Beginner’s guide to mechanical keyboards
coolgadget.substack.com
coolgadget.substack.com
I enjoyed the hobby, not amymore
Since around 2016, the money grab situation became a joke, it all started with Drop (former massdrop) and it all went downhill.. i get that the community was really small and we were forced to use forums to organize drops and so on.. but now the community is by the milliions and stuff are even more expensive than before.. Fake "limited supply", copies of copies of switches that at the end offer no difference, same old keycaps vendors that have months if not years of intentionally delayed orders to justify their insane pricing, US/EU resellers of china pieces for 1000% margins, hidding inventory, snob creators, corruption in raffles, people being hyped by snob 'keyboard celebrities', censure in discords servers when you bring this up and i could go for hours with this list
It just sad...
I settled on a Code keyboard with MX Clears. It's durable, useful and I'm happy with it. Sure I could upgrade but there's little to no reason.
Same with headphones. I gave up on all the fancy audio and use AirPods. Yes, they sound worse. Yes, Bluetooth hurts audio quality. But who cares?
For most of these hobbies the benefit you get from your first purchase will never be replicated. From there it's all diminishing returns.
The rest I agree. It's like the audiophile business. Drop basically turns every consumer product line into an exclusive, elitist, better than you, brag in front of your bros marketplace with absurd margins. Keycaps are the worst offender, they're the cheapest thing in the whole keyboard to manufacture yet they get sold for... hundreds??!? Hard pass on all that.
I think that mechanical keyboards are an interesting (if expensive) hobby, but standard keyboards with only mechanical switches and and funny keycaps are too expensive for what they are providing. They are a bit nicer to type with, but switches are in general not the problem of a keyboard. The layout and ergonomics are.
You have to switch to an ortholinear split with a firmware to see how different the ergonomics of a keyboard can be if we push it further and do non let legacy drive our decisions.
I'd love to own a mk, but I don't because I refuse to pay the huge markup just because "it's mechanical!". I'm typing this comment on a decades old Logitech K120 that's even missing some keycaps, that cost me, what, 10 bucks? But you're telling me I can't find a ultra basic key caps set for under $20 because...? "Hey, this Ducky is tacky but doesn't look that bad, how much is it?" $125? Go duck yourself.
The scene is completely nuts, there's no space left for people who just want to type on a mk, it's all about exclusivity, "the endgame", limited editions, artisan caps... Bullshit. There's no "mechanical K120". There's no room left for full sized, affordable, practical, run of the mill, "Ford Model T" mk. So thanks, and good riddance. I'll just buy another K120. I could pay $20, even $40, for "a good feel", but it's not worth $100.
Imagine the same scene on mice. "Hey, are you tired of your ball mouse? Want an optical mouse? Well, the technology is cheap, but we're going to charge you $120, just because!!"
I don't want a mk as a hobby, I want it as a tool. But it looks like we're incapable of conceptualizing a mk as a tool. Sorry for the rant, and pardon my French.
The ideals of improved ergonomics and typing efficiency were much more interesting to me than fancy keycaps... but looking cross-sectionally at the keyboard space while researching my purchase, I found that the opposite was mostly true in terms of what attracted the most attention. Strange.
I have been a mechanical keyboard user for decades and I have no idea what you mean or who or what this is talking about. There are people for whom keyboards are a hobby?? What is "Drop"?
If I want a mechanical keyboard I just buy it directly from Cherry, the quality is high, the prices are fair, the customer service is great, I've never had any problems.
As with just about everything, while most people are perfectly happy just buying the thing, there are always people who prefer to buy the pieces and build their own to their exact taste and preference.
It could be computers or sailboats or guitars or, as in this case, keyboards.
A hobby as in building and customising keyboards. If I want a mechanical keyboards I'll spend weeks researching various pcbs and kits, looking at keyswitch datasheets and listening to recording of sounds they make, choosing keycaps with perfect font, color and manufacturing process. Don't get me started on keyboard cases...
I got into keyboards because I wanted a lockdown project. I figured I could learn a little about electronics and firmware, learn how to solder, and even perhaps make something that would be useful at work. Keycaps can be a complete rip-off, and my keyboard is fitted with a mixture of caps that I've scrounged from various places.
And when we finally get back to the office, a super-noisy mechanical keyboard will help my project of being allowed to WFH as much as possible ;-)
Got any source on this? I don't disagree with the rest of your claims, but this sounds completely wrong; for example GMK is actively expanding their production capacity and already offers a selection of keycap sets without shipping delays.
Orders are delayed because the "same old" manufacturers are flooded with an ever-increasing demand for customized low-quantity productions, each of which introduce an overhead. And the appearance of new, cheaper manufacturers only seemed to make the demand explode even more.
Got one of those curvy ergonomic divided keyboards from MS and forgot about the whole thing, while saving $500.
The GOOD news, though, is that the surge in popularity has made a lot of decent, inexpensive mech's available on Amazon and AliExpress.
All that being said, I love my WASD CODE's.
Mechanical switches are not a rocket science, and any electromechanical OEM would've been happy to work on them with such premiums.
I myself been thinking of ordering double action switches, so you don't need debouncing them. I even contemplated adding some ultra low power latches to be overmolded inside, so you get a single output out of the box.
I've never encountered this sort of problem with ANY keyboard I've owned in 30 years, no matter how crappy.
> A good mechanical keyboard can alleviate the fatigue of typing. Users who need to type for a long time can consider it.
This claim seems dubious.
> In theory, a mechanical keyboard can last for 3 to 5 years.
I've yet to have a membrane keyboard actually wear out. I just had my daily driver Logitech solar wireless keyboard that I bought in 2014 finally die, but it was the solar charger circuit that failed, not the keys or membrane (although the paint on the wasd keys were getting pretty damn faded).
> Keyboard wrist rest: some users may feel uncomfortable typing without a palm wrist. This depends on personal needs.
Wrist rests are actually one of the leading causes of RSI due to the extra compression stress they place upon the carpal tunnel.
People on this site probably interact with computers much more than the average person, and many type stuff into their machines for the majority of their days. I don't see why it wouldn't make sense to get yourself something decent that feels good to interact with there.
Tiny annoyances multiplied by a hundred times a day, 365 days a year add up. And even if it is only that slightly mushy Ctrl key or that spacebar where the right stabilizer is weird because the thing fell off the desk once.
For me a mechanical keyboard must be sturdy, heavy, with no flex of any kind. Preferable with black linear/silent switches, something that you can punch in hard or type completely silent if needed. Not a piece of plastic that moves around on the desk.
Maybe the fact that I am playing musical instruments (and work in audio) plays a role here. Tactile feedback is very important to me. I don't need a click, just very predictable and reliable responses that don't distract me when I am in the flow. I need a keyboard that can be silent if I need it to be silent.
That alone (for me) justifies spending more money than usual people would spend on a keyboard. It is not hobby to me, it is a tool. But a tool I enjoy using and that works for my use case. Sure I could use any other keyboard. But I don't have to, so why would I?
What's the advantage of backlighting? I don't need to look at my keyboard to type.
It just gets weird when people start into these audiophile-like arguments for the superiority of their choice. I've owned a number of mechanical and membrane keyboards since my first computer in 1983, and there's no real benefit to either except for aesthetics and how it feels to you personally.
3 to 5 years! I expect all of my mechs to last a lifetime. My daily driver is cherry mx blues that have been clicking away for 11 years now, 6-10 hours of software engineering a day.
That calculation does not seem very realistic. I'd expect a mech keyboard to continue to function after 50 years of daily use, and a traditional membrane to probably wear out somewhere between 10 - 15 years of daily use.
I've gone through four or five Apple Keyboard (A1243) during the past decade. They break very easily, but I like the feel and layout.
With mechanical keyboards made for gaming (Razer and Corsair) I've had the caps start to fall apart and break after ~2 years of regular usage. The most frequently used switches also tend to start showing signs of wear and tear after a while.
I have been using a Tex Beetle TKL Mechanical Keyboard for about 10 years and they no longer sell it which is a huge bummer. I'm sure if it breaks I'll be OK with another TLK keyboard out there on the market but I do love this one.
Can you speak more to this? I bought a ZSA Moonlander[0], which has built in (tho removable) wrist rests. I bought the keyboard specifically for ergonomics, mechanical keyboard "coolness" was far down the list.
I used to get wrist pain typing directly on my MBP, with my laptop on my lap (shitty setup due to COVID, am fixing now). I would be resting my wrist right on the hard edge of the MBP. Since getting the moonlander, I've had no wrist pains.
Other than that it's about recognizing the signs that your wrists are getting raw from too much use and taking breaks.
Don't do it.
Retiring at 23 because of wrist pain wouldve sucked.
Typing on yor lap is generally bad for all sorts of reasons. I’ve found it can work if you’re reclining in a comfy chair. But float your wrists!
After trying probably 10 different "ergo" keyboards, the one I landed on that has been amazing for a decade is the Kinesis Ergo Advantage2
https://kinesis-ergo.com/keyboards/advantage2-keyboard/
It is split, so helps with that angle, and also has depressions where your fingers go so your hands aren't cocked back causing additional strain. It also has a couple options of the mechanical switches used. Anyone struggling with pain from typing, I'd suggest looking at it. It has a learning curve but it's worth it.
I also bought the Moonlander and have had very minimal pain since (~4 months now). Was thinking about this as I went to bed last night; such a relief. Sometimes I'd have to wear wrist braces at night due to pain.
Regarding the wrist rests, I find that the base of my palms, and not my wrists, touch the wrist rest. Maybe it's the size of my hands and how I have it tented, but overall I like the wrist rests quite a lot. I do try to lift my wrists a little when I'm really typing though.
You’ll get wrist pain primarily from wrists not being straight (either flexed downward or extended upward). Keeping your wrists close to straight is important when doing any kind of repetitive action with the fingers.
- high enough (forearm to wrist straightish to concave, NOT splayed back)
- just the right softness (too hard = palm fatigue)
- kept my wrists warm enough. I think cold palms/wrists might be a bad situation
for my mouse, I found using a smaller mouse-dedicated wrist rest full of beads worked for me.
why people would use wooden or plastic wrist rest is beyond me. Same for typing with your palms on a cold laptop surface. (also remember there are NO OSHA-approved laptops, they are not ergonomic)
I have, but only under very specific circumstances: playing Overcooked with two players on one keyboard. This will occasionally mean six keys simultaneously pressed and then someone notices key presses just go missing.
Also, not all keyboards with mechanical switches have N-key rollover. Many tout "anti-ghosting" which means different things that you have to look in the specs for.
Mechanical keyboards are much more comfortable to type on.
I feel like even a 10% increase in comfortableness for something you use every day for just $100 is totally worth it! If you do any amount of typing I really recommend it!
If someone is moving forward (W) and strafing to the right (D) while jumping (Space), they will have reached the key rollover limits of their 3KRO (3 key roll over) membrane-based keyboard.
This means that if they ALSO try to fire off one of their abilities (let's say they have to press "1" to activate their ability), they won't be able to activate it unless they first let go of one of their movement keys.
This is a lot less noticeable in a more advanced keyboard that can do 6 key rollover. It's pretty rare that someone is going to be performing 6 simultaneous actions in a game.
I eventually threw out my oldest mechanical (1997) because I didn't want to deal with a ps2 adapter anymore. Mecha are a higher price tier, and it's easier to get higher quality. Newer keyboards (2009 onwards) that I still own hold up pretty well.
My Kinesis is distinctly less fatiguing. That's because I don't bottom out the keys when typing. The key activates early and the keyboard beeps. I stop at the beep and it's really more comfortable. My hands can feel a significant difference after a day off typing.
If you're placing your wrist down when typing, it's better to place it higher up. And when rising your hand from idle to typing height, it's less fatiguing to raise it less. A better starting position will likely improve your final typing position.
Having had some RSI issues; I have found significant improvement since I started swapping mechanical keyboards around. I don't bottom-out as much which alleviates some finger pain I had after using my previous rubber-dome.
Not for everyone I'm sure; but it does help. I rotate a Magic Keyboard and ~3-4 different mechanical keyboards on various desks to get different angles and pressures also.
I was completely brainwashed by the community that mechanical keyboards were the solution to RSI and had a major blind spot. I even learned dvorak and got up to near 100wpm at it with no success.
When I ditched the mechanical keyboards all the problems went away.
Something about the whole thing with the tactile bump in the middle doesn't work for me. When my typing ramps up to high speed I end up pushing the mechanical key all the way down to the stop anyway and blowing through the tactile bump. Once you're doing that you're moving your fingers further and doing more work, and the stops on these key switches are harder than a lot of non-mechanical keyboards.
No doubt they feel great and I do think I can type faster on them but unquestionably for me the Cherry MX type switches give me RSI symptoms and tendonitis in my arms.
I think it's all in the travel & how the "stop" at the end of the travel feels. I have a bunch of experience playing guitar and piano too.. piano has a long travel, if the stop at the end of the travel is hard it gives me RSI, but if it's not (and it's usually not on real acoustic piano keybeds) it's mostly OK. Guitar meanwhile has a rock hard stop but minimal travel, and a good guitar you also get some tactile feedback in that if you push the note down too far it goes sharp. Guitar basically gives me 0 RSI symptoms. A lot of these Cherry type mechanical keyswitches are the worst of both worlds.. long travel and a very hard/harsh stop at the bottom of the travel.
Both the modern MS and Apple keyboards are mostly fine and I've been feeling great for about 6 years now since ditching the mechanical key switches.
I think buckling spring might not cause me issues FWIW, but I tried a lot of mechanical KBs including TEK, Kinesis, different Das Keyboard models.. anything with a Cherry style switch (Actual Cherry MX or clones) gives me trouble.
Personally I keep going back to MX browns because the slight tactile bump is easy to press past and gives enough feedback for me to be satisfied. I still bottom out but it isn't a sudden shock as I pass the bump. Though I actually have been thinking of switching to silent MX reds since they bottom out more softly. Or maybe I'll try O-rings again so I can get the softened landing and still keep the tactile bump.
Then I read all the /r/MK threads and other forum posts where Browns are (almost) universally shit on. The conventional wisdom was that they were the worst switches out there.
So my next keyboard was some clicky green thing. Can't remember the brand.
They were very tactile and clicky, but I didn't like them. One problem was that the click was fake! It's a separate bar that snaps as the key travels down, but it's not associated with the electrical contacts at all. So depending on the key, it's possible to generate a keypress without hearing a click or (worse) get a click without closing the switch.
I'm back on Browns now. I think you're right about the fetish. The clicks sound really cool, but they're not as useful as people claim.
Or maybe I just have a "thunk" fetish, I don't know.
If I am a "conscientious typist" and I am actively/awarely concentrating on my fingers with MX browns I move my fingers with smaller travel and just go a little past the tactile bump and I'm fine.
But as soon as I'm concentrating more on code, or trying to type fast, or under stress I start hitting the keys more quitckly and forcefully and I hit the bottom stop and that's when the keys start causing RSI type forces to build up.
I don't have to be conscientious with most other types of switches. Theres something different about the feedback cycle and for me almost anything provides better feedback than the mechanical switches.
But back when I was learning no one ever even discussed any of this stuff. I didn't meet the first person I knew with RSI till I got out of college. My first manager out of college had a bad case of it and she had all kinds of keyboards she was always trying to alleviate pain.
Cherry MX Blue switch keyboards all around the house for a few years, then I noticed my hands and arms ache like hell after extended coding sessions where I am typing more than copy/pasta. I attributed this to the amount of pressure I was exerting to get the keys to depress in an agreeable way.
Fast forward to now, I am using a Realforce R2 w/ Topre switches. The first few days I felt like I was typing on a cloud with zero feedback, but I got used to it really quickly. Can code for 12 hours straight now without any difficulties. Your fingers get desensitized to subtle forces when you are slamming those heavy keys around all the time.
I went back and tried the MX blue keyboard the other day and it felt like typing on a pile of marble.
Your experience is just like mine, but mine got so bad I ended up the doctor. The doctors & hand specialists & PTs are very clued in about wrist posture, desk setup, etc.. but there is literally no medical research on keyboard switch travel, force, work, bump stops, etc.. so they never said anything about what kind of keyboard I was using.
I will say this though - As someone who plays the piano and understands good form, the Topre is much more rewarding to disciplined hands. Lazy hands that rely on the spring tension of MX Blue switches to keep from accidental activation will take some training to get back into proper form.
You have to be very intentional with this Realforce keyboard. Your fingers should not touch keys until you intend to fully depress them. It will punish you for being undisciplined and resting hands on keyboard with long sequences of "aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa", et. al. as you contemplate various sections of code.
The Apple Extended Keyboard II is probably the most common ‘mechanical’ keyboard that was made with rubber ~baby~ button bottom bumpers. Unfortunately, for Jobs, “This keyboard represents everything about Apple that I hate.”
But in general, different people encounter different types of RSI. For me the problem is wrist motion or position, so a Kinesis contoured keyboard and Kensington Slimblade trackball were a solution.
Lillian Malt kicked things off in the 1970's with the Maltron, a (brilliant) workaround for key spacing being too large for her hands. We've been beating around the same oversized components ever since, trying to squeeze out a drip or two of better ergonomics.
Further useful pursuit of improved keyboard ergonomics requires keyswitches with a size and travel distance that isn't informed by the recent memory of typewriters and manufacturing limitations of the era of Cherry's original design, and produced in volume to at least Cherry MX standards. It's time to move away from typewriter-defined hardware.
There's something about the tactile nature of the keys which just doesn't work for me and/or some other people.. the tactile nature makes us use more force instead of less, and there is no getting around these keys require more force X a greater distance so they literally make your fingers do more physical work.
It all got silly at some point. The Mantra is that mechanical keyboards are better. If you have trouble with RSI typing on them the community suggests a never ending series of high effort and/or high cost solutions. No one ever suggests the easy and cheap solution of just not using the mechanical keyboards.
When I finally figured it out it was like I'd escaped from a cult. Interestingly I used Mechanical Keyboards at the office from about 2009-2014. During that time period tons of developers I worked with were steadily buying up Mechanical Keyboards, it was basically a trend/fad at that time.
Fast forward to 2020 and I don't think there's a single developer left in my office who still uses them.
Doesn’t have to be that brand obviously but highly recommend checking out the idea at large.
Neither helped.. the Kinesis is what I was using when things got so bad I had to go to the doctor.
When a person switches to a different kind of keyboard, particularly if many of the keys are in a different location, he or she must pay closer attention to the mechanics of typing until the keyboard becomes familiar. I have found that this paying of attention to the mechanics reduces RSI, whether I switch from a standard keyboard to a Kinesis or I switch back to a standard keyboard after a long period of using a Kinesis. So if you are sufficiently like I was, then you should wait a few months after switching to a Kinesis before concluding that it is actually better for you than a standard board.
I had RSI (tendonitis) for about 5 years. A large fraction of my keyboarding time during those 5 years consisted of my slowly pecking at a (standard) keyboard with the eraser end of a pencil. I consulted doctors and worried that I would never again be able to work as a programmer.
I cured my RSI and have been free of RSI for about 15 years. I have been using cheap non-ergonomic membrane keyboards (Amazon Basics, $13 each including shipping before the pandemic started causing shortages of computer equipment) for a few years although for much of the last 15 years I used expensive non-ergonomic membrane keyboards (Logitech K750s) out of an abundance of caution.
The "height" of the keyboard (distance between the part resting on the desk and the top of the keycaps) is much lower on the membrane keyboards I have been using over the last 15 years than it is on any keyboard I have ever seen with mechanical switches. The lowness of the height is desirable because I can spend less time monitoring for good wrist position (because if my wrists are resting on the desk every now and then, the position is not as harmful as it would be if my keyboard were taller) and I don't need to bother with wrist rests.
Edit: I see further below you mentioning trying out the O-rings and it made things worse for you. I might have lucked out in the hand-biomechanics part of my DNA.
I recently built a corne with chocs, and I like that it gives that laptop feel.
But Dvorak is the best layout to decrease finger travel.
Do NOT take advice on ergonomics from the mech keyboard community: they focus primarily on shiny stuff and blinky LEDs.
1. Buy mechanical keyboards with click sounds, preferably blue switch ones.
2. (Optional) tweak keycaps
3. (Optional) tweak customized keyboards
4. Wondering if Topre or PFU is really better as people said. Then proceed to buy one, and couldn't be happier
5. Actually, I could be happier because I don't care about keyboards anymore - my favorite is a silent red switch one because it's doesn't draw attention (both mine and others'). Also never go back to keyboard forums or subreddits.
Those were the days when simply using a computer or touching a keyboard was a rush, computers were rare and everything was so mysterious. Now they are commodities without much poetry in them. So I want the poetry back.
That said, it's nothing like the rubber dome pieces of crap we associate with membrane keyboards; its durability and keyfeel are still legendary. The membranical design may have contributed to its durability by making it less susceptible to dust and dirt.
Curly cable keyboard and everything
2. Buy Topre Realforce, fully satisfied for switch
3. Buy split mechanical keyboard, found split is really mandatory
4. Find best switch, but not satisfied as Topre
5. Wait for split Topre forever
I ended up with realforce rgb and don't care about the rgb, except it's really nice to have a lighted keyboard at night.
I don't think there's an RGB PFU, is there?
I added the little topre foam surround damper things and it was kind of expensive, but made it a lot more comfortable (and maybe quieter).
1. Skip your 1,2,3,4 and just get am inexpensive Cherry MX-Board
2. After several years, realize that I'm not really happy with keyboard because it boosts my bad posture. So I see if there is a split keyboard that suites my needs.
3. Damn, I need to test switches (luckily a friend has a nice selection of testers).
3. I think I might prefer tactile, but I don't want to blow the money on an expensive split keyboard to learn I don't like tactile - so better go with hot swappable switches.
4. Realize the exact board I would prefer doesn't exist.
5. Do some research on firmware, keyboard matrix circuit,...
6. Use the opportunity to learn kicad over eagle.
Started with 6. yesterday. Actually it's not that complicated, I'm more afraid of hand soldering 100 SK6812 Mini-E and 100 kailh sockets than of the rest.
the sad part is, I don't even like RBG on computer gear
For me it's a Filco Majestouch TKL with Cherry Rex MX Silent switches. Relatively fast typist (130-150wpm) coding/emails most of the day.
Anything louder just wouldn't work given WFH constraints.
Best keyboard I've ever used.
I have one I love, bought it like 10 years ago. When I tried to buy a second one this year I had the bad surprise to discover they're not available with French layout anymore.
Anyway, some steps you forgot: the search for the best ergonomic keyboard and key layout.
The one I'm typing on right now I've had since 2013 (changing key caps once in a while) and as I'm working from home, my private other one is close by.
I do have a few more (I think 3 others? [0]), but I've not found something to replace my daily driver and I'm not actively searchign. I'm not completely averse to building one at some point but I don't see the need, it might be a fun (expensive) project.
And you can pry my 40% split ergo out of my cold, dead hands. I don't care about Topre, just give me nice linear switches and a layout that won't kill my wrists and didn't originate in a prehistoric era when it comes to computers.
I got an IQUNIX F96 with reds. It’s been great.
Also, wanted to mention ergonomic layouts - would love for that space to be more mainstream! Some really cool stuff out there; I'm looking forward to getting a 3D printer someday and building some Dactyls.
I have been extremely impressed with a heavy linear switch (Hako Clear - 75g). It has a bouncy feeling if you learn not to bottom out.
A.K.A. recovering addict.
But switches... I'd love membrane switches from a Thinkpad x220 or T410. Maybe I should buy a dead one just for keyboard, and reuse the keys :)
Epomaker makes a more affordable but equally as great Topre clone, compatible with MX keycaps: https://epomaker.com/collections/niz - I have one and got nothing but good things to say.
Commonly referred to as getting old.
I agree. I'm less and less interested in shiny things as I age, and more interesting in getting home safely.
Relief only came when I bought a Das Keyboard III with heavenly Cherry Blue switches.
I'm still rocking that board today, nearly 13 years later.
No, I hated my HHKB.
Sold off every keyboard except one with sentimental value. Typing this from a macbook keyboard.
Want to be able to replace your keyboard, or get another one for the office easily? Buy a Cherry G80-3000.
Want to get used to something only to find it’s incredibly hard to find a second one that matches your muscle memory? Get an RGB Vortex racer 3 pro or an AKKO3068 with a custom run of SA double shot hello sushi keycaps in limited edition dat boi green.
Want something that you can place in a backpack and not cry about when one of the 1000 tiny little bits of plastic — all of which are critical to the keyboard operation — snaps off as you pull it out? Keychron K1 or one of its siblings. (And this isn’t a slur on the K1’s build quality — all keyboards are, by their nature, delicate devices.)
I own all of the above and more. That’s not a flex. I’m an idiot. If I did it all again I’d buy a six pack of K1s and stop there. Unrelated: can I borrow some money?
(You have a typo fyi: “there are mainly four types of switches: black, brown, green, and brown”.)
1. Wireless is kind of a rarity in the MKB landscape
2. It's one of the more inexpensive hot-swappable boards out there, which is a stellar feature if you want to try different switches but dont want to buy an entire new keyboard.
A friend recommended Keychron. After 6 months of using the K1, I'm not sure I could ever go back. I've bought a case for carrying it around, because as another comment mentions the keycaps are prone to coming off in my bag.
I have the red low-profile switches, and they're not as quiet as a membrane keyboard, but they're not loud enough to annoy the only other person I share a work/living space with, so that's all that matters.
The wireless is definitely an important feature for me as well. My Macbook Pro is already a dongle party without needing to plug a keyboard in as well.
It's not as low-profile as the Magic Keyboard 2, but it's a tradeoff that I'm prepared to accept. It's well and truly earned it's place in my backpack.
These are good, solid devices, with a nice response - however both are starting to give me double characters on some keys. I'm wary about popping the tops on the keys, and so far some good thumps / blowing out around the affected keys has resolved the problems. However, reviews around the net suggest this is a problem that tends to get worse with this model.
The Keychron is now on my shortlist once these Logitechs are unusable.
It works fairly well for me, but I find it needs a wrist rest.
However, I would love for there to be a "autonomous" wireless option. Bluetooth works OK on both my MBP and Linux laptop. But I can't use it fully under Linux, since I have full-disk encryption and so need a keyboard during the early boot stages. Also, my main computer doesn't have Bluetooth...
All in all I'm not disappointed, I wasn't looking for a wireless keyboard and knew it was bluetooth only.
I both love and hate this mouse. It’s fixed my RSI but it has been unreliable and limited keyboard choices. Also, I can hear coil whine when I use it wirelessly!
Is it really $50 for a hotswap with double shot keycaps and a set of switches?
Gone are the days of Cherry having the only quality switches, now they're just mediocre slightly over-expensive switches.
Stuff like T1s, anything Gazzew puts out, etc. are not much more (or even cheaper) but give a much more enjoyable experience. Actuation point, tactile bump, and spring weight are three very easy to explain concepts that let someone go out and find a switch that's perfect for them
The G80-3000 comes without NKRO, a very bendable case and PCB-mounted rather than plate-mounted switches.
A Leopold (for example) is much more pleasant to use and not so exotic that it's impossible to obtain a replacement.
Much like the quality of a photographer is quite independent of their camera (in fact, the easiest way to insult a photographer is to tell them "wow, what a beautiful picture, what camera do you have?" ), I don't see how a keyboard can make any difference in the quality of the stuff I make. What am I missing?
The quality of a photographer may be independent of their camera but I guarantee professional photographers don't use cheap shitty cameras.
Edit: Tradition dictates a car analogy, so - when I bought my first car I couldn't understand why people thought disk brakes were better. I mean, you can lock the wheels with drum brakes so they're equivalent, right? Then when I got my second car with all-round disk brakes I was retrospectively horrified that I'd ever trusted my first car's brakes with anything.
Of course, a year later when I was more confident and started testing the limits of my second car, I found out the difference between disk brakes and racing brakes...
It will depend on the switch, but personally on cherry blues and browns I can type while looking away from the keyboard (or screen) with basically 0 typos. On cheap keyboards either I type harder (and slower) on purpose to be sure or I just miss keystrokes randomly.
I can get by with a rubber dome keyboard by if I just write comments like this one, or light office work, where I see immediately what I type, but certain tasks don't have visual feedback (or you just look elsewhere).
In my case, using Vim in normal mode (command chains aren't usually seen until they execute), taking notes off meetings/presentations, doing translation work, adapting code snippets from elsewhere, and refactoring code benefit greatly from touch typing.
And yet you'll have a really hard time finding a professional photographer using a cheap compact camera or their iPad to do their work. Just like you'll rarely see a professional developer writing code in Notepad.
I can type just as fast on a standard $10 keyboard as on my custom one. But on mine I can type more accurately, more comfortably for much longer periods, I can change the layout at any time as it's fully programmable, and at the same time it feels nicer. Why would I not use it?
It's the same reason I have a plant on my desk. I like to look at it. It doesn't make me smarter, but that doesn't mean watering it is a waste of time.
Typing is just more fun on them. It's similar to having a favorite coffee mug for drinking coffee.
I actually chose the camera I use for a similar reason. It doesn't have the fanciest electronics, but it has all the important controls on physical dials which make it more pleasant to use.
I could feel the early onset of what could have become full blown carpal tunnel early in my career; since switching to mechanicals I have had absolutely zero problems. A Cherry keyboard isn't that expensive and will last forever. For me it is a very worthwhile investment in my health and the longevity of my career.
A "special" keyboard can offer you a lot if you have an itch to scratch. Typing faster, relieving pain, automating sequences, enjoying the clicks, fast focus in low light, no mirror vibration in low light conditions, compact package, ruggedness...
As a side note, photographers are really picky about their gear :)
If you want a standard keyboard with a standard layout or something similar, a cheap rubber dome keyboard is going to work just as well as my $600 keyboard. If that's the type of keyboard you want, the reason people like them is because they think they sound nicer, feel nicer, and in many cases look nicer. They also have better built quality and people appreciate well-built things.
However, there are also situations where people are getting tangible benefits from mechanical keyboards. Some people don't have much desk space, so you can get a smaller keyboard and save room. It also makes them more portable if you feel like taking it with you.
Another tangible benefit is programmability and the use of layers. Some people work faster and more efficiently with a smaller keyboard with multiple layers. Another reason to use layers is for different use cases. I can have one layer programmed with a bunch of hotkeys for Photoshop, another layer for just normal typing/computer use, and another layer setup for gaming.
Another thing to consider is ergonomics. I 3d printed a case for a Dactyl Manuform and hand-wired my own customized, split ergonomic keyboard. After switching to it, the tendonitis in my wrist cleared up.
So, there is value to be found. However a lot of the people that want mechanical keyboards just want something that feels like it is a quality device. If that's what you're looking for, you can get something that will likely be the nicest keyboard you've ever used for $200 or less. Once you get to the $500+ mark for an entire build, you are venturing into the territory where its more of a fashion accessory. People want cases made by certain designers and while in some cases they have better features or are machined to a higher standard, you quickly run into diminishing returns.
IMO if someone wants to get into mechanical keyboards, its hard to beat the standard model of GMMK keyboards for the price. You can get it for $60 without switches or keycaps. At that point pay $30-40 for Box Jade switches if you like clicky switches, $70-100 for zeal helios switches if you like smooth linear switches, or $50 for aliaz 70g tactile switches if you like MX browns. After that spend $30-50 on a cheap but decent PBT keycap set. Finally, do about 10 minutes worth of simple modifications to the keyboard and you'll end up with something that gets you 95% of the value you'd get out of a $2000 keyboard at 1/10th of the price.
There's no proof it's true. It never holds up in studies, and if it was really true these KBs would have stayed mainstream dominant.
It's a weird internet subculture, just like lots of other stuff. It's about having something fancy and/or unique and showing it to the world.
If you are after your first mech do test out multiple switch types. A world of difference between them and it depends on personal preference, you can't decide by reading about them.
Also consider a model without numpad if you don't use it often. For me it is a big comfort improvement not having the mouse so far away.
Couldn't agree more about the other two points though. To go along with your second point I would also strongly suggest looking for a keyboard that is hot swappable. You can use a switch tester and all that, but only actual experience will tell you what you really want, and I think very few people end up sticking with the first switch they have. A hot swappable board will let you alter the switches without replacing the whole device.
Bouncy switches are a real problem with third-party switches as well, even though cherries generally don't do that.
Or put the numpad on the left side of the keyboard if you're right-handed. I don't know if that exists?
As a relatively fast typist (~150wpm) the tactility and comfort of topres feel superior to me in every way. And oh man the sound - do yourself a favor and look up a video of a silenced Realforce or Leopold - they sound like gentle raindrops and are insanely therapeutic when working.
I wish I'd bought a silent one though, whenever I forget to mute myself on Zoom my typing is clearly audible. Not everyone appreciates the 'thonk'.
I heard a side-by-side of a silenced topre (realforce 87u) vs Matias quiet click, the the silenced topre is much quieter.
Are there any ergo topre keyboards out there?
I noticed how I somehow wrote alot faster on my old macbook pro, and not messing up that much.
So I was thinking about moving from mechs to something else. But perhaps i should try a "Topre"?
Quite an oxymoron here.
Also, this guide seems to be a rehash of what was available 10 years ago. It would be nice if you covered some of the newer options. Personally I dipped my toes in the water for the first time about 6 months ago and didn't recognize anything that was actually on the market compared to when I bought my first board with MX Blues back in 2010, and this is more or less the extent of the knowledge you could get back then.
Also I agree with your second point. If nothing else, it should be mentioned that you're more likely to see Gateron/Kailh in mass market boards these days. They do use a very similar color scheme which makes it easier for beginners though.
I find reds to have just the right pressure.
The thing that annoys me most, is there is almost no discussion about good membrane keyboards. It's the same blog spam of 5 promoted keyboards on every blog. I'm probably just going to get whatever is the most popular membrane keyboard sold at microcenter and call it a day.
- High quality construction, nice and heavy, won't slide around on table
- Almost no wobble in keys, and you can hit a key anywhere on the key including the corner, reliably
- Keycaps can be rearranged to Dvorak if you are very careful
- USB-C charging (as much as I HATE USB-C itself, most of my other devices are USB-C so it's reasonably convenient except for the occasional connector snapping but that happens with all my USB-C devices)
- Illuminated
- Battery life is at least a couple weeks if you turn off the illumination
- Really nice typing feel if you like chiclet keyboards
- Can be switched between 3 devices and works with either Logitech or Bluetooth protocols. I have one device as Bluetooth with my phone and one device as Logitech with my desktop. So if I want to type on my phone I just hit one key to switch to my phone and start typing.
The biggest downside is Logitech receivers suck, and don't work if plugged into a USB3 port directly. You'll want to get a USB2 hub and plug the receiver into the USB2 hub. No big deal for desktops but could be annoying if you are trying to use this with a laptop.
There's also a Logitech Craft keyboard which is basically the same thing with a configurable input dial. I didn't buy it because to be useful to me I need way more than 1 dial. If it had at least 5, maybe 10 dials at the top I'd definitely be interested.
Honestly I think a good enough membrane keyboard is probably good enough. Above a certain baseline functionality, keyboards are all about preference. I like the ones that come with HP business desktops (model KU-0316), which tend to be pretty consistent. I've heard lots of good things about Logitech, but my only recent experience is with the MK320. It's decent for typing but has a weird nav key arrangement.
I've had a great experience with my Logitech MX Keys. It costs about $100 USD and is one of the best keyboards I've ever used. Great mechanical keyboard.
At home I use the Logitech K360 which I paid less than $30 USD for. My desk is really small so I needed a smaller keyboard but wanted one that still had a num pad on it. This one fits the space I have and it types/codes just fine.
* Bluetooth
* USB-C (for charging and wired mode)
* Mac layout
* Small form factor similar to laptop keyboard
* Not outrageously expensive
I’ve been very happy with the one I bought.
I have no affiliation with Keychron. https://www.keychron.com/
If this is what you want to spend your spare time discussing and buying sure, but let's not propagate any pseudo scientific facts about the superiority of mechanical keyboards in any regard. I've only seen people slow down typing in these clackety things going from an apple keyboard and I don't want to be in any zoom meeting with these folks either.
1. Split-key keyboard. Got one when I was getting RSI issues in my wrists. That keyboard really did make a difference.
2. Butterfly keyboard on the Macbook. I hated it. My typing precision suffered. It's certainly subjective, but I was dropping my A's everywhere.
Other than that, my current mechanical keyboard has been mainly just a "it feels nice" thing, not a "I'm a better programmer because of it" thing.
Recently, I thought of replacing my Das Keyboard and tried to get something equally "boring" - it was sad to see that they don't have the boring option anymore without at least one or two spinny wheel or flash function key.
It is expensive but the best out there by far. The black one comes in tactile, clicky blue, and linear, and the white version is tactile only.
Both the clicky (blue) switches and the tactile feel great (you can test them out at a best buy). The clicky/linear/tactile keys are offered only on the black version, while the white one has tactile only.
If you like tactile keys, Get the WHITE version (it is slightly different, and better than the tactile black). It is very low profile, and you don't need a wrist, rest. Also the keycap shape is great for programmers (it is more flat than others, but it has a slight curve, and a bevel).
https://www.logitechg.com/en-us/products/gaming-keyboards/g9...
White version: https://www.bestbuy.com/site/logitech-gaming-g915-tkl-blueto...
It is truly a beautiful keyboard and joy to type on.
I guess it's like a prebuilt computer vs a custom build.
If you're interested in learning about mechs, ok with ordering from a few different places, you can build a keyboard significantly better than that Logitech for half the price.
For the same price you'd get a keyboard in an entirely different bracket of quality (imo the Logitech is about where $50 mechs from companies like Reddragon are, just with some better QC and CS)
-
But if you're not ok with all that, then it's a slightly different story?
I mean that Logitech specifically has low profile switches which are not great, and the keycaps typical chintsy Logitech ones (bad) and are non-standard (really bad, imo that defeats one of the best things about a mech).
It's a very specific keyboard for a very specific kind of consumer, I definitely wouldn't call it the best.
If someone's not interested in wireless as a hard requirement, Ducky keyboards have excellent keycaps and better build quality.
If you need wireless I'd recommend the Keychron K6, hot swappable so you can experiment with different switches, normal keycap situation, all around a solid keyboard.
I used the project as an excuse to learn KiCad and keyboards at the same time.
Fun.
It outputs ASCII for Apple I and other 8-bit home-brew machines. (It's why I built it.)
* Differences in keystroke logging - this has nothing to do with the switch and everything to do with the design of the traces on the board, the controller, and the interface to the computer. There are plenty of what you would consider to be mechanical keyboards by your definition that are 3KRO/6KRO. A beginner reading this article may wrongly assume that if it has a discrete switch it must be NKRO.
* Typing feel - this too is a problematic claim because many very good keyboards (Topre, IBM Model M) employ a membrane.
* Lifespan - I struggle with this claim as I've seen many very old membrane keyboards and I've had mechanical keyboards fail early. I think there are too many factors and components that go into a keyboard to claim they will have long life solely because the switches may be tested at millions/billions of actuations.
* Travel Distance - while this is mostly accurate there are a few "speed" variants that have been popularized by gaming brands. They may offer a superior gaming experience but some people may find typing on these keyboards to be cumbersome.
In my opinion there is really no optimal keyboard for everyone. What works for someone may feel terrible for others. It's really about what your personal preference is be it "mechanical", membrane, or heck even apple butterfly.
I am currently using a Tex Shinobi https://tex.com.tw/products/shinobi?variant=16969883648090 with 78G Zelio V2 switches.
It's the closest thing I've found to an old-school Thinkpad keyboard, with a full standard layout and volume control media keys.
For all the flak that gets thrown at scissor keys for being fragile and vulnerable to dust and hair, I've had very few issues. Some compressed air and optionally a toothbrush and tweezers take care of that just fine once every 6 months or so, I very rarely have to pop a key cap off to clean out anything.
I have been thinking about switching to a mechanical keyboard, but I'm not sure it's worth it. I really like the good (old 7-row) Thinkpad-style scissor keys, and would like something like that. I know IBM/Lenovo used to make a full-size keyboard with the Thinkpad mechanism and a tenkeyless version that was straight up a Thinkpad keyboard in a USB-connected case. Obviously those can't be found new anymore, only the modern chiclet-style Lenovo keyboard, which is just acceptable rather than desirable.
The Keychron has brown switches, much lighter and causes a lot of typos. I'm the type of person who likes to rest their hands on the keyboard.
Check key caps on AliExpress, easy to customize both keyboard to your liking. No need to spend a fortune on this hobby.
As an enthusiast who has built many keyboards, I wish the public could get easier access to more "boutique" switches. Gateron yellow (linear), Box Jade (clicky), and Zilent 67s (tactile) are amazing, but you pretty much have to be ready to build your own deck to use them.
Also, try Boba U4s, beats out Zilents at half the price, use the lower weight variants for more pronounced tactility.
The feats of mechanical do appeal tho, and I fear what happens when they broke - but none of the switches could come close to this typing experience, and all I tried were way too loud.
I sold my "mechanical" too. Current favorite is a Logitech K120, simple but it feels fantastic.
Over the years, I've learned about the vintage[1] brown switches inside and why I find them so comfortable, what n-key rollover is and how important it has been to my gaming sessions, and why this thing continues to work after all this time. What a great purchase it turned out to be. Too bad this model was discontinued long ago.
[1] Apparently the brown switches in this keyboard are not the same as those sold today. https://old.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/3prp4k...
BTW, do the good old "buckling spring" keyboards (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckling_spring) qualify as "mechanical" by this categorization? I still have one of those (from an old IBM PS/1000, from the age before Windows keys) lying around somewhere...
Buckling spring keyboards do indeed count as mechanical switch keyboards. I haven't used one since I was a kid but they were very cool.
Regardless, I've been able to build far more functional keyboards because of the community. I'm not aware of a single commercial device that has all of: ortholinearity, concavity, tenting, split halves, and thumb clusters - let alone the ridiculous features of qmk[1], all of which provide ergonomic value (at least in theory) - and I was only able to construct this keyboard because of the efforts of the mechanical keyboard folks. I'm not complaining (:
I almost felt the dejection in his voice, as in without a good keyboard he would never be a truly great employee. But at the same time he was at the company for a decade and never really got a raise.
For me, assuming the company doesn't have a policy against it I'll go out and buy a $200 keyboard just to get into the zone. I feel like I'm much more productive after investing that much. But this goes into my philosophy on jobs in general, your boss is never trying to improve your skill set. He or she only wants you to know just enough to do your job, in fact they'd probably prefer you remain too stupid to leave.
Experimenting with materials, finish and functionality (mount system etc.) is a very exciting processs.
Learning to design the last couple of years has been a fascinating experience. I now do semi-regular sales of ultra-high end keyboards that people seem to really enjoy.
The one weird aspect, is you typically see keyboards go for 4-5x the price of sale on the aftermarket.
It's not uncommon to see keyboards for sale for $3000-7000 nowadays. I think there is a bit of a "hypebeast" culture around it all.
Maybe you're the person to ask: I've been thinking about switching back to a mechanical keyboard, but I am looking for a specific keycap form I haven't been able to find so far.
If I cannot find these off the shelf somewhere - how realistic and achievable is it to have these custom-made for me specifically?
By the way, what I am looking for is a square base with a recessed "mesa" - either rounded like the old Nixdorf/Siemens/Fujitsu KBPC S [1], or completely round like this vintage Nixdorf [2] or the Teenage Engineering OP-1 [3].
So if you or anyone else reading this has a pointer, I'd be grateful.
[1] http://www.notebook-service.biz/bilder/Tastatur/Siemens/Tast... [2] https://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTA2NlgxNjAw/z/icUAAOSwBoxeB1t4/$... [3] https://teenage.engineering/products/op-1
Don't fall for this hype. I've used mechanical keyboards for over 20 years and switched to non-mechanical 6 years ago. My typing has been never fast. You don't have to push/raise your fingers all the way down/up when you hit the key or when you release the the key respectively. That adds to the latency as well. The flatter the keyboard the faster it is - of course coupled with the actual mechanics of the keyboard. But mechanical keyboard? Not anymore for me!
I'm now thinking about lubing the FC660C though, I've heard some people who had incredible results with it. (The typing sounds of lubed Topre keys you can listen on Youtube are just so heaven-like!)
It weared off a bit now, and I found out it is out of production, so I bought several units from outdated discounted stock. I hope those will last until Elon Musk figured out direct brain interface.
I once bought a Ducky keyboard, but returned it because of the wrist pain it gave me.
It’s been really fun. I love using it.
I guess I did have an old IBM 386 in the early 90s and that had a kinda mech board.
My first mech is this: https://iqunix.store/products/f96-coral-sea-wireless-mechani...
There seems to be no good keyboard on the market that does not have rainbow flashing LEDs under every key.
Can anybody recommend a good keyboard with adults as a target market?
They always use the most ridiculous rainbow pattern in the product photos to emphasize that the LEDs are there, it's pretty funny. I don't know a single person who actually uses a rainbow setting.
That said I can give a more targeted recommendation based on what size of keyboard you like to use.
Beyond that you're looking at either custom builds or Topre boards
Got mine in old school IBM grey. It does have accent LEDs built in but they are off by default
Candykeys is a good supplier if your in euro space
Maybe it’s just me, but while I have never had a problem with a rubber dome board, I have had to clean/adjust/replace cherry switches on every board I’ve put a decent amount of use into.
Somewhat cheaper than these approaches is to go for a split keyboard, and 'tent' each of these halves. Ergodox is probably the most popular of keyboards like this; but there are smaller/cheaper keyboards like the Corne keyboard.
The final picture is to a site with more traditional ergonomic keyboards, I haven't added these individually yet.
That one hits the N-key rollover issue.. I cant use more than three keys at once on the cheap one.
oh well I guess I'll get used to the new mech one when it arrives...
https://ultimatehackingkeyboard.com/product/trackpoint
There's that module, and also a trackball and small touchpad one that attaches near where your thumb would be
The Yoda II is sold put but they often come out with new batches.
I am using Quefrency and Sinc and couldn’t be happier
1. learn to properly touch type
2. Switch from slow, overheating Macbooks to a watercooled linux desktop.
3. Get a nice mechanical keyboard with cherry brown switches.
Mechanical keyboards can be a serious rabbit hole :)
Since this article is targeted for beginners, it would be better if you explain what are these terms and how do they affect
2KRO means 2-key rollover. If you push 3 keys simultaneously, one will not be taken into account.
It is in fact a little more complicated than that (2KRO guarantees that any combination of 2 keys will register both, but some 3 or more key combinations will also work).
HAVIT HBKV390L Kailh low profile blue switches
Quite a few of my former coworkers had their sets made by WASD.
Lemme go Google these terms so I can make it through my beginners guide.
More so than a membrane keyboard after 10 years? I would say the opposite, mechanical keyboards are easier to fix, and have resale value. I just bought a second-hand Ergodox as my first mechanical keyboard, it cost a bit more than my previous membrane one, but looks sturdier, and easier to fix with removable switches and keycaps.
> Absolute load of w**, designed to suck dollars out of nerds.
As a nerd, a scientist and an Engineer, I appreciate having options. Not a single device will fit everyone, and I would likely disagree with you on what is the best keyboard. And I spend a lot of time typing, so I find it important enough.
As someone quite new to all of this, I appreciate comprehensive guides being written on the topic.