After 10 years of loyal service and surviving countless spillages over the years my wireless keyboard finally died.

Now comes looking for a replacement. I've always had the mentality that "a keyboard's a keyboard" so have never been that interested in the ultra programmable ones or some of those god awful looking "ergonomic" ones.

I've done a fair bit of research already but there are so many out there I figured I'd ask for Bomb Advice.

What do you use? Why do use them? What would you recommend?

My priorities really are just for it to be wireless with a good battery life and with extra keys for media controls. I guess a USB hub would be nice if it didn't rack the price up too much.

i also want a new keyboard . i have been trying different ones for years. i just want one that has chicklet keys and isnt loud, and feels smoothe to type on, and is relatvely small. i dont care about all the crazy gamer extra stuff. BONUS if it has song control (play, pause, back forward) i cant get those to work on my bluetooth keyboard which also deosnt get recognized when im booting the computer up. do the new motherboards recognize bluetooth? thanks for answering every single one of my questions.

Given what you're looking for, I don't think that there is really a "fantastic" option. I don't know any "special" simple wireless keyboards. I was treated well by a Logitech K360 for a compact and quiet keyboard, but it's not mechanical. Then, most won't be unless you want to go for a wireless gaming keyboard.

My only suggestion for a Keyboard right now is to wait for the Corsair Vengeance K95. It's not wireless, but unless you need a TV keyboard you don't need and should probably avoid a wireless keyboard. There's no benefit to it other than being able to take it away from a desk. Other that a wired keyboard is better in just about every way. At least wireless mice don't have a cable dragging or anything to be a benefit. Corsair stuff has very good build quality, and the keyboard is using basically "the" keys that if you're making an awesome keyboard, you're going to use. It isn't like a Logitch with dumb layouts and a trillion dumb buttons. It has a simple chunk of Macro keys (which if you let them be, can be more useful than you might think. If nothing else, you can use them to launch common programs) that are off out of the way, and a few media controls but otherwise it's a simple keyboard. Proper layout, proper keys, solid build. With that layout and those keys, it's not just a good gaming keyboard. The only gaming feature it has is the extra keys. Other than that, it's a very solid and simple keyboard.

It's not out yet but should be very soon.

@tarsier: Just get a cheap logitech. K360 is quiet, compact, and has a good selection of media controls. I got one for about $20 if I recall.

yea i trid that out in a store and i hated the keys.

http://www.smklink.com/products/bluetooth-compact-keyboard

this is the one that i have right now, and i love absolutely everything about it, its the perfect keyboard, OTHER THAN THE FACT that the bluetooth doesnt seem to pick up on the track controls (Fn buttons), and it doesnt get noticed by the startup until the login screen.

im upgrading my PC real soon, do you know if the new bluetooth capable motherboards accept the bluetooth in the startup?

Can't go wrong with a classic mechanical Cherry keyboard, wich cost around 10$. Recently smashed mine in anger, after a decade's worth of service. Emergency-replaced within the hour with a 20 buck Logitec K120. It does the job.

@johnsublime: If you're of the mindset that a keyboard is a keyboard go to Best Buy and say give me a wireless keyboard.

@seppli said:

Can't go wrong with a classic mechanical Cherry keyboard, wich cost around 10$. Recently smashed mine in anger, after a decade's worth of service. Emergency-replaced within the hour with a 20 buck Logitec K120. It does the job.

I think you're missing an 0 on your price there. I've yet to see a Cherry mechanical keyboard for less than $75, and that was on sale.

Go mechanical or go home. After switching from crappy chiclet keyboards to one with Cherry Mx Blue switches (from Das), it's absolutely night and day. Sadly, Das doesn't make wireless keyboards so they don't fit your needs, but I urge you to spend the extra and go mechanical. I type twice as much as I used to, purely because it's so much more satisfying.

The only feature that the OP didn't mention that i highly reccommend is back lit key as i find it alot better for night time typing i.e when i have most my free time.

@eujin:

Mine was 7$ back in 2003. Didn't check since, but unless they've taken the likes of it off the market - or just ridiculously overcharge gamers for ancient-tech mechanical keyboards because they're well-suited for gaming...

...just checked in with my retailer - and yes, the basic mechanical Cherry keyboard does no longer exist. Dang! Really shouldn't have smashed mine to bits then.

Thanks for the advice everyone I ended up going with Dell of all things.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Multimedia-Keyboard-Calculator-buttons-Dell/dp/B00445VTWK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1365494919&sr=8-2&keywords=dell+keyboard+usb+hub

It's cheap, has my multimedia buttons, with a volume slider no less, and two usb ports which apparently are usb 2.0 although the customer reviews say they rarely reach the transfer rate expected. That's fine with me anyways if it's something important I'll plug it into my desktop.

Most importantly it's shape is nice and normal and none of that ergonomic bs. Maybe they are fine but I just can't be arsed getting used to them especially for gaming.

We'll see if it lasts as long as my last one or if I eventually come back whining about how terrible Dell is.

Kind of pointless now but I would have chosen the Logitech G510 keyboard with inter-changeable coloured LEDs with a possible 256million colours to mix and choose from, with an awesome LED screen display at the top of the keyboard. Keys feel absolutely perfect for gaming, and the screen and LEDs look so nice, helps with midnight gameplay also :D