Laser projection keyboard review

Skip to 11:30 for a typing demonstration.
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My other keyboard reviews: • Thomas' Keyboard Reviews
I'm Thomas and I do keyboard videos and reviews. Today we look at a KB-580 laser projection keyboard. A little bit different from the usual mechanical keyboards I review, it's nonetheless a very interesting specimen, and the smallest keyboard I've ever seen. It's also horrific. Have a nice day.
I test these keyboards so you don't have to. Do not try this at home.

[@baylego]

I remember seeing this, like a decade ago, and being advertised as *The future of keyboards*

[@MiguelFarah]

They started selling them around here in 2004, with more or less the same catchphrase. The "hip kids" where I worked at at the time were into 'em, while I immediately saw some of their defects (Typing straight onto the wooden or glass desk? Nope.) and MISSED opportunities (Those things came with just the one layout, although it would have been trivial to actually have several distinct ones, user selectable and NOT HARD to allow the user to create their own.), so I kept on typing on my Model M while THEY wasted their money.

[@233kosta]

Some also say touchscreens are the future of UI, but really, all they do is reduce the interaction. For example even with the shitty keyboard on my laptop (OK, not nearly as bad as Apple's butterfly shite, but still pretty bad) I still don't have to stare right fucking at it to know what keys I'm pressing. Literally infinitely better at typing than any touchscreen ever could be.

[@happysmash27]

@@233kosta As someone that types on my phone a lot, I can actually type decently when looking away for a few words, but I do need to look at the screen at least fairly frequently for my sentences to not devolve into gibberish.

[@233kosta]

@@happysmash27 I'm sure that if you kept the same phone for 20 years you'd become really good at that 😆

[@GeebyTeenyBooper]

Same

[@digitsdigitsdigits808]

Back in 2nd grade, I got a book at the school book fair called _Cool Stuff and How it Works._ In the keyboard section, they labeled this exact type of keyboard as the "future of typing." Nice.

[@digitsdigitsdigits808]

Also I'm not sure why you didn't just make a peanut-butter-bacon sandwich. Add sliced banana and it's Elvis's (and my) favorite samich. dee-lish

[@Chyrosran22]

pseudo_ I don't like to soil the taste of bacon with that of anything else, generally. With the exception of bacon pancakes, of course.

[@blodstainer]

Cheese and bread doesn't spoil bacon.

[@Wolf_Larsen]

pseudo_ This goes to show, as usual, that you need to be really rather smart to do science-fiction, let alone future-tech. Otherwise you get people just riding the hype train off a cliff.

[@GalileoAV]

OH MY GOD YES I GOT BOTH OF THE COOL STUFF BOOKS BACK WHEN I WAS A LITTLE KID. Dude...memories.

[@nerdyneedsalife8315]

Thomas:"Which lets loose this horrendously loud beep." Me a headphone user: Wait, is he going to- BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP

[@Chyrosran22]

nerdyneedsalife Share in my pain >:D .

[@stampycatfan01lol]

Chyrosran22 BAHAHAHAHAHA I actually had no headphones on! Thanks for the warning though!

[@charlesturner897]

Literally with my note 8 on full volume it was louder than my smoke alarm

[@boyuhh9178]

First keyboard with louder sound then blue switches

[@JackOfHarts96]

Buckling springs are louder than Cherry MX Blues dude

[@jasondoe2596]

0/10 horrible review would not watch again ; you didn't report upon the feel of its switch. (the on/off button)

[@LampreyKisses]

probably depends on whether it's 'on' or 'off' when toggled.

[@hampustornros]

@@LampreyKisses Turning it off prolly feels pretty good.

[@gempjef1635]

0/10 horrible review rewiew would not read again

[@nenidetic]

@@AwesomePossums111 you're not supposed to ask for an opinion... also it was a joke, you moron.

[@blume9787]

@@gempjef1635 wdym?

[@jaredthomas7993]

My headphones aren't good enough to play the deep bass of his voice

[@elmo8597]

Jared Thomas I thought that it was a silent video

[@piss5061]

@@elmo8597 wait it isn’t?

[@JackOfHarts96]

*Wet newspaper with dead octopus on it* Fucking hell it's like typing on Cherry MY all over again! I died.

[@Chyrosran22]

Heheheh, I knew someone would get the reference ;D .

[@JackOfHarts96]

Chyrosran22 You were waiting to use that joke, weren't ya? XD

[@Chyrosran22]

No actually, but it did seem like a natural opportunity xD .

[@mcphoney]

If you press and hold the “FN” and “P” button the beep can be switched off! However that does not improve the overall quality of the keyboard! They are bad! EPIC video review btw! 👌

[@Cyortonic]

If you can even successfully hit those keys, that is.

[@rich1051414]

How do you successfully hit two keys at the same time without accidentally hitting other keys first? I did try to use one of these a long time ago. It was a horrible experience I wish I could wipe from my memory. In fact, I posted about it on geekhack which i think gave Chryos the idea to make this video in the first place. I apologize.

[@Liggliluff]

Let me guess: - It makes a beep each for both key presses anyway - The beep is back on when you turn it back on again, so you have to turn it off every time - The beep when you start it up can't be turned off ...am I right?

[@paulreeder5241]

@@Liggliluff Who cares?

[@fartimedes]

MCPHONEY how u have a check next to ur name

[@memertarian2434]

I remember when every year there was a "rumor" or "leak" that the next iPhone was gonna have laser keyboard

[@TechWalker]

Aqually They were big back in the early 2010s

[@steven_th1303]

and can project their screen

[@Eddies_Bra-att-ha-grejer]

I'd appreciate that, it would likely still be better than typing on the screen.

[@shapetick4096]

@@Eddies_Bra-att-ha-grejer if you can swipe type it's not too bad

[@hahaiseewhatyouredoing9086]

@@Eddies_Bra-att-ha-grejer except that they're less accurate than typing on screen.

[@mmcallery]

1/35th the weight of an IBM model M. Can we please have all future keyboard weights also expressed as a fraction of the model M?

[@xander1052]

Added as an official SI unit, has replaced the KG

[@233kosta]

Which Model M precisely? They do unfortunately come in a range of shapes and mass :/

[@brainandforce]

@@233kosta Clearly the battle cruiser.

[@owlstead]

Ah, yes, M-perial units :P

[@user_1836]

I got your 300th like.

[@wobbled9819]

Typing on bacon, lettuce, baguettes? WTF LOL Top tier review as per usual

[@Chyrosran22]

This one was on the cards for almost a year, so I had plenty of time to come up with ideas ;) . Thanks!

[@xander1052]

Typing on a keyboard!?!?!? Are you a mad man? thats simply ridiculous, water is a way more logical medium.

[@Xaddre]

Don’t forget the newspaper with a dead octopus on it

[@alaeriia01]

@@XaddreThat was just to dunk on Cherry MY switches.

[@fgryson]

Figure 3 in that IBM patent is horrifying.

[@matthewhall6288]

Someone really needs to learn how to draw hands. And in general.

[@YCbCr]

The finger in its own manual is, ehm, weird. :D

[@elokin300]

The second that picture appeared I found your comment

[@hahaiseewhatyouredoing9086]

It might be because they did trying to draw a hand from upfront perspective? Worse is the rightest hand on Fig. 2, looks like an alien hand with claw on it.

[@MinecraftVore]

Love the mechanical feel, and the clicking noise!

[@gearsgamer7115]

It doesn't feel mechanical, and it's a beep not a click XD

[@r2micro373]

How are the switches?

[@Chyrosran22]

They feel... flat.

[@XanthinZarda]

Chyrosran22 Can you tell me about this switch by Nintendo I've been hearing about?

[@stampycatfan01lol]

XanthinZarda it's a game console

[@SweetTodd]

@@stampycatfan01lol Whoosh.

[@dipdip7150]

@@stampycatfan01lol will

[@TheMsdos25]

Of all the sound effects to use, it had to be an ear piercing beep.

[@user-vu8fm5vb4n]

designer 1: what should we put in this thing for feedback? designer 2: i think the feeling of finger hitting surface should be enough, we don't need to add anyth- boss: haha it goes beep beep

[@HelloNewYorkCity]

"Heo my nm L Lhoas andlim toihg o aroje ti eb5d"

[@bamdadkhan]

looks sort of like gaelic : )

[@TuxmanXP]

Maybe it supports Dvorak as well?

[@voehau3479]

hee hel o ether e jny naem i9s xnad er toedqagh we are tgohiu ng roty rfg fujds iuyuea ]' gerherth ewgerwt e

[@hotpockethayes]

R u have stronke?

[@xoitsmaria]

hello my name is Thomas and I'm going to say the n-word

[@michelinthefreeser6816]

11:30 he is speaking the lanuage of gods

[@holaholahee]

You are speaking the *lanuage* of gods

[@zzzzz9654]

Talos?

[@user-eo6rm3bk8p]

i speak a lanauge as well

[@isaacjohnson]

I only found your channel recently, but this is probably the best review I've ever seen on youtube for any type of product. So thank you for this very useful service. I greatly appreciate the pain (both physical and mental) you put yourself through to make this.

[@Chyrosran22]

Isaac Johnson thank you :) .

[@nathantrieu4957]

3:53 that face you make when trying to communicate telepathically with a keyboard

[@Benjaminnegga]

When you try to hold in your fart 😂

[@thermalthruster]

This comment is ruined

[@sonicase]

KB-580 Headquarters: Boss: hey fellas, we need to think up an amazing new keyboard Johnson: how about one with lasers Boss: Johnson that's a good idea, but I don't think it would feel good to ty- Johnson: BUT LASERS..... LAAASSERRR Boss: hmm you may have a point, but it's not shitty enough, we need to add one more thing to make it a little more shitty. Johnson: how about a really annoying beep everytime you activate it. Boss: Johnson, you're a genius!

[@kesters2747]

I thought you said kgb headquarters there for a second

[@xplinux22]

When compared to both physical keyboards and touchscreen keyboards, this product appears to combine the worst of both worlds: you can't touch-type on it like you would a physical keyboard, but it isn't as compact as a touchscreen keyboard and it provides no visual nor haptic feedback that a smartphone keyboard would give. Plus, it beeps!

[@alaeriia01]

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP

[@Ghativega]

*THIS KEYBOARD IS TOTALLY MERDE!*

[@frankstrawnation]

And I say more: ce clavier est totalement shit!

[@aurimo_]

*Nintendo switch*

[@alph5230]

Baguette

[@NigelMontezuma]

Sacre Bleu!

[@Willibef]

Didn't know bacon is **that** multifunctional.

[@Chyrosran22]

Is there anything bacon CAN'T fix? (besides this keyboard obviously)

[@Willibef]

Unfortunately, there is. Depending on where the device is located it could be considered an Orwellian "hate crime". So, *insanity* cannot be fixed.

[@EllipticGeometry]

You don't have to be too worried about lasers. If there's no red spot where you're going to place an eye or camera lens (either via a direct path or after mirror-like reflections), you should be fine. If there is or your room is a hall of mirrors causing unpredictable light paths when you move anything, don't do it.

[@Chyrosran22]

Yes, I figured as much, but my table is varnished, so I didn't want to run the risk of direct reflections damaging it. The sensor doesn't repair any damage it sustains, after all.

[@djsoundboss]

Projecting it on a keyboard would actually be pretty good if it worked right. Assuming it could be adjusted, you could use it on really old keyboards that cannot be converted to work on modern computers.

[@rich1051414]

Actually, the software could be tweaked to support this and would be easier to detect than slamming onto a hard surface. It would even be able to have a configurable actuation distance. The idea, however half baked it sounds on the surface, actually holds water xD

[@wizardsmix7961]

wouldnt it be aproximately 800 billion times simpler to adapt these "unadaptable" keyboards?

[@happysmash27]

Are there any actual keyboards that can't be adapted to modern computers? I don't think I've ever heard of one without an adapter available.

[@hahaiseewhatyouredoing9086]

@@happysmash27 Typewriters.

[@7DegreesOfFreedom]

@@hahaiseewhatyouredoing9086 there's a kit for that

[@InvidiousIgnoramus]

Chyrosan, no! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO YOURSELF! THIS IS WORSE THAN THE FLEXIBLE KEYBOARD

[@Chyrosran22]

Someone has to do it, man. Someone has to protect the innocent from this antediluvian horror!

[@stampycatfan01lol]

Chyrosran22 and you do an excellent job at it! I watched several videos of keyboards with blue Alps, and I need to find one with those switches to replace a keyboard with Cherry MX Blue!

[@jcdentongaming1304]

Ah yes anime girl jotaro

[@InvidiousIgnoramus]

@@jcdentongaming1304 Hm yes, quite right you are, JC.

[@jcdentongaming1304]

@@InvidiousIgnoramus heh

[@youpie]

best english accent of the whole Netherlands!!

[@eduardkalmanawardze]

So he is Dutch?

[@swooved]

What??? Dutch? I thought he was american???? Im from the Netherlands and no one has this good of a accent

[@SimGunther]

9:13 apparently predicted the future. YIKES!

[@Saber19TB]

The only situation in which I'd actually find something like this useful is if you were to use it in a sterilized area and the surface needs to be 100% clean. Although even then there are plastic keyboard covers for that.

[@danhinchliffe7622]

What are the switches like though? They sounded linear

[@yuya0064]

Maybe red linear

[@draconicreconcile]

Nah because it produces a lot of noise

[@agrisimfarming]

Technically they are the smoothest linear switches in existence because there is no friction except with the air

[@boiledicetea]

how can something SOUND linear?

[@danhinchliffe7622]

@@boiledicetea no click on the down stroke. it just bottomed out.

[@TheRealFaceyNeck]

This might be the best review of any product ever thus far that I have seen.

[@petergorelov418]

It was hilarious! Thank you for this review! ;)

[@francesco6370]

Clearly one of your best videos

[@GrimCrumbz]

I like that it's made to save room on your desk, but you still need to make space about the size of a keyboard for the laser to project

[@toolthoughts]

YES! I've been waiting for your take on one of these... things.

[@gromburt]

This video took some funny twists and turns I wasn't expecting. Great stuff! I'd have loved to see you try gaming on it

[@sircompliments5380]

"This is a lot more satisfactory! Especially if you turn the projection keyboard off!" I love this channel XDD

[@ekkekekeie6956]

Omg this mic is so good and ur voice is quality, videos are very well made u deserve much More subs

[@blu777]

You have a nice voice and are really good at getting points across. Subbed. Keep it up!

[@Steve-eh2rp]

The day is that bit better when I see you’ve posted a video 😂

[@juliaz12345]

Best keyboard review ever.

[@ajlakanen]

My god your reviews are hilarious!

[@OmniSzron]

Thank you for enduring this so that others don't have to. You have my sincere gratitude.

[@GraemeGunn]

What would be really cool would be a device like this where you set up your own keyboard layout (different sizes too?) and use it as a secondary keyboard. I'd buy one of those.

[@jpoprockz1735]

Best review ever, perhaps they can replace the "beep" with the sound of Cherry MX Blue... oh wait....

[@drkRoss89]

I remembered being tempted to get this at the time it came out due to its quirky nature. Thankfully, I decided to get a Microsoft Sidewinder X4 membrane keyboard.

[@fallingfromgrace6966]

"following as a video of me attempting to type on this peace of boiled dogshit"......you got me deceased with that at the end. LMAO. I think I'm gonna have to stick to your videos cause you are hilarious man. Thanks for the videos. This is actually the first video I watched of yours and it made me subscribe in an instant mate. A job well done.

[@Saintbow]

Did you try a nice soft pair of 38 Double D's to type on? I hear they have perfect tactile touch and you don't have to worry about bottoming out. Plus you can either go all natural for a more softer touch or enhanced for a more rigid springy touch =)

[@Darkreaper800]

This is an amazing review thank you

[@ScottehBoeh]

I like the Duke Nukem toilet reference :P

[@Liggliluff]

I wonder if a mouse mat would be a better surface, it will be softer to touch on.

[@leocomerford]

It's fun to overanalyse! :D 6:33 A cloth mousepad like the Steelseries QcK steelseries.com/gaming-mousepads/qck would show the keyboard image well while saving your fingertips somewhat, and it would roll up for portability. But the extra bulk of even a small mousepad would greatly reduce this keyboard's only attraction beyond novelty, its size and weight advantage. 3:24, 11:29 It seems that accuracy might be OK if you stick to one-handed index-finger hunt-and-peck at a measured pace. The real problems seem to begin when you bring other fingers forward, involve both hands at once or start pushing the pace. This does help to highlight why that antisocial beep noise is there though: there has to be some source of feedback on input registration which works when you're looking at the keyboard surface itself. Some visual feedback on the projected screen would have been a good alternative ... At the very least it should have been possible to send the audio signal as BT audio to the connected device so at least you could listen to it over headphones. And there are other disadvantages you didn't even get to. One is that you're going to have to find a surface to use this on wherever you want to use it: and you need both a projection surface for the keyboard image and a stable perch for the projector itself. The throw on the projector looks like it *might* be just narrow enough to use the keyboard on the seatback tray you find on trains or planes, but I wouldn't bet on it. I think you could forget about using this on your lap, unless you want to carry around some kind of tray or other hard surface to put there, in which case you really would be better off just taking an actual keyboard. Finally, how heavy is this thing, and how is the weight distributed? Even in the best case, with that narrow base I have to imagine that it would be prone to at least wobbling when your train or plane lurches around, if not toppling over and skittering through the cabin. You could remediate that by using adhesive or crafting some kind of little stand for it ... if it were worth the hassle. Even with all that said, this might still be a little nicer than typing on a smartphone keyboard! Whenever you can get it set up properly, at least. The real final downfall of this thing, as a portable personal input device for mobile users, is that a little folding butterfly-switch Bluetooth keyboard roughly matches or completely trounces it in all relevant categories, including portability, battery life and price. The folding keyboard will even just about work on your lap. (Meanwhile the true mobile-input hardcore will be using their 60% or 40% mechanicals; or their Twiddlers www.tekgear.com/twiddler3.html ; or speech-to-text with their Stenomasks www.amazon.com/SR-microphone-professional-communicate-microphone/dp/B0756KXK6G/ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stenomask ...) But it likely *does* have a reasonable use-case beside novelty or decoration. It might be pretty good as the keyboard for a kiosk-like setup in a public or semi-public atrium/hallway space, especially one where users won't typically type much more than their name or a few letters of a search term. In that kind of application a few input beeps aren't the end of the world and a solid typing surface can be provided: meanwhile, most real keyboards with physical keys will get trashed astonishingly quickly and those that can withstand the wear and tear are often even more horrible to use than this thing. In that situation it would be competing head-to-head against capacitive touch surfaces, but it might have advantages of price, convenience and robustness (not so much physical robustness as risk of lagging, bluescreening or getting pwned).

[@jozseflevai3282]

Remember The Good Ol' Days when back in the 1990s and early 2000s, typing and PC gaming on a Laser Projected Keyboard seemed like the future of bleeding edge computing? Check your calendars, kiddies. This is your wake up call from that dream.

[@rodrigoacosta9708]

Like some people here in comments said, yes I also remember those horrible "keyboards" in magazines and books in the past, and yes they were portrayed like the things we were using probably not only today but since middle 2000´s. I´m really glad that never happened, but if you stopped to think for just a moment, who could imagine himself hitting the table, like a satisfactory sensation??? Horrid from the beggining....

[@EvolMate]

Wow, Jeff Wayne music! Thanks for that. Wish I could subscribe TWICE or like the video TWICE to show youtube how amusing and satisfying this vid was :D

[@sanxia1408]

I swear the intro song was Megalovania for a second

[@vivimewved]

same-

[@sanxia1408]

@@vivimewved it came out 2 years ago so I wouldn't be surprised if it was haha

[@ericlast4627]

Thanks for making this. I'm going to mount my monitors to declutter my deskspace and was looking at these. Exactly what I thought may be the issue. I actually need to type. If I pecked at the keys like my parents, I could use this.

[@Rosa-cr7qc]

These are actually great! Projected on top of my holy pandas and they feel and sound amazing!

[@SeanPAllen]

That looks like it feels amazing!

[@garrettsaunders]

probably one of the cooler intros i have seen

[@Lachlant1984]

I'd be interested to know what you think of the touch cover keyboard that's available for the Microsoft Surface tablet.

[@sh0bez]

The sound of this keyboard still echoes in my brain.

[@felaflame]

Thanks for the review. One of the funniest keyboard review ever.

[@Lmuussi]

Cgrats 69k subs

[@thierrydelage1681]

FYI, to lower the volume you have to press FN + right arrow (FN+right arrow lowers it, FN+left arrow raises it, FN+m mutes it). You can also adjust the brightness of the laser diode (FN + up arrow makes it more bright, FN+down arrow dims it). I guess you simply had no manual shipped with yours :=))

[@konfukuzawa]

Nice review, hilarious video!

[@ethanzarian3163]

What is the best keyboard that you have ever used in your opinion that would be The best for modern gaming I am working on a project and would like your input As you know what you're talking about

[@PurpleLoverYuri]

This is really good for streamer with anger issues imagine watching a streamer and seeing them trying to pick it up and destroy it

[@new-account704]

This is the future of keyboards.

[@zxuiji]

What you mean "still need a bag"!? Fits in my pocket just fine, cable an all, also I still prefer the lazer keyboard over the roll up one, somehow the soft keys actually hurt my fingers more than a somewhat hard surface, ie my jumper spread out on the table with the lazer board projected onto that, I'm actually considering looking for a touchscreen keyboard instead, seen any like that?

[@-SinCyrus-]

Why does he sound like a evil anime character?

[@tomservo5007]

didn't realize he was speaking japanese

[@pyroptosis]

Man, I love your videos also you sound exactly like the Postal Dude.

[@JRKhoury18]

This is just one of those ideas where you just ask, why?

[@Chyrosran22]

Jim Ramsey Khouri Hiya Jim :) . Honestly, probably just because it looks cool xD .

[@canonwright8397]

Help me obi wan kenobi, your my only hope!

[@StinkyLand]

That intro was satisfying lmao

[@ScottNelsonTheMagician]

Hi Chyrosran22! Did you try typing with it projected on the wall? (That would probably be the best keyboard for those locked in a padded room... ) Or maybe you could project it on the floor and then jump on the keys like Tom Hanks in BIG??

[@guyug6940]

Can you change the switches to cherry MX blacks?

[@TobiasWeg]

I had a lot of fun watching this!:D Great job;) Not the keyboard, but the Video;)

[@cb235]

as soon as i saw the title i knew i was in for a good vid.

[@DrathVader]

Without even watching the video I can tell I'm going to learn a bunch of new ways to curse.

[@PulledPurk]

I'd love to hear you do an impression of Snake Jailbird. Good work by the way.

[@Liggliluff]

Because it's a lazer keyboard, you should be able to choose whichever layout you want. But I bet they didn't consider that.

[@cm5g]

next they should do a full laser gaming set (monitor, pc, mouse)

[@hasanbasribozkurt1146]

isnt the laser thing on the right side of the thumbnail is from 2001 space oddysey

[@wonsikyang891]

this what Elon used when naming his child

[@XeomKY]

yes

[@chapterblaq]

Your voice has a very calming quality about it.

[@story_gasm]

why does it sound like that, is there a button to turn it off?

[@TheEvilLordExdeath]

The beeping reminds me of when you're using a microwave

[@average7962]

in 7th grade they said this was the "future of typing" im still rockin with my mechanical keyboards

[@user-zr2lz7xg1r]

How can i turn off the sound?

[@jayfaraday1176]

Man, this dude must've had some crazy dinner with all those ingredients.

[@hugoolofsgard415]

Surely has the absolute best keyfeel ever.

[@Kamexe]

I heard that laser projection keyboards would be the future

[@incongruous4]

Funny that this type of keyboard was imagined to be the future, however we've gone backwards trying to recreate 1970s buckling springs

[@edmondloo1975]

Thank u for the honest review! 👍

[@codysoper6]

What about a flexible/floppy rubber dome keyboard?

[@theothu]

So, what switches did you choose?

[@flippy10234]

Does anybody know that MTV show where people reviews rooms and would occasionally use this keyboard?

[@ghb323]

Just when I thought clickey switches are the noisiest sound, the beeping kills it.

[@gunseekers]

12:13 is giving me food wars flashbacks because of the tentacles + peanut butter

[@puffdaddy705]

Fancy seeing you here