Mechanical Keyboard

Read Cult of Mac’s latest posts on Mechanical Keyboard:

Report to the future with wild new Voyager split keyboard

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Emphasizing ergonomic typing and loads of customization options, it's especially useful for laptop users, the company said.
Emphasizing ergonomic typing and loads of customization options, it's especially useful for laptop users, the company said.
Photo: ZSA

The slim new Voyager mechanical keyboard that ZSA launched Wednesday, radically split into two low-profile pieces, looks mighty futuristic.

Emphasizing ergonomic typing and loads of customization options, it’s especially useful for laptop users, the company said.

Gorgeous, all-wood mechanical keyboard costs more than a Mac mini

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Talk about a luxurious keyboard (with a price to match).
Talk about a luxurious keyboard (with a price to match).
Photo: Hacoa

People go nuts for solid wood on everything from guitars to flooring. But how about an all-solid-wood mechanical keyboard?

Japanese outfit Hacoa has one decked out in wood from the keycaps down through the housing, in either walnut or cherry. It’s called the Hacoa Full Ki-Board Wireless.

And it can be yours for the stout price of 99,000Yen ($745) plus shipping costs. That’s more than a base Mac mini.

The new Model F Keyboard is the best Mac keyboard I’ve tried [Review] ★★★★☆

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Straight-down shot of the Model F on a desk.★★★★☆
It’s a dramatic and radical keyboard that feels right at home with a Mac.
Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

I’ve been on a quest to discover the perfect Mac keyboard. I’m looking for a compact keyboard with modern Mac styling — and the best key switches money can buy.

That’s when I discovered Model F Labs, whose keyboards are truly one-of-a-kind. They offer plenty of normal designs — but I ordered one in silver with blank unprinted keys. Keep reading to find out why I ordered what I did, why I love it and why I’ll be keeping it on my desk.

Das Keyboard hunts serious Mac users with MacTigr low-profile mechanical keyboard

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Das Keyboard hunts serious Mac users with MacTigr low-profile mechanical keyboard
Not for Windows users. Das Keyboard promises MacTigr provides "a premium Mac typing experience."
Photo: Das Keyboard

Unlike so many keyboards, the MacTigr is specifically for Mac. The designers at Das Keyboard included Mac-specific keys in a low-profile mechanical keyboard made of high-quality materials.

In addition to Cherry MX Low Profile Red mechanical switches, the accessory is packed with extra features, like a volume knob, sleep button and even a two-port USB-C hub.

Will Keychron’s new Q2 finally tempt you to get a mechanical keyboard?

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The new Keychron Q2 is a tad smaller than the Q1, but just as customizable.
The new Keychron Q2 is a tad smaller than the Q1, but just as customizable.
Photo: Keychron

Keychron, already known for affordable mechanical keyboards that work easily with both Mac and Windows, turned some heads when it came out with the high-quality, heavily customizable Q1 mechanical keyboard a few months back. Now, in case that didn’t get you to try going mechanical, the Hong Kong-based company is out with the sleek new Keychron Q2.

Keeping it weird with a ‘dual-display laptop’ and an ortholinear keyboard [Setups]

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A portable monitor is mounted over the MacBook Pro's keyboard and an ortholinear-layout keyboard is the main input device.
A portable monitor is mounted over the MacBook Pro's keyboard and an ortholinear-layout keyboard is the main input device.
Photo: inperiuscici@Reddit.com

We see a lot of dual- and multi-display workstations here at Setups Central, but we can’t recall seeing a “dual-display laptop” or a “laptop monitor stack.” Those are terms we made up for a second portable display mounted under a laptop’s screen and on top of its keyboard, as in today’s featured setup.

Love Keychron keyboards? Behold the company’s first mouse!

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The new Keychron M1 Mouse is billed as slim, lightweight and customizable.
The new Keychron M1 Mouse is billed as slim, lightweight and customizable.
Photo: Keychron

Over the past several years, Keychron has gained justifiable fame for its affordable mechanical keyboards, which appeal to a variety of users. Now it plans to release its first mouse, the M1 (not to be confused with Apple’s world-beating Silicon chipset).

Keychron said its M1 mouse comes with the “strongest, most competitive grade” sensor chip available — as well as a raft of RGB light effects.

Razer ‘Pro’ lineup adds mechanical keyboard, mini mouse and XXL mouse mat

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Razer quieted down the keys for its new Pro Type Ultra mechanical keyboard.
Razer quieted down the keys for its new Pro Type Ultra mechanical keyboard.
Photo: Razer

Previously all about gaming gear, Razer began rolling out new productivity accessories last year. Now it’s back with three new items for work at home or in the office — the quiet Pro Type Ultra mechanical keyboard, the Pro Click Mini mouse and the Pro Glide XXL mouse mat.

New Keychron Q1 brings keyboard customization to the masses

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Even a beginner can customize the new Keychron Q1 mechanical keyboard.
Even a beginner can customize the new Keychron Q1 mechanical keyboard.
Photo: Keychron

Those who love the old-school touch and feel of a mechanical keyboard have long-admired Keychron for its range of K-series keebs. The newest member of the family offers a new series name, Q1, an affordable price and more customization than the company has yet put out there.

Two M1-powered Macs divvy up work and play [Setups]

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The M1 MacBook Pro is all work and the M1 Mac mini is all play.
The M1 MacBook Pro is all work and the M1 Mac mini is all play.
Photo: jackwong343@Reddit.com

Redditor jackwong343 knows how to keep his work computing and his personal use separate — even within a clean, spare and capable computer setup. It all starts with an M1 MacBook Pro for work and an M1 Mac mini for play, and never the twain shall meet.

Think you’re productive? Go split-screen ultrawide +1 on the side [Setups]

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If you would like to see your setup featured on Cult of Mac, send some high-res pictures to info+setups@cultofmac.com. Please provide a detailed list of your equipment. Tell us what you like or dislike about your setup, and fill us in on any special touches or challenges.
If you would like to see your setup featured on Cult of Mac, send some high-res pictures to info+setups@cultofmac.com. Please provide a detailed list of your equipment. Tell us what you like or dislike about your setup, and fill us in on any special touches or challenges.
Photo: randomo_redditor@Reddit

Randomo_redditor runs her MacBook Pro and iPad with a monstrously wide Dell monitor, at 49 inches. But even that curved showstopper fails to provide enough real estate for all she does. So she added a 27-inch Dell display in portrait mode on the side.

Now she can fit everything on the screens. And we do mean everything. Randomo already made the most of her widescreen by using an app to split the screen into thirds, for different uses.

M1 Mac mini usurps Mac Pro and tops MBP in super-widescreen rig [Setups]

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A Mac mini usurped a 16-inch MacBook Pro in this super-widescreen setup.
A Mac mini usurped a 16-inch MacBook Pro in this super-widescreen setup.
Photo: OSJdesigns@Reddit

A lot of folks eagerly await new MacBook Pro models, preferably with updated M1 chips. You know, the ones not introduced at WWDC as predicted? In the meantime, plenty of people are snapping up the affordable and reportedly fabulous M1 Mac mini. We’ve seen it over and over again in our far-flung travels among Setups online.

‘Mostly monochrome’ rig focuses on innovative storage, nice lighting, cool keyboards [Setups]

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It's amazing what you can do with a pegboard (left) and some inexpensive but effective lighting.
It's amazing what you can do with a pegboard (left) and some inexpensive but effective lighting.
Photo: carrotcakeblack@Reddit

Redditor carrotcakeblack wins more than a few style points for his “mostly monochrome! Also some keyboards” setup, as he calls it in his post’s title.

But he leaves out one of the factors visitors like most about his well-photographed MacBook Pro-based outfit. Namely, the way he hangs so much of his gear on a pegboard off to one side in such a visually appealing way.

‘Kestrel’ novelist Matt Gemmell embraces extreme minimalism [Setups]

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Matt Gemmel pares down the setup to distill writing magic.
Matt Gemmel pares down the setup to distill writing magic.
Photo: Matt Gemmell

The classic writer’s garret, a small room where a tortured scribe toils over lonely hours to put words on the page — using a quill or a fountain pen or maybe a Smith Corona typewriter — has been tastefully updated.

Now it’s all about a 12.9-inch iPad Pro locked hard into the Ulysses text editor to prevent any distractions. There’s also a highly customized mechanical keyboard and really nice noise-canceling headphones. At least that’s how Scottish novelist Matt Gemmell limits his gear in a minimalistic setup, he told Cult of Mac.

It helps him focus on writing. That, and sitting his ass down in the chair for hours a day. The chair is a Herman Miller Aeron, by the way. The spartan surroundings need not lack comfort, after all. It’s about limiting distractions.

Computer science student’s M1 rig is a pile of Schiit [Setups]

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This MacBook Pro M1 setup is all about quality audio.
This MacBook Pro M1 setup is all about quality audio.
Photo: The-deluxe@Reddit

Call it a “nice pile of Schiit.” Or a “Schiit stack.” That’s what admiring commenters said about computer science student and Redditor the-deluxe’s M1 MacBook Pro-centered setup.

“You fulla Schiit,” one audiophile enthused.

Why? Well, people who are into Schiit audio components are really into them. Game recognize game, after all.

This mechanical wireless keyboard combines the best of new and old [Deals]

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Get the feel of a classic mechanical keyboard under your fingers again.
Get the feel of a classic mechanical keyboard under your fingers again.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Keyboards have come a long way, but not always in a better direction. Get your hands on a clackety old mechanical keyboard and you may wonder why soft keys became a thing. And the look of old keyboards, especially typewriters, are masterclasses in classy design.

A second screen for iPhone, Bluetooth 5.0 earbuds and more [Crowdfund Roundup]

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InkCase iPhone 7
InkCase is finally available for iPhone 7.
Photo: InkCase

Crowdfund Roundup bug Ever thought you could do with a second display on your iPhone? InkCase for iPhone 7 is exactly that. You can use it to read books, display useful widgets or pretty photos, and lots more.

It’s just one of the awesome ideas in this week’s Crowdfund Roundup. We also have the world’s first wireless earbuds with Bluetooth 5.0, the ultimate survival tool, and more!