Q: which vintage laptops have GREAT keyboards?

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asexual_girl2004@reddit

I just got my hands on my moms Dell Inspiron 1720 and the keyboard is fantastic

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CrazyComputerist@reddit

Someone else already said it, but I'll second it; the PowerBook 1400. I had one for a bit and absolutely loved the keyboard. Perhaps my favorite of any laptop keyboard I've ever typed on.

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quotemycode@reddit

Zenith ZTX-10, or ZTX-11, Epson HX-20 (certain models).

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c0de517e@reddit (OP)

These are not... computers? (the zeniths)

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they are computers, though you might more correctly categorize them as terminals. Either way, you'd have to hook up a serial connection to get the data off them, same as the Epson HX-20. You could probably wire up a wimodem (converts rs232 to wifi for telnet/ssh) that will let you save the data.

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NinoIvanov@reddit

Epson PX-8 "Geneva"

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c0de517e@reddit (OP)

I'd love to have a PX-8 (or the HX-20) - they are not too easy to find. I also worry about taking the data off of them, albeit I guess they have rs-232 and I can use my rs-232 to usb cable to transfer

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NinoIvanov@reddit

I confirm, they do have an RS232 port — albeit with a round connector. But it works if you use jumper cables to a "normal" cable. :)

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quotemycode@reddit

HX-20 is pretty easy to find, ebay usually has them - ignore the $1000 listings and scroll a bit you'll find one that "accepts offers" - offer around what you want, or what the last one sold for and you'll likely get it. Problem is you don't know if it has a good keyboard or not until you use it (or open it up). The blue circles on the back of the keyboard is the bad sign.

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fragglet@reddit

Are there really ThinkPads with buckling spring keyboards?!

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c0de517e@reddit (OP)

No - buckling sleeves - which are domes, similar to topre. The "luggable" IBM did have buckling springs, but that thing is a beast

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Hopeful-Current-74@reddit

Olivetti 386 sx16 laptop I got 30 years ago has a delightful keyboard. Not sure if Olivetti is still around but their keyboards are great. ThinkPads are generally good too

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c0de517e@reddit (OP)

This one? https://www.doomi.ch/olivetti-m316-teardown/

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microcosmologist@reddit

They made vintage laptops with Alps?!

There's no way they sound as satisfying as they do inside a giant plastic resonance chamber like on a full size keyboard tho... right?

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c0de517e@reddit (OP)

It's not a musical keyboard

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microcosmologist@reddit

LOL okay, I know we're not talking about pianos.

I'm saying that vintage mechanical keyboards, frequently ones with Alps switches, were often housed within expansive plastic chassis which had lots of open space. Which is effectively a resonance chamber that amplifies and deepens the sound of the keys.

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c0de517e@reddit (OP)

Maybe but I firmly believe that this is an engineered craze. Never in the history of keyboards people cared much about the sound - and definitely the "thock" was not considered a particularly desirable sound. I believe that it became a thing mostly because in 15 seconds YouTube shorts or tiktoks is hard to talk about keyboard performance, but it's trivial to showcase the aesthetic and the sound.

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Lukeno94@reddit

Dell Inspiron 8000 and 8100 (and the relevant Latitude and Precision variants). Metal contacts that give an almost mechanical keyboard feeling. Nothing I've ever used on a laptop comes close to how those feel, and sadly they ditched them for the 8200. The Panasonic Let's Note CF-C33 also uses them, but that is a much smaller laptop - and far, far rarer. With that being said - I haven't used anything much before the 486 era, so I can't entirely compare to some of the things you've referenced.

The Inspiron 8000 line is fairly heavy, but it'll be far lighter than an IBM PC Convertible. You can still get reproduction batteries for them - although they do seem to be hit-and-miss - and the 15" screens are high-resolution and good for typing as well.

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c0de517e@reddit (OP)

Interesting - what do you mean by metal contacts? It's not a membrane keyboard?

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Lukeno94@reddit

Yep, it uses metal springs instead of a rubber dome and plastic x-switches. This video gives an idea of the sound.

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lImbus924@reddit

I think it's the thinkpad x200 or, or up to, the x230 that was well bearable

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Horror-Raisin-877@reddit

Original clamshell iBook.

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c0de517e@reddit (OP)

These seem to be scissor membranes - which is not bad but I can't imagine it being better than say, modern lenovos, or many other good quality vintage laptops? Why do you think they are great?

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Horror-Raisin-877@reddit

Just the feeling I get typing on it.

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c0de517e@reddit (OP)

Totally, I think membrane scissor and even butterfly switches can be AMAZING, even better than full-travel mechanicals.

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Consistent_Cat7541@reddit

Maybe you want the Asus ROG Z's detachable keyboard. It's supposedly "mechanical", whatever that means. My more important question is where you want the function keys to be. If you're using DOS apps, you'd want them on the left, which means you'd want a transportable (40 lbs) with a mechanical keyboard and a tube monitor. Or am I missing the point?

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c0de517e@reddit (OP)

I don't think I care much about the function keys, as this would be a computer for writing, probably in word for dos etc. But why do you think that function keys on the left are better for dos? I do vaguely remember when that was a thing, but I don't remember having any problem when we switched to fn on top

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Consistent_Cat7541@reddit

Function keys on the left meant keyboard shortcuts could be done with one hand. left thumb on shift, alt or ctrl keys with pinky and ring fingers on the function key rows. Function row on the top on "AT" style keyboards meant shortcuts required both hands.

As for your original goal, I would suggest a different route. I prefer Thinkpad keyboards for the trackpoint. Instead of only buying Thinkpads, I bought the Trackpoint II keyboard, which connects via bluetooth or dongle. I then use if with whatever Windows tablet I have on hand to work with. Combined with Lotus Word Pro (which makes intelligent use of the function keys and has a true full screen mode that hides all of the UI), you could put together a modern system that meets your needs.

Since you're just writing, you could use literally any old Windows tablet.

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IllusionXXI@reddit

Wait, you guys telling me you don't like the scissor switches? I always loved the ones that came with Dell laptops in 2003-2006 or so. Ie, Inspiron 600m or latitude d600/610. I still have a very good typing experience with my latitude 7410, less with my newer XPS15 though.

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c0de517e@reddit (OP)

I like scissor and butterfly too, if well made, but I already have many of these

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Scoth42@reddit

My PC Convertible is still my favorite keyboard on anything, though of course it's pretty limited. My Toshiba T3200SX has a pretty decent keyboard too. I'm not sure what its keyswitches are but it feels pretty nice. It's also a 386 so a lot more capable than the Convertible. Mine triple boots NT 3.51, MSDOS/WFW311, and Windows 98 via 98Lite which is pretty slow but a fun party trick.

Unfortunately there aren't a lot of remotely recent laptops with mechanical keyboards. The Toshiba is probably among the last you'll find with full size keyboards like that.

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c0de517e@reddit (OP)

I had for a short time a T5200 IIRC, I returned it to the seller because unfortunately the plasma screen (which is the main reason imho to get one) broke in transit.

The problem with it I had is that it was already past my "reasonable weight" limit at which I can imagine transporting the computer around for real. The PC convertible seems much lighter.

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isecore@reddit

Can confirm. I have a T5200 and it has a most enjoyable keyboard.

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vinciblechunk@reddit

My T3100 is Alps; guessing T3200 is probably also Alps

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JVBass75@reddit

Toshiba T1000 had a great keyboard (or at least I thought so at the time).

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WillemV369@reddit

It’s the only good thing it had. 😜 That ten line non-backlit LCD screen never did it for me.

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spierscreative@reddit

I loved my PowerBook G4 keyboard, still one of the best I’ve ever used that isn’t mechanical. Was like butter, and big buttons

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patb-macdoc@reddit

the powerbook 1400 was a very well regarded keyboard and it has held up quiet well over almost 30 years. the same cannot be said of the screen hinge mounts on the back of the lcd panel (tends to crack the plastic). it was actually made by quanta in collaboration with apple design team.

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Chicadelsol-@reddit

Not really an interesting keyboard, just a reliable one, but the Dell XPS M1710. It's not particularly notable, but I've owned probably over 100 Dells at this point, and out of those I've had 16 M1710s. Some of those M1710s have been pretty abused but even so I have not had a single keyboard fail on me. I can't say that for any other Dell I've worked on, and I've owned several examples of many other Dells from that era.

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G7VFY@reddit

Lenovo, and IBM, and that's about it.

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XFX1270@reddit

The big old Toshibas with the gas plasma displays or similar are excellent.

The TRS-80 Model 100 is nice as well. As far as more modern machines go, I'm a fan of the boards Dell used on the latitude series up until the late 2000s

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rosin-core-solder@reddit

There's the ibm 5155 with a model f and buckling springs, but that's a luggable.

The datavue 25 lunchbox has alps switches, but that's not a notebook either.

As far as actual notebooks, thinkpads are amazing. I believe the Mac portable had alps, as well as the pc convertible 5140 of course.

The 5155 is probably as good as it gets for portable computers. The p70 I don't remember exactly, it might just be rubber dome? Or it might be alps or something, I forget.

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c0de517e@reddit (OP)

You are right, many "luggables" have good keyboards, but I'm trying also to find something not ludicrously heavy.