How to buy a good keyboard: 5 things to check

The keyboard is often one of the most overlooked components in a computer. For a desktop most people tend to buy the cheapest model and be done with it, for a laptop the keyboard is usually not an important factor in buying decisions. I think that this is a grave mistake however as he keyboard is a very important interface to the computer and plays a critical part in ensuring a comfortable and safe computing experience. If possible, purchase your keyboard or laptop from a shop that has demo models available for you to "test type". When choosing your keyboard there are several things to pay attention to:

1: Key resistance

When trying to type, pay attention to the keys resistance: is the key resistance increasing as the key gets down or do you get a big impact at the end of the key's course? A good keyboard's key should have some resistance, as otherwise the impacts caused by typing could damage your finger's joints after years of typing.

2: Silence

Is the keyboard silent when you type on it? This is quite important if you work in a shared office, as the typing noise can annoy the people around you. This is also a good way to judge a keyboard overall quality, as higher end keyboard are usually quieter than cheap ones.

3: Keyboard size

some netbooks feature a reduced size keyboard. This means that the keys are physically smaller, making them harder to hit. Often the keys are not well separated, meaning that it is very easy to type on the wrong key by accident. If the keyboard is connect to a computer or that the netbook is switched on, start a text editor (notepad will do nicely) and try to type a few sentences at your normal speed. look if you often happened to hit two keys instead of one.

4: Wrist rests

Beside the keyboard itself, the place where your wrist will rest is also important. Do the keyboard have an integrated wrist rest? Is it possible to add one? Wrist rest are important for typing comfort and can help avoid RSI. In the case of a laptop also check that it is easy to keep your wrists clear of the touchpad when typing.

5: Wireless or Wired

Do you want a wireless keyboard? These are nice if used from the couch with a home theater PC but for desktop use they provide few advantages. Remember that wireless keyboards require that you keep batteries around, while wired keyboards don't. Using wireless keyboard with NiMH batteries is not a good idea because these batteries self discharge after 2 to 3 months, meaning that you need a freshly charged batteries when the ones in your keyboard run out. If you use a laptop pay attention to the size of the USB receiver: it must either be small enough to stay permanently in your laptop's USB port or it must be big enough to ensure you won't lose it. Some wireless keyboards provide a space to store the receiver, this is definitely a plus.

Keyboard recommendations

I would suggest that you stick with well known brands like Logitec or Microsoft. If you would like me to suggest a specific model, I would recommend the Microsoft Comfort Curve Keyboard 2000if you want a cheap wired keyboard. This is the model I am using myself and it costs under $20. If you prefer a wireless solution I would advise that you look at the Logitech S520 Cordless Desktop. The wrist rest give this wireless keyboard a definite advantage over the competition.

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