Compact (Tenkeyless) Keyboards

My Current Keyboard Setup

As I’ve written before, I find compact keyboards to be more comfortable than normal full size keyboards.  Compact keyboards are also called Tenkeyless keyboards since they do not have the numeric keypad on the right.

I currently have four compact keyboards:

1. My original, a Lenovo Ultranav scissors switch keyboard with trackpad and trackpoint.
2. An IBM SpaceSaver M4-1 keyboard with trackpoint.  It was made by Lexmark and has rubber dome key switches.
3. Two Unicomp Model M Mighty Mouse keyboards and two Unicomp keypads.  These keyboards have rubber dome key switches.

The IBM and Unicomp keyboards are quite similar; for example, I can use the Unicomp keypad with the SpaceSaver keyboard.

My current work setup (shown above) is a Unicomp keyboard and keypad with my Kensington Orbit trackball in the middle.    I like having the keypad for heavy number entry; I like the keypad being out of the way since I don’t use it often.

The SpaceSave and Model M keyboards have a different feel than the UltraNav; they’re more crisp and clicky.  I like both styles (especially the Lenovo keyboard on my laptop), and both are much better than the typical, mushy keyboard.

Sometime I do want to try a mechanical keyboard, probably something with Cherry MX Blue keys such as a Leopard.  I find illuminated keyboards interesting; I’m pretty sure I’d want a tenkeyless one with Cherry MX Blues (unlike the Deck 82 which only comes with Cherry MX Blacks)

Although Unicomp doesn’t make a tenkeyless buckling spring keyboard, I’d still like to try a buckling spring keyboard (probably the EnduraPro).

The best resource on great keyboards is, of course, geekhack.org; for example, check out their mechanical keyboard guide.

Related posts:

1. Notes On Fixing Rubber Dome Keyboards
2. Mouse Alternatives