Apple M0110 keyboard review (Alps SKCC Tall Cream)

Skip to 12:52 for a typing demonstration.
Happy new year everybody! We're kicking off 2020 with a classic keyboard from the Apple range. This one has a lot of history behind it! If you're into vintage computing especially, you might like this one :) . Hope you enjoy the video!
My keyboard reviews: bit.ly/1TbOtft
My switch teardowns: bit.ly/2C1QGHz
My TOP X videos: bit.ly/2FmpZfd
My XL typing demos: bit.ly/2OoAW3w
My tutorials and featurettes: bit.ly/2OrkLUh
My unboxing videos: bit.ly/2TSrr0m
I'm Thomas and I do videos and reviews on mechanical keyboards ranging from the most sickening modern RGB gaming keyboards to vintage hardware relics, or sometimes keycaps or keyswitches ranging from Cherry MX to Alps SKCM to IBM buckling springs and anything in between.
Follow me on Twitter for updates on my keyboard videos! / chyrosran22
Hello my name is Thomas and I'm typing on an Apple M0110 right now. This is a classic little oldie, definitely fun to use. Happy new year everyone, hope you have a good one!

[@br9809]

Typing on it sounds like you're making popcorn in a bird cage.

[@stonent]

Noice!

[@daph00]

god i love listening to his voice at 10pm

[@HelixAdamOxford]

Same but at 11 pm

[@brandongrissom4264]

Same but at 3am

[@tiptopchap2178]

Wtf it's literally exactly 10:00PM when I'm watching this

[@GalileoAV]

$250 for a numpad? So what you're telling me is that it's an Apple product...

[@EnterpriseKnight]

@@_Code.Pilot_ Not to be the devils advocate here, but that pencil is godlike.

[@vietnguyen123]

@@_Code.Pilot_ nothing can compare to $1000 stand

[@flamestoyershadowkill6400]

and 100+ buck vesa adapter is some thing they made

[@vygas]

@@flamestoyershadowkill6400 that also broke macs because it's a shite adapter

[@slipknotboy555]

Right? But this numpad was decent, and used Alps switches. More than can be said for now. Their stuff has always been expensive, but at least they tended to make quality, cool stuff in the '70s and '80s

[@pixelatedmushroom]

Thank you for reinforcing the morally correct position that the one button mouse is an barbarous crime against humanity.

[@Johan-ez5wo]

Forced upon us by the devil himself.

[@trashmann1081]

@Barry Manilowa Sure, you appleman

[@LaskyLabs]

@Barry Manilowa yeah but the right click and scroll wheel are... Actually useful. Also your stance is dumb. You don't tell a pilot that "Oh you don't need a million choices, a keyboard and mouse work best for anything." You look at Android's approach to nav keys, and it's simple. One button for multi tasking, one to go home, and one to go back. No swipe from the left side or double click bullshit for going back or to the app switcher. Just because there's more doesn't mean it's convoluted and dumb. It's like saying "Mate why bother with a full keyboard with all those buttons when you could just use a one button keyboard. Look at that right there, that's the best choice, no need for all this """complex""" stuff."

[@alext3811]

Yep. School loaned me a mac in middle school (504 plan) as a middle schooler, and that (along with the MacOS/Linux thing of chrome not updating) eventually led me to bringing a hand-me-down HP (2-in-1, so ~8 years newer than the '08 Mac).

[@Robo10q]

The ping on the Apple M0110 is beyond belief. The audio on this episode came close, but in person I think it is even louder. Its like the keyboard case was made by an acoustic guitar builder.

[@alpzepta]

I love loud keyboard I think this could be a good keyboard for me to type in a 3rd language that is not scripted in Latin letters.

[@Spearra]

4:30 There's one niche situation where it would still be useful. If you don't have a mouse for some reason, you can go into the Windows settings and set the numpad to output mouse inputs. So it turns the numpad into a "mouse" should your actual mouse explode and you're stuck with nothing but a keyboard for a week to get a new mouse.

[@stilllifewithguitar184]

The sound of these keyboards reminds me so much of school and childhood, it's a very emotional response. I got into modern mechanical keyboards after thinking about buying one of these with a usb adaptor but I quickly fell into the black hole that is this hobby with new boards. Thanks for the review. I still might try to get one with an adaptor.

[@Saintbow]

Trying out a new headset and who better...Gods voice!

[@BerendVosmer]

With regards to keys mapping to the “wrong” keycodes, this might not be an issue in the keyboard. I had a Mac and an international keyboard and remember having to load/set the international keyboard mapping in software for it to work properly. Always enjoy your reviews btw!

[@Chyrosran22]

Yes, that's more or less how they always work. Generally boards are much more consistent in different language layouts, though. Programming-wise, it doesn't make a difference of course.

[@tompramanaaccount8892]

Great keyboard review to start 2020 on your channel

[@starbase218]

OMG that ping! It’s like one continuous tone while you’re typing. I didn’t think it would bother me much, but in this case I have to admit that it does.

[@FindecanorNotGmail]

The problem with using phone 4P4C cables is that _some_ on the market were connected in reverse order. For phones that would just swap the polarities on the speaker and the mic respectively, which isn't a big deal for low-fi audio... but you can't do that with a cable for power and serial. BTW. Modular cables are really cheap and easy to make yourself at home. You could crimp them using flat screwdriver if you don't have a crimping tool.

[@RedstoneMiner18]

I haven't heard someone curse so professionally before. I love it!

[@caelan5301]

I have one of these! My great grandmother passed away a few years back and i got her old macintosh.

[@bboysupaman]

Been eyeing these for a few weeks now

[@arstd196]

I just realized that i have apple’s newer full size aluminum keyboard in my room. I tested it and almost all of they keys are dead...

[@constantinosschinas4503]

if it works, it is not apple.

[@linkert810]

My take away is that interesting symbol on the insert key on the IBM kb. I'm working on a custom layout to send to wasdkeyboards and I'm trying to put together a complete set of symbols for all modifier and non-alpha/numerical keys.

[@toufusoup]

Intro got cut out a little but otherwise superb video as always, Thomas.

[@parkerlreed]

Man, been waiting since last decade for a new upload!

[@GenophefeElisabeth]

You should try to replace the springs with ones from SKCM white ones. Works like a charm and feels great!

[@Shot5hells]

the legends on mine look more grey-brown than black, I really like it

[@karellen00]

I don't know if it's just me, but almost all my keyboards seems to ping at least like that: model-M, model-F, and smk 2nd gen with cherry stem. Even on a topre board I have a key on which if you press hard you can hear the spring (it is satisfying anyway as it is the last number of my windows pin). Only cherry ones doesn't seem to suffer this problem!

[@nevinkramer2729]

disclaimers... LOL. like'em, keep it up. one thing to note, a lot of the boards that were manufactured in other countries (japan, malaysia, etc..) had the mitsumi (white bottom) version of the skcc switch. there was also a SMK version (which was also the only version with double shot keycaps). there was also a shift in colors from the two tone beige, to the later "platinum" grey. as i've stated here before, these are some of my favorite sounding stock keyboards. i dare anyone to find a better sounding STOCK spacebar.

[@jjpark98]

> Chyrosran22 [AKA God] has bestowed us with another excellent review

[@OlympusHeavyCavalry]

Interesting little keyboard isn't it!!!! Cheers for the video bud :-)

[@BastyTHz]

what is the name of the layout with numpad ? it really hard to find anything like that now days everyone just made TLK since it use less keys than this but still sell at same price

[@youyoudeyou]

Thanks for you video! May I know if M0110 M0110A Kay cap same color?

[@thexenian]

Noice, upon seeing the title of the video I impulsively plugged my M0110A

[@popezmark]

Little off topics... I recently received my new "TheC64" (full scale Commodore 64 reproduction). It came with a microswitch joystick. The stick was little hard to move, as it was stuck, So I opened it and... oh my god! The switches under the fire buttons are... WHITE ALPS???? Is it possible?

[@justinc8157]

What are these keyboard height restrictions you speak of?

[@Shot5hells]

when I got mine I noticed the ping sounded kinda like some of the sound effects in Dark Souls

[@SirNarax]

4:15 don't give them ideas. Next Tim Apple will bully you into using the clear key if you want to delete selected text at all and removing that functionality from delete and his good pal delete.

[@remiremillard8419]

Have you ever reviewed the mitsumi switch variant? I have one and I prefer it over the skcc variant. A very good second to skcc green.

[@Chyrosran22]

No, but I did review the switches in another board.

[@jeffrey3690]

whats the top keyboard at 2:02

[@zypper7213]

This might've been meant to be implied, but a slight correction (?) about Steve Jobs' intention when designing it without arrow keys: he never meant for USERS to be forced into using a mouse as far as I know, he just did it because he found navigating documents 1 line at a time with arrow keys really clunky himself and left them off to encourage software developers to implement mouse navigation into their programs

[@RockeyDAproductions]

i love my numlock, i even on a full keyboard i often toggle it and use the numpad for navigation. i could live without it but it would piss me off.

[@2dfx]

Practice sentence?

[@elinars5638]

Where are the function keys though

[@sowletluna]

these switches sound like chocolate.

[@cthulpiss]

No internals shown :(

[@compu85]

The M0110 and keypad together have the same layout as the Apple Lisa keyboard from 1983. 99% of those are tall KeyTronic foam and foil.

[@gyozakeynsianism]

"$250 for a numpad. Let that one sink in for a second." "Oh, never mind, that makes sense."

[@InvidiousIgnoramus]

When you referred to the M0110 as the "grandfather of 60%s", I was curious because I thought the IBM Model F 4704 F60 (F62?) Was older. For some strange reason, information on the 4704 Model Fs has been removed from the DT Wiki!? You have any idea why, Chyrosan? It's been such a long time since I've been on that page.

[@Chyrosran22]

No, but the F62 is precisely why I put up that disclaimer :p .

[@Billy_The_Frog]

have you heard of the Tecware Phantom keyboard? what do you think of it as a budget mechanical keyboard?

[@Chyrosran22]

Yeah, I've heard of it, but I don't own one atm. I mean, seems fine, just a budget keyboard. I wouldn't spend any money on a premium-brand keyboard nowadays if they have MX-like switches anyway tbh.

[@Billy_The_Frog]

@@Chyrosran22 i see, thanks

[@shadowcore94]

To be fair: Having the arrow keys in a single row is usable, if you get used to it. It's my favourite layout on a 60%.

[@delphicdescant]

Yeah, anyone who learns the default HJKL in Vim knows that it's perfectly usable. Straight line is more comfortable than a cross or weird L shape imo, but probably not as comfortable as the now-standard inverted T. The best option is having ortholinear or columnar staggered alpha keys so that you can configure an inverted T right on the home row.

[@wkg19591]

Whoaaaaa intense!

[@bluebirdsigma]

Triggered. It's pronounced Eiichi. Anyway what's the point of that Enter key next to the spacebar?

[@hus.1]

ah, here's come the inflation on these things price. XD

[@farstox4656]

This thing pings.

[@bawagamonster]

Oh hell yeah

[@SonicBoone56]

I love pingy boards when they're nice and well built like this or the NEC APC-H412. But not the abomination Amstrad keyboards.

[@TheMilford]

Great vid. Not a ribbon cable.

[@mypeeps1965]

It sounds like a popcorn popper!

[@leocomerford]

3:24 How did Steve Jobs react to Apple embracing the full-on IBM Model M layout? Not well: www.flickr.com/photos/jurvetson/841771/ . 1:02 Computers weren't yet mostly IBM PCs or compatibles in 1984 arstechnica.com/features/2005/12/total-share/5/ so the XT layout wasn't that dominant. (Though I'm not sure what to make of market-share numbers that don't seem to include any MSX machines or Amstrad PCWs ...) The starting point for the M0110's layout was probably the original Apple II keyboard, and there were plenty of Apple II variants and Commodore 64s in use in 1984, all with a compact layout. (Though later Apple II versions had indeed picked up cursor keys in time for Jobs to remove them again for the Mac.)

[@nasanierulastname2997]

I have to say, the kid should have pressed property damage charges against Jobs for almost breaking an ALPS switch like that. And people wonder why Apple computers are so massively overpriced...

[@WizarbReal]

12:25 N I C E

[@walktroughman1952]

Sounds like an Amstrad, but the switches are actually, you know... not rotting death with springs, it's an actual switch.

[@dorstefan]

Apple being Apple

[@vaurisyoutube]

I absolutely love ur voice... ur vids are like a lullaby to me smh😂

[@cheater00]

bro the Corsair K63 Wireless pings WAAAAY more which ia btw why it's useless as a silent gaming keyboard which it is supposed to be with its cherry mx red switches

[@Chyrosran22]

You should hear it in person :p .

[@cheater00]

@@Chyrosran22 why don't you just make a ping comparison video. stop being so lazy :p

[@Chyrosran22]

@@cheater00 I just showed the two pingiest boards I have xD .

[@dumdum7786]

You keep talking about these height restrictions in your videos where you talk about old keyboards, but you never really go into specifics about it, Im a little confused whenever you bring it up.

[@lordmissingno]

Keyboards used to be just any shape and size the manufacturer wanted, but eventually a standard was put into place that said a keyboard couldn't be over a certain height. I'm not personally sure if this was specifically decided upon for ergonomics, but older keyboards can be huge. Look at older(60's-70's) keyboards in comparison to even relatively newer ones(later 80's-90's), and there was an immediate, and quite considerable height change. If you watch Thomas' review of the Tesla MS1SS1 hall effect board, you can easily see just how huge old switch modules used to be, especially when compared to switches like Alps SKCL/M and Cherry's MX.

[@dumdum7786]

@@lordmissingno was this like an actual standard that said manufactures couldn't make a big keyboard even if they wanted to? Or was it just a suggestion that said it would be a good idea?

[@lordmissingno]

@@dumdum7786 I'm pretty sure it was an actual standard, and companies/manufacturers were told they were no longer allowed to sell these taller boards.

[@Chyrosran22]

@@lordmissingno yes, it was a DIN standard. The maximum height was set at 0.725 inches, which is where NMB Space Invaders got their name from.

[@CharlesHydronium]

11:48 THIIICCC AF

[@Supertimegamingify]

2:00 Is H.I.D. short for HHHHHIDEOUS!?

[@jazzbumsmike]

dope

[@InvalidOS]

Your intro seems to have been cut off.

[@IK4MS]

So are we just not gonna talk about the monstrous shitbomination that is this 14.5u layout?

[@alpzepta]

This keyboard is has to be the most time consuming to hook it up to my pc yet. As if paying $150 from japan wasn't enough I also have to buy a tinkerboy to convert it to USB from Philippine which can take month. Even IBM 5576 is faster to hook it up to my pc as the seller is kind enough to bundle it with USB converter. Still I can't wait to try those wonder Alps SKCC switches I'm sick of those Cherry MX switches and plain rubberdome keyboard sounds.

[@ej_tech]

"Jesus Fucking Christ Chomping Chupa Chups" *subscribed*

[@geewiz70]

A few months ago, The Key Company did a small group buy for a geometric aluminium replica of the M0110A called “M0lly”. I pray they didn’t replicate that terrible ping as well!

[@wkg19591]

But.....the ping is the thing! :-)

[@samuelschwager]

Thicc!

[@speedjunkie813]

BUCKLY BOI

[@kevadu]

Noice

[@Rowsdow3r]

I'll just never understand how anybody could be comfortable with such small return/enter keys on the ISO layouts.

[@FindecanorNotGmail]

We're not!

[@JeremyLevi]

I still don't understand how people are comfortable with the "normal" enter key on an ANSI layout instead of a BIGass enter from the Taiwan style layout that takes up the entire space of a normal ANSI enter and the |\ key. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@mohawk4759]

doesnt ISO have a huge enter?

[@Mizai]

delete or the other delete lmao why is there 2

[@sevens12]

Call apples old mouse a toenail mouse

[@Turbo_TechnoLogic]

Tall cream mmmm... now I want a huge cake!

[@user-le8ul4nr5t]

If the ping in this keyboard is amplified by the roomy case, just imagine how much worse it is in an apple IIe, which uses the same switches and a very similar layout, but with the keyboard merged with the PC case.

[@Ferrichrome]

TURBOTHICC

[@wiredelectrosphere]

Seeing this made me realize that apple have't changed one bit and all their practices were always the same. They always made questionable decisions and made people pay super extra for the things they took

[@krystalshocked]

👀

[@Johan-ez5wo]

IBM spend millions in study and design for a good keyboard, thats why the those are the best, and Apple didnt, and thats why everything is Apple, sucks big time.

[@Neightr0]

There's that, and then there's doing things against common sense like making a one-button mouse.

[@Maxi23543]

their mechanical keyboards were good though. especially the AEK which was what I used to type this comment but you're right about everything else though.

[@Fiend404]

they are both good

[@constantinosschinas4503]

we just love mac products don't we.

[@Donbros]

I like how you don't like imperial units. Yes they suck, people must make it normal units. Who decided that feet is exactly how imperial units says XD it is not at all

[@Nohki]

That thing is a beauuuty tho

[@NoTraceOfSense]

Kinda borked the intro

[@VoxNerdula]

thomas the tank engine

[@conortimm733]

Holy hell I’m 16 barley time kinda early

[@okhouri]

Thanks for making fun of imperial units lol

[@rajivissac6055]

classic apple bullshit

[@Dat_1_Guy_Ethan]

Is the M0110 considered a kishsaver?