GoKawiilJune 28th, 2025
My favorite keyboards
When I started using computers, we had a Sinclair ZX Spectrum at home and a nano-reseau of Thomson MO5s at elementary school. I distinctly remember how unpleasant it was to type with them. These must have been the worst keyboards I ever used[1]. Ever since, I have paid close attention to the keyboards I use. Here is the list of my all-time favorites.
IBM Model M
I discovered the IBM Model M in 1993 when I went over to the neighbor who owned an IBM PS/1 6128. I was immediately hooked to the feel of the keys and their clicky sound. It felt like using a typewriter and I loved it.
It took me many years to find one. I vividly remember the Craigslist ad for a dilapidated computer shop in a Toronto suburb. Inside I found piles of them, stacked six feet high. All of them had some kind of damage so I picked a few for $20 apiece and rebuilt one that looked pristine. I used it for nearly 10 years after that.
My IBM Model M while studying Quake 2 engine (2011)
8BitDo has released a Model-M inspired modern mechanical keyboard. It looks gorgeous (1, 2, 3, 4, 5), sounds like a dream, and is overall an excellent keyboard that I have used a lot to play Diablo II: Resurrected.
IBM Model M SSK
It is only in 2025, when I was building my own IBM PS/1 6128, that I discovered the IBM Model M, SSK (Space Saving Keyboard) with 84 keys. Not having that cumbersome keypad eat up the space and pushing the mouse location further right is so convenient, it surpasses the 101/102-key version.
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