Here I am again with my vintage collection— but this time it’s not about computers. I’ve written many times about my love for the Apple Extended Keyboard II, and I think I’ve finally found peace when it comes to keyboards after combining it with Touch ID and making it my primary keyboard.

I haven’t stopped rotating through other keyboards, and the REALFORCE R2 is still my solid second choice because Topre switches are my other secret love. But the AEK II holds a permanent place in my heart. So much so that I now own four of them, plus one more that I disassembled, desoldered the switches, soldered them onto another PCB, and built a different keyboard around them. Unfortunately, during this “transplant,” it lost the AEK magic, so I don’t use it anymore.

However, in the process of collecting Macs and studying the history of the AEK, I began gathering other interesting Apple keyboards that once used mechanical switches. I’ve delved so deeply into this that I now own nearly all the key Apple keyboards with mechanical switches. I want to tell you a bit about them. This is a deep rabbit hole, and you’ll come away with a wealth of knowledge about vintage Apple keyboards that you probably don’t need.

Macintosh Keyboard (M0110)

This keyboard was introduced by Apple alongside the launch of the new Apple Macintosh computer in 1984. One of its most striking features was the absence of navigation arrow keys. Legend has it that Steve Jobs insisted on this to encourage developers to design applications that utilized the mouse. This keyboard also marked the debut of the Command key, used for the keyboard shortcuts we all know.

It connected to the computer using a cable with telephone connectors, though it couldn’t actually be used with a phone. The keyboard used Alps SKCC switches. At the time, Alps Electric switches dominated Apple keyboards until the widespread adoption of cheaper rubber dome keyboards pushed the company to move away from mechanical designs.

Macintosh Plus Keyboard (M0110A)

This keyboard was designed for the Macintosh Plus, released in 1986. As you can see in the photo, it includes a numeric keypad and arrow keys. By that time, Apple had already parted ways with Steve Jobs, and there was no one left to push through some brave ideas. The keyboard still used the same telephone cable for connectivity.

Depending on the region of manufacture, this keyboard could come with Alps, Mitsumi, or SMK switches. Personally, I wasn’t impressed by the M0110 or M0110A when it came to usability: the keyboards are quite tall, making it awkward to position your hands while typing. The tall case also creates a hollow, echo-like sound while typing. The switches themselves didn’t feel particularly remarkable.

Apple Desktop Bus Keyboard (A9M0330)

This keyboard marked a shift from using telephone connectors to the Apple Desktop Bus (ADB), designed for connecting external accessories like keyboards or mice. Interestingly, this connector was initially developed for Apple IIGS computers, which were still being sold alongside the Macintosh line. Apple eventually adopted it for Macs as well, but this specific model, introduced in 1986, is better known as the Apple IIGS Keyboard.

One unique feature was an additional ADB port for connecting a mouse directly to the keyboard. Thanks to the ADB architecture, peripherals could now be daisy-chained. The keyboard also included a power button, and its design adhered to the Snow White aesthetic developed by Frog Design for the Apple II.

I love the size and style of this keyboard, and its pleasant Alps switches (either orange or salmon-pink) make typing a joy. What throws me off, though, are the non-standard placements of Caps Lock, Control, and the tilde (~) key, as well as the single-row arrow keys. While one could get used to the arrow keys and reprogram the other keys, the Caps Lock switch uses a mechanical latching mechanism that stays activated after pressing, which really throws me off. (For my Apple Extended Keyboard, I replaced the Caps Lock switch with a regular one, but I can’t bring myself to solder anything on the ADB Keyboard. So I mostly admire it but don’t use it.)

Apple (Standard) Keyboard (M0116/M0118)

In 1987, Apple released the Macintosh II and Macintosh SE, which didn’t include a keyboard by default. Buyers could choose to purchase either the new Apple Standard Keyboard or the Apple Extended Keyboard. The more compact Apple Standard Keyboard was sometimes called simply the “Apple Keyboard,” a name later reused for other models.

One version of the compact keyboard, model M0116, had the same layout as the ADB Keyboard but with a sturdier design and a thicker internal plate, making it significantly heavier than the A9M0330. This was meant to reflect the power of the Macintosh II and SE, Apple’s most powerful models at the time.

There was also a version with an ISO layout, model M0118, which featured the Caps Lock key in a modern position, though the Return key was vertical. (As I write this, an M0118 is on its way to me from Egypt. Am I crazy? Probably.) Both models used orange and salmon Alps switches, and while purists argue that the two feel significantly different, I can’t confirm that. To me, the salmon switches seem to have a slightly deeper sound, but given the age of these keyboards, there are likely countless factors affecting both the feel and sound over time.

Apple Extended Keyboard (M0115)

The first-generation AEK debuted alongside the Apple Standard Keyboard as a full-size alternative, with dedicated navigation keys, an inverted-T arrow cluster, and a set of function keys from F1 to F15. These keyboards also used orange or salmon Alps switches, and their layout followed the “101 ANSI” format introduced by IBM with its Enhanced Keyboard in 1986.

Apple Extended Keyboard II (M3501)

The pinnacle of Apple’s mechanical keyboard evolution came with the second-generation Apple Extended Keyboard, released in 1990. It was slightly smaller and quieter than the first generation, with the upper part of the case adopting an S-shaped curve and a retractable panel for adjusting its height and tilt.

Depending on the country of manufacture and target market, the keyboard featured either Alps switches (ivory, salmon, or white) or Mitsumi switches. Of the four AEKII keyboards I own, two have ivory switches, and two use Mitsumi switches. I’m still missing the variant with salmon switches, though I’m not entirely sure why I’d need it other than to boast about completing my collection. Then again, that’s a good enough reason. (After writing this, I ended up purchasing a keyboard with salmon switches, but under the promise to myself that I’d sell one of the Mitsumi-equipped ones.)

I’ve written about the AEKII in my blog multiple times (1, 2). After modifying it to include Touch ID, I can’t think of a reason to need any other keyboard. Perhaps the few experiments I’ve tried with modern keyboards like Drop, Keychron, and others should just be sold off and forgotten.

Apple Adjustable Keyboard (M1242)

The name of this keyboard highlights its distinctive feature—Apple’s foray into ergonomic keyboard design. The keyboard consisted of two halves joined by a hinge at the top center, allowing users to spread the halves apart for a more comfortable angle. The space bar remained centrally located. The package also included two wrist rests, and the numeric keypad was separate (as with the Macintosh 128K), featuring its own wrist rest.

The keyboard didn’t gain much popularity, primarily due to the niche appeal of Macs and Apple’s financial struggles at the time (1994). Additionally, the design was somewhat awkward, flimsy, and unreliable. The keyboard used Alps SKFS switches, making it the last Apple keyboard to feature mechanical switches.

Other Keyboards

Starting in 1990, Apple began cutting costs by shipping rubber-dome keyboards with more affordable Mac configurations. The first was the Apple Keyboard II (M0487), which looked almost identical to the Apple Desktop Bus Keyboard (A9M0330) but had a much simpler architecture and was far less comfortable to type on. It’s notable only because, in 1993, a black version was produced for the Macintosh TV, the first black Mac.

In 1994, Apple released the AppleDesign Keyboard (M2980), the first full-sized affordable keyboard. Its full size vaguely resembled the Apple Extended Keyboard, but that’s where the similarity ended, as it used rubber domes instead of mechanical switches, significantly diminishing the typing experience. I own both of these keyboards only because they came with other items in my collection.

As for what followed with USB keyboards (starting with the iMac G3), you probably already know about those or have seen them.

Newton Keyboard

One of Apple’s rarer keyboards, this was designed for the ancestor of the iPhone, the Apple Newton personal digital assistant. I’ve written about it separately, where you can also learn about its surprising connection to IBM.

There are two rare and rather expensive keyboards I’d love to add.

The first is the Lisa Keyboard (A6MB101), which belonged to the Apple Lisa computer, developed before the Apple Macintosh. I don’t have strong feelings about it—it’s just an interesting piece of history.

Similarly, there’s the Macintosh Keyboard from the Apple Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh (TAM). Although it uses membrane switches, it’s unique in that it lacks a numeric keypad but includes a built-in trackpad. It wasn’t sold separately, so very few are in circulation, especially since the TAM itself was produced in limited quantities. I’m not particularly interested in the TAM as a whole— although perhaps the steep price of the units on the market dampens my curiosity.

That wraps up this little excursion into the history of Apple keyboards. There’s quite a bit of hassle with these keyboards due to their age, as some of them show it clearly—switches get clogged with dust, plastic cases yellow from exposure to UV light, and so on. However, observing the evolution of technology in hindsight is also incredibly fascinating. Thank you for reading!