Heresy, right? I've had a mechanical for the last couple of years, and while it's served me well enough, I still don't like the feel or clickety-clack compared to a membrane switch - and my current one is the Razer Blackwidow Stealth w/ rubber o-rings added to the base of each key, which I think is as non-clackety as a mechanical gets.
Anyway, the Blackwidow is starting to have issues - F5 key died months ago, and lately it's been doing this annoying thing where I press a key and it registers the downstroke, but not the release, of the Tab and D keys until I pull it from its USB port and reinsert. It's time.
...but the initial search for a replacement all I'm seeing are either mechanical or mimicking mechanical (like a membrane switch but with the big blocky keys that mechanicals use).
My favorite keyboard 'feel' 100% is an oldschool laptop style keyboard. Like the IBM T60 - flat, light to the touch, and no dead space in between the keys like you see in a lot of today's laptops (the 'island' style... not a fan).
I don't think my entire wish-list exists in a single product, but what I'm after is:
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That T60 style described above
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Programmable keys (remap / macros)
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Corded... unless cordless options have really improved in the last decade or so: I recall a noticeable delay, and constantly running out of battery.
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Extra keys specifically for binding macros like the Blackwidow
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Backlight. Low priority, and I don't give a shit about RGB (or aesthetics in general), but it is nice to be able to be able to see which key is which when the room is dark.
...is anything even kind-of like that on the market, or should I just shut up and get another mechanical?
A friend of mine bought a gaming keyboard with magnetic switches (which is a new concept to me). That felt comfortable. I sadly forgot which brand or model it was.
That being said, if you have red or yellow switches, your keyboard should not be clicky. Many mechanical keyboards even have swappable swihches, so in theory you should be able to replace the switches on your keyboard with red ones.