Keyboards

You touch your keyboard all day long, so you might as well get a nice one.

Matias Tactile Pro 3

You might type more than a thousand words in a single day, so your fingers will thank you for a high-end keyboard. The Tactile Pro 3’s mechanical key switches feel like a clackity dream--but only if you can put up with the sound. Its distinct springs help you hear and feel each key press, which is a striking difference compared with a mushy rubber-membrane keyboard where you can’t always feel if you’ve pushed far enough. In addition to its Mac layout, this keyboard also has markers for all special characters, so you’ll never stab randomly to find an accent, copyright symbol, or Greek omega again.

Matias · $149.95 · matias.ca

Apple Wireless Keyboard

Great design can be more about taking away than adding on. This tiny keyboard (5 out of 5 stars, Mar/08) shaves off nearly all of its extraneous edges to leave just the keys. And that’s really what it’s all about. It even cuts the number pad, but when was the last time you relied on those redundant buttons? More importantly, it cuts away the cable. All that’s left is a battery-powered Bluetooth keyboard with an elegant, aluminum style. Taking things away never felt like such a gain.

Apple · $69 · apple.com

Kensington SlimType Keyboard

Scissors aren’t just for barbers; laptop keyboards usually include a scissor switch in each key. These Y-shaped levers tilt in a similar manner to your stylist’s tools. The SlimType Keyboard takes those sharp key mechanisms to your desktop, so if you like the feel of a MacBook or another laptop’s keyboard, you’ll get nearly the same action. It even adds a number pad, media-playback buttons, and full-sized F-keys. Your fingers will thank you for the short travel distance, plunking down prose like rocks skipping on a glassy lake.

Kensington · $39.99 · kensington.com