Mechanical Keyboards Could be Your Computer’s Salvation
Desktops have experienced serious upgrades recently, but one thing remains crucial: the keyboard. Strangely enough, despite the changes elsewhere for desktops, old, clunky mechanical keyboards still win out as the best to use.
What’s So Great About Mechanical Keyboards?
They come with switches below each keycap. What makes that different from other keyboards? You can already tell when you’ve pressed a key because a letter appears on the screen.
However, most keyboards are rubber dome keyboards. When you press a key, that rubber switch pushes a hole in the middle membrane to connect top and bottom membranes.
This creates the circuit that lets your keyboard send your input to the PC. While rubber dome keyboards are inexpensive, they don’t have that ‘guarantee’ like mechanical keyboards. Membrane keyboards are even thinner than their rubber dome counterparts.
There’s something satisfying about that clicky noise letting you know your key commands went through. (And that satisfying click could be why Apple added the sound to the iPhone keypad.) Membrane keyboards or rubber dome keyboards just don’t offer that satisfaction and guarantee.
It also feels more ergonomically correct to type out a few thousand words on a mechanical keyboard each day. They’re durable and reliable, something crucial not just for writers but anyone needing to write efficiently and quickly.
If you need more information about the different types of mechanical key switches, check out this video from Techquickie below:
What Doesn’t Work About a Mechanical Keyboard
Most people would say their biggest criticism of mechanical keyboards come from the loud “thunk” sound. Granted, the volume emitted by each keyboard depends on your typing speed, force and the switches inside each keyboard. If you’re in close quarters for your job, your coworkers might not enjoy the sound of your mechanical keyboard. However, in faster-paced and louder environments, the sound wouldn’t even be noticed.
Another problem is that mechanical keyboards are typically much heavier than other types. Some can be as heavy as 3 lbs. This weight comes in handy for heavy-handed typers. The keyboard won’t move around on you despite keystrokes.
The Best Types of Mechanical Keyboards
Now that we’ve enticed you into buying a mechanical keyboard, you want to know where to by these reliable add-ons.
The Corsair K70 RGB Rapidfire remains one of the best on the market. However, it comes with a heftier price tag than most at $150. Its Cherry linear switches mean you can use less force to press the keys.
The Razer Ornata is nearly half the price of the Corsair and combines mechanical style and membrane functionality. While still a switch underlay, the keyboard provides shorter keys, feeling much more like a membrane surface.
For laptop users out there, check to see if your brand of choice offers mechanical keyboard options. If you use a gaming laptop, you more than likely already have a mechanical keyboard. Those are the ones most frequently preferred by gamers because you can sense exactly where you are on the keys without taking your eyes off the screen.
