MacBook Pro 15-inch
Apple’s flat-topped island-style keyboard is the same one the company has used on the previous couple of generations of the MacBook Pro.
HP Mini 5102
We were concerned when HP ditched its closely packed, wide, flat Netbook keys for a redesigned island-style keyboard.
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge / x100e
The ThinkPad Edge represents a new direction for Lenovo: a redesigned raised “chiclet” keyboard for its ThinkPad products.
Sony Vaio E
Like Apple, Sony makes fantastic raised-key keyboards for its higher-end Vaios. The keys tend to be sturdy with little wobble; they press down cleanly; and they have good spacing and ample room on the side for your hands to rest.
Alienware M15x
This keyboard has a more traditional tapered key design, rather than the wider, flat keys many laptop makers are partial to these days.
HP Envy 13
This sunken keyboard is made up of widely spaced, flat-topped keys, and vital keys such as the Backspace, Tab, and Shift buttons are, thankfully, full size. The up and down arrows are on the small side, but the entire keyboard feels solid and a pleasant matte finish makes it very comfortable.
Acer Ferrari One
Most of the interior real estate of this 11-inch Netbook is taken up by the large keyboard, with flat, nearly edge-to-edge keys.
Gateway EC14D07u
This keyboard may seem nearly identical to the one we liked on the Acer Ferrari One, but the end result is very different. The keyboard on this system has so much give that it almost feels as if it is a glued-on Palm Pilot portable keyboard that escaped from our basement. Despite the generous key sizes, the keyboard literally bounces under your fingers and feels cheap and insubstantial.
Toshiba Satellite series
We’ll hand it to Toshiba for its sturdy construction and well-engineered overall designs, but that makes the company’s decision on keyboards seem even more like a thumb in the eye.
