Physical Keyboard Preference

Users lament the lack of physical keyboards on modern smartphones and tablets, preferring them over touchscreen keyboards for better tactile feedback, typing accuracy, and productivity. Discussions often reference nostalgia for devices like BlackBerry and calls for hardware keyboard revivals.

📉 Falling 0.4x Hardware
4,195
Comments
20
Years Active
5
Top Authors
#6552
Topic ID

Activity Over Time

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Keywords

FB R3 OP E71 N97 youtube.com HP IE SMS keyboard keyboards phone touchscreen physical screen typing touch android feedback

Sample Comments

kkarakk Dec 12, 2018 View on HN

>Apple Wired Keyboard/logitech k120...how do you prefer this? it's just one step above typing on a touchscreen, keys are mushy feeling and i keep mistyping because i don't get feedback. also using for long periods of time is murder on the wristshow long have you been held hostage by these kinda keyboards that you prefer them now

jascii Mar 12, 2020 View on HN

I'd much rather have a device with a keyboard..

mike-cardwell Dec 6, 2010 View on HN

The lack of a physical keyboard rules it out for me

zcmack Aug 19, 2022 View on HN

the keyboard is so small, why not just use your cell phone? yes your on screen keyboard is far from ideal but it has already built some muscle memory. typing on a tiny keyboard with a non-standard layout is just painful.

chadlavi Jan 9, 2020 View on HN

Why would I ever want a laptop with a software keyboard?

pxc Nov 12, 2025 View on HN

Not very. Try touch typing on a touchscreen keyboard with haptic feedback

thedaemon Feb 27, 2019 View on HN

Please do this. Slide out keyboards are really something I miss. The touch screen keyboard never respond properly and I have so many typos, the autocorrect suggest things that aren't even words... with a qwerty keyboard 99% of those issue are null and void.

AlwaysRock Feb 3, 2021 View on HN

I had a blackberry until last year. I love a physical keyboard. I know I'm the minority but I'll never be able to type as well on a screen with no tactile feedback as I can on a physical keyboard.

nerfhammer Apr 5, 2018 View on HN

for serious typing, replacing a physical keyboard? no way. You really need good haptic feedback for touch typing.

razeonex Feb 16, 2021 View on HN

I do miss keyboards on devices. This is something I'd really buy.