Compact Quiet Wired Mechanical Keyboard With Mac Layout

[RedSoxFan]

I’m looking for a compact (ten-keyless) wired mechanical keyboard. For the switches, I’d prefer either Cherry MX Brown or Red switches as I’d prefer. I’d like the keyboard to have a Mac layout, or at least dedicated volume and media control keys. I’d like it to be compact so my mouse can be to the right of it.

Is there a keyboard that fits these criteria?

 

[pastrychef]

How about this one: Matias Laptop Pro Keyboard for Mac

 

[RedSoxFan]

How about this one: Matias Laptop Pro Keyboard for Mac

That looks pretty good!

I have two questions:
1. How does it charge? Does it have a mini USB port on the back
2. Can the charging port be used to connect the keyboard to my Mac instead of using Bluetooth?

 

[pastrychef]

Sorry. I don't know the answers to those questions. I have never owned that model. I only have the full sized Tactile Pro from them which is wired and uses loud Alps key switches. I've been using it for quite a few years and have grown to really love it.

 

[kiiroaka]

I’d like the keyboard to have a Mac layout, or at least dedicated volume and media control keys.

I usually find that keyboards with media, app, browser, etc. controls are limited by the OS and the software that supports it, so it's best not to buy them because they become obsolete quickly. But while that needn't apply with MAC type keyboards, some of the BT keyboards cannot be used on some older MACs, iirc.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017X1H2F4/?tag=tonymacx86com-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VGBSOGY/?tag=tonymacx86com-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GD1BGYO/?tag=tonymacx86com-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PIMKN1Q/?tag=tonymacx86com-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005ONMDYE/?tag=tonymacx86com-20

 

[pastrychef]

None of those keyboards you listed are mechanical.

The Tactile Pro that I have has volume down, volume up, mute, and eject keys. No software has ever been needed make them work on any version of OS X that I've used the keyboard with.

 

[kiiroaka]

On OSX... Windows is another horse of a different colour. I've used compact PC keyboards on OSX, and I've used MAC keyboards on PCs. While RedSoxFan wants volume up/down keys, what I always wanted on the PC keyboard was the DVD eject key, which is usually after the F12 key, and which compact PC keyboards don't have since they typically go up to F10. On numerous occasions I've needed to eject an install DVD upon power-up on iMacs.

USB compact PC keyboards can be had for as little as $15. My local Frys Electronics usually has 6 different ones on the shelf. They have volume up/down keys.

Now, if he's willing to pay $80, there's https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001UH4VFW/?tag=tonymacx86com-20

Now all he has to do is to hunt down a used MB869LL on EBay.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...3.TR1.TRC0.A0.H0.TRS0&_nkw=MB869LL/A&_sacat=0

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Apple-USB-W...625319?hash=item4d474bb3a7:g:E4QAAOSwUxNXh5Y7 $75

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...3.TR1.TRC0.A0.H0.TRS0&_nkw=MB869LL/A&_sacat=0 $66

http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Smalles...907644?hash=item1c6a71807c:g:Y2AAAOSwAPlXhtFi

 

[pastrychef]

Again, none of these are mechanical either.

Also, not once did RedSoxFan mention Windows.

 

[kiiroaka]

They're not mechanical, but they're tactile? How do you then define mechanical? The only truly mechanical keyboards I know about are the old IBM keyboards that were built like AT&T phones - guaranteed that each key would last more than 1 million depressions. Remember the big old round AT connector before PS2 connectors came about?

At home I use two MAC G3 keyboards, one which I replaced the black keys with white ones from a A1048 M5769:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/APPLE-MAC-P...USB-PRO-MOUSE-COMBO-A1048-M5769-/231075402222

IBM Clicky: http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013/11/why-i-use-a-20-year-old-ibm-model-m-keyboard/

http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-Model-M...-11-25-1986-Vtg-Mechanical-Nice-/252466802444

New mechanical KB:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/KB-Paradise...864176?hash=item464d6f8230:g:ppYAAOSwn9lXKAMb

Maybe he can kludge together an old 128K or 512K keyboard? perhaps with an ADB to PS2 to USB adapter. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Apple-Macin...265732?hash=item4affa02704:g:rKAAAOSwEOxXQDyR

No media keys but it is a MAC mechanical:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/PFU-PD-KB20...348995?hash=item1eb49f2b03:g:DsMAAOSwtExVg1s9

 

[RedSoxFan]

Sorry. I don't know the answers to those questions. I have never owned that model. I only have the full sized Tactile Pro from them which is wired and uses loud Alps key switches. I've been using it for quite a few years and have grown to really love it.

I contacted the Matias help desk, and I found out that the Laptop Pro can be powered through USB but it can’t be connected to the computer via USB. Though, Matias says the Laptop Pro doesn’t turn off as often as the Apple Wireless keyboard. Hopefully, keeping it plugged in will keep it from turning off at all. I also asked the Matias representative how big of an order it would take for them to make a keyboard that fits my five requirements, and she said "Although we don't make that combination now, it seems like making that combination would be greatly appreciated by you and perhaps others as well. I will talk to my boss and tell him about the potential market for this variation and perhaps this variation will be introduced by us in the future."