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Keyboards aren’t always high on the list of considerations for folks buying a new computer or looking to upgrade an old one. Some may be more likely to splurge on a high-end monitor, or cram in as much RAM as possible. For this writer, though, the keyboard is one of the most important components of a computer, if not the most important. For the past 10 years or more, that’s meant a split-design ergonomic keyboard in the vein of Microsoft’s Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 — at least when not exclusively using a laptop. That style certainly takes some getting used to, and is always guaranteed to start a conversation, but it has some clear benefits for comfort (not to mention the well-being of your wrists) over the long term.

More recently, however, that old standby has given way to a mechanical keyboard with a traditional design — the Matias Tactile Pro 3, specifically. A split-design mechanical keyboard would be ideal, but those are unfortunately quite a rare breed. While a something like the Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 has advantages over your average keyboard in terms of overall comfort, it still feels like a regular keyboard. That is, it’s slightly mushy and generally less tactile given its use of a rubber membrane for the keys instead of the individual switches found in a mechanical model like the Tactile Pro.

As anyone who’s used both can attest, the difference is immediately noticeable. With a good mechanical keyboard, you don’t have to worry about a key press not registering; the keys have more spring to them for a crisper feel and (here’s the contentious part for some) they make more noise. It’s not a typewriter-level racket, but there’s a good chance you’ll be frowned upon if you’re sharing a desk with someone, or are trying to take notes while on a conference call. It’s that potential issue that led Matias to try something different with its latest keyboard — one that it claims is the world’s quietest mechanical keyboard. Did it deliver? Read on to find out.

Continue reading Matias Quiet Pro review: a mechanical keyboard with less clickety-clack

Filed under: Peripherals

Matias Quiet Pro review: a mechanical keyboard with less clickety-clack originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Oct 2012 16:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Canada’s Matias Corporation has made something of a name for itself with its tactile keyboards, but those have primarily appealed to those who also enjoy (or at least accept) the sound of a mechanical keyboard in addition to its feel. The company’s hoping to bring a few more into the tactile fold with its new Quiet Pro, though, which it claims is the “world’s quietest mechanical keyboard.” That, Matias says, comes without any sacrifices to tactile feedback, and is said to be the result of more than two years of work. As usual, the keyboard comes in both PC and Mac specific models (all-black and silver & black, respectively), each of which boasts three USB 2.0 ports and laser-etched keys with beveled keytops as opposed to the increasingly common flat variety.

Not surprisingly, you can also expect to pay a bit of a premium over your average keyboard — each model will set you back $150, with US models available today (UK, German and Nordic versions are promised for January). Interestingly, the company says it is also planning to sell the new switches it’s developed to other companies for use in their own keyboards, and even to hobbyists interested in going the DIY route. Additional details on that are promised soon.

Continue reading Matias Quiet Pro claims to be the ‘world’s quietest mechanical keyboard’

Filed under: Peripherals

Matias Quiet Pro claims to be the ‘world’s quietest mechanical keyboard’ originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Sep 2012 19:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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