Symbolics Space Cadet keyboard review (Honeywell Hall effect 4B3E)
Chyrosran22Cited 3× on HN, 2019–2023
demo · general · evergreen · 2019–2023 on HN
A review of the Symbolics Space Cadet keyboard, with its Honeywell Hall effect switches, including how it sounds and feels, and a typing demonstration. It is part of a series of vintage keyboard reviews.
Linked in Lisp machine threads as the go-to video on the Space Cadet keyboard and how its switches differ from the Knight keyboard.
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3 comments from Hacker News
Review of the keyboard: link And same reviewer on an original Space Cadet: ▶ this video NSFW language here and there.
As gumby says, the Space Cadet keyboards, being Microswitch Hall effect-based, were a bit spongy due to the big plastic case, but the switches themselves were dreamy. But the whole experience was still not as satisfying as the original Knight keyboards, I suspect because the Knight boards used the original, larger switches, while the Space Cadets used the smaller. Chyrosran22 on Youtube explains all this ( link and ▶ this video ). By the way, after 40 years of despairing over the loss of Hall effect switches (I nursed a Space Cadet Livermore Labs clone from a group buy for some years into the mid-80's), there are now two keyboards using this technology, and I'm loving the one that's actually available. Steelseries Apex Pro is what's now shipping, and it's a dream. ( link ) The Input Club Keystone is still coming, slowly ( link ), but I'm also really looking forward to trying it.
This is more Deskthority link country I'd think. Thomas Ran has YouTube videos on the Space Cadet keyboard ▶ this video and several other Hall-effect specimens.