Quiet Keyboards

My wife and I share office space. So we need quieter keyboards. What would you recommend?

+

You win.

I use Benq x120 internet keyboards. Quiet keys with a short throw. Stylish, and cheap, as well.

Dell keyboards are quiet buggers. Too quiet. Then again, I type on an Avant Prime.

Saitek’s are quiet, bu tthe keys aren’t very big :(

Direct cybernetic implant. It’s the only way to go in that scenario.

I only type on buckling-spring keyboards, but if I really valued quiet I’d probably use a scissor switch keyboard like those used on laptops–for example, something like this really attractive Macally. If you do any typing whatsoever I’d avoid the squishy membrane keyboards because they tend to fail quickly and their resistance profile is such that you’ll overexert while typing making you more prone to repetitive stress injuries. Incidentally, membrane keyboards are all you’ll find if you look in a store. Not all of them are terrible but none of them are good. If you want quality I think you’ll find that keyboards are one of those things that must be ordered online.

I don’t know what a squishy membrane keyboard is. I’m no expert on keyboard jargon, by any means. Should I just look for scissor switch in the description of the keyboard?

quiet keyboards? fuck that shit, IBM MODEL M!!!
\

i really need a photoshop of dennis hopper with an ibm keyboard here

Wikipedia comes to the rescue for a description of membrane keyboards where the meaning I was trying for is connected to “dome switch” keyboards, so I got my terminology a little confused. The problem with them is they don’t give much feedback and they tend to get “sticky” where the depressed keys don’t immediately snap back. I was spending eight hours at a time typing angle brackets (manual XML encoding… don’t cry for me, Argentina) and I tend to just barely hit some of those bottom row keys. On a mechanical keyboard I get a quick positive feedback and the character I sort of sloppily pushed appears. On a cheapo Dell membrane keyboard, I sort of hit two keys not quite hard enough and nothing appears on the screen. So I hammer the key solidly and accurately and finally it registers. Do this for hours at a time and your wrist tendons start to hurt. Or at least, mine do.

Scissor switches use springs instead of a rubbery dome, so they feel more responsive to me. I only use them on laptops, but there are some made for desktops. The Icekey I linked above… also this Kensington and this Rosewill. I haven’t used these so I make no claims of suitability, etc. etc.

Oh, and for the IBM keyboard enthusiasts, these guys are a lifesaver. I bought one to take to work. I’ll be damned if I ever spend more than an hour or two typing on a $5 Dell keyboard again. The ones they ship with their new computers seem to be getting worse and worse. They’re even smaller now, as if they begrudge you even the plastic used to case it.

You asked for quiet keyboards, and few are giving you any helpful advice.

If you need absolute quiet, get a rubber keyboard. It’s what they use in court rooms. Laptop keyboards (while also quiet) are noisy in comparison to a rubber keyboard.

http://www.grandtec.com/vik.htm

The better solution would probably be to create separate offices.

What about your mouse? Doesn’t your mouse clicking also drive each other crazy? click click click.

You asked for quiet keyboards, and few are giving you any helpful advice.

If you need absolute quiet, get a rubber keyboard. It’s what they use in court rooms. Laptop keyboards (while also quiet) are noisy in comparison to a rubber keyboard.

http://www.grandtec.com/vik.htm

The better solution would probably be to create separate offices.

What about your mouse? Doesn’t your mouse clicking also drive each other crazy? click click click.

Logitech Ultra X keyboards. They retail about $22 now at newegg. Comments are in http://www.silentpcreview.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8944&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=30&sid=bf983edc508d7d840d3fdef382197755

I like them. I like Model M’s and detest those squishy membrane dealos. But the logitech keys are very nice, half-height semi-clicky keyboard action. Good quality stuff. The key paints wore off in one of my PCs, and I’ve broken about four from playing shooters (WASD keys always break first…)

The best part is the layout. The function keys are where you expect, and there is no STUPID FN KEY

After breaking the last one (bought them in OEM 6 packs) I picked up 6 pack of $5 keyboards instead. I figure they’ll only last a few months anyway.

You need a laser keyboard:

Thanks, Roger. No, the mouse is fine. I think the particular keyboards we have are just noisy. I figured as long as I was changing them out I should find out what would work best. Absolute quiet isn’t necessary, but the loud clicking makes it hard to think. Apparently, it bothers me more than it does her, but usually I am working on an article while she is typing on a message board, so those different contexts may be the reason for that.

Yeah, what can be done about that anyway? Logitech G7’s clicks are freakin’ loud!