What's a good external keyboard for MBP

Question

Given that the MBP keyboard is so inadequate and Apple is seemingly too stubborn to give us a good one, an external keyboard is mandatory. However, I'm not sure what's good in the Apple world. There is, of course, the Apple keyboards and I'm going to take a look, but there are also some from Logitech and others. Does anyone have any suggestions on good ones? I purchased the iHome IH-K236LS, but just looking at it and feeling it and seeing that it requires a power cord is not making me feel like it's a good purchase. Plus the mouse feels incredibly cheap. Like something from a kids toy. And it requires two of the three USB ports (but does add two on the keyboard). Anyway, I'm thinking I'd better check into other possibilities, so any suggestions would be appreciated.

Answer 1

People have such different views of what makes a "good" keyboard, GTGeek, that it is almost impossible to make suggestions without getting a better idea of what your requirements are.
I grew up using manual typrewiters (Olivetti Lettera 32's etc), migrated to IBM and Brother electrics, and then nearly 30 years of different computer and data terminal keyboards.
In the early years, perhaps not surprisingly, the closer a computer got to approximating that of an IBM golfball the happier I was. Few computer keyboards seemed to have the "feel" or travel that I was used to. Despite this i gradually found I adapted to almost all of them.
I still have many of my older computers and I often get a bit of a shock when I use them these days! My favourite in days gone by on a portable was on the NEC8021a, but today when I use it the keys seem too sculpted and to have too much travel (both features I once really liked about it!)
The keyboards on modern MBPs , of course, are at the opposite extreme - flat keys and little travel. The same goes for Apple's own current external keyboards. I now use them all the time, but if you don't like the keyboard on a current MBP I doubt you will want to yourself. The feel is very similar.
The older white Apple Bluetooth keyboards had more travel , and more sculpting and a nice feeling of "solidity", but can only be found second hand these days.
I personally like the Apple Pro wired keyboards in days gone by, but, as with the white bluetooth they are now history.
I have two Logitech wireless and and a Microsoft USB keyboard tucked away in the draw (together with just about every keyboard Apple have ever made) . The Logitech and MS ones feel very "plasticky" compared to Apple offerings, but, as I said, I have simply adapted to the latter over time. You might find them fine if that is what you are used to.
On Mac notebooks my favourites in the past were those on the PB1400, the PB 12 and the earlier models of the MBP, but I've adapted to the current MBP ones now as well.
All of which adds up to the fact that the only way to decide something like this is to test them yourself, and, perhaps, to be prepared for a period of adjustment whatever you get before you can really judge it. Familiarity breeds contempt, they say, but in the case of keyboards it has always seemed quite the opposite to me. What you have been using most in recent times always seems to be the best after a while!
Cheers
Rod