their website even has a page for professional writers
I am using Filco Majestouch 2
Grist
It’s teh best, innit?
Sam Duncan
“You probably want a mechanical keyboard but probably not a gaming one.”
Probably not, but they are the best way to get a halfway-decent keyboard without breaking the bank. It’s difficult to find one that doesn’t light up in all the colours of the rainbow these days, but I picked up a Rosewill RK9000V2, surprisingly restrained – honestly, it looks identical to the Majestouch – with genuine MX brown switches and a decently heavy baseplate, for less than £35 three or four years back. The only niggle I have is that one area they obviously cheaped out on is the keycaps: they’re quite thin and rattly, and some of the legends started to wear off slightly after a few months. But for a £90 saving on the Filco I can live with that. Unfortunately I don’t think they still make them.
Mice? I’ve been using the same Logitech Marble Mouse trackball for about 15 years now. If it ever fails, I’ll probably buy another. Great thing, if you can get used to it.
PJF
If you need to see the keyboard when typing (a lot of us do) then a mechanical keyboard won’t in itself assist. A lot of gaming keyboards have RGB backlighting which can make the keys readable in the dark but can be distracting with bright, multi-coloured areas that may pulsate.
I wouldn’t use a wireless keyboard and mouse if I didn’t need to (I share screen, keyboard and mouse between an old PC and a current macbook). Wireless is another level of complexity / point of failure. When with just one PC I used a cheapo Logitech wired keyboard and an old Microsoft mouse (have kept them). Very reliable and fast with my two-and-a-half finger typing “style”.
The new kit is also Logitech. Not cheap (MX Keys and MX Master 3 mouse) but it has proven flawlessly reliable in its complex role. I’m happy with laptop style keys but there is a mechanical version.
(plus, make sure there aren’t wireless / USB issues with your PC – otherwise you’ll have problems no matter your peripherals)
Dndhfjf
May I suggest a Nord Stage 4.
Very versatile, especially for live gigs. :-p
The Pedant-General
Pictures or it didn’t happen
Rob Fisher
It’s a very personal thing. I learned to touch type on a blank HHKB keyboard. I really like the feel of the keys and I really like the layout (no num pad, cursor keys, etc, but if you touch type it’s better because you don’t need to move your hands: you put a thumb on the mod key and your right hand can do all that stuff).
I now have two HHKBs I use for work and I’m much more productive when I’m using one. But they are pricey.
If you just want a cheap gaming clicky keyboard, the one my son uses to play games I find is also comfortable enough to type on, and it’s cheap: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B010IIKHBK/
In between there are no end of layouts and key switch types to explore.
You need to read your keyboard?
Bloke in the Fourth Reich in Cascais
You probably want a mechanical keyboard but probably not a gaming one. I recomend the keyboard company:
https://www.keyboardco.com/category.asp?sr=pro-writer
their website even has a page for professional writers
I am using Filco Majestouch 2
It’s teh best, innit?
“You probably want a mechanical keyboard but probably not a gaming one.”
Probably not, but they are the best way to get a halfway-decent keyboard without breaking the bank. It’s difficult to find one that doesn’t light up in all the colours of the rainbow these days, but I picked up a Rosewill RK9000V2, surprisingly restrained – honestly, it looks identical to the Majestouch – with genuine MX brown switches and a decently heavy baseplate, for less than £35 three or four years back. The only niggle I have is that one area they obviously cheaped out on is the keycaps: they’re quite thin and rattly, and some of the legends started to wear off slightly after a few months. But for a £90 saving on the Filco I can live with that. Unfortunately I don’t think they still make them.
Mice? I’ve been using the same Logitech Marble Mouse trackball for about 15 years now. If it ever fails, I’ll probably buy another. Great thing, if you can get used to it.
If you need to see the keyboard when typing (a lot of us do) then a mechanical keyboard won’t in itself assist. A lot of gaming keyboards have RGB backlighting which can make the keys readable in the dark but can be distracting with bright, multi-coloured areas that may pulsate.
I wouldn’t use a wireless keyboard and mouse if I didn’t need to (I share screen, keyboard and mouse between an old PC and a current macbook). Wireless is another level of complexity / point of failure. When with just one PC I used a cheapo Logitech wired keyboard and an old Microsoft mouse (have kept them). Very reliable and fast with my two-and-a-half finger typing “style”.
The new kit is also Logitech. Not cheap (MX Keys and MX Master 3 mouse) but it has proven flawlessly reliable in its complex role. I’m happy with laptop style keys but there is a mechanical version.
https://www.logitech.com/en-gb/products/keyboards/mx-mechanical.html
But only if you need / want wireless.
(plus, make sure there aren’t wireless / USB issues with your PC – otherwise you’ll have problems no matter your peripherals)
May I suggest a Nord Stage 4.
Very versatile, especially for live gigs. :-p
Pictures or it didn’t happen
It’s a very personal thing. I learned to touch type on a blank HHKB keyboard. I really like the feel of the keys and I really like the layout (no num pad, cursor keys, etc, but if you touch type it’s better because you don’t need to move your hands: you put a thumb on the mod key and your right hand can do all that stuff).
I now have two HHKBs I use for work and I’m much more productive when I’m using one. But they are pricey.
If you just want a cheap gaming clicky keyboard, the one my son uses to play games I find is also comfortable enough to type on, and it’s cheap: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B010IIKHBK/
In between there are no end of layouts and key switch types to explore.