Spec me a real, no gimmicks keyboard.

darael · 12 Sep 2011 at 21:30

I'm a bit of a gamer, but not heavy - I have got away with the same £5 Microsoft Internet keyboard for some years. This a picture of it:

It has everything I need:

Calculator and email buttons
Full height keys, not pantsy, half profile, keys that feel lifeless
Full size enter key
The pipe / backstroke key ( | / \ ) is in the correct place, above the left start key, and to the right of the left shift key
It has the correct 3x2 layout for the Insert, Home, Page Up, Delete, End and Page Down keys
It has a number pad

That's about it.

So when I try to find another Microsoft keyboard (such more for brand loyalty!), I see wimpy re-arranged keys, compacted (to save productions?) costs and space.

All I want is a half-decent, wallet friendly, standard, reliable keyboard with email and calculator buttons. Is that too much to ask?

As you can imagine, I'd welcome any suggestions as this keyboard is past it.

olivier renault · 12 Sep 2011 at 21:44

Sorry can't help you, I like low profile keyboards

How much you want to spend?

IMO, best scouting the local retailers, they have a whole collection of cheap 'multimedia' keyboards.

Hotwired · 12 Sep 2011 at 22:03

I quite like the Dell SK-8135: http://www.dengler.net/SK-8135/ <- layout is not the UK one, just a convenient pic, on the UK one the / and \ are as you said.

Has everything you just said.

The extra keys at the top are: internet back, forward, stop, refresh, home, outlook, my computer, calculator

Also a media key cluster: mute, stop, track back/forward, play/pause, open media player (actually winamp seems to have jacked that button) also a volume dial.

Also has two usb ports at the back for low power devices.

You can get it off some bay for a tenner delivered albeit second hand since it's not made anymore.

darael · 12 Sep 2011 at 22:32

Maybe I'm just being too stubborn, and should try a newer keyboard.

Tribune · 12 Sep 2011 at 22:45

Looked at the X4?

TheVoice · 13 Sep 2011 at 01:44

Logitech do some nice, fairly basic keyboards, worth checking out.

wilko49 · 13 Sep 2011 at 05:54

Are the email and calculator keys really necessary? It's easy enough to set up short-cut keys for them.

fowler002 · 13 Sep 2011 at 10:08

logitech g19

King Damager · 13 Sep 2011 at 10:16

Ah, well my keyboard has calculator and e-mail buttons (on function keys) but it has manly half keys instead

Try looking at the x4/x6 or go into your local computer store...

kd

darael · 13 Sep 2011 at 10:30

Have gone for the Logitech K200 - seems to fit my needs very nicely. :cool: