MDR Dasher vs. Flow 2: fashion or common sense?

It all started with Severance, the cult TV series that almost everyone liked.

To promote the final episode of the second season, Apple launched a webpage showcasing the Lumon Terminal Pro, the computer used by Lumon Industries employees – a replica of a vintage Data General terminal (more images available here and here). This sparked a race among fans to own a keyboard inspired by that terminal.

– Source: Apple.

– Source: Data General Dasher 6053 Terminal on Tech Tangents.

Someone built it themselves. Someone else started a company promising to produce the keyboard, and launched a Kickstarter campaign which will go live on 19 August. The first (lucky?) backers will be able to get the so-called MDR Dasher Keyboard at the discounted price of $599, which will rise to $699 for those who pre-order it after the Kickstarter launch. Those who buy it later through official channels will have to shell out $899, virtually the price of an iPhone 16!

I could be among those lucky ones, but I’ll gladly pass. I already use a keyboard that satisfies me 100%; actually I have two identical ones for my Macs at home and at the office. And I don’t even like the MDR Dasher: it’s too big, too tall, and too uncomfortable for my taste.

Above all, I don’t buy a product just because it’s trendy and looks like something from a TV series. And I definitely wouldn’t buy anything from an unknown company with a fake address, that was created just to capitalise on the current trend.

Instead, a keyboard that I would buy without hesitation is the Flow 2, a mechanical keyboard that has raised almost a million dollars on Kickstarter, one hundred times the initial request. This is not only because it is much more affordable – and very convenient overall for a mechanical keyboard – but because behind it is a reputable company that has been producing quality mechanical keyboards for years.

The Flow 2, in particular, is crafted from a single block of aluminium and features a refined, minimalist design, reminiscent of the Macs we all know and love. Even though it is a mechanical keyboard, you can choose a silent version, which is perfect for those who use the computer at night, or who simply don’t want to disturb family members or colleagues with the excruciating typewriter-like clicking that can be produced by a standard mechanical keyboard.

As the title suggests, on the one hand there’s fashion, hype and shameless marketing; on the other, common sense and a somewhat boring tranquillity. The choice is yours.

Last but not least, Happy Ferragosto to everyone! Unplug, switch off your devices, and enjoy a day of relaxation and good company.