Is there a guide to the different generations of the keyboard?
I see used keyboards advertised here (a bit overpriced, I think), but am tempted to get a second one.
Which generations should be avoided?
Is there a definitive way to ascertain their generation, besides the ship date? Serial number?
I received mine about 2 weeks ago, does it have a generation?
Thanks,
John
First, some background. A given keyboard belongs to a Mass Production run (“MP” in shortened form), with the run number appended; so MP2 refers to all keyboards which were made during the second mass production run.
Regarding which generations should be avoided: there are currently zero MPs which contain unfixable defects. With that said, early MPs can have issues with repeated keystrokes (if your keyboard exhibits this defect, contact help@keyboard.io and they will walk you through the fix).
If you received yours approximately two weeks ago, it is probably from MP4 (though there is a chance it could be from MP5).
I have an MP1 and an MP4/5, both quiet keyboards. There are a few non-functional differences that I noticed.
I actually like my MP1 keyboard more than the MP5 one, despite the key chattering I experienced. Typing on the MP1 keyboard feels a little smoother. Maybe it’s because of the excessive key switch lubrication (that also caused the key chattering?), or maybe it’s because I’ve typed a few million keys on it already, I don’t know.
Also, the palm key is larger in size on the MP1. I like that, it lessens the amount of wrist movement I have to do to press the key.
I have an MP1 and an MP3 (both soft touch), and I feel the opposite way - I like the slightly more firm touch on the MP3, as well as the different, softer paint finish on the caps (although apparently that varies even within a run due to the multiple keycap providers in play).
What? The palm keys should be 100% identical.
I know I wasn’t imagining things, so I took a closer look, and you
are right, they are the same size. However, my MP5 case is a bit
thicker, so the FN button is sitting a little lower in its case,
making it overall a little “shorter” on the outside.
@jesse How do you tell what production run any given keyboard is from? Is it just by serial number cross reference. Eg MP 1 is serial numbers 000001 to xxxxxx and so on for each production run. Do we have a look up table that is post-able? It would be good to have as reference especially since folks who will be keeping an eye out for a “certified used” model.
Unfortunately, we don’t have a postable list. And it’s not -quite- as
simple as ranges being from certain batches, as the factory didn’t do
what they were supposed to. If you’re thinking of buying a used Model
01, you’re always welcome to drop us a note at help@keyboard.io to ask
about the unit’s provenance. If the seller has the original shipping
box, the shipping date on the original label will usually be a good
tell. Anything shipped from Gilroy, CA is PVT or MP1. MP2 keyboards
shipped the first week of February 2018 from Hong Kong. After that, it
gets messier.
-j