November 20, 2009, 2:10 PM — Is there a more underappreciated part of your desktop computer system than the keyboard? It's the second-most-used component--after the display, of course--and yet many people are still using the keyboard that came with their Mac.
That's a shame, because today's keyboards have a lot to offer: better comfort, improved ergonomics, special and programmable keys and buttons for launching and controlling applications, wireless connectivity, and more. (These benefits also apply to laptop users; if you spend much time using your laptop at a desk, a separate keyboard and mouse can do wonders for your posture and health.)
Every user should choose the keyboard that best fits his or her own preferences and needs, but there are some features and terms you should understand to help you make the proper buying decision. That's what this guide is for; here are our tips for buying a new keyboard.
Buying advice: Keyboards
Keys: Keys are the most basic component of any keyboard, but they differ widely between models. Desktop keyboards have traditionally used dome-style key switches; such keys are thicker and require more travel (the distance the key must move to register as a keystroke), and sometimes more force, when you press them than laptop keys. Laptop keyboards tend to use scissor-style key switches, which offer a lower profile and require less travel. However, over the past five years or so, many desktop keyboards have adopted laptop-style key mechanisms, in large part because of the increased popularity of these types of keys. (Using the same types of keys on your laptop and desktop also eases the typing transition when switching between the two.)
Design and ergonomics: Keyboard vendors often try to differentiate their products using unique designs or appearances. Some offer different colors, others offer stylish, metal or glossy-plastic finishes.
On a practical design level, keyboards also differ in their ergonomics--more-ergonomic designs offer better comfort and safety over long-term use. For example, some manufacturers make thinner keyboards that don't require your wrists to bend unnaturally upward. (Though most keyboards include legs or risers for raising the rear of the keyboard, in most scenarios a downward-sloping keyboard doesn't enhance ergonomics. Provided your chair and keyboard surface are at the correct heights, a keyboard's key surface should be approximately parallel to the floor--or even tilted slightly away from you.) Similarly, laptop-style keys generally require less effort to press, reducing fatigue.
Other vendors offer true ergonomic designs with curved keyboard layouts; some even split the keyboard and angle the two halves upward to provide more-natural positions for your hands and wrists.
Key layout: Given the many decades since the invention of the computer, you'd think that keyboards would have a standard layout. And when it comes to the standard keys you'd find on a typewriter, that's generally true. Still some keyboard designers have tweaked this layout for reasons of design, cross-platform compatibility, or other considerations, and these changes can affect usability.
But even if the standard keys are arranged correctly, each keyboard seems to have a few layout oddities when it comes to other keys. For example, some keyboards consolidate the function keys (F-keys) into a single line instead of using the traditional four-key pods, making it difficult for touch typists to differentiate the keys. (Even worse, oftentimes these F-keys are jammed up against the number--0 through 9--row, making it easy to accidentally hit an F-key when trying to press a number, or vice versa.) Many keyboards have numeric keypads with odd layouts, and more than a few place keys in unconventional locations, further frustrating touch typists.
Finally, many current keyboards are designed for both Macs and Windows PCs. This usually means they feature Windows and Alt keys instead of the Mac's Command and Option buttons, and omit one or more of these modifier keys on one side of the keyboard in favor of a Windows key. You'll need to use Mac OS X's Keyboard & Mouse preference pane to configure such a keyboard's modifier keys so they work as expected.
The gist of all this is that before choosing a keyboard, you should try it out to make sure its particular layout compromises won't compromise your productivity. If you can't try it out before buying, be sure to buy from a retailer with a good return policy.
