once thought of a little more than a “ newfangled writing machine, ” the humiliate typewriter would go on to transform the world of work, becoming a staple of offices, newsrooms, and writers ’ desks astir and down the country .
then, about deoxyadenosine monophosphate promptly as it caught on, the typewriter fell quickly out of favor as modern engineering and the practicalities of the modern QWERTY keyboard took centerstage .
yet angstrom utilitarian as today ’ randomness keyboards may be, there ’ s no denying that they lack the aesthetic charm and overall feel that you only get with a typewriter.
In a hurry? Our Top Picks
Qwerkywriter S Typewriter Mechanical Wired & Wireless Keyboard | Amazon
$299.99
The Qwerkywriter chassis is constructed entirely out of a new chicken feed immune aluminum alloy for an incredible feel of quality and lastingness.
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ARTIX LED Backlit Keyboard | Amazon
Retro turn keycap design, high-quality iron battlefront panel with beautiful arch round is certain to help you polish off any grant. The satisfying sound of the Artix Vintage Style typewriter keyboard will motivate you to continue writing.
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Vortexgear Race 3 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard | Amazon
$144.00
Cherry MX Brown switches are tactile-style switches, with a bump along the locomotion path that provides confirmation every time a keypress is registered.
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We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
This is no doubt why the vintage keyboard market has positively bloomed over the last couple of years as users look for an low-cost product that combines all the old-school cool of a authoritative typewriter with the contemporaneous features of a standard calculator keyboard .
For nowadays ’ second guide, we ’ ve tried, tested and reviewed scores of such keyboards, not only those that have that classifiable typewriter tactile property to them, but besides those that are guaranteed to make you feel nostalgic for the classic senesce of calculator gambling and make you yearn for the days when playing your commodore 64 was the altitude of entertainment .
Having looked at so many different ones, we picked out what we rightfully believe to be the six very best vintage keyboards on the market today to help you decide which one to spend your hard-earned money on .
If there ’ s a more beautiful retro keyboard out there then we haven ’ triiodothyronine seen it, and trust us, we looked at scores of best-selling products before giving the covet first-placed clean to the Qwerkywriter S Typewriter from Qwerkytoys .
While other keyboards may have a “ typewriter-style ” design, this is one of the few models out there that truly looks like the veridical thing, dispatch with an authentic baby buggy return and two roller node which doubling as a page-scrolling creature, making them ampere virtual as they are pretty .
The Qwerkywriter Typewriter keyboard has an all-metal construction and round, typewriter keycaps all add to its strike appearance, though as with all good keyboards, this one besides packs in enough of functionality .
- First up, this retro classic keyboard offers you the option to choose between wireless and wired connectivity, with a Bluetooth connectivity option that allows you to connect to three devices simultaneously. Then there’s the handy tablet stand, making it easy to slot your iPad right in there and get to work.
- Finally, there’s the unique twist on the standard carriage return. More than just a decorative item, using the return provides the same function as pressing “enter” though it can be programmed to perform another task such as typing a frequently used word, or even copying and pasting.
All in all, a winning combination of vintage design and advanced technology that would make a bang-up addition to any office, game board, or workspace .
Qwerkywriter S Typewriter Mechanical Wired & Wireless Keyboard | Amazon
$299.99
The Qwerkywriter chassis is constructed wholly out of a newfangled scrape insubordinate aluminum debase for an incredible feel of choice and lastingness.
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We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
With its gracefully curved purpose, placid, typewriter-like keycaps, and elegant black and egg white finish, the ARTIX LED Backlit Keyboard looks mightily impressive right out of the box. Turn on one of the respective backlit mechanical keyboard modes, however, and this already-gorgeous backlit keys retro typewriter keyboard becomes practically a knead of artwork .
OK, so run backlight are hardly conducive to an authentic ex post facto experience, but it more than makes up for it in that department with the satisfying “ chatter ” of the typewriter key and the decidedly old-school feel .
Powered by USB connectivity, the ARTIX Typewriter keyboard uses a elementary plug and play system, so you don ’ t have to waste time installing drivers or worry about any complicated set-up work .
alternatively, just plug in the device, depart typing, and experience the pure gladden of a ex post facto style keyboard that is just sheer fun to use .
ARTIX LED Backlit Keyboard | Amazon
Retro round keycap plan, high-quality iron front panel with beautiful curve around is certain to help you polish off any assignment. The satisfying legal of the Artix Vintage Style typewriter keyboard will motivate you to continue writing.
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If you ’ ra looking for more of a retro-gaming vibration and a better gaming experience than a classical vintage typewriter, the Vortexgear Race 3 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard comes highly commend .
The mix of color and grayscale key gives this one a certain atavism tactile property that conjures forth images of playing those classic early consoles back in the 70s and early 80s. Yet as ex post facto style as this one might be, its quality is decidedly adenine modern as it gets .
Make no mistake about it, this is one badly well-built keyboard, with courteous, midst keys and a hardy metallic construction .
If you do like the expect of this one, it ’ south worth keeping in mind that it is a 75 % keyboard, meaning – you guessed it – that it ’ south 75 % the size of a regular-sized keyboard .
To achieve this compact design, the Vortexgear Race 3 – Gaming Retro Mechanical Keyboard omits the standard left numeral computer keyboard but inactive has all of the function keys and other useful features .
A great choice for gamers or those looking for a simple, stylish upgrade to their home calculator system, the Vortex Race 3 decidedly has a lot to offer .
Vortexgear Race 3 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard | Amazon
$144.00
Cherry MX Brown switches are tactile-style switches, with a find along the travel path that provides confirmation every time a keypress is registered.
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If the NACODEX AK510 Retro RGB Mechanical Keyboard ’ sulfur combination of browns, beiges, and oranges don ’ t make you nostalgic for a simple time when home calculator technology was in its infancy, possibly nothing will .
That old-school color combination, combined with its solid construction and vintage design makes it a great choice for hooking up to your retro gaming collection and playing those old Commodore and Amiga games the way they were meant to be played .
meanwhile, you ’ ll still enjoy all of the modern features you ’ d expect from a premium quality keyboard .
The usual 104-key layout features all of the criterion keys and even offers volume and multimedia controls via the function keys. If that isn ’ metric ton quite enough for you, the include driver can be used to preset macro programming files for a more bespeak approach path .
ability comes from a USB connection which, though not ampere practical as a radio option, surely adds to the authentic ex post facto feel .
NACODEX AK510 Retro RGB Lighting Mechanical Keyboard | Amazon
$78.99
NACODEX & AJAZZ AK510 RGB retro mechanical keyboard has a classifiable grey and blank retro narrow bezel design, which is inspired by the church father of typewriter Christoph Larson Shoals and the first commercial typewriter in QWERTY layout.
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An essential for any vintage desk, this high-quality retro mechanical keyboard takes an abundance of advanced features and presents them in an effortlessly cool vintage design with rung keycaps that looks and feels like a real typewriter .
The chrome-plated body and keycaps of the Azio Retro USB Mechanical Keyboard lend intend that this one doesn ’ metric ton equitable look gorgeous, it ’ s besides unusually durable, and well set to withstand plenty of heavy practice .
Features-wise, we love the easy access shortcut hotkeys for better productiveness, while the utilitarian N-Key rollover ( NKRO ) ensures that all keystrokes are registered no topic how fast you decide to type .
A firm alternative to any of the products on our list, it ’ randomness fair pricing besides makes the Retro Azio Keyboard one of the best vintage keyboards for those with a modest budget .
Azio Retro – USB Mechanical Keyboard | Amazon
$109.99
A blast from the past. A nostalgic classical born-again with modern innovations. A dateless purpose equip for composing literary masterpieces.
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If you liked the layout, functionality, and general build choice of our fifth-placed pick but weren ’ triiodothyronine indeed enamored with the complete, then Azio ’ s moment addition to this number might be just the thing .
The Azio Retro Classic Elwood Bluetooth model styles itself as a lavishness keyboard with round keycaps, and in that respect, it surely lives up to its promise. There ’ mho no denying what a beautiful piece of kit this actually is, with its genuine wooden surface top and fondly handcraft alloy frame, it ’ s like steampunk-meets-retro-sophistication-meets-vintage-grandeur .
To put it another way, the Retro Classic Azio Keyboard looks incredible .
hush, as we all know, looks aren ’ triiodothyronine everything. If you ’ re plan to use this Bluetooth keyboard as a daily keyboard, then you ’ ll be pleased to know that these robust advanced mechanical keyboards earn rave reviews for its functionality .
easily adaptable for both Mac and PC use, a bare switch allows you to toggle between the two, while a second substitution can be used to determine whether you power your keyboard using Bluetooth connectivity or USB cable .
last, we have to mention those oh-so-clicky keys. One of the main reasons why many people look to add a vintage keyboard to their workspace is that deliciously solid click that the typewriter keys make, a a lot satisfying typing have than offered by the dull thump of a standard keyboard .
thankfully, this one delivers that satisfying snap in spades, making it a rejoice to use no matter whether you ’ rhenium working on the adjacent bang-up american english novel or plainly blasting your way through your favorite game .
Azio Retro Classic Elwood Bluetooth Modern Mechanical Keyboards | Amazon
$219.99
Inspired by vintage typewriters and crafted with ultramodern features, the Azio Retro Classic is the arrant amalgam of past, show and future. The ex post facto authoritative is a backlit mechanical keyboard with round keycaps that evokes nostalgia of past complemented with a durable aluminum frame and a deluxe genuine leather or walnut airfoil.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Vintage Keyboards
What is a Mechanical Keyboard?
A mechanical keyboard is the traditional calculator keyboard with the blockheaded keys with premium quality mechanical switches beneath each keycap. It ’ randomness for this rationality that the majority of the best vintage keyboards are mechanical by design – they ’ re a atavistic to the way keyboards used to be made before the modern, membrane keyboard ( the ones with flat, backlight mechanical keys ) .
mechanical keyboards frequently feel good to use, giving a noticeable cluck legal with each imperativeness of a keystone. They besides tend to be much more durable, outliving your typical membrane keyboard by several years .
Best of all, they can be easily customized. If you don ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate like the vogue of your keyboard or you prefer a unlike layout that ’ second more conducive to the game you ’ rhenium play ( or by and large merely to the way you use a keyboard ), then it ’ randomness easy to take the keys off the board and swap them around .
That said, mechanical keyboards aren ’ triiodothyronine arrant. They tend to be heavier, noisier, and more expensive than membrane varieties .
If you ’ rhenium working in an open-plan office or anywhere where the changeless clickety-clack of a mechanical keyboard is likely to bother others, you might be best sticking to a hushed membrane choice for immediately .
What is N-Key Rollover?
much abbreviated to NKRO, n-key rollover is a feature included in most vintage mechanical keyboards which ensures that every key pressed is registered regardless of how many other keys are pressed at the same prison term .
If you ’ re playing a game, for model, then you might be using the arrow samara to move your character while at the same meter pressing a numerical key to carry out a certain action in the game .
With some membrane keyboards, the condom keys can sometimes result in your keyboard failing to register both keys at the lapp clock .
This is what ’ second known as ghost, and if you ’ ve always had that happen to you, you ’ ll no doubt know what we mean when we say it can seriously mess up your bet on, your document, or whatever you ’ rhenium working on .
NKRO is an anti-ghosting feature which ensures that no topic how many keys you press at the lapp clock, each one is amply detected .
What’s the Difference Between a Retro Keyboard & Vintage Keyboard?
For the purposes of this article, there ’ s no major difference between a vintage keyboard and retro keyboard. That said, there ’ s such a thing as the Retro Aesthetic, which might feature a 1980s or 1990s look .
What is the Best Vintage Keyboard & Retro Keyboard Money Can Buy?
By now, you ’ ve seen the six products we believe are the six very best vintage keyboards on the marketplace today and, if you ’ rhenium anything like us, you ’ ll no doubt agree that any one of them would make a fantastic accession to your function or game room .
still, right now you ’ re only looking to buy one raw keyboard, so which one should it be ?
truthfully, that all depends on what you ’ ra looking for in a vintage keyboard .
If aesthetic appeal is your only concern then you ’ ll find a lot to love about the Azio Retro Classic Elwood Bluetooth mannequin with its gorgeous real-wood surface and ex post facto plan .
If you ’ re more refer with features like preset macro programming, media controls and effortless plug-and-play and customizable keycaps ? You may prefer our fourth-placed exemplary, the NACODEX AK510 Retro RGB Mechanical Keyboard .
If, on the early hand, you ’ rhenium looking for a true, premium-quality vintage keyboard that combines flawless functionality with noteworthy design, then the Qwerkywriter S Typewriter actually is impossible to beat .
Packing a hale host of contemporary features into a authoritative design, its authentic typewriter style and especial build up quality are guaranteed to add an abundance of old-school cool to any room you use it in .
Qwerkywriter S Typewriter Mechanical Wired & Wireless Keyboard | Amazon
$299.99
The Qwerkywriter chassis is constructed wholly out of a newly rub repellent aluminum admixture for an incredible tactile property of quality and lastingness.
Buy at Amazon.com
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
ARTIX LED Backlit Keyboard | Amazon
Retro round keycap design, high-quality iron movement panel with beautiful bend around is surely to help you polish off any assignment. The satisfying sound of the Artix Vintage Style typewriter keyboard will motivate you to continue writing.
Buy at Amazon.com
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Vortexgear Race 3 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard | Amazon
$144.00
Cherry MX Brown switches are tactile-style switches, with a dislodge along the travel way that provides confirmation every clock a keypress is registered.
Buy at Amazon.com
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
How do I charge my
?
You charge your Azio retro authoritative keyboard simply by plugging in your USB-C cable and charging it .
Final Thoughts
Have you added a vintage keyboard to your home, function or dormitory room ? Let us know in the comments below. Retro keyboards will give your home a vintage look and feel, that you won ’ metric ton be able to achieve with a regular keyboard and mouse. glad Vintage keyboard shopping !
