How would you rate your keyboards?

[Thomas Okken]

(04-06-2018 10:10 PM)Helix Wrote:  I've never used calculators like the HP Classic, Woodstock, Spice, or the HP41. Perhaps I don't know what I am missing.

You don't know what you're missing.

The best calculator keyboards that I've used were those on my HP-25, HP-19C, HP-41C, and HP-41CX. They all had a nice feel, good tactile feedback, not too stiff (the 19C and 41CX were particularly excellent in this regard, not stiff at all and having a crisp click). And they were absolutely reliable: no missed keystrokes and no bouncing ever.

Later models I've owned included several Voyagers, a 28S, and a 48G. Also excellent, but not as nice as my 19C and 41CX.

N.B. These are all calculators I bought new.

I currently own a heavily-used second-hand HP-67, which has a couple of keys that feel a bit mushy (mostly the h key) but still feels surprisingly good for the most part, and is as reliable as all those other calculators that I mentioned.

The DM42 keyboard is too stiff for my taste, but I haven't had any problems with it, other than the ENTER key feeling mushy when I press it left of center.

UPDATE: Ha, almost forgot to mention my HP-42S. Like everything post-41CX, it doesn't feel as crisp as it could be, but it's not stiff and absolutely reliable. I can use it all day long without it bothering me.