The Model M - Black Label vs Blue Label vs Unicomp - Did Quality Decline??

ripster

Quote:

The 42H1292 design and post-1993 1370477s and 1391401s, mostly made by Lexmark and Unicomp, include drainage channels to prevent this, though it is done at the expense of a slight reduction in the keyboard's overall quality.[citation needed]

I'm sure many of you have read this entry in Wikipedia and wondered about what it meant. Often at Geekhack you will see comments like "Blue Labels are inferior" or "avoid Lexmarks".

How true is this?

Now this post won't serve as the definitive answer but I will outline I think a reasonable checklist for Geekhackers to use when evaluating the internal quality of a keyboard.

My conclusion upfront: I think that Wikipedia entry is bogus. The Model M's changes in quality components over the years is minor at best and won't affect typical usage. Unicomp has done some minor cost cutting that affects cosmetics more than functionality.

First, some caveats.

* I do NOT have the most complete collection of IBM M's. I'm not a collector so I just have a 1992 Model M 1391401 Grey Label (Clickykeyboards.com calls these "White Label", a 1993 Model M Space Saving Blue Label, and a Unicomp 2009 Space Saver.
* Somebody needs to check the Lexmark fixed cable Model Ms internals - probable ARE some differences there.
* I'm going to talk ONLY about the internals. There are plenty of reviews about cosmetic issues such as shell design, color, and plastic molding artifacts. Key feel is pretty subjective and varies from review to review what "quality" means. I can say for sure the Unicomp is 5g lighter than a NIB Model M - pretty much what other people have noticed.

I'm dividing the comparisons into the following sections"

* The Case, or one word: "PLASTICS"
* Pedal to the Metal
* Electronics
* Conclusions

IBM Model M's are easy to open up, just grab a socket wrench. Remove the two screws and lift the key assembly up and out.

The Unicomp is a little trickier. I'm tugging on the thing and it's no go. A hidden screw under the label? Nope. It's this stuff, typical dual sided foam tape for posters.

Annoying but it may help dampen the sound. Notice though that the Unicomp uses the same construction method of an IBM Model M. Although this one is USB their innards will drop right into a IBM Model M shell according to Unicomp.

I then weigh the shells.

And the type of plastic?

At first I thought Unicomp was using typical polystyrene because it felt stiffer but nope, it's ABS and Polycarbonate mix.

I'm almost positive the IBM's are ABS as well but the only way to tell for sure is to throw them into a wood fire and see if they burst into flames explosively. I'm not gonna do that.

Next up, the infamous drainage holes.

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