In 1984 IBM introduced the legendary Model M, a beast of a mechanical keyboard that utilized a unique buckling spring key switch to make sweet love to the userâs fingers, along with a lot of noise. Unicompâs Ultra Classic is the Model Mâs direct descendant, and itâs almost as good as the original.
If youâve worked in an office environment prior to the turn of the millennium, thereâs a good chance youâe run into one of IBMâs finest keyboard creations.
Back in the day, this was the keyboard you wanted in your cubicle. The Model M was built tough. Its particularly loud keys demanded respect, and the tactile feedback (and pushback) made frequent typing much less of a chore.
The feel and sound of the keyboard is largely thanks to the buckling spring key switches. Most key switches in use today are self-contained units consisting of an enclosed mechanism and some sort of stem. The buckling spring model is a hole in the keyboard with a spring inside of it. Pressing a key buckles the spring, causing the keyboard to register a keystroke. The distinctive sound is created by the spring hitting the inside of its channel.
Itâs a simple and durable design, built to last and able to withstand even the most ravenous over-keyboard eater.
In 1991, IBM divested a number of its hardware operations, including printers and keyboards, to an investment firm that would go on to form Lexmark. In 1996 Lexmarkâs contract to create IBM keyboards expired, and manufacturing rights were sold to a group of ex-Lexmark employees, who formed Unicomp. The Lexington, Kentucky based company has been putting out their version of the Model M for over two decades.
The Ultra Classic is a slightly slimmed-down take on the original IBM Model M, trimming the plastic from the top of the board to create a sleeker, lighter unit. If you want the full effect, go for the pure Classic. I like the extra room.
Specs
Connection : USB
Cable length : 2m
Number of keys/buttons : 104
Switches: Buckling Springs
Length : 17.9 in (455 mm)
Depth : 7 in (180 mm)
Height : 1.96 in (50 mm)
Key Caps: PBT Polymer
Legends: Dye Sublimated
Weight : 1.6 kg
Compatible : PC
Gross Weight : 4.4 lbs
Handmade
Manufactured in Kentucky
Price: $84.00
Whatâs So Great About It?
The Sound: I purchased theUltra Classic from Unicomp on the recommendation of a member of the mechanical keyboard Reddit, who was responding to my stated desire to have a keyboard with a nice, loud âthunkâ to it. Listen to this beauty. Mind the hands.
This is a loud keyboard, but itâs the best sort of loud. Iâve been using it for several weeks now, and every time I lay my fingers on it Iâm 20 years old in the laptop phone support call center of Digital Equipment Corporation, only without the deep and unending despair.
That said, the Ultra Classic is not a keyboard for a quiet evening. It will not make your roommate, spouse or cubicle neighbor happy. But youâre always making them happy. What about your needs?
The Response: The buckling spring key switch delivers outstanding tactile feedback. Itâs almost too fancy a term to describe whatâs going on here. As soon as you depress the key and get that delightful click and bump, the spring propel your fingers to the next target. Itâs giving your fingers a pat on the ass (it makes sense in my head) and saying, âGo get âem, tiger.â
For those familiar with Cherry MX switch feels, itâs sort of like the tactile MX brown and the clicky MX blue got married.
The Look (Pre-Customization): Itâs right there in the name, isnât it? Classic lines, chunky keysâitâs lovely, if youâre into that sort of thing.
Not only do the keys look nice, the legends are dye sublimated, so theyâre basically part of the plastic. You could type on them for three decades and theyâd never fade.
Double Layer Key Caps: Hereâs a neat trick
The key caps on the Unicomp Ultra Classic are in two parts, as they were on the IBM Model M. This makes it easier to swap out caps without potentially screwing with the spring mechanism.
Whatâs Not So Great?
The Odd Blemish: While the Ultra Classic is solid and sturdy enough, occasional blemishes in the plastic might give the impression that it is not. The biggest hurdle I had to overcome before purchasing this keyboard was pictures on the internet showing off marks like the ones on the underside of my unit.
The marks on my Ultra Classic were limited to the underside, so the only items exposed to it are small coins and lint. Just know that the case might not be perfect.
Customization Options: All the pretty keyboard keys are made for Cherry MX or Topre switches. There arenât many options out there for the buckling spring set. Mind you, ânot manyâ doesnât mean none. Unicomp themselves offer various colors of keys for order, which is how my Ultra Classic ended up looking like this:
If you hunt diligently you can even find some lovely custom jobs on places like Etsy
Final Thoughts
The Unicomp Ultra Classic is a monument to the staying power of well-engineered mechanical keyboard technology. You wouldnât use a 30-year-old monitor to play World of Warcraft. You couldnât load Windows 10 on a hard drive made three decades ago. Remember mice with little balls in the bottom? Computer mice. Stop that.
In the Unicomp Ultra Classic we have a mechanical keyboard thatâs essentially the same as one crafted in 1984, and itâs just as satisfying today as it was way back then.
