Keyboard Recommendation Please!

[PilotPenguin]

Hey all, I am one of those people who have rather small hands. Recently Ive wanted to get a mechanical keyboard but all the ones I have seen online or in stores, wrist wrest are too low and I'm worried I might get carpal tunnel syndrome since my wrist would bend to much reaching the high mechanical key switches, so it would be great if you guys could suggest a mechanical keyboard for gaming and typing that is mechanical and has lower key switches, or one with a good wrist wrest. 

 

Thanks!

[LancerBG]

Is it the height of the keys or the travel distance? Sorry about your wrist issues man, sucks. Best wrist rent I ever used is the one I am using now which is a Filco leather rest. I have a full sized and tkl sized one. Has a step in the middle which is super nice for typing and gaming. 

[Guest]

Most mechanical keyboards will have the same sized keys. However, different switches have different actuation points. The actuation point is how far down you need to push on the key before it registers. Switches like the MX Brown and the MX Red have actuation points of only around 2mm. My favorite keyboard with MX Brown is the DasKeyboard Ultimate 4. However, there are some keyboards with more unusual key switches that have even smaller actuation points. An example of this would be the Razer Green switch, which is 1.9mm.

 

As for wrist rests, I've only heard good things about the one made by Ducky.

[SurvivorNVL]

Hmm.  I can recommend my favorite key switch and thus far the most comfortable one I've ever typed on and that is Topre.  They're expensive, mind you, but man.. typing on these is a dream.  Not a cloud of boobs as some people call it, but this Novatouch is heaven with pbt keycaps, but in your case a Realforce may be up your alley as they're stock pbt, Topre, and they come with a more ergonomically pleasing and more relaxing shape to each key as well as complimenting the form of the hand.  Wrist rest wise I got nothing.  I own three(Max Keyboard, WASD keyboard, and a few k70 plastic ones) and I honestly have never liked them and find I strain more using them than just letting my hands hang over my desk when typing.  I keep my keyboard fairly close to the edge and keep my board angled upward via the legs.

[PilotPenguin]

thanks for all the help so far, yeah its the reach! I will take all of this into account

[STRMfrmXMN]

Most mechanical keyboards will have the same sized keys. However, different switches have different actuation points. The actuation point is how far down you need to push on the key before it registers. Switches like the MX Brown and the MX Red have actuation points of only around 2mm. My favorite keyboard with MX Brown is the DasKeyboard Ultimate 4. However, there are some keyboards with more unusual key switches that have even smaller actuation points. An example of this would be the Razer Green switch, which is 1.9mm.

 

As for wrist rests, I've only heard good things about the one made by Ducky.

Would like to add a little comment here: ALL Cherry MX switches have a 2 MM actuation point but require various amount of force to get there. Reds and Browns are very light though, yes. BTW, bottoming out is at 4 MM

 

And for wrist wrests, as somebody with small hands, I can say that no wrist rest with some sort of lower placement of the keyboard (I have a drawer in my desk that houses just the keyboard) is the way to go. If you can't do that then you can do what I do which is take a clipboard, cover it in your favorite fabric and call it your wrist wrest. It works very well and cost me nothing.

[Guest]

Would like to add a little comment here: ALL Cherry MX switches have a 2 MM actuation point but require various amount of force to get there. Reds and Browns are very light though, yes. BTW, bottoming out is at 4 MM

 

And for wrist wrests, as somebody with small hands, I can say that no wrist rest with some sort of lower placement of the keyboard (I have a drawer in my desk that houses just the keyboard) is the way to go. If you can't do that then you can do what I do which is take a clipboard, cover it in your favorite fabric and call it your wrist wrest. It works very well and cost me nothing.

Oh really? I was almost positive blues were a little more than 2mm, but hey, what do I know! Really though, that's good to know.

[PilotPenguin]

Would like to add a little comment here: ALL Cherry MX switches have a 2 MM actuation point but require various amount of force to get there. Reds and Browns are very light though, yes. BTW, bottoming out is at 4 MM

 

And for wrist wrests, as somebody with small hands, I can say that no wrist rest with some sort of lower placement of the keyboard (I have a drawer in my desk that houses just the keyboard) is the way to go. If you can't do that then you can do what I do which is take a clipboard, cover it in your favorite fabric and call it your wrist wrest. It works very well and cost me nothing.

Oh thats a good idea I had a drawer as well I guess I could get more over the keyboard that way

[STRMfrmXMN]

Oh really? I was almost positive blues were a little more than 2mm, but hey, what do I know! Really though, that's good to know.

Yep. Cherry switches all actuate at 2MM and bottom out at 4MM. 

The More You Know.