Low-force, quiet, small keyboard

[helpme1234]

Hi there, I'm helping my mum find a keyboard. She uses a keyboard all day at work and has very small hands and arthritic joints.

 

She currently uses the Logitech K380 but dislikes the round keycaps. The main issue is that she needs keys which take a very light force to depress, and which are also quiet and close together. The K380 keys are also still quite hard for her to press. She's had best luck with membrane keyboards to date, and her favourite one ever is on her personal laptop which is a lenovo 330S-14IKB.

 

She uses her keyboard for work every day, and also ideally needs one she can bluetooth to multiple laptops as she works off several devices at work. 

 

Max budget is £200, but preferably keyboard would be much closer £100. She's open to any suggestions/recommendations from any brands, although it would realistically need to be one that she could return if she doesn't like it. She doesn't need a num pad or anything - she writes reports and things for her job.

 

Hope this is enough information and formatted well :) thanks for any help in advance.

[Nanosinx]

K650 from Logitech and MX Keys Mini should get what you look for ...

But what if you go to a Tech store and try the keyboard by yourself? some shops have some keyboard available to look for ...

It could help a bit better which one to choose

The damn K400 is one with soft keys, plus it have a touch pad too

Edited April 26, 2023 by Nanosinx
added option

[helpme1234]

Thanks so much, will look into them - unfortunately no tech stores with a decently sized keyboard section nearby. We have been several times and never found anything that works. Tend to have to just buy, try, and return!

[saintlouisbagels]

I have a Logitech K380 at work and I HATE how hard it is to press the keys. I'm constantly making typos.

 

It seems like she might do well with Keychron's low profile options (K1 and K3) using the Red switches. It has Bluetooth, low travel, and low actuation force. I can't guarantee you it will be quiet because membrane keyboards are inherently significantly quieter than mechanical keyboards.

[spaghet rat]

im going to say what ive been saying to many people. GO KEYCHRON! low prfile switches howevr arent neccessarily easier to push. they may have less travel distance, so you push less before the key registers an input,  but still have similar input force. For example, the low profile gateron red has a total travel distance of 2.5 mm compared to the 4 mm of the normal profile switch, but has an operating force of 50 grams, compared to the 45 of the normal switch. the k1 should be fine but just be informed. 

[spaghet rat]

membrane honestly may be the lightest keyboard you can get, so i would spring for like a mx keys if mechanical doesnt work out

[saintlouisbagels]

19 hours ago, spaghet rat said:

im going to say what ive been saying to many people. GO KEYCHRON! low prfile switches howevr arent neccessarily easier to push. they may have less travel distance, so you push less before the key registers an input,  but still have similar input force. For example, the low profile gateron red has a total travel distance of 2.5 mm compared to the 4 mm of the normal profile switch, but has an operating force of 50 grams, compared to the 45 of the normal switch. the k1 should be fine but just be informed.

The optical switches they use in their low-profile models have a 40g actuation force.

 

18 hours ago, spaghet rat said:

membrane honestly may be the lightest keyboard you can get, so i would spring for like a mx keys if mechanical doesnt work out

It appears the MX Keys Mini have ~57g tactile point (if I'm reading this graph correctly).
But either way, there are plenty of keyboard options that would be a nice upgrade compared to the comparably stiff Logitech K380 the OP's mum is using.