keys on keyboard - becoming illegible

Maybe get a replacement keyboard? Do you use mosquito repellent on your hands? That stuff eats plastic.

sheriffabc wrote: ↑ Hi - need some advice:

My Asus Laptop - some of the letters on the keys are illegible - laptop is slightly over a year old.

Suggestions as to what to do ?

TIA

Illegible in what way? Being worn off I assume? Is it still under warranty?

My wife's flipping pricey Alienware laptop has the same issue. I bought these stickers from Amazon. It works with backlit keyboards well if you scrape off the key so the backlight illuminates through the letter on the sticker. They seems to work pretty good so far, she's had them on for at least 3 months now.

2PCS English Keyboard Stickers Waterproof Replacement Computer Laptop Keyboard Stickers White Lettering with Non Transparent Black Background https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B091T5WPT1/ref ... UTF8&psc=1

Unfortunately your only options are replacing the keyboard or stickers. On some laptops replacing a keyboard is rather trivial, on others it involves near complete disassembly.

Most backlit keys are just white plastic painted black with the lettering etched out, most non-backlit keyboards are ABS plastic which wears down and becomes shiny. When it comes to laptops, I don't know of any laptops that come with PBT keycaps, PBT is a superior plastic that is popular with the mechanical keyboard community due to its durability and feel.

Just plug in a spare keyboard.

Learn to type so you don't need to see what letters are on the keys?
But, in all seriousness, stickers or replacement keyboard as said above are your only real options. Not sure if it could be fixed under warranty or they would consider to be wear and tear.

How good are you with a Sharpie?

Keep your fingernails short.

Buy sticker labels on Amazon / eBay

https://www.amazon.ca/Self-adhesive-Wat ... 26179&th=1

On my desktop I still use an original IBM PC keyboard from about 1982 that I rescued from the discarded equipment of a company I worked for years ago. 40 years old, still works great with the latest desktop, no wear on the keys, key labels haven't worn at all. Amazing the forgotten advanced technology they had in olden times to make key labels that didn't wear off! Or maybe the modern keyboards are cheap junk made by companies that only need them to last for a 12-month warranty?

Scote64 wrote: ↑ On my desktop I still use an original IBM PC keyboard from about 1982 that I rescued from the discarded equipment of a company I worked for years ago. 40 years old, still works great with the latest desktop, no wear on the keys, key labels haven't worn at all. Amazing the forgotten advanced technology they had in olden times to make key labels that didn't wear off! Or maybe the modern keyboards are cheap junk made by companies that only need them to last for a 12-month warranty?

I got a razer black widow (1st gen) no backlight or anything. But man that thing is super heavy (I swear if I throw it off my balcony it will kill someone if it hits them in the head).

Still working great.

Scote64 wrote: ↑ On my desktop I still use an original IBM PC keyboard from about 1982 that I rescued from the discarded equipment of a company I worked for years ago. 40 years old, still works great with the latest desktop, no wear on the keys, key labels haven't worn at all. Amazing the forgotten advanced technology they had in olden times to make key labels that didn't wear off! Or maybe the modern keyboards are cheap junk made by companies that only need them to last for a 12-month warranty?

Model M? Or the even older Model F?

They used to make keycaps using doubleshot ABS, hence them lasting longer. Nowadays, the letters as re just printed on, and fade with use. Doubleshot keycaps are still made (both in ABS and PBT), but sets of these (or keyboards that use them) are a more niche product (and also more expensive)

Darkblade48 wrote: ↑ Model M? Or the even older Model F?

Model M. They'll have to pry it from my cold dead hands before I'll voluntarily replace it. Bonus: it's a great defensive weapon if attacked suddenly - it would stop a knife or a bullet, and you could definitely disable someone by hitting them with it. Maybe I should be donating it to some IT person in Ukraine.

Scote64 wrote: ↑ Model M. They'll have to pry it from my cold dead hands before I'll voluntarily replace it. Bonus: it's a great defensive weapon if attacked suddenly - it would stop a knife or a bullet, and you could definitely disable someone by hitting them with it. Maybe I should be donating it to some IT person in Ukraine.

Very nice. As an avid keyboard collector, the Model M is a great keyboard. I sometimes use its much rarer smaller cousin, the Model M SSK (ten keyless version)

Scote64 wrote: ↑ On my desktop I still use an original IBM PC keyboard from about 1982 that I rescued from the discarded equipment of a company I worked for years ago. 40 years old, still works great with the latest desktop, no wear on the keys, key labels haven't worn at all. Amazing the forgotten advanced technology they had in olden times to make key labels that didn't wear off! Or maybe the modern keyboards are cheap junk made by companies that only need them to last for a 12-month warranty?

How do you connect it? You got a converter from PS/2 to USB? I am still using a Microsoft ~2000 USB keyboard. It works fine but the labels on some keys have disappeared. It is funny when non-tech people try to use it and they look for some keys.

JEDI Force wrote: ↑ How do you connect it? You got a converter from PS/2 to USB? I am still using a Microsoft ~2000 USB keyboard. It works fine but the labels on some keys have disappeared. It is funny when non-tech people try to use it and they look for some keys.

I have to use through 2 adapters in sequence: PC-to-PS/2, then PS/2-to-USB. But they work fine, and they were dirt cheap. I've heard that some systems don't provide enough power for the old IBM Model M keyboards through the PS/2 adapter, but mine is fine.