The world of keyboards has been on an interesting trajectory recently, with a trend towards maximalist designs from mainstream and boutique brands alike that pack in a huge number of features and eye-catching flourishes – many of which don’t really improve the overall typing experience.
It’s into this backdrop that keyboard maker Filco launches their Majestouch 3 keyboard, the long-awaited successor to the ‘gold standard’ keyboard of 2011 that adds PBT keycaps and media controls via the Function row. At £170/$149, this is a premium option – yet there are no real bells or whistles in sight, with a focus on the core typing experience rather than RGB lighting, hot-swappable switches, wireless connectivity or indeed any visual departures from your standard office-friendly black plastic keyboard. It’s certainly the approach we’d expect from the famously conservative Japanese firm, but does it hold up in 2023?
Before we answer that, let’s take a closer look at the Maj-3. Despite its pedestrian appearance, the full-size board weighs a comforting 1.4kg, far more than your average membrane keyboard, and this focus on build quality is enhanced by the new PBT keycaps. This thicker and slightly rougher material feels better to type on than the more common ABS and features double-shot legends, rather than the printed letters on the first two Majestouch keyboards that wore off over time. Combined with a more matte appearance of the case itself, and the Majestouch-3 is handsome if far from flashy.
Unlike some similarly-priced keyboards we’ll discuss later, the Majestouch 3 does without enthusiast-level accoutrements such as hot-swappable switches or case foam for sound dampening. Filco has decided to offer some factory-lubricated Costar stabilisers however, in the name of reducing rattle on the larger keys like space and enter. This works well, although there is some ping on the space bar if you push down harder. The lack of a hot-swappable PCB is a bit of a shame if you’re not a fan of Cherry MX Brown, Blue or Silent Red switches. As much as they may get a bit of hate from the community, I opted for Browns in the name of offering a snappy yet soft tactile typing experience.