Odeon
27-01-2012, 09:34 PM
Hey there shotgunners, I'm looking for a low-cost, good quality keyboard with quiet, illuminated keys (all of the main keys at least, but preferably all of them). It needs to be less than 19" (48cm) wide because of my keyboard tray, but beyond that I don't really care how deep, tall, or heavy it is because my tray is over 14" deep and it's height-adjustable. I've seen many low-cost keyboards that always seem to be shrunken down, which is fine as long as the backspace and backslash keys are normal sized (double-width and 1.5-width) and the Home, End, Delete, Page Up, and Page Down keys are in a separate group. I can't stand it when the backspace and/or backslash key is single-width or the other keys are in a row or column some place odd like along the top or side edge. I'd also prefer a keypad with Num Lock and the usual keys, but it's not a must-have. The same goes for specialty keys for macros, but I never use the music, volume, navigation, and shortcut keys that are on my MS Wireless Desktop Elite - except for the Calculator key, which is useful, but I can easily pin the Win7 calculator if needed. Also, I really hate the way that the normal function keys (F1 through F12) are the non-default function and that my keyboard doesn't ever remember that I've hit the F Lock button to disable the special function keys, so none of that please. Finally, I'd prefer a wired keyboard since I rarely take my wireless off the tray and I use this PC for gaming.
Long story bulleted:
Required:
Low-cost (less than $30 would be great), good quality wired keyboard (wireless is not a deal-breaker though)
Illuminated keys - the more the better, but at least the QWERTY and function (F1 through F12) keys
Quiet keys - I use my PC in my bedroom at night a lot and I hate waking up my wife because I'm chatting in a game or typing a forum post
Normal-sized keys - some "mini" and "slim" keyboards have shrunken Backspace and "\" keys
Normal key layout - some "mini" and "slim" keyboards move the Home, End, Delete, Page Up, and Page Down keys into odd positions and layouts, like horizontal or vertical groups along the top or side
Normal function keys - if they have alternate functions besides F1 through F12 that's fine, but F1 through F12 should be the default
Less than 19" wide - 19" or more and it will stick off the edge of my keyboard tray like my current one does
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Preferred, but not required:
Keypad with Num Lock - I use these for occasional data entry and for using the Win7 calculator
Macro and/or multimedia keys - I don't use the ones on my current keyboard that often, but they're kind of difficult to use (especially in the dark), so I might use them on an illuminated keyboard more often
Scroll wheel - I occasionally use it on my current keyboard
I've seen a number of keyboards that match my required criteria, but they are either really expensive ($100 for a keyboard is crazy to me), have bad reviews as often as good ones, or have too few reviews to know how good they are. So do you have personal experience with a keyboard like this?
On the other hand, as I look down at my MS Wireless Desktop Elite in the daylight, I'm noticing that the keys are partially translucent (sort of a dark grey, smoked look). Does anyone know of an easy way to add LEDs to an existing wireless keyboard? It'll probably drain the batteries quicker, but maybe I could add an on/off switch for the LEDs or maybe even turn it into a wired USB keyboard. And thought/suggestions there?
Long story bulleted:
Required:
Low-cost (less than $30 would be great), good quality wired keyboard (wireless is not a deal-breaker though)
Illuminated keys - the more the better, but at least the QWERTY and function (F1 through F12) keys
Quiet keys - I use my PC in my bedroom at night a lot and I hate waking up my wife because I'm chatting in a game or typing a forum post
Normal-sized keys - some "mini" and "slim" keyboards have shrunken Backspace and "\" keys
Normal key layout - some "mini" and "slim" keyboards move the Home, End, Delete, Page Up, and Page Down keys into odd positions and layouts, like horizontal or vertical groups along the top or side
Normal function keys - if they have alternate functions besides F1 through F12 that's fine, but F1 through F12 should be the default
Less than 19" wide - 19" or more and it will stick off the edge of my keyboard tray like my current one does
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Preferred, but not required:
Keypad with Num Lock - I use these for occasional data entry and for using the Win7 calculator
Macro and/or multimedia keys - I don't use the ones on my current keyboard that often, but they're kind of difficult to use (especially in the dark), so I might use them on an illuminated keyboard more often
Scroll wheel - I occasionally use it on my current keyboard
I've seen a number of keyboards that match my required criteria, but they are either really expensive ($100 for a keyboard is crazy to me), have bad reviews as often as good ones, or have too few reviews to know how good they are. So do you have personal experience with a keyboard like this?
On the other hand, as I look down at my MS Wireless Desktop Elite in the daylight, I'm noticing that the keys are partially translucent (sort of a dark grey, smoked look). Does anyone know of an easy way to add LEDs to an existing wireless keyboard? It'll probably drain the batteries quicker, but maybe I could add an on/off switch for the LEDs or maybe even turn it into a wired USB keyboard. And thought/suggestions there?