Laptop Keyboard

Laptop keyboard knowledge

In the current era, every laptop features the chocolate keyboard as a conventional laptop’s keyboard. Just as per the naming, you might think that this keyboard might resemble real chocolate, and yes, it is true. With the passage of time, development and improvement happened, and now the chocolate keyboard has been extended into different types. It has been partitioned into the following branches: Flat Island Keyboard, Curved Island Keyboard, Flat Duckweed Keyboard, Stepped Duckweed Keyboard, and Curved Duckweed Keyboard. The main topic of today’s discussion is the primary difference between all these keyboard species.

Before going into a detailed discussion, it is mandatory to understand various factors that affect the keyboard’s using experience, including key travel, key distance, key width, rebound performance, and keyboard layout.

Key Travel: In easy words, it is the gap achieved by a key on pressing (aka the distance it sinks). Obviously, if the key travel is lengthy, pressing it would be complex and feel elastic. Whereas, if a keyboard has short key travel, it doesn’t feel good as well. It feels harsh, and the user becomes exhausted in long-term usage. However, in the case of tolerable key travel, it provides the best, most comfortable, and soft touching experience. It is noteworthy that the key travel plays a vital role in maintaining the laptop’s thickness to a certain extent.

Key Pitch: The inter distance between the keys on the keyboard (from the left side of one to the left side of another key adjacent to it, including the keycap and slit). However, if it is prolonged, it can have a straight effect on your typing speed. But at the same time, if it is too short, then accidental touching of other keys could happen. So, a fine key pitch is another major characteristic of the keyboard. Keyboards with key spacing within 19-19.5mm are called Full-Size Keyboards.

Key Width: It refers to the complete keycap’s width on the keyboard. Remember that the wide keys are less likely to be mistyped. Usually, people with large palm goes for those laptop having large-sized keys.

Rebound Performance: This term is related to bouncing up of the button again after being pressed. Like Key Travel, another major factor affects the keyboard’s usage experience. If both of them are well-coordinated, we are sure that your laptop’s keyboard experience will be comfortable.

Keyboard Layout: The keyboard layout is simply the distribution of each key on the keyboard. As per different brands and lineups, the keyboard layout is also diversified. But what generally affects people’s experience is the pleasing arrangement of essential keys such as Ctrl, Fn, and Windows Key.

Following is the detailed info on different keyboard kinds.

Flat Island Keyboard:
This kind of keyboard is generally found in business laptops with thin bodies, all thanks to its thin keys, making it unique for this kind of laptop. In addition, the delicate alignment of keys also feels simple and dependent, making the keyboard more elegant and easy to clean at the same time.

Despite this, this keyboard type has some flaws too. One of them is that it is not suitable for people having giant palms as the keys’ size is relatively small and key travel is also short. That’s why the probability of having typing mistake is high. Further, it would feel fatigued on the finger in long-term usage.

• Advantage: Easy to Clean, Easy to Adopt
• Disadvantage: Small Keycap Size, No Suitable for People with thick fingers

Curved Island Keyboard:
From its naming, you might think there is a possibility of something curved in this keyboard. Well, yes, the keycap in this keyboard is curved. In addition, the keystroke seems similar to the traditional keyboard, reaching around 2.5mm, also eliminating the tension of errors during typing. Overall, the keyboard has better flexibility in terms of performance; even the comfort level is entirely satisfactory.

In addition to these advantages, there is a disadvantage, which is the same as in flat island keyboard, the keys’ size is relatively small.

• Advantages: Easy to Clean, Curved Surface feels better
• Disadvantages: Small Keycaps

Flat Duckweed Keyboard:
The main characteristics of this keyboard are its floating structure and chocolate keycaps that look flat to users at first sight. However, unlike the island keyboard, the underside of the keycaps is full. This keyboard gives a beautiful impression regarding user experience; you might also observe that it requires minimal force for pressing. The keycap’s response is also relatively quick.

Like every keyboard, this keyboard type also has some disadvantages. This keyboard usually has a large gap between the keycap and the keyboard’s bottom surface, which makes the dust or derbis enter the keyboard area easily. At the same time, it also makes the cleaning process very hard. Further, due to limited functionality (having a low keycap), the keyboard sometimes gives a feel of shaking from side to side during usage. Not only that, but accidental touches of other keys can also happen.

• Advantages: Eye-Catching Appearance.
• Disadvantages: Dust or Debris can quickly enter, Hard to Clean, Not Stable Enough, and Accident Key Touches.

Step Duckweed Keyboard:
This keyboard has the same design language as the traditional duckweed keyboard but with improved keycaps. Instead of old flat keycaps, it comes with stepped square chocolate-shaped keycaps. This keyboard type looks neat and clean, and it is hard for the dust to get inside as the keycap is relatively tiny. But compared with a flat duckweed keyboard, the keycap and key width are a bit larger, which helps avoid the accidental touch of other keys.

No doubt, this keyboard has quite good characteristics, but at the same time, the keyboard doesn’t have a much attractive look due to its square keys and too many hard lines.

• Advantage: Dust can get inside, hardly. Accidental Touches are avoided
• Disadvantages: Too rigid and doesn’t look attractive.

Curved Duckweed Keyboard:
A better version of the flat duckweed keyboard, designed by HP for its laptops. It comes with floating keys which further consist of curved keycaps. This phenomenon increases the keyboard’s density, preventing dust entry. Its curved surface also lets the user get used to it quickly. Thanks to its build design, the pressure is concentrated in the keycap’s center, from which the shaking is no longer a problem.

Simultaneously, this keyboard’s keystroke is very difficult to control.

• Advantages: Its curved surface fits the finger, is Hard to get Dusty, concentrated pressure, and has Good Stability.
• Disadvantage: Keystroke is challenging to control

These identical changes in the keyboard can bring a different experience to the consumer. Before buying any laptop, it is recommended to check the keyboard type that perfectly matches your personal preference or conditions and gives the comfort you are demanding while typing.