be the right kind of price tag for a desktop combination, too.

I hope you find what you're looking for, happy hunting...

[+Warwagon MVC]

I personally love 2 keyboards

The Microsoft comfort curve

or the Logitech UltraX $18(this one gives your fingers a massage as you type, its sooo smooth ) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...&Tpk=ultrax

[Symbiotic Hat]

I have the Microsoft Reclusa, and the feel is incredible. Problem is, with the amount of gaming I do I wore the letters off the WSAD keys in a couple months (which is also why I replaced my last 2 keyboards). It's kinda ugly but really a joy to type/game on.

[)-(orus]

The Microsoft comfort curve

I used that previously to purchasing my 2 Laser Desktop 6000s, very similar key layout, just a few extra nice features.

[lt8480]

For the best price/quality/looks combo I'd suggest a Logitech Ultra-Flat Keyboard, its a bargain for what you get:

http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/keyboard...77&cl=gb,en

Then for a mouse maybe something more expensive and wireless is a must... I've found my MX 1000 to be very good:

http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/mice_poi...83&cl=gb,en

On Amazon you can pick both these up for less than ?50.

[Vykranth]

At work, I have a Microsoft Wireless Optical Desktop Elite that has been working for 5 years. Incredibly solid for the amount of punishment it has taken over the years.

At home, I have a Microsoft Wireless Entertainment Desktop 8000. A nice keyboard, not made for gaming, but really efficient for Media Center

The best advice would be still for you to get to a shop and try the keyboard with a 'on hand' test. :)

[+.Vamp Subscriber²]

Saitek Eclipse II

Semi-geared towards gaming, but the keyboard is just a very simply keyboard, nicely set out, and of a very good quality build. a nice feature is that it can be backlit for working at night if you don't want a desk-light on.

It's simply, it's very very very sturdy, and it's keys are perfectly balanced in terms of spacing and resistance (in my opinion)

[+Mirumir Subscriber¹]

I recommend Cherry keyboards for their reliability and built quality. I have over 10 years of experience with these keyboards and I am extremely satisfied. The keyboards may look old fashioned, but once you use them, you can't use any other keyboard. These are membrane keyboards; this gives them a very special soft and precise feel which results in minimum fatigue when you type a lot. This type of design also makes the keyboard insensible to dirt and fluids. You can spill coffee on a keyboard, let it become all stinky and collect dust for some time and the keyboard will still work for years to come (i tested that personally). However, what I would usually do then, I would take the keyboard apart, wash it, let it all dry, and put it back together; the keyboard is good as new.

Their new gaming keyboards are purely awesome!

The buttons of the RAPTOR-GAMING K2 have a very soft and particularly short keystroke. This feature offers utmost velocity and extreme reactivity advantages when playing games on the PC while at the same time increasing the entry speed and reactivity. The included handrest offers more comfort for your wrists even in long battles. In addition, the button surface of the RAPTOR-GAMING K2 is by 20% larger than on common keyboards, enabling you to reach the buttons fast and easily even in hectical and intensive situations.

Due to its intended use in video games on your computer, the RAPTOR-GAMING K2 has been designed for long durability with a minimum of 20 million button operations, making the RAPTOR-GAMING K2 one of the must durable keyboards available. Additional buttons for accessing the Windows calculator, the email program, the Internet browser and the standby button are also included in the RAPTOR-GAMING K2, as well as 4 central additional buttons for volume control and selecting the multimedia program. The included RAPTOR-LOAD software enables you to individually block, configure or remap buttons (e.g. button A to button R) and to program complete button sequences and combinations on a single button. The manifold features for customizing the RAPTOR-GAMING K2 are complemented by the option to program and save up to 40 macros.

Technical details:

• RAPTOR-LOAD software to program personal settings
  
• Lifecycle of the individual standard buttons: > 20 million operations
  
• Insensible to dirt and fluids
  
• Constantly precise keystrokes
  
• Compact, symmetrical design plus detachable handwrist
  
• 20% larger button surface
  
• Weight: approx. 880g
  
• 2,5 m long USB cable
  

Made in Germany.

Edited March 11, 2008 by Zhivago

[Xilo]

Microsoft Natural Keyboard is the best keyboard ever made.

[HawkMan]

If you want a keyboard for gaming in dark rooms or especially MMORPG games, the G15 v1 definately, v2 if you can't get v1.

If you want an awesome keybaord for your HTPC The MS Entertaiment desktop 7000 or 8000 is definately the best you can get, with the mouse pad and everything, I'm not sure being chargeable and backlit warrants the expensive double price for the 8000, but I definately want one, but I'm happy with my 7000 :)

if you want a keyboard to display in your living room just because it looks good, and never touch in fear of leaving fingerprints or smudges on the shine, then you get the DiNovo edge. Sure it's a nice looking keryboard, ut it's got nothing on the entertainment desktop keybaords.

[GrimReeper]

Microsoft Natural 4000

+1

Have one and love it. If you don't like the idea of the Zoom slider being zoom (wtf do I use zoom for that often that it needs a dedicated key) there is a edited driver you can use which changes to a scroll slider instead which I find much more practical and useful :D

[)-(orus]

Microsoft Natural Keyboard is the best keyboard ever made.

Used to use one of those, didn't really get along with it that well, I think it was the adjustment from using it at home and then goingto work with a standard layout - very frustrating.

Looking back at my posts in this topic, I'm starting to realise that I must have used most of Microsoft's "high end" keyboards at one time or another. I genuinely can't fault them, good build quality and extremely comfortable to use. For windows users I'd be reluctant to recommend another manufacturer, the one gripe I do have is that most of the wireless range lack a charger.

[Blackhearted]

Personally I think the g15 is a pretty awesome set of keys. Some may not think it but that little LCD it has is actually one of the most useful little additions ever, in my opinion, thanks to the nice amount of good user made apps for it. The backlit keys are nice too, but that's not really unique to it.