Macro pads with internal memory?

[Shepanator]

Hey all, it would really increase my productivity to have a bunch of programmable macro keys, but due to the industry I work in I'm not allowed to install any unapproved software or drivers.

So far I've survived with a trusty Corsair K55 which has 6 driverless macro keys, but I need more!

 

My main requirements are as follows:

• at least 9 keys
• internal memory so can work driverless (I can program it on my pc at home and then take it to work)

Everything seems to be either too expensive or needs software/drivers to be installed, such as the Controlpad CP24 by Genovation (too expensive!) or this very reasonably priced option from a Chinese brand (but requires installed software)

 

Do you know of any driverless macro pads which don't cost an arm and a leg? Thanks!

[Needfuldoer]

Look into PI Engineering X-Keys keypads. They're generally intended for commercial and industrial applications, but they retain their programming and I don't believe they require special drivers to run, just to program. They're a little on the expensive side (up there with the Genovation pad), but they're all over the used market for less than half that.

[minibois]

A macropad which uses QMK/VIA is probably the easiest option.

You do need to have QMK/VIA on one PC, to configure the macropad; but after that it works like any normal keyboard, just with the keybinds you want.

 

There is a plethora of options, but this one Atomic Shrimp reviewed looks pretty good:

 

[rikitikitavi]

A simple and widely available solution  - any keyboard with QMK (or similar) can be used as a macro pad. You can set it up with layers full of different macros - so you can have it as all-in-one keyboard with macro layers or exclusively as a macro pad.

 

My suggestion is a small ortholinear OLKB Plank or Preonic:

https://drop.com/search/olkb/drops