Matias Quiet Pro claims to be the 'world's quietest mechanical keyboard'
Canada's Matias Corporation has made something of a name for itself with its tactile keyboards, but those have primarily appealed to those who also enjoy (or at least accept) the sound of a mechanical keyboard in addition to its feel. The company's hoping to bring a few more into the tactile fold with its new Quiet Pro, though, which it claims is the "world's quietest mechanical keyboard." That, Matias says, comes without any sacrifices to tactile feedback, and is said to be the result of more than two years of work. As usual, the keyboard comes in both PC and Mac specific models (all-black and silver & black, respectively), each of which boasts three USB 2.0 ports and laser-etched keys with beveled keytops as opposed to the increasingly common flat variety.
Not surprisingly, you can also expect to pay a bit of a premium over your average keyboard -- each model will set you back $150, with US models available today (UK, German and Nordic versions are promised for January). Interestingly, the company says it is also planning to sell the new switches it's developed to other companies for use in their own keyboards, and even to hobbyists interested in going the DIY route. Additional details on that are promised soon.
Show full PR text
Matias releases World's Quietest Mechanical Keyboard
TORONTO, September 20, 2012 - For users who crave the feel and speed of mechanical keyboards, but are put off by the noise, Matias has the solution...
Today, they released the Quiet Pro Keyboard, an ultra-quiet version of their award-winning Tactile Pro.
"Users love the Tactile Pro, but it's too loud for some work environments. Other mechanical keyboards have the same problem - too loud to use in a shared office, too loud to use near other people. Now, we finally have a solution. A mechanical keyboard that's tactile, feels amazing, and is no louder than a regular keyboard," said Edgar Matias, CEO of Matias.
With ultra-thin, flat keyboards now the norm, many users find them uncomfortable and awkward to type on. This has led to a resurgence in the popularity of higher-quality mechanical keyboards, which were commonplace in the early days of the computer industry. The only drawback is that they've always been louder to operate - until now.
"We've been working on this for over 2 years. We had to develop a whole new keyswitch to do it. It was an enormous undertaking. We weren't even sure if it was possible - but we managed to pull it off. It feels just as good as the Tactile Pro, but it's quiet," said Matias.
Matias also plans to sell its new switches to other companies, who wish to produce their own quiet mechanical keyboards. More details will be released soon.
"After doing all this work to develop these amazing new switches, we didn't feel it was fair that they only got used in our products. So, we're planning to start selling them as stand-alone components. Other keyboard companies can buy the switches, and incorporate them into their products. We even plan to sell them in smaller quantities (on our website) for hobbyists who want to build their own custom keyboards," said Matias.
Price & Availability
The Quiet Pro is $149.95 (US) with separate PC and Mac specific versions. The US models are available now from www.matias.ca and authorized resellers.
http://matias.ca/quietpro
UK, German, and Nordic (Sweden, Finland, Norway) models will be released in January and are available for pre-order from The Keyboard Company.
http://matias.ca/keyboardco
In Japan, the Quiet Pro for Mac will be available from Diatec (Filco).
http://www.diatec.co.jp
About Matias
Co-founded by an inventor and an accountant, Matias is a leading keyboard manufacturer, especially popular in the Mac market.
Quiet Pro, Tactile Pro, Matias, and the Matias logo are trademarks of Matias Corporation. Apple, Mac, and Apple Extended Keyboard II are trademarks of Apple, Inc. The owners of other trademarks are respectfully acknowledged.
