Keyboard question - mechanical keys.

Forums › Desktop computing › Keyboard question - mechanical keys.

Geektastic

17690 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#270565 15-May-2020 09:31

I keep seeing Massdrop offering these massive, old fashioned clunky keyboards with huge ugly keys like a 1970's golfball typewriter.

What on earth is the attraction of that compared to a modern smooth flat keyboard?! They are much harder work to type on and I can't see why people would volunteer to own one when so many modern alternatives exist.

What is the big deal with them? (Genuine question).

Mehrts

857 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#2484267 15-May-2020 10:37

The clicky sounds when you type 🙃

Thinking about buying a Tesla? Feel free to use my referral link to get a few good perks when you order!

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

ShinyChrome

SNNAAAAAAKKKKEEEEE
1505 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Subscriber

#2484314 15-May-2020 11:00

Its like that old joke about vinyl (and probably numerous other hobbies as well), "the two things that drew me were the cost and the inconvenience".

In all seriousness though, some of us with big thick, stubby, imprecise digits like chunky, widely-spaced keys to mash them into to. I'm also guessing things like the sensitivity and durability of high quality switches play into it, but I am not nearly enough of a an accomplished typist to claim those benefits.

Gurezaemon

~HONYAKKER!~
1158 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#2484326 15-May-2020 11:19

My teen son is constantly debating with his gamer friends over which of the different colours (=types) of clicky switches are the best for responsiveness in various games. Those in the know are quite passionate about their own preferences.

Gurezaemon

~HONYAKKER!~
1158 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#2484327 15-May-2020 11:19

Apsattv

2138 posts

Uber Geek

#2484673 15-May-2020 21:10

There is a lot to it, switch types (cherry blues, reds blacks etc), caps set , amount of keys 88,67,102 height/profile etc

and gaming keyboards, with their blinging lights

have a look here you will be shocked at how enthusiastic some are about their keyboards

https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/

Sure you can use a $30 throwaway ms keyboard. Mine lasted 2 years before all the keycaps wore off.

I just use one of these, think it was $35 u.s its ok so far, very solid however there is a design flaw where it give a annoying high pitch ping noise if you hit certain keys to hard. I'm not gaming so its ok for my usage but by no means a high end keyboard. A strictly low budget one

https://www.redragonzone.com/collections/keyboard/products/redragon-k551-n-mechanical-gaming-keyboard-no-backlighting

IronH

373 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2493919 28-May-2020 21:21

I have 5 different "modern flat keyboards", one of which is a mechanical keyboard called keychron k1 v3, and while it is a low profile mechanical and not a "clunky" mechanical, the tactile feedback and key travel makes it significantly more accurate, enjoyable and pleasing to use over my 2nd favourite (the moe expensive logitech craft). my guess would be that some people prefer typing on the clunky ones due to some combination of tactile feedback, key travel, typing speed, accuracy etc. Everyone has different tastes and preferences.

richms

26404 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Subscriber

#2493924 28-May-2020 21:35

Nicer to type on. The flat chicklet keyboards are almost unanomously crap with key wobble making them jam or register slowly so your finger is off it before you realize that it didnt take what you pressed. Apple did a nicer feeling less wobbly one but it kept breaking.

Also I can hammer away on my cherry switches for ages and nothing happens with them but do that on a cheap junk keyboard that HP bundle with their desktop computers for workplaces and you will have them stuffing up in no time.

Richard rich.ms

Gurezaemon

~HONYAKKER!~
1158 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#2493927 28-May-2020 21:39

richms:

Nicer to type on. The flat chicklet keyboards are almost unanomously crap with key wobble making them jam or register slowly so your finger is off it before you realize that it didnt take what you pressed. Apple did a nicer feeling less wobbly one but it kept breaking.

Also I can hammer away on my cherry switches for ages and nothing happens with them but do that on a cheap junk keyboard that HP bundle with their desktop computers for workplaces and you will have them stuffing up in no time.

I don't particularly mind the softer keyboards (I use a Microsoft Ergonomic 4000 here) but the regular flat keyboard layout plays havoc with my wrists. Ideally, a keyboard with the tilt angles of the various MS ergonomic keyboards combined with the more responsive switches would be perfect.

Batman

Mad Scientist
29045 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2494020 29-May-2020 06:52

once you use Cherry MX all membrane keyboards feel like typing on rocks wrapped with cardboard.

which Cherry = personal preference. I tried them all and Brown's my favourite.

other non Cherry MX were as bad as membrane but that's me

SirHumphreyAppleby

2519 posts

Uber Geek

#2494078 29-May-2020 08:01

Geektastic:

What is the big deal with them? (Genuine question).

I type on an original MS Natural keyboard purchased in 1997 along with a Pentium 166.

I've never 'upgraded' as the newer versions have a bunch of media buttons I don't want, lack the right Windows key and put some of the other keys in odd places. The lack of feedback from modern keyboards is only a secondary reason for me, but I hate typing on soft laptop keyboards.

Batman

Mad Scientist
29045 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2494256 29-May-2020 11:27

if typing fast is your thing then mechanical keyboards are very very slick. it's like gliding on butter. though the buttery-ness varies from brands to brands of keyboard manufacturer, even though the MX keys underneath are the same.

i guess if you have to smash the keys 6ft into the ground each time, perhaps membrane might be better.

i find typing on membrane keyboards very cumbersome - my fingers are not made to smash rocks into the ground.

DonH

217 posts

Master Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2494288 29-May-2020 11:54

I have enough IBM Model M keyboards (and PS/2 to USB adapters) to last me the rest of my life at the current rate of failure. One reason some people prefer this type of mechanical keyboard traces its origins back to the days of typing pools. When you typed all day for your livelihood, the touch of the keyboard was very important. Selectrics were famous because they had a precise touch - it was obvious through feel and sound that a key had registered. This led to faster typing and less fatigue, because your muscles quickly learned how much pressure was needed for reliable operation and didn't need to apply excess pressure to make sure the key had bottomed.

The buckling spring and fly-plate keyboard mechanisms developed for data entry terminals were designed to emulate this feel, and the philosophy continued with the Model F and M keyboards for PCs. They were expensive to make and assemble though, and as PCs became commoditised so the modern "mushmatic" keyboard became the norm.

People hear what they see. - Doris Day

mdooher

Hmm, what to write...
1366 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2494341 29-May-2020 13:30

If you are a true touch typist like my wife who can reliably do 110 words a minute you will know the difference.

She loves those keyboards and when she types on one it is almost a constant sound. According to her when you type on a keyboard at speed, you only press the key past the high pressure point not right down.

With a mechanical keyboard this is when the micro-switch registers the key-press. Try that on you normal keyboard and you will miss characters.

Matthew

fizzychicken

310 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2494382 29-May-2020 14:57

mechanical keyboards are very popular for gaming due to a combination of response time, less fatigue during long sessions, and the ability to go nuts and super customise with colours and lights and different keys. They cost more to produce out of the box even if you get a plain, no rgb board. I think the gain in response time is negligible (though i do admit the tactile feedback of knowing you hit the key is better) but the main reason I don't use one is that I hate the sound of the keys on them...even the super silent ones.

This is a very good video explaining the level of options you can get in mechanical key switches and just what makes them different.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezpu1c7rXfk

https://keybase.io/fizzychicken