It's been a couple weeks and I can confidently say that new keyboard has dramatically improved my mood while Doing Work. So here is an Endorsement of computer input device "TEX Shura" for people who were using or considering using Lenovo product "Thinkpad Trackpoint Keyboard II" oops I had coffee and made this too long sowwy ahhhhh
I've been looking for a good replacement for thinkpad keyboard (while simultaneously becoming more addicted to Using Trackpoint) for like most of the last year, because several of the keys were just not reliable anymore*...
After having replaced it I just picked it up again last night to compare and I really just hadn't realized how much worse "it's just a laptop keyboard on your desk" actually felt - especially in terms of being really thin**.
With my mouse getting flakier too,*** 'trackpoint that works better' (smoother and more precise) than the thinkpad one has been good too. I wasn't sure what to expect and it surprised me positively. It's somehow refreshing to have my desk situation be just a compact keyboard that I can put in my lap.
I mapped fn+spacebar to middle click and now it's more usable for Blender too.
I couldn't do that with the thinkpad keyboard...
Also Key Feel
I'm not a keyboard person really but trying the thinkpad keyboard again it just kind of struck me how the switch feel of those particular thin laptop-style keys is way worse for me - the way they take way too much force to activate, and then take no force at all from there to bottom out. Switches with more travel or better damping just feel better to me.My last 'mechanical keyboard' had Cherry low profile reds and that felt better than the laptop keys although I didn't completely like those switches because they're too noisy (mostly bc they bottom out so quickly - I bet rubber rings would make that better). The Shura with normal depth cherry silent reds feels way better than both to me and is less loud.
Alternatives I didn't go with
The biggest problem for me is that so many of these non-huge trackpoint-having keyboards don't have arrow keys and I really rely on arrow keys to nudge things around in my daily design/layout work, so I don't want that to be under FN.That plus all of these being really expensive rly made the shura (has arrow keys, $170 + $40 for wireless module) kinda the only attractive option I've found that fits my specific requiremence
HHKB Studio
This is the closest to an option that ticked all the boxes for me that I found before I found the Shura.- - Way out of budget for me ($329 on sale)
- - No arrow keys
- - Big spotlight feature is a gimmick I really don't care about [touch gesture input zones], so price extra not worth it
- + I like the low contrast keycap label design
- + pretty compact [almost exactly same size as Shura
Tex Yoda II
- - Not actually available anymore but I did find 1 (one) in stock on some random reseller store last year which I didn't really trust
- - Way out of budget for me ($295)
- - No fucken arrow keys
- - Not wireless... can't move it to lap or use it from bed
- - I don't rly like the keycap label design that much
- + Really compact
UHK
- - WAY outta budget for me ($320 + $65 for trakckpoint or ball module)
- - I don't really think thumb trackpoint makes any sense (ball probably better tho)
- - I personally don't really want a split that's actually two pieces
bc I don't like the potential for variability of where I set the two halves and since i like to move the keyboard to my lap for long typing I would be moving it around a lot - + I love how these can be configured to be split or one piece on the fly - albeit with the trackpoint/ball module removed
- + My partner has one so I've tried it and I know I like the size
- + Display would probably help my tiny brain with layered key functions
Simply DIY It Yuourself
- - I'm not very smart
- - Tom gave me a cute little macropad kit like literally 2 years ago and I still haven't gotten my shit together to assemble it
- - This is the level of "I don't feel like building it" I am unfortunately at (I do really want to make a tiny DIY keyboard someday, I have some ideas, but that wasn't the solution for me right now)
Caveats and Negatives
- It's not QMK, and only programmable through a web app on their site. Hope that never goes down (:
- It remains to be seen how durable the trackpoint nubbys are for people like me who use it almost exclusively.
On the Thinkpad trackpoint keyboard, with random chinese ebay nubbins, I've been wearing out one every 4 months or so (the grip wears down, and they become too flexible, making it hard to move the mouse, usually in the up/left direction). Since TEX doesn't seem to directly sell replacements, that's actually a kinda big concern for me about this device, especially because I really like the grippy concave nubbin they included [it comes with two of those, and one convex thinkpad style one].
Hopefully it's just better and never wears out ever. (: - If you want bluetooth, that's an add-on module. On the plus side, it's AA powered, so you're never going to be relying on a shitty little internal lipo battery that you can't replace which has reached the end of its usable life like I am with my mouse.
- I haven't taken the front plate off to check yet but
I *think* the non-diy version might have soldered/not-easily-swappable switches and I didn't realize this. EDIT: Pretty sure it is hot swappable, but I still haven't checked for sure yet jkflds - Re: the DIY version: I've seen pictures that show a version with with 6 keys where the arrow keys are, instead of 4, but I think it might only be possible to have that setup if you buy both the DIY version of the base keyboard, and then the $69 aluminum front panel upgrade which has a 6 key option (bc the diy kit says it comes with reverse T layout front panel only) [why can't I just get a cheaper plastic front panel with 6 key layout?]
Other caveats related to "Thinkpad keyboard feel worse"
- I still think the Thinkpad Trackpoint Keyboard II is a great couch or bed remote input device, and the low profile + light weight might make it better for that use case.
- Since they've been around for a while and are not a niche/custom thing, you might be able to find them used on EBay for a bit less $, even though they probably cost too much for what they are new.
- Re: "you can find them on EBay for a bit less $" - my reliability problems are almost definitely somewhat related to mine being used on ebay for less $
*It doesn't help that one of the fold-out feet broke on my thinkpad keyboard (but the Shura has nicer, taller folding feet)
**not sure if it's unreliable keys or unreliable wireless dongle, but it skips inputs a lot now
***it does an awesome thing now where every couple days it gives me a warning that the battery is low and then dies like 15 seconds later and has to charge for an hour or so)
I have ordered a replacement finally but I'm honestly hoping to keep my desk Keyboard Only bc I like how it feels to just have that space free. Or I might put a macropad there
