To really be in the MacBook Pro cult, you need a keyboard with the right symbols etched onto it. Also, I used a PC keyboard with my Hackintosh for a year, and was still confused about which button was ⌘.

If your requirements for a keyboard include Mac key caps, there are surprisingly few options. The first keyboard I’m trying is an Azio model.

Azio’s marketing indicated tactile feedback but without the clickyness. Well, I’m pretty surprised by the loud clicking sounds it makes. I like it better than the MBP’s built-in keyboard (ugh) but you must hear it for yourself. I made a recording of myself typing “the quick brown fox,” along with the sound of opening a can of Coca-Cola for reference:

Besides the loudness, I’m pleased with the keyboard. It has the Mac key-caps and function keys, otherwise-familiar layout, and a durable feel. One more thing of note; the cable has a white, braided cover and is nearly as thick as a typical pencil (shown below.) I’m sure both this and the keyboard itself will show dirt after I’ve owned it for a while. Sadly, Azio doesn’t seem to make this in another color.

Lastly, let me show you the box. Someone really put work into it. I’ll be hanging onto it for a while in case I find the loud clicking to be intolerable and decide to return this keyboard.

Mac users, what third-party keyboard do you like? How would you characterize its tactile and auditory feedback?