IBM Model M Keyboard

The buckling spring mechanism uses a coil spring that physically buckles under finger pressure, causing a tiny hammer to strike a contact membrane beneath each key. This design, patented by IBM, produces a louder and more tactile feel than the Cherry MX switches found in most modern mechanical keyboards from brands like Filco or Leopold.

The earliest Model M units produced from 1985 onward used a 5-pin DIN connector, sometimes called an AT connector, to interface with IBM PCs and compatibles. Later production runs switched to the smaller 6-pin PS/2 connector, and neither plug is natively compatible with modern USB ports without an adapter.

Yes, but you need an active adapter to convert the 5-pin DIN or PS/2 connector to USB, since the Model M predates USB by over a decade. Many enthusiasts use active converters like the Soarer's Converter, which preserves the keyboard's full N-key rollover that passive USB adapters may not fully support.

Unicomp, a company based in Lexington, Kentucky, acquired the tooling and manufacturing rights for the Model M from IBM's Lexington facility in 1996. They continue to produce new buckling-spring keyboards, including modernized versions with USB connectivity, from the same Kentucky factory where the originals were built.