Anyone else HATE chiclet keyboards?

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raley

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I've been searching for a new laptop. I really like this trend of the "ultrabooks" - small (<13"), light, thin, and powerful. I also need a dedicated video card, which surely cuts out some of these, but I think I could still find one that suits me. But my main problem is that it seems like every single new laptop coming out has the horrible chiclet keyboard. What is with this trend and why is it overtaking the laptop industry?

These keys on these new keyboards all seem to be very thin. If you hit them off center, they don't depress. I type extremely fast and my fingers move quickly from key to key. I frequently miss the center of the keys, and I suppose I am not used to pressing as hard as is required with these new keyboards. I have tried out my girlfriend's laptop extensively (a new HP) and probably 10% of the keys I hit don't register.

Is there any hope for someone who doesn't want this keyboard? Any manufacturers I'm missing? I feel like I've checked everything, and there's nothing out there for me. Am I just going to have to live with it?
 
There's a distinction between key shape and key feel. You can have good chiclet keys that don't have the issues you describe (e.g. Thinkpad Edge line, my friend's Thinkpad x120e, my other friend's Sony Vaio, etc.), and horrible traditional keyboards with the exact issues you describe (an old Toshiba I have). You can find a good chiclet keyboard with good throw and feel. The difference between a chiclet and a traditional laptop keyboard is in just the keycaps. 90% of a good keyboard is still the underlying scissor and rubber dome mechanism.

If you don't want chiclets, the L-series, T-series and W-series Lenovo Thinkpads still use traditional keyboards, along with the Thinkpad X220. Dell Latitudes as of now use a hybrid chiclet/traditional keyboard (that still feels quite good).
 
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Just keep trying them out, but in the end I don't think you will be having a lot of luck. Be prepared to the possibility of getting used to it :(
 
Pylon said:
Dell Latitudes as of now use a hybrid chiclet/traditional keyboard (that still feels quite good).
Click to expand...

I'm extremely picky with my keyboards as well... I had always tried to get the old AT mechanical keyboards from old Digital Alpha boxes. I always had one on tap until about 2005 which was when I got my first laptop.

I've been rocking a Latitude since the D600-E5420 and their keyboards feel great. I never liked them before but I got used to them and can really rip out WPM with minimal errors. Those chiclet keyboards on cheap Taiwanese net/note books are just too awkward and I could not get as comfortable as I am on Dell's lappy keyboards.
 
Pylon said:
If you don't want chiclets, the L-series, T-series and W-series Lenovo Thinkpads still use traditional keyboards, along with the X220. Dell Latitudes as of now use a hybrid chiclet/traditional keyboard (that still feels quite good).
Click to expand...

The classic ThinkPad keyboards are the best, Macbooks included.
 
I'll have to go with Pylon. I've seen my share of loose keys on laptops before as well (press the edge of the key, and the thing see-saws without registering). And i currently have a chicklet keyboard in my Asus Transformer. This one's pretty good.
 
Love my macbook KB. If they made a black, illuminated chiclet KB with blue LED's I'd be all over it like white on rice. But I have yet to find one.
 
I dislike the MacBook's chiclet keyboards, but I'm in love with the chiclet keyboard on my Toshiba ultrabook. Dunno.
 
Sly said:
I'll have to go with Pylon. I've seen my share of loose keys on laptops before as well (press the edge of the key, and the thing see-saws without registering). And i currently have a chicklet keyboard in my Asus Transformer. This one's pretty good.
Click to expand...

I actually get a bit of that press-the-edge-wont-register effect on my TF's KB... Mostly when using it on my lap or at odd angles, but when I type with it on a solid surface it works pretty darn well and I rarely miss any keypress.
 
I for the most part love the keyboard on my MSI laptop but I do seem to miss type the H key often by leaving it out, I think it requires more directly downward force and I hit it at an angle.
 
I don't like them.

I would buy a top end HP Elitebook if it weren't for the chiclet keyboard... I see another Thinkpad in my future.
 
I was just messing with an 8650 and it's not bad. It's solid as hell, but I wouldn't want to carry around such a large and heavy laptop.
 
Look at the Lenovo X220, super portable, fully speced, and awesome thinkpad keyboard.
 
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