My Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro (basically larger than Elite, has muli-functional buttons + USB hub, and discontinued) is fairly quiet when typing. Certainly not as "clicky" as my MS Natural Elite. Though they've been discontinued by Microsoft, you might want to check online as I'd highly recommend them (if you can comfortably get used to keyboard).

Not sure if anyone has already suggested this, but I've found that a large component of keystroke noise is due to the vibration of the desk, and/or the echo between the keyboard and the desk. I just placed a pillow under my keyboard, and it really helped - especially with the lower frequency noise, which seems to be the real problem (for people sleeping in other rooms, at least).

I have the Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro. I like the configuration, but I don't like the resistance of the keys. I think that contributes to the noise it produces, but that's the only reason why it bothers me. It takes more effort to type because of the resistance. Does anyone have a recommendation of a keyboard with a similar configuration, but with less resistance?

A great quiet (at least out of all the ones I've used) wireless keyboard is on sale at Staples for $10 this week. The buttons are a sort of interesting shape, but it doesn't seem to interfere with typing at all (except for the strange placement of the backwards slash key). It also comes with a wireless 3-button mouse, which also has a "silent" scroll wheel. The buttons unfortunately, are quite clicky.

Still a great deal for $10! You can find it here.

Here's a blast from the past. Just wanted anyone interested to know that greenlaptop.com has this keyboard back in stock in black/silver as of now. I just ordered mine, so if anyone is interested in a Viewsonic 201 then let me know

Updated Link

Dang, you really can't keep a good thread down!

I'm still lovin my PSK5000. I've been using it for 6 months now and it's as wonderful as the day I got it. Still quiet, still has good key feel, silkscreened letters on the keys are in 100% perfect shape, no wear at all.

This one solves the problem with numeric pad on laptop:
http://www.trust.com/products/default.htm?artnr=12837

And for quiet keyboard, try Keytronic KT2001:
http://www.keytronic.com/home/products/ ... signer.htm
Available in white and black design.

Don't know any totally silent mice, but in my opinion most Logitech mice are quiet enough. You could ofcourse try to mod the mouse, by replacing the switches inside it with silent ones. Requires a bit of work tho.

It -is- really beautiful to look at - I've been promising myself that my next keyboard would be wireless though.

Edit: I've just found this great-looking keyboard: http://www.usbdiscount.com/keyrf-711.html

If I can just find a UK supplier...

Eek, that has the same keyboard layout as the Viewsonic I just replaced. Watch out for those CNTRL, ALT, and Windows keys. Plus the Home, insert, delete and others are all squiched in. I thought I could get used to it, but since I have a standard keyboard at work, it never worked out for me.

I have a very compact keyboard on my main box at home, but without keypad. So the size is very similar to a laptop, and so it the layout, but with taller keys than laptops have.
It does take a while to get used to the slightly different key layout, but I still love that keyboard. I would recommend that you try a few hours on a laptop keyboard to give you an idea if you think you will like the keyboard layout or not.

Supposedly Zippy makes that Viewsonic keyboard so that's why the layout is the same. I too had that keyboard and got rid of it because I couldn't put up with the funky key layout that MikeR describes. If you're used to a normal keyboard layout I'd give that one a second thought.

The problem with the keyboards with the Del and Ins keys on the side is they are easy to hit. If you ever try typing in the dark, those keys are extremely annoying as miker pointed out.

I use the coolermaster aluminum keyboard. Looks great, louder than a regular laptop keyboard but not bad, and a terrible key layout - the same as is on the zippy.

these EluminX are illuminated for typing in the dark and look quiet. Dunno what texture/color "bone" is though... Beige plastic maybe? there's a silver version. I'm going to get one whenever the coolermaster wears out.

Here's a wooden one that claims to be quiet. Wooden Venere that is.

Well, "bone" is kind of "off white" more than beige.
It's very nice in the long run for a keyboard I think, but aluminium looks a lot better.

About typing in the dark and illuminated keyboards: why do you look at your keyboard? Your supposed to look at the screen, not the keyboard.
Do you also look at your mouse while moving it around? (Just kidding, retorical question)

Problem with the Eluminx keyboards is that they use EL technology, which makes a high pitched whine. ANyone with a quiet or silent PC will hear it right away.

Ah, I see... :-\ That's a shame. I guess I could get used to it, but's not ideal... Does anyone know of a similarly good-looking wireless model with scissor action, but with a standard layout?

Does the PSK5000 have buttons for volume control?

Yes, but that's it. No other extra buttons though except the sleep button

Edit: Here's a link to a better pic, but in white.

http://store3.yimg.com/I/qtek_1762_3139239

I can see buttons for playing a CD but where are the volume buttons?

Looks like what I thought was buttons for playing a CD are buttons for volume. Are there buttons for volume and playing a CD?

really? thanks for pointing that out.

My PSK5000 only has volume control buttons on it. Oh and a button with what looks like the moon on it, but I have no idea what it does. Sleep, I suppose.

Thanks, Ralf. I don't use the sleep button either - I just take a pill rather than press a button.

Kind of expensive considering it's not a multimedia keyboard, or cordless. I wonder why it is that expensive?

Looks very nice in black & silver. I am interested...

{quote]Kind of expensive considering it's not a multimedia keyboard, or cordless. I wonder why it is that expensive? [/quote]

I guess it is because it is buildt with quality in small series. $34 is not that much IMHO for a good keyboard.
Any keyboard that cost $10 is going to be rather crappy.
Is that an USB-out port you get on the right side of the keyboard?
Now you just want to find a mouse with a really short cord to get ridd of that cable mess.

Is the PSK5000 really silent and have good feeling in the keys?

The keyboard I got is a wireless mini keyboard with buildt in mouse, that can be seen on this page. They only have the white version, and I got the black one.
Cost is rather high $64.95 on this site.
I like the keyboard a lot, but the quailty of the trackball could have been a lot better. I think it is hard to get good quality trackballs when you make them this small. Keys are just a little bit higher than laptop keys, and the feeling is great.
Some people like the touchpad better than the trackball. I still havn't seen a mini-keyboard with a "mouse-stick", similar to what is found on some laptop models. The "stick" is a small sideways-pressure sensitive pin located in the middle of the keyboard. The harder you press the stick to one side the faster the mouse moves. This is defenatly the most compact mouse I have ever tried, and it does work very good on laptops (not for gaming though).
Has anyone seen a keyboard with this kind of stick?

This may be a silly question but is that PSK5000 only for use in Laptops? Can it be used for a desktop?

There's actually a USB port on each end of this keyboard.

Of course keyboard feel is a very subjective thing but I like this keyboard's feel more than any other I've ever used. But, I like the feel of a laptop keyboard. They have a short stroke, light touch and a very positive stop on the end of the keystroke. That's how this PSK5000 is. The keystroke is also quieter than any other desktop keyboard I've ever used.

??

It's a USB keyboard, it can be used anywhere you can use a USB keyboard.

JVM, it doesn't use a mini-USB port, if that's what you mean.



have you ever tried searching for an activated Ins key in pitch dark?:lol: Just next to it is the virus check button and all sorts of fun stuff starts to happen when I hit the wrong one.

Not if u r a leftie... but then it's no worse off than before. Guess it can be used for a remote control sensor or sth. Too bad it's not USB2 but guess it was intended for USB mouse.

just plug the mouse in on the left side

Didn't ya see my post just a few above this one? There's a USB port on both ends!