So I've been through about 10 keyboards in search of the quietest. Ranging from the $20 Microsoft Comfort Curve 2000, which has been my primary keyboard for a while, to the $120 Logitech diNovo. I decided to get the IBM ThinkPlus Enhanced Performance USB Keyboard. This is by far the quietest keyboard I have ever used!

The key sound is very "soft" if there was a word to describe it. Not clackety noises save the space bar at times, which is still somehwat muted. Finally, a quality keyboard that's silent!

Here are some pictures:

How does this compare to the Comfort Curve 2000? I have rolled through only a few in my time (UltraX, Natural Ergonomic Keyboard Elite, Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000, Comfort Curve 2000). Is it relatively easy to type on? I've found the UltraX the one keyboard that I type the fastest on, while the NEK4000 to be the most comfortable.

A.C.:

It's quieter than the Comfort Curve 2000, which I had just replaced. I got sick of the "laptop style" keys, and this is a great, full-bodied keyboard that's more silent than the CC2000. What bugged me most about the CC2000 was its clickety spacebar; not so much with this keyboard.

How come?

Oh, and does it come with a USB-PS/2 adapter?

cmon ppl i am all for silent computing but if you are bothered by keyboard noise !!! then you should a) seek help b) cut of you ears...

Many people work from home nowadays, which sometimes involves writing large reports and general typing and word processing. In that case, and once the PC is SPCR-modded for quietness, key strike noise from the keyboard is 80-90% of all audible noise associated with the PC. The constant chatter from a keyboard can be very annoying for someone trying to read a book or watch TV in another room.

The following link is for a flexible rubber keyboard (Adesso Flexible Full-Sized Keyboard). It was made for portability instead of silence. But, I imagine it should be dead quiet. From the write-up, it looks like it might even be semi-decent to type on. Personally, "type-ability" is FAR more important than quietness in a keyboard (I'd never even considered it before -- it's like looking for a quiet hammer). But, to each his own:

http://hardware.earthweb.com/peripherals/article.php/3613181

If the keyboard isn´t extremely light to type on i miss keys.. Meaning i don´t press them hard enough, if i have to concentrate on that i type slow. So i like the laptop-type things, anything other than a flat keyboard makes my "whatever the thing the hand mounts to is called" and fingers all stiff and tense.

edit: My point being that i could never type on one of those squishy things. The logitech ultra-x flat is a great keyboard, and it just happens to be very quiet too.

and for me, it's the keyboard that I type the fastest on

I just wanted a more full keyboard; I feel that I can type better that way. I use a laptop on the go and I wanted something for a change when I got back home.

No, it doesn't come with a USB-PS/2 adapter.

I bought the THANKO keyboard (and mouse) which should be the most quiet keyboard on the market...I will post back on feedback.

I just got this keyboard, so I figure I may as well contribute an opinion.

I got it very slightly used for 35 CAD.

Although I haven't used "high-end" keyboards (a Logitech LX 700 was as far as I went), this is easily the best desktop keyboard I've ever typed on. The keyboard on my Thinkpad laptop is also awesome, though obviously different. I can't decide which one's better; I may just call it a tie and enjoy 'em both.

The design is also great. The media keys and the internets back and forward keys work with no drivers required (the top-row lock desktop to internet don't, though). The keyboard looks classy, and the wrist rest apron has nice non-plasticky texture. There are two USB 2.0 down ports, very handy for USB drives. Small touches like two-part legs to provide with three different possible keyboard heights just add to the sweetness.

If you ever had a Thinkpad and loved it, this is a keyboard for you. If you didn't, it may still be a keyboard for you, though be warned that you might become thoroughly disappointed with non-IBM keyboards, desktop or otherwise.

IBM made a keyboard with a Window key on it?? What will happen next??

Only found one shop carrying this in Finland.. for 36€, and 12€ for shipping. Never heard of the company before, and i have no idea if they have it in stock, but i think ill order one anyway. Ill just choose COD as payment, if it doesnt come i dont have to pay anything..

I bought the Japanese THANKO keyboard a while back which is very quiet...and just purchased the Lenovo IBM keyboard discussed on this thread....I'm planning to compare both...

Ok...here's the scoop...I now have the thanko and this lenovo Ibm keyboard and the thanko is about 10 time quieter.....the ibm is quieter than any standard keyboard but it is not as dramatic and the Thanko....if quiet is a concern Thanko is it...the only drawback is a 20% increase in keystroke effort....any comments?

The IBM has a decently sized space bar

True dat...but it personally didn't bother me...the effort increase took longer to get used to

The gamer in me forces me to ask, as always; does this keyboard suffer from phantom key lock-out or whatever it's called when you can't register holding more than 3+ local keys down?

How would I go about testing that?

Looks like i wont be getting this keyboard anyway. Have not heard anything from the company. oh well. These damn scissor type springs on the UltraX are very sensitive to crap like breadcrumbs. And i just noticed that the arrow keys have stopped working completely, no matter how hard i bang them.

I would like to challenge this statement to the IBM keyboard being the quietest keyboard out there with the Gateway Multimedia Elite Keyboards that ship now with Gateway Towers (mainly the Core 2 Duo variant). They exhibit VERY little noise upon keypress, and have a very nice feel / armrest to go with them. They come in a silver and a dark grey variant, although the dark grey variant is very hard to find. They're both the same mechanically, just color.

qviri: heh, this issue seems to only pop up in shooting games . but anyway, if you do have any shooters, then first let's assume u have movement keys WASD. Setting E to say, crouch, you might be in situation where you are moving diagonally and crouching...so, WDE is held down. In this position, you might also want to switch guns, reload, or whichever...so just set those keys to anything like R,3,etc, and see if it works. Should be obvious if you stop moving in a certain direction+crouching, or if the 4th key you're hitting doesn't work.

I don't think the Thanko keyboard is available for sale in the US anymore?

http://www.dynamism.com/silent-keyboard/main.shtml

Updated link to original product
http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/cont ... de=73P2620

Try this;

http://www.saveateagle.com/73p2620.html

Doh...! www.verkkokauppa.com has this for 35,90€, and has had for some time. I ordered one, it is supposed to be in stock in 2-5days. Those predictions are usually very accurate, usually its closer ot one day than five. Part number 6276, if any Finns are interested in this I probably didnt find it earlier because i looked for IBM and not Lenovo. If this works as good as it looks, my UltraX is gone.

Edit: oh crap, searching for Lenovo Business Black Enhanced USB Keyboard turned up a shitload of shops that carry this, and their stock indicates that the importer has them in stock

edit: I'll try FPS games once i get it. I would be very surprised if it didnt work though, IBM isnt exactly known to make crappy keyboards, and as far as i can see the quality has not gone downhill since Lenovo bought it. Never owned one personally, but i've tried ThinkPads before and after Lenovo bought it and not really noticed any difference in quality.

In case anyone's interested, the media buttons aren't quite up to the quality of the alphanumeric keys... My "media" button (the one in the middle) is now a fiddly contact. I mapped it to random in foobar2000... and apparently I use random too much . It works most of the time, I just have to press it in a particular way.

limee, I don't have any games installed, so I'm afraid I can't check... I tried pressing three keys at the same time in Notepad, and it only repeats the last key pressed... I did get it to repeat mkmkmkmkmkmk once though, and that's probably a Notepad limitation.

nici, given that you said you like your keyboards light to type on, I'm not sure how this one will turn out for you... It's easier to type on than my LX 700, but not quite as easy as a Thinkpad keyboard.

I guess i will find out.. I adapt pretty fast when it comes to keyboards, and it doesnt take long before i know if i like it or not.

I tried the UltraX in notepad, and if i press ASDMKL simultaneously, they all appear on the screen. If i press WASD, only two or three appear. So it is divided into parts like most keyboards, you can press two or three keys per part of the keyboard, its usually two or three parts. If that makes any sense.

When playing a game with four people on the same keyboard, changing the keys for one person could make all the difference. Some keyboards refused to work with more than one key pressed, which got kind of difficult.

Both the Thanko silent keyboard and mouse look to be quiet enough for some apartment night surfing, shame i can't find the pack in any store around..