The ability to focus on one thing at a time and do it well crumbles under the weight of countless demands for our attention: social media, emails, Glossier sales, Amazon lamps, finding the best book to read. . There’s something to be said for simplicity, not having a billion tabs open and frantically navigating between them.
How exactly can modern comfort and concentration be reconciled? If you’re writing a book or a screenplay or even an article for ZDNet, how can you focus entirely on writing and not get distracted by a Google search or a YouTube rabbit hole?
Enter the Typewriter Keyboard, which takes all the positives of typewriters, such as focus and mechanical switches, and adds connectivity to familiar word processors and devices. When you use a typewriter keyboard with your iPad, phone or laptop, you know it’s time to type – and everyone around you will know too.
I’ve found the best typewriter keyboards to fit your desk perfectly and provide a smooth writing experience. Who knows, with a little focus and elbow grease, you might even write a bestselling novel.
Features:
- Compatible devices: Windows, iOS and Android
- Connectivity: wired or wireless
- Paired devices: up to three
- Material: Aluminum, metal, wood
- Number of buttons: 83
- Price: $119.95
This typewriter keyboard combines aesthetics and durability: it features impact-resistant switches that won’t wear out and they’re built into an aluminum and wood-grain panel exterior. Connectivity options include Bluetooth and wired; you can connect up to three devices at once for maximum control over your work. This means you can wedge your iPad into the machine while typing, then seamlessly switch to your desk or phone while still connected to all three devices.
You can adjust your device volume and key backlight using button encryption. The keyboard incorporates anti-ghosting technology, which ensures that your key presses are sent accurately to prevent typos. Keys won’t get stuck and can be exchanged easily. If you are a gamer, you will appreciate the precision of this keyboard.
It is an aesthetic machine that works well. It is mid-priced as far as quality typewriter keyboards go, but it performs all the necessary functions with class.
Advantages:
- Keys won’t wear out
- Anti-ghosting technology
- Built-in tablet and phone holder
- Supports up to three devices at once
The inconvenients:
- Keyboard may not be comfortable to use for people with larger hands (according to Amazon reviews)
- No way to see how much battery is left if you’re using it cordless
Features:
- Compatible devices: iOS, Android, MacOS, Windows 10
- Connectivity: wired or wireless
- Paired devices: up to three
- Material: scratch resistant aluminum
- Number of buttons: 83
- Price: $299.99
It’s a superb typewriter keyboard: aesthetically and mechanically, it’s perfect. On the price side, not that much.
It produces that loud clicking sound you want from a typewriter, it’s made from scratch-resistant aluminum, and it can easily fit most 12-inch tablets, including the 12-inch iPad Pro. Bluetooth connects to up to three devices, and the keys feature German-designed Cherry MX click switches.
The issue that kept coming up with verified Amazon reviewers is that key tags wear out quickly. So the machine could last for years, but the keys might need to be replaced sooner than that. The cost of this machine is high and the cost of replacing keys is added to it. However, the luxury materials and design used to create it might be worth it.
Advantages:
- The tablet holder supports a device up to 12.9 inches
- Supports USB-C
- Long battery life
- Made of scratch resistant aluminum
The inconvenients:
- Cable to connect to laptop or other device is 4′ instead of 6′
- Keys start to fade with prolonged use and replacement keys can be expensive
Features:
- Compatible Devices: Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Mac OS X, Windows XP, Windows VISTA.
- Connectivity: Wired
- Paired devices: N/A
- Material: Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), metal
- Number of buttons: 81
- Price: $44.95
This is the typewriter keyboard to get if you want all the aesthetic benefits – plus a little extra.
The backlit keyboard has ten preset backlight colors and flash speeds for ultimate customization. It is made of ABS and metal, with a matte finish and a gold-plated USB connector.
The keyboard does not make loud clicks when typing due to the brown mechanical switches. They do the same thing as the Cherry Mx Brown switches on the more expensive Qwerkywriter keyboard.
The Huo Ji keyboard is smaller and can’t connect wirelessly to multiple devices, but these could easily be pros: you can fit the keyboard on smaller desks, and you don’t have to deal with wireless technical difficulties and unpaired automatic connectivity.
Advantages:
- Easily configure backlight for brightness, pattern, animation speed, color, etc.
- Anti-ghosting keys
- Keys are durable up to 50 million clicks
- Quieter clicks
The inconvenients:
- Can only connect to one device at a time
- It has 81 keys instead of the usual 83
Features:
- Compatible devices: PC, Mac, Tablet, iPad, iPhone, Android
- Connectivity: wired or wireless
- Paired devices: up to three
- Material: Aluminum, metal
- Number of buttons: 83
- Price: $139.99
This ergonomic keyboard has keys that never fade, 21 backlight modes to choose from, and design elements for comfort. The pearlescent finish results from the metallic and matt paint, and there are pleasing touches of gold throughout the keyboard, from the gold dual-function control knob for sound and light control to the gold lettering and the space bar.
The package comes with spare caps for the ESC and Space keys in white – the default is gold, so you can swap them out with the spare white keys if you like. The keyboard doesn’t always save your OS settings when you turn it off, which can disable shortcuts, but you can easily change your settings with a two-key action to turn it back on. If you’re using this wireless keyboard, you’ll need to remember to charge it.
Anyone who wants a minimalistic mechanical keyboard designed for ergonomic comfort will appreciate this one.
Advantages:
- Keys never fade
- Designed for ergonomic comfort
- 21 backlight modes
- Dual function control button
- Easy to read battery level
The inconvenients:
- It looks more like a keyboard than a typewriter
- Monochrome backlight
- It doesn’t come with a numeric keypad – you have to buy it separately
Features:
- Compatible devices: Windows, Android or iOS systems.
- Connectivity: Wireless
- Paired devices: up to three
- Material: not specified
- Number of buttons: 86
- Price: $54.99
This compact keyboard with typewriter-inspired keys is just 14 inches long; You can pair it with up to three devices and switch between them using the FN key and 1, 2 and 3. The built-in tablet/phone holder is 12 inches long, it can so hold most tablets.
This keyboard doesn’t come with a wire at all – it only runs on batteries. If you forget to turn it off, it automatically goes into sleep mode after 20 minutes.
Advantages:
- Integrated tablet and phone holder
- Choice of trendy colors
- It comes with an extra keycap, batteries and a manual
The inconvenients:
- No option for wired connectivity
- Some reviews mention that there is no manual in English
The Centaurus won the best overall title, but the other options on this list offer their own features.
typewriter keyboard | Price | Connectivity | Paired devices |
Centaur | $119.95 | Wired or wireless | up to three |
Qwerkywriter | $299.99 | Wired or wireless | up to three |
Huoji | $44.95 | Wired | N / A |
Azio | $139.99 | Wired or wireless | up to three |
Yunzii | $54.99 | Wireless | up to three |
Each keyboard has its unique and remarkable feature. Which keyboard is right for you depends on the features you care about most.
Choose this typewriter keyboard… | If you want… |
Centaur | A keyboard that looks and feels like a typewriter |
Qwerkywriter | Luxurious materials and a smooth typing experience |
Huoji | A colored wireframe option only |
Azio | An ergonomic keyboard |
Yunzii | A fully wireless non-mechanical option |
I compared different products and picked the best keyboards based on price and range of add-ons. I wanted to provide an overview of the types of typewriter keyboards available, as well as showcasing the most appealing options currently on the market.
The answer to that depends on how much you’ll be using the keyboard and whether it can help focus your time. The appealing element of a typewriter keyboard for me is that I can enter a headspace reserved for writing and block out other distractions. I also like their looks and versatility, connecting to multiple devices.
Yes — a typewriter keyboard! The sound of the keys can be a plus or a minus depending on whether you like the sound of a typewriter. Usually, typewriter keyboards are much softer than a standard typewriter, but they are louder than a regular computer keyboard.
Some of them are, like the Azio keyboard, which was designed for ergonomic comfort.
Sure. The following products weren’t on the top of the list, but they still have their benefits.