Keyboard Review Template: Introducing the KeebScore™
Posted: 03 Dec 2019, 21:21
When I acquire a new keyboard, and want to share it with everyone, it's handy to have a consistent way to do so. Enter: the KeebScore™. This is my template for grading keyboards on roughly a scale of 0 to 100.
Like any rating system it has its flaws! Perhaps some items are not weighed correctly against one another. Or, perhaps I'm missing some important aspects. Ah well. Perhaps we'll have another KeebScore™ in the future.
KeebScore™ 1.0:
Packaging:
2 listing of contents
2 picture of the keyboard
2 rattle/shake test - is keyboard secured?
2 reusability
2 sturdiness
10 Total
Unboxing:
2 box has tamper evidence mechanism
2 box can be opened without tools
2 keyboard is wrapped within packaging
2 keyboard can be accessed without complicated disassembly procedure
2 keyboard arrives undamaged
10 Total
What's Included? / Accessories
2 USB Cable
4 Spare Key Caps: Esc, WASD, Control/Caps Lock, macOS
2 Key Cap Puller
2 Paper Manual
10 Total
Design
- Cable, Routing, Management
- Build Quality: Twist Test
2 Minimal deflection when keyboard is twisted.
2 Minimal rattle when keyboard is shaken
2 Cable is detachable
2 Cable guides are included
2 Cable is strain relieved
10 Total
Key Caps
2 Key caps require about 1kg of force to remove, not too loose or tight
2 Printing: 0 pad print or laser, 1 double shot ABS, 2 dye sub or double shot PBT
2 Legends: consistency in font, glyph closure
2 Material: 0 ABS, 1 POM, 2 PBT
2 Thickness: 0 super thin, 1 moderate, 2 thick
10 Total
Key Switches
2 Scratchiness: 0 scratchy, 1 acceptable, 2 quite smooth
2 Tactility: 0 none, 1 vague, 2 pronounced
2 Wobble: 0 none, 1 okay, 2 exceptional
2 Off center press: 0 binds, 1 harder, 2 perfect
2 Tactility to actuation: 0 after, 1 before, 2 simultaneous
10 Total
Key Layout
2 Spacing of regions: 0 zero u, 1 0.25 u, 2 0.5 u
2 Layout: 0 weird and unusable, 1 mostly normal, 2 PS/2
2 Modifiers: 0 non-uniform or bumpy, 1 no Windows key, 2 normal 3+3 or 3+4
2 rows and profiling: 0 flat or weird, 1 Cherry/OEM, 2 good Spherical
2 Overall usability (subjective)
10 Total
Typing Experience
2 Full NKRO
2 Key feel (subjective)
2 Key sound (subjective)
2 Fatigue (subjective)
2 How much I like it - would I daily it?
10 Total
Customization
2 Stabilizers: 0 proprietary or glued in, 1 costar, 2 cherry
2 Microcontroller: 0 soldered on, 1 firmware upgrades, 2 daughterboard
2 Ease of opening: 0 case cracker or other difficulty, 1 screws, 2 tool free
2 Ecosystem of aftermarket and spare parts: 0 proprietary, 1 alps, 2 cherry/topre
2 Switch replacement: 0 difficult, 1 soldering, 2 clips
10 Total
Discretionary
10 Total
Total Score: 100
Special Bonuses:
+10 Capacitive or Hall sensing
+10 native macOS layout
Dealbreakers:
-10 chatter
-10 board damage on removing switches
-10 sharp edges on leading edge
-10 software mandatory to run keyboard
Phew! With that created, now I can go on to apply it to keyboards. Watch out for some exciting reviews coming soon, and let me know your thoughts! I may incorporate some feedback into KeebScore™ 1.1.
Like any rating system it has its flaws! Perhaps some items are not weighed correctly against one another. Or, perhaps I'm missing some important aspects. Ah well. Perhaps we'll have another KeebScore™ in the future.
KeebScore™ 1.0:
Packaging:
2 listing of contents
2 picture of the keyboard
2 rattle/shake test - is keyboard secured?
2 reusability
2 sturdiness
10 Total
Unboxing:
2 box has tamper evidence mechanism
2 box can be opened without tools
2 keyboard is wrapped within packaging
2 keyboard can be accessed without complicated disassembly procedure
2 keyboard arrives undamaged
10 Total
What's Included? / Accessories
2 USB Cable
4 Spare Key Caps: Esc, WASD, Control/Caps Lock, macOS
2 Key Cap Puller
2 Paper Manual
10 Total
Design
- Cable, Routing, Management
- Build Quality: Twist Test
2 Minimal deflection when keyboard is twisted.
2 Minimal rattle when keyboard is shaken
2 Cable is detachable
2 Cable guides are included
2 Cable is strain relieved
10 Total
Key Caps
2 Key caps require about 1kg of force to remove, not too loose or tight
2 Printing: 0 pad print or laser, 1 double shot ABS, 2 dye sub or double shot PBT
2 Legends: consistency in font, glyph closure
2 Material: 0 ABS, 1 POM, 2 PBT
2 Thickness: 0 super thin, 1 moderate, 2 thick
10 Total
Key Switches
2 Scratchiness: 0 scratchy, 1 acceptable, 2 quite smooth
2 Tactility: 0 none, 1 vague, 2 pronounced
2 Wobble: 0 none, 1 okay, 2 exceptional
2 Off center press: 0 binds, 1 harder, 2 perfect
2 Tactility to actuation: 0 after, 1 before, 2 simultaneous
10 Total
Key Layout
2 Spacing of regions: 0 zero u, 1 0.25 u, 2 0.5 u
2 Layout: 0 weird and unusable, 1 mostly normal, 2 PS/2
2 Modifiers: 0 non-uniform or bumpy, 1 no Windows key, 2 normal 3+3 or 3+4
2 rows and profiling: 0 flat or weird, 1 Cherry/OEM, 2 good Spherical
2 Overall usability (subjective)
10 Total
Typing Experience
2 Full NKRO
2 Key feel (subjective)
2 Key sound (subjective)
2 Fatigue (subjective)
2 How much I like it - would I daily it?
10 Total
Customization
2 Stabilizers: 0 proprietary or glued in, 1 costar, 2 cherry
2 Microcontroller: 0 soldered on, 1 firmware upgrades, 2 daughterboard
2 Ease of opening: 0 case cracker or other difficulty, 1 screws, 2 tool free
2 Ecosystem of aftermarket and spare parts: 0 proprietary, 1 alps, 2 cherry/topre
2 Switch replacement: 0 difficult, 1 soldering, 2 clips
10 Total
Discretionary
10 Total
Total Score: 100
Special Bonuses:
+10 Capacitive or Hall sensing
+10 native macOS layout
Dealbreakers:
-10 chatter
-10 board damage on removing switches
-10 sharp edges on leading edge
-10 software mandatory to run keyboard
Phew! With that created, now I can go on to apply it to keyboards. Watch out for some exciting reviews coming soon, and let me know your thoughts! I may incorporate some feedback into KeebScore™ 1.1.