The keys to professional typing

Not happy with your ancient beige office ‘board and need to step up your typing game? Josh Collins rounds up 10 keyboards aimed specifically at pro users.

There are many reasons to be dissatisfied with the generic keyboard that many professionals use in day-to-day digital work life. We’ve certainly been there too, and it’s not fun. It’s not uncommon for the office-bound to have to deal with crusty old keyboards with all manner of biological hazards left behind thanks to having done the rounds through years of service.

Perhaps your desk space is limited and the giant keyboard you’re using is simply creating an unnecessarily fussy workflow. Maybe you suffer from keyboard induced RSI and general muscle strain from poor ergonomics. Whatever the reason, there are good alternative options out there — so you needn’t suffer any longer. Whether you’re looking to pitch an office purchase to your boss or happy to throw down some of

your own hard-earned cash to enjoy that familiar keyboard touch like your home setup, it’s best to first be informed. To help you discover and understand some of the popular options on the market, as part of this pro gear superguide we’ve rounded up a collection of keyboards that should appeal to more professional senses.

And as technology enthusiasts and technology journalists, the people behind APC certainly appreciate a good keyboard — typing many thousands of words each month tends you make you a but fussy like that, so let’s get to it.

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

To start, though, let’s define what a ‘professional keyboard’ is, precisely. The defining features of a professional keyboard can change depending on your line of work, your specific needs and any personal preferences you may have developed over the years of computer use; specifically keyboard use. Like mice, keyboards are no longer basic human input devices and carry numerous special features. These features can also cross over into other specific use cases. This leads us to the plethora of gaming keyboards on the market — but can they be used for office use? And if so, how or why might they be suitable?

Let’s first accept the fact that, while gaming-orientated features are numerous, they aren’t always gaming-specific and can have strong benefits for office use. One such example is a gaming feature called NKRO, or ‘N-key rollover’, for those not down with the naff lingo. While this feature is, for the most part, ubiquitous across gaming mechanical keyboards, it its purpose is to provide a signal buffer and is therefore great for speedy touch typists that can hit the keys faster than the message can get through to the computer.

Another feature often lauded for gaming is key illumination. However, this certainly has a place in the office, too. It’s great for those you’re working in less-thanideal lighting conditions and can also just make it easier to perceive the keys for those who aren’t touch typists. Many people will have become accustomed to illumination through laptop use, too, so it’s natural to want to have that extended to a full-sized desktop board too.

For this feature, we’ve defined a professional keyboard as a unit that facilitates and promotes productivity, allowing for prolonged use with comfort and speed — and having the subdued styling that’s appropriate for an office environment.

THANKS TO MWAVE

As with the mouse roundup (starting on page 57), we’d like to extend our thanks to Aussie tech retailer Mwave ( www.mwave.com.au) for helping to supply some of the review samples for this roundup.