1 00:00:00,060 --> 00:00:09,000 we got a little piece of History here we got the model f keyboard uh they used to 2 00:00:05,819 --> 00:00:11,519 make these back in the 80s and 3 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:16,080 oh my God they've got a bit of a reputation uh along with the model M IBM 4 00:00:14,639 --> 00:00:21,779 made these keyboards for quite a while and they've been out of production for I 5 00:00:18,119 --> 00:00:22,680 think over 25 years now and one company 6 00:00:21,779 --> 00:00:28,800 oh so heavy 7 00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:31,740 one company is now recreating them 8 00:00:28,800 --> 00:00:36,899 it's using die cast aluminum so there's no CNC going on and frankly I believe it 9 00:00:34,380 --> 00:00:40,739 look at how big and thick this thing is I gotta weigh it I want to weigh it 10 00:00:38,940 --> 00:00:45,020 first thing it's over five pounds for sure this thing's awesome 11 00:00:48,899 --> 00:00:56,699 have you ever seen one this large before right like we've done a bunch of 12 00:00:54,420 --> 00:00:58,739 full-size boards this is nothing new in terms of that 13 00:00:58,199 --> 00:01:05,100 um oh yeah it's like 3.2 kilos that's what 14 00:01:02,699 --> 00:01:10,560 that's that's like 10 pounds no no no it's like eight pounds seven six it's 15 00:01:07,500 --> 00:01:13,320 over six yeah seven pounds so not quite 16 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:18,479 10 but oh man this thing is chunky can I have a tape measure yeah that'd be good 17 00:01:15,540 --> 00:01:24,960 uh let's measure this bad boy it's almost 19 18 and a half inches long it's 18 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:29,759 pretty long and then we got just over seven like seven and a quarters wide and 19 00:01:27,900 --> 00:01:34,799 then how thick is it I need to know the thickness so up near the front here at 20 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:39,360 the max height it's about an inch and a quarter thick it comes in a lot of 21 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:45,420 colors we've got the red but it also comes in gray beige black silver gray 22 00:01:42,960 --> 00:01:49,680 light blue and dark blue I love what we've got the old school numblock caps 23 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:53,579 lock scroll lock LEDs it's this really takes me back I don't know if I was old 24 00:01:51,659 --> 00:01:57,479 enough to actually type on one of the OG Model F or model M's in school I am old 25 00:01:55,979 --> 00:02:03,360 enough where we had like ibms and model twos or apple twos in school and they 26 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:04,799 must use something similar 27 00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:09,119 that's right there's something incredibly distinct 28 00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:12,599 and interesting about buckling spring switches and you know what I'll be frank 29 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:16,020 I don't like them there's something comforting about this sound but there's 30 00:02:14,459 --> 00:02:20,640 also something terrible about it you know like it's 31 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:26,959 is this like high-pitched shrill kind of pingy noise sounds super 32 00:02:23,940 --> 00:02:26,959 rattly everywhere 33 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:31,800 however I'm an uncultured Heathen um a 34 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:35,459 lot of people absolutely love these things they grew up typing on them and 35 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:40,020 they have got such crazy fond memories for me that's really not the case but 36 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:44,580 there is something really satisfying about the feel at least 37 00:02:42,060 --> 00:02:48,060 up until now I'd only typed on really old model M's we've got a couple 38 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:50,700 floating around the office from the model M video that we did years back if 39 00:02:49,980 --> 00:02:56,760 you want some more information definitely go check that out and I haven't enjoyed them too much and I 40 00:02:54,239 --> 00:03:01,319 think that's just because they're old while I don't like the way this sounds 41 00:02:58,860 --> 00:03:05,280 all that much I really actually do like the way it feels and I didn't on the 42 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:09,360 older switches they just felt bad they just felt kind of gunked up and 43 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:13,580 old I don't really know how to explain it but I wasn't a fan these though 44 00:03:14,220 --> 00:03:20,220 they feel nice and crisp the big difference between a traditional switch 45 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:24,959 that we know of today and uh buckling spring that we've got here is that 46 00:03:22,140 --> 00:03:29,700 instead of the spring being on a Center Post it's kind of just hanging out and 47 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:33,659 when you press down the spring buckles and then connects on the side of the 48 00:03:31,500 --> 00:03:37,379 switch it's a super cool design and you know it's got a really unique both feel 49 00:03:35,340 --> 00:03:41,099 and sound but I'm a bigger fan of kind of where we've come to rather than where 50 00:03:39,239 --> 00:03:45,299 we come from while the typing experience is great 51 00:03:42,959 --> 00:03:49,080 I can't get over the sound and how pingy it is it might be a little better if you 52 00:03:47,340 --> 00:03:53,340 were to open this thing and mod it a little bit maybe add some foam maybe add 53 00:03:51,239 --> 00:03:58,500 a couple layers of tape but alas we've got the classic Model M Model F 54 00:03:55,500 --> 00:04:01,620 experience right now I can't say if it's 55 00:03:58,500 --> 00:04:03,780 perfectly replicating the original but 56 00:04:01,620 --> 00:04:08,280 it does feel very similar and sound very similar to model M's that I've 57 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:12,420 personally typed on uh we're gonna give it you know a classic typing test plug 58 00:04:10,439 --> 00:04:18,239 it in but not before a word from our sponsor dream arcades our recent LTX 59 00:04:15,180 --> 00:04:19,500 2023 Expo was bananas like literally we 60 00:04:18,239 --> 00:04:24,479 had a claw machine filled with our banana for scale plushies LTT Store 61 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:28,740 or.com we partnered with dream arcades to design the perfect custom skinned LED 62 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:32,400 lit machine that Drew the eyes of everyone in the building dream arcades 63 00:04:30,660 --> 00:04:36,360 focuses on providing Machines of all shapes and sizes that only include 64 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:40,919 officially licensed games at reasonable prices customize the arcade machine of 65 00:04:38,759 --> 00:04:45,240 your dreams at the link below we got a really long cable actually unless I'm 66 00:04:43,380 --> 00:04:48,720 mistaken it's all coiled up here so I don't know the exact length oh yeah this 67 00:04:47,280 --> 00:04:52,320 is longer than six feet I'll tell you that much so this has got to be like an 68 00:04:50,580 --> 00:04:56,100 eight or nine foot cable which is great uh nice and sleeved most I don't think 69 00:04:54,840 --> 00:05:00,180 I've ever gotten a keyboard that's got a cable this long I know that I keep repeating that but it's like I don't 70 00:04:58,919 --> 00:05:07,620 know what to tell you every keyboard usually comes with like a six foot cable anyway this is cool we've got this like 71 00:05:04,500 --> 00:05:09,840 huge socket here for the USBC and it's 72 00:05:07,620 --> 00:05:16,860 actually way deep inside there but luckily it should be easy enough to plug 73 00:05:12,840 --> 00:05:18,780 in sure a wrist rest I think is going to 74 00:05:16,860 --> 00:05:22,919 have to be necessary for just about anyone else who wants to buy this 75 00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:28,220 keyboard all right we're going to try a buckling spring see if I'm any less 76 00:05:24,539 --> 00:05:28,220 accurate you know less speedy 77 00:05:32,580 --> 00:05:39,600 106 96 you know it's not great it's not 78 00:05:35,940 --> 00:05:42,780 awful though it's okay for me man 79 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:45,660 I get it I I hate it and love it at the 80 00:05:42,780 --> 00:05:49,919 same time uh I think that if you are in an office or if you have people around 81 00:05:47,759 --> 00:05:54,240 you this is like the worst thing to have and they're gonna hate you I I would 82 00:05:51,960 --> 00:05:57,360 like be more annoyed by this than I think like a set of actual clicky 83 00:05:55,860 --> 00:06:01,740 switches there's something about the high-pitched spring ping 84 00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:05,699 okay that kind of just Trails after every 85 00:06:03,539 --> 00:06:09,840 single key switch I think that honestly if you want to use this anywhere other 86 00:06:07,979 --> 00:06:14,460 than your own desk or your own office with no one around you really should try 87 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:21,120 to figure out a way to foam it or tape it or something however that might 88 00:06:17,039 --> 00:06:22,979 really detract from just the uniqueness 89 00:06:21,120 --> 00:06:28,220 of this keyboard there's something incredibly special about this I still am 90 00:06:25,919 --> 00:06:28,220 not 91 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:34,800 super crazy about the feeling it doesn't feel like a linear it doesn't feel like 92 00:06:33,360 --> 00:06:38,819 a tactile and that's because they're just it's so different actually let me 93 00:06:36,900 --> 00:06:43,080 put some feed on real quick and see if that makes me like this anymore you know 94 00:06:41,699 --> 00:06:46,919 I'll get just a little stick on feet these are great these are fine oh yeah 95 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:50,400 with this you're definitely gonna need a wrist rest oh that's not going anywhere 96 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:54,440 those are some nice stable feet let me do another 97 00:06:51,840 --> 00:06:59,220 man oh 98 00:06:56,300 --> 00:07:02,819 thanks Glenn uh that being said they actually come with a number of different 99 00:07:00,419 --> 00:07:06,960 options or at least hours did it's got these little smaller uh flat guys here 100 00:07:05,220 --> 00:07:11,100 and then it's got these little four square 101 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:14,759 um guys right here oh this is actually really cool they've given you 102 00:07:12,479 --> 00:07:19,259 replacement switches as well so what we've got they're just Springs sitting 103 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:22,020 on these platforms here this something you know we're both kind of learning 104 00:07:20,580 --> 00:07:26,819 today this is something I don't know a ton about because I as much as I kind of 105 00:07:25,259 --> 00:07:31,380 grew up with these I also didn't really yeah so it's just kind of hanging out in 106 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:35,120 there that's so wild and then this guy goes down and as you push down it Kinks 107 00:07:33,660 --> 00:07:39,599 the spring and then it makes contact really cool design I don't like it all 108 00:07:37,919 --> 00:07:43,500 that much but I think it's a really cool design at the very least and anyone you 109 00:07:41,460 --> 00:07:47,160 know there's one thing that's got to be said is anyone who rocks one of these 110 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:50,759 it's definitely a conversation starter one thing I forgot to mention is the 111 00:07:48,599 --> 00:07:55,860 color I personally wouldn't have chosen red but that being said I do like it 112 00:07:53,220 --> 00:07:59,759 it's a really nice metallic kind of red um they're calling it true red I believe 113 00:07:57,539 --> 00:08:03,479 which is a little weird uh what is a true red I don't know all of those other 114 00:08:01,919 --> 00:08:07,199 colors I mentioned before come in a paint or powder coat finish and at least 115 00:08:05,699 --> 00:08:11,280 on the website they all look pretty good as they look as good as this red does 116 00:08:09,780 --> 00:08:14,759 right here then they're probably all beautiful honestly this looks a lot like 117 00:08:13,259 --> 00:08:18,180 it does on the website so I don't think you have to worry about ordering A 118 00:08:16,380 --> 00:08:21,060 Certain Shade and getting something completely different that's that's 119 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:25,560 probably not going to happen here as for the keycaps what they've done is they've 120 00:08:22,919 --> 00:08:29,819 tried to replicate old school keycaps as well they feel really bumpy and gritty 121 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:34,080 on top on the sides it's actually nice and smooth but as soon as you get to the 122 00:08:31,620 --> 00:08:37,440 top there's that textured feeling and I actually kind of like it honestly I 123 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:43,140 would really like to buy a set of keycaps that are basically like this 124 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:45,120 except you know they fit across or box 125 00:08:43,140 --> 00:08:48,720 stem so that you're not stuck trying to jam them onto a buckling 126 00:08:47,100 --> 00:08:52,620 spring that you don't own the other really great thing about the keycaps is 127 00:08:50,339 --> 00:08:57,060 I just love this colorway it's really simple you've got like a beige and then 128 00:08:54,600 --> 00:09:00,540 a slightly less beige or gray kind of style and then you've got just a little 129 00:08:58,800 --> 00:09:06,000 hint of blue and it's a really nice blue that I think goes really well with this 130 00:09:03,420 --> 00:09:10,140 uh true red that they're calling my only other issue I guess with the kind of fit 131 00:09:08,399 --> 00:09:16,500 and finish of everything is I don't like how recessed all of the keycaps are 132 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:21,000 um into the keyboard the row up here like the like row zero or Row one is 133 00:09:18,779 --> 00:09:25,320 actually pretty high up compared to everything else and this might feel a 134 00:09:22,860 --> 00:09:28,740 bit better if I had a wrist rest and I changed the typing angle a bit but I 135 00:09:27,480 --> 00:09:36,779 don't know there's something visually about it as well that I don't find as appealing as like this afro I just love 136 00:09:33,779 --> 00:09:40,080 how high all of these sculpted almost sa 137 00:09:36,779 --> 00:09:42,180 if not actually sa profile keycaps are 138 00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:46,620 they look great but then as soon as you've got them almost like level with 139 00:09:44,640 --> 00:09:50,820 the edge of the the case I'm just not crazy about that look the keycaps do 140 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:55,200 come in a number of colors and languages but I think that they're all the same 141 00:09:52,860 --> 00:09:58,800 profile so if you don't like something super sculpted like this if you want 142 00:09:56,940 --> 00:10:03,839 something really flat um you're probably not going to find that here and this probably isn't the 143 00:10:01,740 --> 00:10:08,519 keyboard for you at that point but yeah just stuff like the numpad like I love 144 00:10:05,940 --> 00:10:12,660 the zero and I just don't like how close the seven and the 4 are 145 00:10:10,800 --> 00:10:16,800 to the rest of the case it's a really minor thing same with the delete home 146 00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:19,980 insert all those guys I really wish that they were just a bit more pronounced but 147 00:10:18,839 --> 00:10:23,640 it's really not the end of the world just kind of weird and you may or may 148 00:10:21,959 --> 00:10:29,360 not be a fan of it one kind of neat piece of history is the original model 149 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:33,540 f-122 key layout cost 150 00:10:29,360 --> 00:10:35,339 295 dollars back in 1984. uh adjusted 151 00:10:33,540 --> 00:10:42,180 for inflation that's like over 800 bucks almost 900 today so this is a bit more 152 00:10:40,140 --> 00:10:46,500 uh premium and it comes at a higher price tag it's still nowhere close to if 153 00:10:45,240 --> 00:10:50,040 you had bought one of these and then adjusted for inflation which is actually 154 00:10:48,300 --> 00:10:54,060 pretty nice if you head to Model F keyboards.com and want to pick one of 155 00:10:52,440 --> 00:10:58,560 these up for yourself whether it's this guy the f-104 or one of the different 156 00:10:55,980 --> 00:11:02,820 layouts this one specifically is going to run you a bit of a higher price tag 157 00:11:00,540 --> 00:11:07,260 of four hundred dollars the other guys come in a little lower more like 350 I 158 00:11:05,339 --> 00:11:12,839 think the least expensive one is about 300 or 330 which is still a decent chunk 159 00:11:09,959 --> 00:11:17,820 of change for any one and I gotta say you are getting what you pay for this is 160 00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:22,019 an incredibly unique product and on top of that it's not plastic uh you're 161 00:11:20,040 --> 00:11:26,160 paying for die cast aluminum you're paying for a neat little LED screen 162 00:11:23,820 --> 00:11:30,120 you're paying for these unique buckling spring switches that you can't find all 163 00:11:28,680 --> 00:11:34,079 that easily you're paying for these unique keycaps that feel like you're 164 00:11:32,399 --> 00:11:39,360 typing on a keyboard from 25 30 years ago man it's really 165 00:11:36,959 --> 00:11:42,779 like rose tinted glasses like I don't know if everyone just remembers these 166 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:45,540 fondly and if they were to type on it today they wouldn't actually like it all 167 00:11:44,160 --> 00:11:50,160 that much um I know that for myself 168 00:11:48,300 --> 00:11:53,519 to make this a lot more enjoyable I'd have to open it up go in and mod it a 169 00:11:52,140 --> 00:11:59,160 little bit just to become a little bit more modern I guess but overall it's 170 00:11:56,700 --> 00:12:04,500 pretty sick if you want to kind of break the bank a little bit and go extra you 171 00:12:01,920 --> 00:12:10,140 can get yours custom serialized it'll cost you though single digit is upwards 172 00:12:06,899 --> 00:12:12,000 of 200 and below that you're looking at 173 00:12:10,140 --> 00:12:16,260 a hundred and and then for just thirty dollars you get something standard I 174 00:12:14,519 --> 00:12:21,839 don't know what exactly they mean I'm guessing that by single digit all you're 175 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:23,279 paying for is a lower number so that you 176 00:12:21,839 --> 00:12:27,360 could say oh I've got I've got number eight I've got number nine I've got 177 00:12:24,959 --> 00:12:33,060 number one you know so you're paying 200 bucks for basically bragging rights if 178 00:12:30,120 --> 00:12:37,440 that's worth it to you hey you know feel free get number three or four whatever 179 00:12:35,519 --> 00:12:40,920 one you want there's one other really cool add-on though that I actually 180 00:12:38,940 --> 00:12:45,000 highly recommend everyone and it's their repair kit one of my problems with a lot 181 00:12:43,260 --> 00:12:48,360 of Boutique keyboards these days is They Don't Really ever come with extras or at 182 00:12:46,860 --> 00:12:53,339 least not anything in terms of like screws or Hardware you might get extra 183 00:12:50,579 --> 00:12:56,519 feet you might get some extra gaskets um but that's typically about it so I 184 00:12:55,260 --> 00:13:00,660 would be totally okay with paying an extra these are like 20 to 50 bucks if 185 00:12:58,680 --> 00:13:04,500 it just comes with an extra set of screws this is a statement piece if you 186 00:13:03,060 --> 00:13:08,700 buy one of these you know if you want to daily drive it good for you I'm glad you 187 00:13:06,360 --> 00:13:12,779 like it however personally I would probably get this try to mod it a little 188 00:13:10,920 --> 00:13:16,019 bit there are a bunch of screws on the bottom here that you can take out and 189 00:13:14,459 --> 00:13:20,339 open it up and do whatever you want to it but 190 00:13:17,459 --> 00:13:23,820 I think I'd just leave it and I would put it on a wall somewhere so that 191 00:13:22,200 --> 00:13:28,860 people could walk up and try typing on a Model F 192 00:13:27,300 --> 00:13:32,760 because it's an experience that kind of sticks with you I remember as soon as I 193 00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:36,480 came here one of the first things I did was seek out the model Amber Model F 194 00:13:34,860 --> 00:13:41,399 that we have in stock and I tried typing on it because I needed to see what all the fuss was about 195 00:13:38,880 --> 00:13:45,720 I wasn't crazy about it then I'm still not crazy about it now four hundred 196 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:49,920 dollars just for like materials and uniqueness alone I think that's a fair 197 00:13:48,120 --> 00:13:54,959 price if you want to take a look at another modern very unique but similarly 198 00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:59,760 priced keyboard you can check out the cyberboard video I did a couple years 199 00:13:56,459 --> 00:14:01,079 ago that thing is also sick and it 200 00:13:59,760 --> 00:14:03,800 sounds a little better but you know that's always subjective