Rosewill Mechanical Keyboard | $64

[Zangmonkey]

Isn't this the same as all keyboards used to be though? Say, like 10 years ago or so? I have several mechanical keyboards from late 90's/early 2000's that were dirt cheap. Or am I misunderstanding, and those old school noisy keyboards with raised keys are actually also membrane keyboards?

Even ten years ago mechanical keyboard were rare.

They were plentiful in the 90's, but they didn't cost $15 then, either.

I'm still using a 1985 IBM Model M, it did not cost $15, ever.

 

[melteye]

I had no problems with my Rosewill mechanical plug... although I could not get used to the profile and my typing accuracy dropped even after 100 hours of use. Ended up switching back to my Logitech Illuminated.

 

[Impulse]

Isn't this the same as all keyboards used to be though? Say, like 10 years ago or so? I have several mechanical keyboards from late 90's/early 2000's that were dirt cheap. Or am I misunderstanding, and those old school noisy keyboards with raised keys are actually also membrane keyboards?

More like 15+ years, you can still find mech Dells, and obviously IBM and the sort who made them much longer... They nearly disappeared precisely because they were never $15 (even in 80/90's money) and once manufacturers figured out how to make much cheaper boards (rubber dome members) that was it.

They never went away entirely but costs went up obviously as volume went down, they've been seeing a resurgence as more manufacturers go back to making them so prices have actually come down a bit (e.g. Rosewill's RK-9000, CM QuickFire TKL etc.). Though most mechanical boards today will use Cherry switches, not the costlier buckling springs of 15 years ago...

Some would prefer Cherry regardless, others still seek out buckling springs, Unicomp still makes those I think.