I have no idea how many keyboards I have used over the years- probably dozens. My all time favourites are still the keyboard on my Tandy Model 100 followed by the original keyboard for the Tandy Model 2000.
I am very particular these days as to which keyboards I will use (and this applies to mouses too) having gone through the pain of Carpal Tunnel surgery, and now having irreversible damage in both wrists.
Age catches up with all of us.
My current keyboard of choice when it comes to typing is a Logitech G 413SE with mechanical keys and backlighting. I prefer the feel of the extra key travel,
and the backlit keys are a bonus when working in low light which is my preference.
On the other hand, if I am doing video editing with DaVinci Resolve, I use a specialist colour coded logickeyboard designed for Resolve, with keycaps also showing software shortcuts.
Built In Smarts
Yesterday Logitech sent me a Waves keyboard to try out. On the surface, it looks quite good with some nice built-in “smarts” such as programmable Fn keys including switch from text to speech-to-text and dozens of other options such as invoking AI apps A bonus is the ability to have connectivity to three different devices at once.
And for around $100, considering it is Bluetooth enabled out of the box, it is not bad value with a nice big wrist rest and reasonable key “feel”.
However the lack of backlit keys makes it a non-starter for me as a permanent keyboard. You are also tied to the Logi+ software to make any configuration changes which can be a pain.
Drawbacks
A major drawback in my case is that with the big wrist rest (which in itself is good) when using a desk with a separate keyboard shelf (I use one of those desks with a “riser shelf for the monitors), the top two rows of keys are under the riser and therefore not only hard to get to, but also in the dark which for a non-touch typist makes things tricky.
So it’s back to the very excellent USB driven Logitech G413SE I go.
I am not dismissing the Waves out of hand you understand though; I am sure it will suit some people very nicely. It’s just not for me.