How To Choose the Best Keyboard
The right keyboard can make all the difference in your productivity and even your health at the end of a long day spent at the computer. Be sure you’re using the right one.
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Is your boss the kind of person who doesn't believe anything is getting done unless there are "butts in chairs?" If so, then you're probably heading back to the office like we are. For all the garbage it rained down, the pandemic gave a lot of us the luxury of working from home. Some of us are still working from home, and realizing after two years we can’t continue to get by on whatever electronics we’ve been limping along until we could go back to the office.
And yes- as things have started to return to “normal,” more and more of us are headed back to the office.
Whether you're one of those unfortunate souls rediscovering how much you don’t like the keyboard at the office, or upgrading the home office we're here to help you pick a keyboard so you can bring your productivity A-game.
Here's what to consider:
- What's my price range?
- Do I want a split keyboard, 10-key, mechanical, membrane, or wireless keyboard?
- Isn't my laptop keyboard good enough?
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What's my Price Range?
First, the price range is obviously something you'll have to factor in. If you're operating on a tight budget, you're probably going to want to stick with a traditional (non-split) membrane keyboard. There are literally hundreds of these out there, so finding one is fairly easy.
Alternatively, if "the sky's the limit" then you can enjoy pure typing nirvana, but you'll definitely pay for it. Some of the better keyboards out there can top $300-$400! We're not going to recommend anything quite that high, there are are options if you are so inclined.
Mechanical style keyboards cost more than membrane style (see below for our definition of each) but they typically last much longer. It's not just the novelty and cool factor of a mechanical keyboard that has gamers lining up to buy them. They encourage accuracy and better posture as well. If you really aren't ready to splash out $150 on a good mechanical keyboard, consider trying a lower-end model first or trying a refurbished model just to see if you like it.
And not all membrane keyboards are bad, either. Technology has come a long way and some of our top keyboard picks are actually membrane-style.
Do I want a (split) ergonomic keyboard?
Split keyboards are an ergonomic solution to posture and other health problems caused by how we hold our hands, wrists, and arms when typing. Many keyboards force your hands into an unnatural position where you bend outwards at the wrist to hold your hands straight over the keyboard, yet your forearms are pointing inwards. This is referred to as ulnar deviation and it results in the carpal tunnel in your wrist to constrict causing nerve, muscular and even circulatory issues in your wrists and hands. Split keyboards allow you to position each half of the keyboard in such a way that your hands and wrists can rest naturally. Some keyboards are split completely and connected by a wire, such as the Kinesis series, or simply designed with each half spread further apart and over a curve, like the Microsoft Sculpt.
Want to learn more? Click here for our top three split/ergonomic keyboards.
Do I want or need 10-key?
Some people live and die by 10-key. I wish I were one of those. If you're in accounting, billing, etc then you're probably not going to want to do without a traditional 10-key ("full") keyboard. This does present an issue if you also want an ergonomic keyboard because due to the width of a full keyboard, they tend to not be ergonomic so most manufacturers omit them from the ergo options.
The good news is that if you want both, you can always buy 10-key keypads separately, and some options like the Microsoft Sculpt even come with one so you can position it exactly where you want it. This is the option we currently use in our home offices.
Do I want a mechanical or membrane keyboard?
Membrane keyboards are constructed with each key positioned over a pressure-sensitive membrane. When pressure is applied to the key, it applies pressure to a specific area of the membrane as it’s pressed down, registering as a keystroke. These are typically very flat and generally do not encourage the best posture for your hands, wrists, and arms as you type. In fact, a lot of membrane keyboards may actually be impeding the accuracy and speed at which you type.
A mechanical keyboard uses an individual switch under each individual key. This results in tactile and sometimes audible feedback, the clickety, clackety. It might drive you bonkers to hear somebody else typing away on a keyboard but for the user, the benefits are considerable. It's kind of one of those "you have to try it to get it" concepts, but gist is that this auditory and/or tactile feedback can train your brain to know whether or not you pressed the key down enough to have registered a keystroke or not, and encourages accuracy. Sounds like more work? Not really. Mechanical keyboards rarely need more than the amount of touch you use on a membrane keyboard and most can be ordered with specific types of switches for a more custom feel. Switches can be quieter or noisier and are designed with different tactile experiences in mind.
Isn't my Laptop Keyboard Good Enough?
No, no, and no. Laptop keyboards were never designed for heavy, regular use. They rely on membrane technology and are often smaller with more cramped keys. They encourage the worst type of posture throughout your entire body, from your fingertips down to how you sit in order to keep the laptop visible and in a position where you can type on it.
Your laptop has been designed to be as slim as possible, and that includes the keys. It's just not ergonomic. If you have been using a laptop so far exclusively and type on it for longer 10 minutes at a time, it's time to get a keyboard for your laptop.
Do I want wired or wireless?
More and more keyboards are going the wireless route. It's not hard to see why. As minimalism makes a comeback (yes, that was around previously, too) we see more and more desktop cord cutters using wireless mice and keyboards to reduce clutter on the desk. Plus, not having a cord to snag on things is, we admit, pretty great.
Most options these days are Bluetooth (yes, like in your phone) which works great with laptops, but many desktops still don't have it built in. You can mitigate this with a Bluetooth dongle for your desktop, or you can just go with the myriad options that include a dongle.
Both options are good, but there are drawbacks to each, as well as being wireless in general. First, batteries. There are some keyboards that can be charged from a USB port, which is great. Some, though, (like the Microsoft Sculpt) take batteries that you'll have to either recharge or replace. The good news is that the ones that take batteries usually last a long time. The Sculpt, for example, has an exceptional three-year battery life on one set of AA batteries.
The second drawback is that anything wireless is subject to interference from adjacent radio signals. (No, not like your favorite FM radio.) The reality is that with the abundance of wi-fi networks, Bluetooth devices, alarm systems, etc, there is plenty of stray RF energy to clobber your wireless device and cause it to hiccup, drop signals, etc. (As an example I absolutely cannot use certain Bluetooth headphones in the office, they cut out constantly - but they work great at home.) Generally speaking, we've found that Bluetooth devices are more susceptible to interference than devices with dongles. This isn't always the case, but that has been our experience. Additionally, some (ahem) cheaper devices (there are thousands of cheapies on Amazon alone) tend to have horrible connection issues. If you're buying a $7 dongle keyboard, you can probably expect issues.
- You get what you pay for when it comes to keyboards, and in the case of mechanical vs. membrane style, mechanical keyboards tend to last much longer.
- Ergonomic keyboards can take pressure off your wrists (carpal tunnels) and encourage better posture but there are tradeoffs.
- If you have a keyboard you just love but no 10-key pad, you can always buy one separately.
- Wired keyboards tend to have fewer issues including the signal interruption/disconnect wireless ones do.
