IBM Model M Keyboard

I have a confession. I own keyboards that cost more than my first car. Custom aluminum cases, hand-lubed switches, GMK keycaps that took 18 months to arrive. And yet, the keyboard I keep coming back to is an IBM Model M from 1987. It’s beige. It weighs as much as a cinder block. It sounds like a machine gun from a WWII movie. And it types better than almost anything made today.

I didn’t always appreciate it. When I was a kid in the 90s, my school had these old IBM terminals with heavy, clacky keyboards. I thought they were dinosaurs. I wanted the silent, soft-touch membrane boards that came with our new Packard Bell. I was wrong. So wrong.

Let me tell you why the IBM Model M is the greatest keyboard ever made, why you might still want one in 2026, and the mistakes I made trying to keep mine alive.

The Model M Wasn’t First (But It Was Best)

Before the Model M, there was the Model F. That came with the original IBM PC in 1981. The Model F was great – also used buckling springs – but the layout was weird. Function keys on the left side. A crammed numpad. It was like IBM was still figuring out where your hands should go.

Then came the Model M in 1985, bundled with the IBM 3161 terminal. This was the keyboard that standardized everything we use today. Full-size layout with the numpad separated. Function keys across the top. Arrow keys down below. Insert, Delete, Home, End in a neat block. The Control keys in the bottom corners where they belong.

I’ve used Model Fs. They’re collectible, but the layout is awkward for modern use. The Model M is the one that feels familiar the second you sit down. That’s why it survived.

The Secret Sauce: Buckling Springs (Not Your Average Mechanical Switch)

Here’s the thing that most modern keyboard enthusiasts don’t understand. Your Cherry MX Blue switches? They’re just a spring and a slider. Your Alps? Same idea. The Model M uses a buckling spring mechanism.

When you press a key, the spring compresses until it buckles sideways. That buckling action pushes a hammer down onto a membrane. The result is a sharp tactile bump and a loud, satisfying click that makes everyone in your office hate you. I love it.

Mistake I made: I bought a used Model M off eBay for $80. The seller said “tested, works.” When it arrived, half the keys didn’t register. I opened it up (bad idea – the backplate has rivets that can snap) and found dried soda inside. Cleaning was a nightmare. I had to drill out the rivets, clean the membrane sheets with isopropyl, and reassemble using a bolt-mod. It took me six hours. The keyboard worked perfectly afterward, but I learned: buy from a reputable refurbisher, or be prepared to work.

Why Vintage Model Ms Still Work (And Modern Keyboards Die)

I’ve thrown away dozens of modern membrane keyboards. The rubber domes get mushy after a couple years. The cheap PCB traces corrode. The USB cable frays.

A Model M? It has no rubber. No domes to collapse. The buckling springs are steel. The keycaps are double-shot ABS or PBT (depending on the year). The case is thick ABS plastic that doesn’t flex. The internal membrane is sandwiched between steel plates. You could drive a car over this keyboard and probably still type on it.

I’ve dropped my Model M from desk height onto hardwood floor at least five times. The spacebar popped off. I snapped it back on. Still works. My modern mechanical keyboard? One drop and the USB port broke off the PCB.

The only thing that fails on a Model M is the foam layer inside (it turns to dust after 30 years) and the rivets that hold the backplate (they snap). Both are fixable with a “bolt mod” – replacing the plastic rivets with nuts and bolts. I’ve done it. It’s tedious but not hard. Takes a few hours and a lot of patience. Worth it.

Unicomp: The Modern Model M You Can Buy Right Now

IBM stopped making Model Ms in the mid-1990s. The tooling was sold to a company called Unicomp in Lexington, Kentucky. They’ve been making buckling spring keyboards ever since. I own a Unicomp New Model M. It’s not quite as heavy as the original, but it uses the same mechanism and the same keycaps. It even has USB instead of that old PS/2 or 5-pin DIN connector.

Mistake I made: I bought a Unicomp in 2018. The key feel was 90% of the original. But the case had a slight warp, and the stabilizers rattled more than my vintage Model M. Unicomp’s quality has improved since then – I hear the 2023+ models are better. Still, if you want the real deal, find an original and convert it to USB with a cheap active adapter. I use a Blue Cube PS/2 to USB converter. Works on everything.

The New Model M costs about $120-$150. That’s cheaper than most “premium” mechanical keyboards from brands like Keychron or Drop. And it will outlast them all.

The Noise Complaints (And Why I Ignore Them)

I work from home. I use my Model M every day. My wife, on video calls, told me my keyboard sounds like a “typewriter in a war zone.” I bought a quieter keyboard – a Leopold with silent red switches. I used it for a month. My typing speed dropped by 15 WPM. The lack of tactile feedback made me make more mistakes. I switched back to the Model M and bought my wife noise-canceling headphones as a peace offering.

If you work in an open office, do not bring a Model M. Your coworkers will murder you. But if you have a private space, the sound is part of the experience. It’s not noise. It’s music.

Is the Model M Good for Gaming?

Not really. The buckling spring switches have a high actuation force (around 70-80g) and a long reset. You can’t rapid-fire key presses like you can with linear switches. I’ve tried playing Overwatch and Apex Legends on my Model M. It’s fine for casual play, but if you’re competitive, get a modern mechanical with Cherry MX Speed or optical switches.

For typing essays, coding, writing emails, and general productivity? The Model M is unbeatable. I write faster and more accurately on it than any other keyboard.

How to Get a Model M in 2026

You have three options:

1. Buy a vintage unit on eBay – $80-$200 depending on condition and year. Look for a 1391401 (the classic PS/2 version). Avoid units that look yellowed – that’s UV damage, not a big deal, but it’s ugly. Ask the seller if it’s been bolt-modded and cleaned. If not, factor in time and tools.

2. Buy a Unicomp New Model M – $120-$150. Brand new, USB, USB-C on newer models. No restoration needed. Great for a first-time buyer.

3. Buy a used IBM Model M from a refurbisher – Places like ClickyKeyboards or ModelMKing sell fully restored, bolt-modded units for $200-$300. Expensive, but they arrive clean and perfect.

Mistake I made: I bought a terminal Model M with an RJ45 connector, thinking I could adapt it. Terminal versions use different protocols. You can convert them with a device called a Soarer’s Converter, but that’s another $30 and a lot of soldering. Stick with the standard PS/2 or USB versions.

The Bottom Line

The IBM Model M is the AK-47 of keyboards. Ugly, heavy, loud, and nearly indestructible. It’s been out of production for 30 years, but it still types circles around most modern mechanical boards. I’ve used $500customswithtitaniumplatesandlubedswitches.Istillprefermy$80 used Model M.

If you’ve never typed on one, find a friend who has one, or buy a Unicomp. You’ll feel the difference immediately. Your fingers will thank you. Your coworkers might not.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go bolt-mod an old 1993 Model M I just found at a garage sale for $5. The rivets are shot. But that’s a Saturday afternoon project I’m genuinely looking forward to.