It looks like the old Apple keyboard. It definitely doesn’t sound like it.

Some old-school geeks love the clattering chaos of mechanical-switch keyboards, and the Tactile Pro 2.0 gives us those good vibrations. Each press of the Tactile Pro 2.0’s keys takes us back to a time before squishy rubber membrane keyboards. Unlike the vast majority of other keyboards - nearly all keyboards, aside from those on laptops, use that rubber membrane style - the Tactile Pro 2.0 has a spring inside each key and physical feedback for each press. You can distinctly feel each click and release. Granted, you might find the keyboard too noisy with its clickity-clack action, but it’s music to many a longtime computer user’s ears.

While the Tactile Pro 2.0 is worth considering for its great feel alone, its other features are a mixed bag. Best are the symbols printed on each key - a boon for finding ¥, ©, or other characters. On the other hand, the keyboard hogs up two USB ports on your Mac. One USB connection is for the keyboard itself, while the other acts as an extension for the single USB 2.0 port on the keyboard, to which you can connect a mouse, flash drive, or other peripheral. At this price, we’d expect two or three USB ports.

The bottom line. USB 2.0 design flaw aside, old-school typists won’t go back to cheap rubber membrane keyboards.

COMPANY: Matias

CONTACT: www.matias.ca

PRICE: $149.95

REQUIREMENTS: Two USB ports

Feels great. Audible, physical feedback that a key has been pressed. Includes volume, Eject, and Power keys. Special characters printed on keys.

Nearly useless USB 2.0 design takes two ports and gives back only one. Makes a racket.