deskthority

Please vote for your winner of the award for the Best regular keyboard in 2012.

By voting in this category you can win Signature Plastics keycaps.

This is the final round. See the first round and second round for reference.

The nominees are:

Cherry G80-1800
The Cherry G80-1800 is a classic mechanical keyboard with a compressed design, yet with all the keys of a full-size keyboard.
It is still available today.


A modern G80-1800 with Windows keys and logo of the corporation that ordered it.

Cherry G80-3000
The Cherry G80-3000 is a series of PCB-mounted full-size keyboards manufactured by Cherry. First introduced in 1988, it is one of the oldest keyboard series still in production.


Cherry G80-3000LQCDE-2 105-key German ISO.

IBM Model F family
The IBM Model F is still alive! Drawn by its capacitive buckling spring switches, first the Model F AT keyboard became popular. This year however the big terminal models became popular because of Soarer's great converter.


3179 terminal keyboard, 5250-style layout.

IBM Model M
The famous IBM Model M is nicknamed the King of All Keyboards, and since the old King is still nominated by vote in 2012 over a wide variety of newly released mechanical keyboards, the nickname seems to be chosen well.


IBM 7531 Industrial PC Keyboard, Part Number 1388032. The first PC compatible Model M.

With that picture of the model m I'll assume you really want it to win?

Stop taunting me with pictures of 122s.

Mmm, model F.

it was a tough choice for me; i like the F and the M.

the M has simplicity, availability, cost, and key layout going for it. the F has NKRO, the best key feel, and exotic-ness; but it is usually incompatible with modern computers and the layout is less than ideal for XT, AT, and 122. Soarer's converter corrects the incompatibility and layout issues, so F gets my final vote.

rodtang wrote:With that picture of the model m I'll assume you really want it to win?

No no, my M cheerleading picture is this!



wcass named the pros and cons exactly though.

The Cherry fanboys are awfully quiet, so I'm sure IBM will win it!

This photo .. I always wondered. How the hell could you have that much clean floor space?

webwit wrote:

rodtang wrote:With that picture of the model m I'll assume you really want it to win?

No no, my M cheerleading picture is this!



wcass named the pros and cons exactly though.

The Cherry fanboys are awfully quiet, so I'm sure IBM will win it!

I don't really like Cherry's boards, they have some nice designs, but G80-3000 feels just so cheap. I think other manufactures have done their work better, for double the price though in some cases.

Model M is old, so somethings can be forgiven, but it's very very solid board with something special and unique in it ;D

Ekaros wrote: I don't really like Cherry's boards, they have some nice designs, but G80-3000 feels just so cheap. I think other manufactures have done their work better, for double the price though in some cases.

Wait until you get your hands on a mx5000. The you will feel cheapness. Not trolling, just one of the least solid boards I've had.

hah, what else could I vote for if you post a picture of the 122-Key Model F I own! Though I like the G80-1800 for it's layout. But it has too few keys!

RC-1140 wrote:Though I like the G80-1800 for it's layout. But it has too few keys!

Sounds like the Skidata is the perfect board for you.

Yup, when I saw them with the layout, the trackball, and read that they have Clears I thought: Nice!
Then I saw the current price and thought: Nope!

RC-1140 wrote:Yup, when I saw them with the layout, the trackball, and read that they have Clears I thought: Nice!
Then I saw the current price and thought: Nope!

…especially since the upper key field cannot be programmed

The two nominees with currently the most votes are: Cherry G80-1800 and IBM Model M.

I miss the Cherry G80-2100 or G80-2551, but the Goupil would suit me.


edit: vote changed!

G80-2100 and 2551: 95% of the aircraft carrier-ness of a Model F, but with worse switches.

Model F for the best switches ever. Clicky but not as tiring as the model M's.

Kurrk wrote:Model F for the best switches ever. Clicky but not as tiring as the model M's.

I just wish I could make it ring less.

Kurrk wrote:Model F for the best switches ever. Clicky but not as tiring as the model M's.

This is sadly the problem with model Ms; beautiful looking boards, they are just too tiring to type on.

I love their weight, the key profile and the sturdiness of that space bar! A SSK with Cherry black; now I think that's my ideal keyboard!

I was at the keyboard shop today. I was like if 1800 series wins anything,

Edit: stupid mistake removed