Which One Should I Get? (Old Domes)

harlagan

19 Jul 2020, 17:04

Hey! first off I'm new here, sorry if this place isn't the place to ask for this kind of stuff, let me know if I have indeed done something wrong. Looking forward to be with you guys!

Here's the list:

IBM KB-9910
IBM SK-8820
BENQ P010? (Not sure about this model on the listing I'm looking at, but it does look like one), pictures below
A Logitech, no idea about the model, pictures below
WEARNES BTC 5301
WEARNES ACK 290 (Can't find info for these two, probably some old local brand from my country?) pictures below
HP KB-0316
HP/Compaq KB-0133

https://imgur.com/a/dRSpyUb

I have to buy a new keyboard but my budget is very very small, I've started looking for old keyboards because from what I've heard that they're great. What I'm looking for is the "clicky"-ness, not sure how to describe it. I just want the vintage clicky feel.

I've looked for a buckling spring high and low and unfortunately, I can't find any except importing which would be super costly. I'm hoping these are some good domes that are worthy in your eyes. Any input is appreciated!

uttindar

19 Jul 2020, 20:05

None of the above.
There's only a few examples of good rubber dome keyboards and mostly all of them are "dome with sliders" keyboards.
The easiest model to find is wiki/BTC_51_series - it's decent, has really good tactility and build quality is usually great (at least in 5139).

I know you said you have a very tiny budget, but maybe picking basic Magicforce 68 for $27 later from Taobao might be a better option. Or search for used vintage mechanical boards locally. Something like NTC KB 6251 should be really common everywhere and cost only few bucks.

grodzio

19 Jul 2020, 20:28

harlagan wrote:
19 Jul 2020, 17:04
IBM KB-9910
IBM SK-8820
BENQ P010? (Not sure about this model on the listing I'm looking at, but it does look like one), pictures below
A Logitech, no idea about the model, pictures below
WEARNES BTC 5301
WEARNES ACK 290 (Can't find info for these two, probably some old local brand from my country?) pictures below
HP KB-0316
HP/Compaq KB-0133
None of these. There are very few rubber dome keyboards that are actually good. BTC dome with slider and Scorpius dome with slider switches are probably the best. NMB dome with slider isn't too bad either but it becomes awful after years of use. A board with BTC dome with slider switches is probably the best option since the switches are Cherry MX mount and most of these boards have a pretty good build quality.
harlagan wrote:
19 Jul 2020, 17:04
I have to buy a new keyboard but my budget is very very small, I've started looking for old keyboards because from what I've heard that they're great. What I'm looking for is the "clicky"-ness, not sure how to describe it. I just want the vintage clicky feel.
Sorry to dissapoint you, but rubber dome switches aren't clicky.

harlagan

20 Jul 2020, 01:46

uttindar wrote:
19 Jul 2020, 20:05
None of the above.
There's only a few examples of good rubber dome keyboards and mostly all of them are "dome with sliders" keyboards.
The easiest model to find is wiki/BTC_51_series - it's decent, has really good tactility and build quality is usually great (at least in 5139).

I know you said you have a very tiny budget, but maybe picking basic Magicforce 68 for $27 later from Taobao might be a better option. Or search for used vintage mechanical boards locally. Something like NTC KB 6251 should be really common everywhere and cost only few bucks.
Unfortunately I won't be able to find any of those locally, my country isn't really the "tech savvy" back in the <2000s. Thanks for the tips anyways, I'll keep those in mind.

harlagan

20 Jul 2020, 01:48

grodzio wrote:
19 Jul 2020, 20:28

None of these. There are very few rubber dome keyboards that are actually good. BTC dome with slider and Scorpius dome with slider switches are probably the best. NMB dome with slider isn't too bad either but it becomes awful after years of use. A board with BTC dome with slider switches is probably the best option since the switches are Cherry MX mount and most of these boards have a pretty good build quality.
Sorry to disappoint you, but rubber dome switches aren't clicky.
Alright, I'll keep those in mind and look out for those, hopefully I find one. Thank you very much.

uttindar

20 Jul 2020, 02:38

harlagan wrote:
20 Jul 2020, 01:46
Unfortunately I won't be able to find any of those locally, my country isn't really the "tech savvy" back in the <2000s.
This is probably not the case. Even if general population couldn't afford PC's at the time, there was always governmental structures and corporations, who were usually main users of vintage keyboards in developing countries.
I quickly browsed on Indonesian Olx and there are even buy orders for vintage keyboards there (like "we pay you 30000 rupees for your old keyboard. We only buy keyboards with DIN connector") so those traders definitely know what's going on (and also they probably monitor and buy out new listings, so that's why you can't find decent keyboards there). So just monitor new keyboard listings and maybe you get lucky.
Also pay attention to photos, sometimes vintage keyboards are well hidden like here for example (white in the middle is probably generic rubber dome, but I would've ask seller about the bottom one).

harlagan

20 Jul 2020, 02:53

uttindar wrote:
20 Jul 2020, 02:38
This is probably not the case. Even if general population couldn't afford PC's at the time, there was always governmental structures and corporations, who were usually main users of vintage keyboards in developing countries.
I quickly browsed on Indonesian Olx and there are even buy orders for vintage keyboards there (like "we pay you 30000 rupees for your old keyboard. We only buy keyboards with DIN connector") so those traders definitely know what's going on (and also they probably monitor and buy out new listings, so that's why you can't find decent keyboards there). So just monitor new keyboard listings and maybe you get lucky.
Also pay attention to photos, sometimes vintage keyboards are well hidden like here for example (white in the middle is probably generic rubber dome, but I would've ask seller about the bottom one).
Huh yeah, I haven't thought of looking in OLX, yeah I found that person buying out keyboards with DIN connectors just recently.

Thank you for the answer, I'll keep an eye out for keyboard listings from now. Thank you again.

User avatar
ppCircle

20 Jul 2020, 18:59

Imo look for some BTC or Scorp104 keyboard

Post Reply

Return to “Keyboards”