A Computer Keyboard Key Feel Study in Performance and Preference

Abstract

A study was conducted to compare user preference and performance of four keyboards having different key force and travel characteristics. Two keyboards had linear spring key action, one with low (key force) resistance (42.5 grams) and one with high resistance (70.9 grams). The other two keyboards had tactile (snap) action, one with low resistance (35.5 grams) and one with high resistance (70.9 grams). All four keyboards were manufactured by the same company, and were visually identical in size, layout, color, etc. There was no difference in typing sound and traveling distance among the four keyboards. Twenty four touch typists typed material taken from a college psychology textbook for seven to eight minutes on each keyboard. Between changing keyboards, the participants rested one minute. The two low resistance (35.5 grams tactile, 42.5 grams linear spring action) keyboards produced 23.3% more errors (57% of total errors) than the two high resistance keyboards (43% of total errors). There was a 10.28% difference in errors between the low resistance spring and the low tactile action keyboards, and there was only a 2.95% difference in error between the high resistance spring and the high resistance tactile action keyboards. The lighter the key resistance, the more errors were produced. The average typing speed of all of the participants indicated that there was no significant typing speed difference among the four keyboards. The keyboards preferred by the participants were almost evenly distributed among the low resistance linear (42.5 grams, 29% of participants), the low resistance tactile (35.5 grams, 29% of participants) and the high resistance tactile (70.9 grams, 25% of participants) keyboards. The high resistance linear (70.9 grams, 17% of participants) keyboard was chosen least.