“One two, one two,
Type a word or two.
Arrow left, arrow right,
Keep those fingers nice and tight.
Keys up, Keys down,
Move those digits all around.
One two, one two,
Type a word or two.”
― Jazz Feylynn
I don’t remember why I took an elective typing class to learn touch typing in high school, but I did. Now you might rightly ask, “You mean they had typing back then?” and I would tell you they did, but it was on old Underwood mechanical typewriters. Part of the first couple of weeks was developing finger strength so you could pound those keys and get a dark and even print. Then it was all about not looking at the keys and learning to type by touch and memory of standard key placement. Now I wasn’t the fastest or the most accurate in my class, but when considering both together, I did pretty well.
After joining the USAF in 1977 and finishing basic training, I was sent to an Air Force technical school at San Angelo, TX. One of the first classes was a typing class because my career field involved a good deal of report generation and typing. The class instructors would let you test out of the class if you could achieve a set standard of so many words-per-minute with less than so many mistakes. I thought, Yes, good Karma, I’m getting the pay off from taking that typing class years ago. So the first day, I typed out thinking I’d have some free time. Do you know that old saying about never volunteering in the military? Well, the same goes for overachieving. While many of the others set for a couple of weeks in the air-conditioned classroom learning to type, I and a small group of others, who also knew how to type, were assigned to mowing grass with push mowers in the Texas summer sun. No good deed goes unpunished. But, I did a lot of typing for the 11+ years I was in the Air Force.
The point of all of this is that I learned to type on and used for years the older style of mechanical keyboards and find myself less than satisfied with what is passing as keyboards today. I’m currently using an Apple Magic Keyboard on my Mac desktop machine. I selected it because it’s laid out and constructed similar to a current-generation Apple laptop keyboard. I thought it would make it easier when switching between my Apple laptop and desktop computers. However, I’m finding that I make a lot more typing errors on the Magic Keyboard.
So what’re the major factors of this keyboard that may be causing me to make these errors. First, the keyboard keys are almost completely flat with only a tiny suggestion of a concave surface. To conserve space, the keys seem to be a little closer together than in older keyboards. It’s also a 107 key design with a separate number pad, meaning all typing is done on the left side of the keyboard. While this hasn’t bothered me with some past 107 keyboards, with this one, I seem to drift to the right, and when finding the home keys, I’ll be off a key to the right unless I pay close attention. There is also little to no feel or feedback with this keyboard. Key depression is very slight, more of a tap rather than a depression. Key bottoming seems okay, but it is totally silent unless you are typing hard; then it’s just the key bottoming’s dull sound, but no real key click feedback. Some of these things are true of my laptop keyboard as well.
I have no doubt it has almost everything to do about me and not the keyboard. Others might love the Magic Keyboard and be able to type fast and accurately on it. I’ve tried for a long time, and I can’t. It’s on my last nerve now! Does anyone have similar complaints or experiences with keyboards?
Bottom line, I’m looking for a replacement old-style mechanical keyboard. Something new but akin to the old IBM mechanical keyboard of the past, except made for a Mac. Does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations about a good keyboard or brand of keyboards? 🤔
For some reason I’ve always had difficulty getting my fingers coordinated enough to be a competent typist. Like you, I also took a typing class in high school but only managed to type well enough to pass the class. As a music major in college I gave up trying to play the piano for the same reason. Even now I have fits of inaccuracy on the computer keyboard, although as long as I concentrate and don’t try to go too fast, I can usually get by with minimal errors. My biggest problem now seems to be hitting two keys at once!
I’m currently using a Logitech K800 keyboard. It’s wireless and backlit, which makes it nice when I am working in the evenings with low light. The keyboard is pretty quiet – as long as I don’t start pounding too hard! – but has a reasonable amount of “friction” in the keys. It charges via USB-C and seems to hold a charge for months. The backlighting can be set to use a proximity sensor or to come on with a key press. One thing I wish it had was an ambient light sensor so it didn’t come on when I didn’t need it. That seems to be the biggest source of battery drain.
Prior to this keyboard I used a Logitech K750 – first the silver “Mac” version then later the black “Windows” version. It worked well but I eventually wore it out. I wanted to buy the “MX Keys” keyboard but it was backlogged when I needed to buy a replacement so I got the K800. Works well enough for me.
I’ve looked at some of the Logitech keyboards and have owned a couple in the past. I’ll certainly take another look at them. I really want a keyboard with mechanical switches this time and I’d like it to supported Mac-specific functions. Thanks for the information and feedback, Tom.
Look up the “Das Keyboard” brand. I’m using their mechanical keyboard with the blue switches from Cherry. It’s loud, but a million times better than the Magic Keyboard from Apple, which I hated the instance I first typed on it – and for the same reasons you describe.
The Das Keyboard 4 Professional with the cherry brown switches is on my shortlist. it has great reviews. I’m unsure what the exact difference is between the brown and blue switches. Have you experienced one with the cherry brown switches and if so how are they different?
The only negative I see to the Das Keyboards is they don’t seem to have keyboard backlighting. I sometimes work in dim lighting so a backlit keyboard would be something nice to have.
Also on my list is a Macally Backlit Mechanical Keyboard for Mac with Brown Switches. It also has good reviews but the brown switches are not cherry switches.
I just checked and actually, I have the brown switches. I went to their website back then, where they had sound samples – the blue ones are even louder and “clickier”. The brown switches do not have a very precise pressure point, I’d like to add – if you like the precise moment when it “clicks” (pun intended) then the blue switches are probably better. But they’re so loud! 😅
FWIW, I have the “professional” one, with the big volume knob. Which I initially didn’t care about, but now I’m using it quite often! The one thing that I don’t like is the cable, actually. It’s a really fat and thick cable, and not very flexible at all. I wish the thing had Bluetooth.
Last not least, I bought mine on eBay, brand new but open box. It was less than $100 that way, which I found much more reasonable than their normal retail prices.
Thanks, Alexander, good information. I appreciate it!
It seems there is a learning curve to each keyboard. This newest MacBook Pro keyboard took some time to get used to it but I’m getting there. Most issues now are the typist. For example, after typing this comment I look up and had spelled there twice as “ther” which is totally the typist. I also misspelled a couple of other words. 😁I do like the smiley faces, though.
Oh, I’m totally responsible for many of the mistypes and misspellings I make, Monte. But I certainly don’t need any help in making more by having the “wrong-for-me” keyboard. After two years I think I’ve giver this Magic Keyboard more than enough time and effort…it’s just not my cup of tea. I’d like to only buy one more keyboard to find the right fit. :-)
An update on the keyboard situation: After considering all the recommendations here and doing some research of my own, I purchased a MaCally Backlit Mechanical USB Keyboard for Mac with brown key switches. I just received it today, and so far, I do very much like its feel, but it’ll take some getting used to after a couple of years with the Apple Magic Keyboard. However, I’m sure now all my typing errors will disappear …NOT! :-)
😂
Hey Earl, I would like to suggest you choose from Roccat Vulcan 120 Aimo, Corsair K83 Wireless Entertainment Keyboard, Razer Pro Type, and Filco Ninja Majestouch-2 keyboard. These are the best keyboards that can will fulfill your needs.