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What is the benefit of mechanical keyboards? Question
I've heard people talk about how mechanical keyboards are better. But they seem to be much more expensive than regular ones ($100+). What is the benefit of using them over regular ones?
3 answers
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"Mechanical" keyboards have individual switches for each key, as opposed to a rubber membrane, as noted in another answer. These keyboards have a taller profile, what we used to think of as the standard depth before thin keyboards (like those on laptops) came along. Mechanical keyboards are not compatible with this thin profile.
When you press a key on a keyboard, there is a point at which the key activates (the actuation point). This point is partly down through the travel distance, not all the way at the bottom. (I don't know if that's also true for membrane keyboards.) As soon as you hit the actuation point, you can stop pressing and move on. You'll learn where this point is with use, but also, some switch types can provide feedback.
When buying a mechanical keyboard you can choose among several switch types:
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"Clicky" switches (the bane of anyone else in the house or office, in my opinion, but some people love 'em) give audible feedback when you reach the actuation point.
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Tactile switches provide this same feedback but through feel, not noise.
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Linear switches don't provide feedback. The actuation point is still somewhere in the middle, but if you aren't a light typer, you'll probably bottom out most of the time. Which still works fine, but is slower.
Within each type, some manufacturers provide options for how much force and/or how far down you have to press to activate the key. You can also choose to add dampening rings to make switches quieter.
Mechanical keyboards are very customizable, and thus more complex to shop for. You'll need to spend time reading specs and deciding what you want. (Some keyboard vendors sell "samplers" so you can see what each switch type feels like.)
As noted in other answers, mechanical keyboards last a lot longer than membrane keyboards. I've been using one for five years of heavy use with no mechanical issues. An issue I didn't consider when buying is that the paint (or whatever it is) on keycaps doesn't last forever. I've worn off the text on several keys entirely and on others the text is degraded. You can buy replacement keys (and replacement is not hard), but it was an unexpected issue. (I'm a touch-typist so I didn't need to replace them, but I did anyway.)
There are keyboard hobbyists, and vendors who cater to them, so you can do a lot more customization than what I've described if you're so inclined. I once heard someone extol the virtues of using different switch types for certain keys (like the space bar). You can build an entire keyboard from parts. I didn't, because I just wanted to get a keyboard that works for me and my typing style, but it's possible to do a lot of fine-tuning.
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One big disadvantage of mechanical keyboards is that they come with more friction and a longer distance for the key to travel. Which means slower typing.
This actually makes them less suitable for gaming! Which is ironic since a lot of these are marketed as gaming keyboards. Of course this mainly matters in games where quick reaction or quick typing are essential, typically the 1st person shooters or RTS variety. But also in MMOs and the like, where for some reason you aren't using your head seat and need to relay information fast by typing.
I recently bought a new keyboard, tried 20+ gaming keyboards, all which felt great to use but made me type slower. Then after trying all of them, I settled for a cheap standard Microsoft one with low buttons. Simply because I can notice a significant improvement in typing speed when using it. I type nearly twice as fast with it compared to mechanical ones.
Now of course these rubber dome standard ones won't last as long and are overall of lower mechanical quality. But after a couple of years, a keyboards does start to become messy and they aren't easy to clean. Or when you eventually manage the classic spill of coffee all over it. So you might want to replace them after a couple of years for the mess reason alone anyway.
Jon wrote Building a Lord of the Rings keyboard this week about getting a mechanical keyboard. I definitely commiserate with his membrane keyboard complaint:
But then I discovered that the "A" key on my keyboard only fired every other time I pressed it.
I have the same issue with my "O" key.
By contrast, each keycap in a mechanical keyboard is attached to its own individual switch. As a result, mechanical keyboards tend to be more durable and can also be repaired if a switch starts to fail.
He definitely spent a lot of money for the privilege, though.
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