So I spent the last year with these keyboards, and since they gave me
a very different experience, I wanted to share my thoughts on
how to pick the right keyboard and how the right keyboard
can have a considerable impact on your productivity and comfort.
Hey guys.
My name is Dami and I'm an architect and YouTuber from Vancouver, B.C.
and I type a lot.
And today, with the help of my assistants,
I want to show you which keyboard could be the right fit for you.
This video sponsored by Shortform.
More on them later in this video.
Times have changed.
In the past,
a keyboard was an essential peripheral before the mouse in UI were invented.
There were no other ways to communicate with the computer.
So that means no keyboard, no party.
I don't even need a fancy keyboard.
Who cares what colors anything?
Who cares about the switches?
Shut up.
But nowadays, the experience of buying a keyboard is a really tailored
experience, and the level of esthetic customization and tech and comfort options
can be a little bit overwhelming.
So I chose these three keyboards because they provide a very diverse
experience and they're based on different typing technologies.
We've got the $10 wired membrane keyboard.
I'm sure it works fine.
The fully mechanical wireless Nuphy Air75.
The HP 975 dual mode.
Also wireless. Perfectly appropriate.
Let's start with the generic wired keyboard.
This is one of the cheapest models I was able to find on Amazon
and it costs approximately $10 USD.
And you know what?
It actually friggin works like there is zero setup time, there's
no pairing and you don't have to worry about charging the batteries.
This version even has a small power button that can turn
on your desktop computer, and it's also got two risers.
All you need to do is plug the USB cable and you're pretty much good to go.
And even as the most basic keyboard, as you'll see compared to other models,
this one even has a light indicator that shows
whether tap logs or other function are on.
See, I told you, you don't need
to spend money on a keyboard, but although it gets the job
done, you are left with the bare minimum in terms of comfort and portability.
The whole experience of typing on this keyboard, it does feel very plasticky
and there's a lot of rattle coming from it and it's also quite loud.
If you need to connect this to a laptop device, you will need to sacrifice
a USB port and possibly use a type-c adapter.
And of course, you can't connected via Bluetooth to portable devices.
Why isn't it working anymore?
Oh stupid keyboard.
Sorry, I think I got distracted
idiots.
And I know that the sound might not seem like a big deal,
but when you're in a working situation and you're working around other people
and you're working long hours, especially in stressful situations, that is sound.
It can get kind of irritating, especially if it's coming from
someone who's sitting right next to you.
And this might seem kind of like a minor detail, but the way that the space
that you're working in is configured, like maybe the size of the room,
that can all have an impact on the reverberation of the keyboard sound.
Okay. Let's talk about these two now.
This low fi playlist is amazing.
I'm ready.
These two keyboards have one thing in common.
They're both wireless,
and they both offer a lot of different functionalities and connectivity options.
You can connect via Bluetooth, two point
4G wireless and even a standard USB.
The Nuphy Air75 allows up to four wireless connections
at the same time, which means you can switch between different devices
pretty seamlessly by using a keyboard shortcut.
The HP 975 offers three wireless connections,
two with Bluetooth and one with a wireless dongle.
There's a dedicated button with light indicators
to show you which connection is currently active,
and both of these keyboards also offer a USB type-c port.
This is really great in situations where you don't want to risk
having any delay or connectivity issues.
For example,
if you're working with a client or if you're doing a presentation,
the wired option gives you the peace of mind
so you don't really have to worry about battery or responsiveness.
Does it mean better response time for gaming?
Oh, my God.
Oh, yes, of course.
Okay, that's how a break
as an architect
and now a YouTuber, I'm always trying to absorb new information.
I don't always have enough time to sit down and read a full length book.
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But how
does it actually feel to type on these keyboards?
Oh, my God.
I feel like I'm entering a new world.
I feel sharp and focused like a razor blade.
The new feature, 75, is a fully mechanical keyboard
and when you get to the purchasing window, you can actually choose
between the different types of switches.
You can choose between linear, tactile and clicky.
I chose the radical linear switch.
It should be quieter than the tactile and the clicky switches, but I have to say
it is louder compared to the HP 975 and other keyboards
that I've tried
when I type with a mechanical keyboard.
I feel a kind of deeper connection to what I'm doing.
Let me explain.
It almost seems like
hearing some of that sound is, first of all, really satisfying.
But when I press the keys, it makes me want to write more.
What I'm writing is really hard for me to get into the zone.
And this haptic experience of the keyboard,
it makes this a little bit more pleasant.
And I can kind of only compare this to maybe the experience
of writing with a fountain pen where you can really feel the drag
and the sound of the pen scratching the paper.
And it's just a totally different experience from writing with the ball pen.
For me, these haptic experiences stimulate
a part of the brain that help with the thinking process.
In some ways, it feels almost like a tangible extraction of my thoughts.
And so when you start
using this mechanical keyboard, I'm pretty sure you're going to be hooked,
not just for doing creative work or for doing research
or filling out forms, or even leaving bad comments on YouTube videos.
Typing on the new
fee is an extremely haptic experience.
The RGB lights the interact with your typing movements,
and especially when I'm typing at night in low light conditions,
this just totally elevates my working experience.
It really feels like you're becoming one with the document.
What the hell are you doing?
Mechanical keyboards offer a lot of customization,
so you can really choose the one that suits you the best.
There's a lot to talk about here, so all I can say without making a 30 minute video
is that Anafi gave me the most engaging and send dual typing experience
compared to these other models for both the new fee and the HP 975.
There's power switches on the side of the keyboard
and the new fee also has a switch that switches between Mac and Windows.
The HP 975 has scissor switches and produces a much quieter
clicky kind of sound.
People working close to you will barely notice your typing,
and it's also very smooth and a comfortable experience.
The biggest difference
between the two is definitely the travel distance of the keys.
Pushing a scissor switch almost feels effortless compared
to the fully mechanical keyboard.
But for me, pushing a mechanical keyboard is still a little bit more rewarding.
So I've been using these two keyboards
for almost a year now and they're both really great on different
tasks and situations and also on your typing skills.
The HP 975 is sleek and silent, and if you are someone who needs to look
at the keys to type, it's really great for working in low light conditions.
The keycaps are optimized for being backlit, so you can actually see
the lettering in the dark.
Another cool thing it's got a proximity sensor
that turns on the backlight when your hands are approaching the keys.
On the other hand, the RGV lights on.
The new features are mostly decorative.
They don't really improve the readability in low light conditions
as long as you're using nontransparent keycaps.
And for me, it's not really a big deal because I usually type using muscle memory.
But for those of you who need to look at the keys to type,
this might be a bit of an issue.
The biggest difference in terms of ergonomic mix is probably
the positioning of the Arrow Keys and the full sized numpad on the right,
which comes in really handy for me when I'm doing calculations or spreadsheets,
having a dedicated spot for the arrow keys makes it easier to find,
and it's better when you're reviewing long documents or working with cells.
And of course, for gaming.
I don't find the arrows.
The arrows find me clear and obvious
just where I like my arrows.
The Nuphy Air 75 instead
has a much more compact and portable design.
It's optimized more for improving the typing experience
for laptop, keyboards and other smaller devices.
It's got a premium aluminum body and a set of special rubber feet
that lets you overlay it
on top of your laptop without interfering with the keys underneath.
There's an optional sleeve that you can use, both
as a protective case and as a stand for tablets and smartphones.
This is great when you're traveling and if you have to type
for an extended period of time on small devices.
The HP 975 seems better as a replacement for a desk keyboard
since it's considerably longer and it's got a more professional look.
I love that it has a lot of function keys that you can customize through the app.
Battery life is pretty good on both devices,
but it could really vary based on your usage.
For example, if you use it with your backlight
all the time, it could drain the battery a little bit faster.
But for me, I haven't charged it for weeks and it seems like it's still going.
Trying to decide on a
$100 plus keyboard may seem like a first world problem, but it is true
that a keyboard is something that we use for 8 hours a day, almost every day.
And so having one that suits our needs and makes the typing experience
more pleasant is definitely not just a luxury, but
it is an investment that you should take some time to consider.
For me, there's no clear winner.
I'm constantly switching between them based on
whether I'm doing creative work or traveling or office work.
Let me know in the comments what type of keyboard you use.
Also, I have some great content about architecture and design and creativity.
I'll leave a playlist right here,
and with that I'll see you guys in the next video.
Not really me for this.
Can you repeat that?
Can you please be quiet?
I'm trying to focus here.
PDF me. What?
What do you mean? PDF me?
Nobody. PDFs me.
Don't you dare say you're going to pdf me.