Low travel 60% keyboard options

dulcificum

dulcificum

dulcificum

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Want to buy a decent quality keyboard and think I've decided on 60% layout. Low travel and low force is a must for RSI reasons. My google-fu is failing me so I come to you.

Keyboards I don't find too painful are things like the Apple keyboard and Surface keyboard. SK621 looks close but I'm not sure about the non-standard layout.

Bluetooth (only with a decent battery life) would be nice. I'm not six years old so don't need RGB or anything like that.

What are my options?
 
dulcificum said:
What are my options?
Click to expand...

Limited. I don't think the world is ready quite yet for a TKL low-travel, mechanical, wireless keyboard.

I think we're about one year, two years behind. There are some (mostly, not bluetooth), like Tesoro's, or CoolerMaster's. Coolermaster also has more standard layouts available (SK630).

Some exotics too, like Hexgears X-1, Havit KB390L, ... I'm waiting for them to mature more, but there are limited options available.
 
Have spent a bit more time looking at the various options. I previously ruled out 75% keyboard as they seemed to be too rare to find what I was looking for but it seems there are quite a lot and I probably prefer the layout as it's almost as compact.

Coolermaster SK621 - thought this was the closest I was going to get but, on further research, I had to rule it out as it's not really low profile at all due to the tall Cherry MX switches
Royal Kludge (lol) RK61/Skyloong K6/Ducky One2/Vortexgear Pok3r - all not low profile
Anne Pro 2 - same but would almost consider due to clever arrow key layer
Keychron K1 - is proper low profile but only exists in 87 key version :(

Hexgears X-1 - would be great if 75% or 60%
Havit KB390L - same
Tesoro - only makes massive keyboards

The few serious options I can see are the Logitech K380, Bazalia 8839, Magic_Refiner MK10 and Apple Magic Keyboard.

Logitech K380 - ugly as hell and I have reservations about those round keys.
Bazalia 8839 - Can't find any info apart from that the key layout (especially backspace) is ******. Still looks quite tall. Hate the keycaps too and clicky switches :mad:
MK10 - bit ugly at tall but otherwise good.
Magic Keyboard - shittiest switches (but maybe still okay?) and annoying layout with huge F-row, pointless eject button and weird-af switching of " and @ keys. But cheap second hand and v low profile and portable, no RGB nonsense.

So in the end I'm going to look at the Logitch K380 but might just try and get a cheap Magic Keyboard.
 
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silvagti said:
Which did you end up getting? I'm in the market for a similar TKL keyboard and was considering the 2 above?
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Went for a Hexgears X-1 in the end. Tried a Magic Keyboard and has issues with Windows. In the end, glad I have a numpad after all.

Do with there were more options for low travel mechanicals though.
 
dulcificum said:
Went for a Hexgears X-1 in the end. Tried a Magic Keyboard and has issues with Windows. In the end, glad I have a numpad after all.

Do with there were more options for low travel mechanicals though.
Click to expand...

Cool, I decided to go for the Logitech K380 so we'll see what it's like when it arrives tomorrow!
 
dulcificum said:
Want to buy a decent quality keyboard and think I've decided on 60% layout. Low travel and low force is a must for RSI reasons. My google-fu is failing me so I come to you.

Keyboards I don't find too painful are things like the Apple keyboard and Surface keyboard. SK621 looks close but I'm not sure about the non-standard layout.

Bluetooth (only with a decent battery life) would be nice. I'm not six years old so don't need RGB or anything like that.

What are my options?
Click to expand...
When you say low travel do you mean like laptop slim keyboards? I'd also love to know this. Had an Awsome cherry marlin but lost the damn receiver
 
silvagti said:
Cool, I decided to go for the Logitech K380 so we'll see what it's like when it arrives tomorrow!
Click to expand...

This arrived the other day but I honestly hate it. Those round keys are horrible and really spoil my typing speed plus I don't like the feel of them. Plus I find it really laggy over Bluetooth to the point where I can actually see the delay of characters appearing on screen when I type (I'm not even that fast at typing).

I'm sending it back so the hunt continues!

I like the look of the Logitech MX Keys but I don't really like keyboards with numpads as I find it less ergonomic when using a mouse. If Logitech ever release an MX Keys TKL I'd give it a try though!

The other I contemplated was the Microsoft Designer Compact Keyboard? My only reservation with it was that it's bluetooth only, rather than having a dedicated USB dongle, and may have lag issues?
 
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