SwissMicros: it's time for the DM16L

[Dave Britten]

I have serial number 00079, and while I admittedly don't use it a ton, the keys are working fine as far as I can tell (same for my DM41L). They have a shorter throw and require a little bit more force than a "real" 16C, but I don't find them at all unpleasant to use. Mine wobbles a bit on the desk - not sure if the case is deformed or if the rubber feet aren't even. LCD quality was a little spotty on these early units, and mine has developed a couple of extremely tiny black spots, as well as a very thin blackened strip along part of the top edge. Again, nothing major, and I think I read this only affected early units. The big advantage of the DM16L is that it's much faster than the visibly sluggish HP 16C.

I have one of the PX-15C kits on the way right now. There's also a PX-16C and PX41C available, so depending on how good the tiny keys are (I'll report back once I have mine built), this might be a viable option for those that like kit-building, as the cost is around half the Swiss Micros versions when outfitted with the aluminum faceplates and bumper.