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What am I missing? Why all the love for mechanical keyboards?
- Thread starter Scheibler1
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Lateralus
More [H]uman than Human
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I just pick up a new one of these every six months or so for $12.
Spill something? A stuck key? Who cares, it's 12 bucks.
Works out GREAT.
$12 / six months
$24 / year
$96 / four years
For $96, and sometimes much less if you catch a good sale, you can get a board that will last much longer than 4 years AND be much more pleasant to type on.
But hey, I'm not here to convert anyone, if you like membrane boards more power to ya.
horrorshow
Lakewood Original
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Lateralus
More [H]uman than Human
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Gotta factor in spills friendo
Mechanical keyboards should be more resistant to spills. It's a shame that your IBM got ruined (stew, lol!), but I've had a couple of "whoopsies" with drinks and they didn't affect function. But I spilled some iced tea into a Logitech membrane board and although it didn't kill it, it rendered it useless by causing the keys start sticking and unlike a mechanical board it was was virtually impossible to clean under the key caps. It was never the same again!
horrorshow
Lakewood Original
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Last edited:
I just pick up a new one of these every six months or so for $12.
Spill something? A stuck key? Who cares, it's 12 bucks.
Works out GREAT.
Ever since I spilled stew all over my old original IBM model M keyboard, I vowed to never love a keyboard again..... I still miss it.
"I crashed the brand new BMW 7 series I used to own, so now I only buy 10 year old Kias. Just in case it ever happens again..."
Simple solution: Don't eat at your desk.
I just pick up a new one of these every six months or so for $12.
Spill something? A stuck key? Who cares, it's 12 bucks.
Works out GREAT.
Ever since I spilled stew all over my old original IBM model M keyboard, I vowed to never love a keyboard again..... I still miss it.
Unfortunately, typing on a $12 keyboard feels like your typing on a $12 keyboard.
Just because a shitty keyboard is overpriced doesn't mean mechanical keyboards are ALL overpriced. I got my Logitech 710+ with MX Browns for $50 USD. Brand new. Not to mention that Roccat is using bullshit, bootleg switches and looks like it's $20 worth of parts.
horrorshow
Lakewood Original
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Put that together yourself did ya?
Lifelite
Supreme [H]ardness
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Just now seeing this thread. I own all mechanical keyboards at home and at work...My wife uses them too.
I used to do all the logitech gaming keyboards (membrane)...until finally one day I went mechanical with a Razer 2013 Black Widows Ultimate, with Cherry MX Blues. At first, it was "meh". I loved the clickiness but the feel felt wrong to me for whatever reason. Regardless, I bought it, so I went ahead and used it. After a week, I got used to typing on it and was effectively using it without issues. I found that my hands stop feeling achy after typing all day like they used to, I was typing much faster, and I was driving my co-workers mad with the clickity clack (All wins!); but it wasn't till I went back to use my old keyboard on something that I realized how huge a difference it made. After typing on mechanical for so long, old rubber dome type keyboards just feel....mushy for lack of a better word.
It's really one of those things..."When you go clack, you don't go back
I used to do all the logitech gaming keyboards (membrane)...until finally one day I went mechanical with a Razer 2013 Black Widows Ultimate, with Cherry MX Blues. At first, it was "meh". I loved the clickiness but the feel felt wrong to me for whatever reason. Regardless, I bought it, so I went ahead and used it. After a week, I got used to typing on it and was effectively using it without issues. I found that my hands stop feeling achy after typing all day like they used to, I was typing much faster, and I was driving my co-workers mad with the clickity clack (All wins!); but it wasn't till I went back to use my old keyboard on something that I realized how huge a difference it made. After typing on mechanical for so long, old rubber dome type keyboards just feel....mushy for lack of a better word.
It's really one of those things..."When you go clack, you don't go back
If you do a bit of light gaming or even moderate membrane keys are probably fine. My G15 lasted for launch to now, the LEDs faded before it did. But it was loud and hurting my fingers due to having to bottom out the key's to trigger them. About 1.5 to 2 years ago I went with a corsair 85x or whatever with browns for work where I go through several 35 dollar keyboards a year. I dont type too hard unless stressed or heavily multitasking, just most of my day is spend typing.
Having to bottom out the keys was making my joints sore after 60% of a slightly above standard day. The browns have a decent actuation point but not enough feedback so I still bottom them out a bit but no where near as bad. Bottoming them negates the quiet switch though so its loud lol. Now I get through 80 to 90% of my day before my joints feel it. Not arthritis just fatigue.
I kept that one since it was pricey but I did not want browns again and I did not really what the loud blues to replace my G15. I ended up with the G910 with the Roamer G switches which I really like. Quiet, smooth and the actuation has a decent bit of resistance that my fingers pick up on and soften the press so I dont bottom them out very hard. This was designed for gaming vs long typing sessions so it works great at home, otherwise I would have another one at work. If they keys were more spaced out for better typing with larger hands I would buy another.
Having to bottom out the keys was making my joints sore after 60% of a slightly above standard day. The browns have a decent actuation point but not enough feedback so I still bottom them out a bit but no where near as bad. Bottoming them negates the quiet switch though so its loud lol. Now I get through 80 to 90% of my day before my joints feel it. Not arthritis just fatigue.
I kept that one since it was pricey but I did not want browns again and I did not really what the loud blues to replace my G15. I ended up with the G910 with the Roamer G switches which I really like. Quiet, smooth and the actuation has a decent bit of resistance that my fingers pick up on and soften the press so I dont bottom them out very hard. This was designed for gaming vs long typing sessions so it works great at home, otherwise I would have another one at work. If they keys were more spaced out for better typing with larger hands I would buy another.
Membrane keyboards will last a long time before outright failure occurs. 10-30 million keystrokes is a lot for most people to achieve. They work fine for a lot of people but most people who buy mechanical keyboards like the superior typing experience. I type thousands of words per day in both my jobs and I use mechanicals at home and for [H] work. At my day job I use a membrane keyboard. I hate the latter. I type more than most people and perhaps more than a human should. I never have fatigue issues in my hands due to typing. Membrane keyboards do take more force to register key presses. Additionally, membrane keyboards aren't consistent from one key to the next. They are also inconsistent as they age and you wear out the membrane in some spots.
AltTabbins
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I have 2 mechanical keyboards that are going on 4 years old now. Besides replacing the keycaps, they are as good as new.
I have 2 Duckys that are over a year old and the caps are barely shined.
I had a original G15 that didn't last a year before a couple keycaps were worn through.
People complain about the price but you don't have to drop +$100 to get a decent mechanical keyboard. I would take a Firerose any day over a membrane keyboard.
https://www.amazon.com/1STPLAYER-Ergonomic-Waterproof-Illuminated-Mechanical/dp/B01AUQETOG/
I have 2 Duckys that are over a year old and the caps are barely shined.
I had a original G15 that didn't last a year before a couple keycaps were worn through.
People complain about the price but you don't have to drop +$100 to get a decent mechanical keyboard. I would take a Firerose any day over a membrane keyboard.
https://www.amazon.com/1STPLAYER-Ergonomic-Waterproof-Illuminated-Mechanical/dp/B01AUQETOG/
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Lateralus
More [H]uman than Human
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I bought one of these as a gift for a 20 year old as his first mechanical this past Christmas and I was pretty impressed for the price:
https://www.amazon.com/Redragon-K55...-4&keywords=redragon+mechanical+keyboard&th=1
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In contrast, my Ducky Shine Zero was in service for about a year and all the key caps are shiny as hell. I had an original G15 that wore through the key caps in about 6 months. At the end of a year it looked terrible. I had the newer G15 after that and it was good for a membrane keyboard. The caps were shiny in a year but it didn't wear through or anything. I've got a Microsoft Wireless 3000 keyboard and mouse combo at work. All the keys on it are shiny as hell. You can see where I've hit the spacebar the most. I'm practically wearing a hole in it. You can actually feel a dip in the plastic where my thumb makes contact with it.
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AltTabbins
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I really hate the new line of Microsoft keyboards. The person who was in my position at work before me ordered a bunch for everyone and they didn't last a year before we ended up replacing nearly all of them.
Here is the Ducky I use at work. Its a Ducky One I ordered from Mechanicalkeyboards.com and its been great.
Archaea
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Over rated
I bought into the hype. Bought a brown mx based 70 series from corsair. It's nice but no nicer than an equivalently priced membrane keyboard in my opinion. I use a membrane keyboard at work and the brown mx at home. I use both, largely with indifference.
I bought into the hype. Bought a brown mx based 70 series from corsair. It's nice but no nicer than an equivalently priced membrane keyboard in my opinion. I use a membrane keyboard at work and the brown mx at home. I use both, largely with indifference.
If you can't tell the difference I'm not sure what to say. The difference in the typing experience between any mechanical keyboard and any membrane keyboard is huge. I've used some shitty mechanical keyboards that I returned or sold because i hated them. I would still use any one of them over a membrane based unit. Aside from that, the Corsair's key switches will last about five times longer than that membrane keyboard will.
Lateralus
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Membrane to mechanical = platter drive to SSD in terms of how noticeable it is. Won't speed your system up of course, but the difference in feel and durability is night and day.
Archaea
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I didn't say I couldn't tell the difference, I said I didn't care in regards to which I was using. I won't be upset if I were to go back to a membrane next time for my home keyboard when the KX70 starts misfiring.
At work I use a Microsoft Digital Media Keyboard
https://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Bu...eywords=Microsoft+Digital+Media+Keyboard+1.0A
At home I use a Corsair K70 (I've been using it now for a little over six months - my first mechanical keyboard)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014W1Z43U/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Ignoring the extraneous feature set (volume control, and backlighting is superior on the Corsair) - I couldn't care less about which I was actually typing on. It's not like I come to work and say I hate this keyboard, or go home and say I love the K70. They are different - so what? My work keyboard is closing on 10 years old. You telling me my KX70 is going to last 50 years? I doubt it.
I'm just one opinion. O.P. inquired for opinions. I shared mine.
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I was simply talking about switch life span. 50 million keystrokes vs. 10 million. That's not to say that some mechanicals don't due before that or that some membrane based switches last longer than their rated life spans. There are some IBM buckling spring units that do have decades on them. I don't know if any of the oldest membrane based units are still usable today.
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F
Findecanor
Guest
You shouldn't be slouching over your keyboard, either (which is how you can drop things on it)
Get a stand for your monitor that elevates it to a proper height. That would be better for your back.
Strongfort
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For me it just came down to the even pressure needed for key presses. Older. On-mechanical keyboards would often have varying levels of pressure needed. Sometimes when playing games my hand would get really sore trying to hold the bets down. Mechanical keyboards just feel much better on the fingers for me.
As someone who has spilled (a full bowl of soup) on a mechanical keyboard I can say it's usually not an issue. I had a poorly placed bowl of soup and hit it with my elbow while turning in my chair, knocked the whole damn bowl onto my DAS Keyboard... unplugged it as fast as I could, removed the outer case and dried any liquid on the PCB (IIRC I also used some rubbing alcohol to clean any residue) and re-assembled when completely dry... still works a good three or four years later. Once you get used to feedback (audible, tactile, or both) it's really hard to go back. I know that's not the only spill either, just the most heinous one. Just recieved my cooler master Masterkeys S rgb and I love it. Was getting really tired of Razer's stupid software install prompt any time I plugged the keyboard into different USB ports.Gotta factor in spills friendo
I actually like higher actuation rates for mechanical keyboards. I've recently discovered that I like the Gateron Blues more than the Cherry MX Blues for this reason. Although, Cherry MX Greens might be just fine too. I liked the Cherry MX Blacks more than the Reds. I type on this membrane Microsoft Wireless 3000 abomination at work and find the keys take even more actuation force than my Gateron Blues. I do not like it. I also hate the inconsistency in the required actuation force across certain sections of the keyboard.
On the subject of spills, I wonder what the hell people do with their computers or around them. I eat near my computer but I don't hang beverages over the mouse and keyboard while trying to drink them or eat food directly over them. Crumbs and shit are fucking nasty and I wouldn't do that to my hardware. A keyboard's spill resistance isn't important to me.
Elory Besus
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For me, it's a preference thing. I used to use only Rubber-dome keyboards until a friend of mine gave me my very first Mechanical gaming keyboard (Corsair K90 with MX Red switches). I just fell in love with mechanical keyboards since then. My absolute favorite is the Cherry MX Blues. I just love its sound and its feel while typing. Mechanical switches are also durable, with the minimum lifespan of 50 million keystrokes. Mechanical keyboards also come with a lot of features such as RGB lighting, Macro functionality, and they are much more durable than Rubber/membrane keyboards. They are pricier, yes, but you're pretty much buying a great keyboard overall.
So my wife is getting a new computer (Setting it up for her now) and she insisted on a mech. Ended up getting this for her - https://www.amazon.com/Element-Mechanical-Dimmable-Keyboard-Conflict/dp/B01EFOJ0L6
Was a steal. Open box perfect condition for $40 shipped.
Was a steal. Open box perfect condition for $40 shipped.
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I'm a mech board fan. I particularly enjoy lighter linear switches like MX reds and will have a Hall Effect board from XMIT via MassDrop arriving shortly to try out. For me, they're simply more comfortable to type on - something I see most every day as I type on a rubber dome at work. They might not be for everyone but I'm particularly pleased with mine thus far.