Peripherals Am I the only one that does not really like mechanical keyboards?

So lately I've been investing some hard earned and saved cash into pimping out my ageing powerhouse. Wtih both a SSD and new GPU installed, I decided to turn my attention to the Cherry keyboard I've had for the last 3 years.

It got it on the advice of many on these boards, and back then they were still fairly uncommon, and no gaming keyboards used mechanical keys. As both a touch typist and gamer, I seemed to be the perfect fit for one, but I can honestly say I enjoy both gaming and typing on my Asus G74S over this thing. It's not just the noise but also the feel, they never connected with me.

I assumed that I probably shared this preference with many others, but today after reading various reviews of gaming keyboards, it seems that almost everyone, reviews and comment sections a like, slam high end boards that don't use mechanical keys. Thankfully the keyboard I'm likely to get (Razor Deathstalker) is not mechanical.

I understand that mechanical are far more robust, but other than that, is there anyone else out there who like me, would actually avoid one?

 

I do like my cmstorm keyboard, but must admit, sometimes I miss my old cyborg keyboard. Mechanicals make more noise than membrane, which can be a problem sometimes, and for games, I think I did as well with the cyborg as with this one. Typing, I prefer the mechanical (just) - seem to get a few less wrong keystrokes.

Wouldn't avoid mechanical, but wouldn't limit myself to mechanical only choices, if I was buying again.

 

Sounds like you've tried one noisy Cherry switch and didn't like it. The world of mechanicals is somewhat larger.

 

I avoid anything not low profile, normal size keys and long distance to press the key is simply impractical, normal height keys require much more "work" to press them. Who cares if i will have to buy the same 15-30€ keboard every year or so, at least i don't have to clean the insides .

 

Yeah, this one is pretty noisy which is a put off for me, but it's more the actual feel of the typing I don't really like. Maybe I'd fair better with the red switch (or other) type, this one is blue.

 

This.

It's a bit like saying you don't like diesel cars because you once drove a 106 1.5D.

More refined models exist - Cherry boards are cheap as chips but generally considered lovely to type on.

 

You're just waiting for Star trek touch interfaces aren't you?

I don't like typing on scissor or touchscreens. I need the tactile feeling of my key being depressed. MX Browns for me.

 

If you have a PCB mount Cherry keyboard, I would recommend you to spend a small amount on getting 4 of each at least of the other switch types and installing them on your keyboard to get a true impression of them before deciding to buy an entire other keyboard. If you still don't like any of them you could move on to some other choices. It is easy to open the switch housing and swap out the stems/springs inside them to audition other types of MX with minimal effort. If you have a plate mounted keyboard it would require soldering and much more effort but may still be an option.
MX keyboards without click type switch are no louder than anything else provided you do not bottom them out hard, and with MX which actuate at mid stroke there is no need to do so. I find MX keyboards to be more durable, more accurate, and it is easier to find them with 6KRO or better which is highly advantageous for gaming.

 

Agreed, go here and type "module" in to the search box. For a tenner you can try browns, blacks, reds, clears and whites, then you can use mixtures of what you have to simulate greens and greys (not for the light fingered).

 

Wouldn't avoid, but I could live without one and think they're overrated.

No doubt my Filco is nicer than a generic dome keyboard and built like a tank but I could happily work with something a lot cheaper.

To appease the cult of the microswitch , I'll admit it is based around browns which are the only type I've tried so far.

 

I've only used a few mechanicals and they've sucked. We used them at work because someone insisted that they're better. They're only better at dying. Not one lasted more than 6 months before keys started falling off. Ducky, Razer, whatever.....

 

Not everyone has to prefer mechanicals to rubber domes, I've yet to meet someone IRL who thinks that but it's not out of the question.

Obviously as others have said, it's quite possible you've just not found a switch type you like, so I wouldn't instantly write off mechanicals based on one/two meh boards/switches

 

This was me till I tried a rubber dome again. Learnt that day that going back is damn harder than it sounds.

 

I think you're supposed to use your fingers not hammers lol

 

I like flat keyboards, to the point that I use Apple's USB (ie: with a numberpad) keyboard. The mechanical fad, is in my opinion, a bit ridiculous.

Whilst they're not membrane keys on the Apple ones, they're not a full mechanical switch:





NB: Not my photos

 

Same. It got to the point where if I'm likely to spend more than an hour in front of a university PC, I bring my Pure.

 

FYI: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Keysonic-KSK-8021U-Aluminium-Design-Keyboard/dp/B006W5ZY6W/

 

Those are in fact domes over membrane, like nearly all scissor types, they are just really small ones with a short throw and use the scissor mechanism to allow for nearly flat keycaps instead of the usual full travel plunger style.
More than anything keyboards and mice are very personal. It is what the operator uses to interact with the machine, so having something that is comfortable to the user is the first priority, reliability of function, then style should be considered later. Hands and wrists are much harder to replace. Even a low quality keyboard that is comfortable is preferable to getting the most expensive/cool thing.
Not everyone is the same, but I have definitely noticed far less hand and wrist pain since leaving the domes boards in the rubbish bin. I can type much lighter with MX so that sort of fatigue is a thing of the past for me now.
Also unless you are angry German kid, or the sort that frequently pukes in their keyboard on Saturday night, mechanical can give you decades of service. I have some going back to 1985, and asides from them being XT (connection and protocol became obsolete before keyboard is worn out) they are nearly like new.

 

I can still type on my laptop keyboard perfectly well, but the feeling of typing on either of my mechanical boards is just so much better, in my opinion.

Membrane keyboards that don't use scissor switches feel horrible. I sold my G15 for a low-profile Logitech ages before trying a mechanical switch for the first time. I just couldn't type on it, and just thought full height keys were awful. Turns out it was just the switch design.

I do so much typing these days that a nice feeling keyboard is very high up my list of priorities when it comes to PC components. I could probably have bought a 670 for the amount I've spent on keyboards this year... :-\

 

Glad to know I'm not the only with a knack for breaking mechanical boards... yes I am quite heavy-handed, mice and controllers have a similarly short [average 12 months, 18 at a push] lifespan...

I reserve a special hatred for the apple keyboards though, i had to use one at my previous job and my typing speed went from it's usual mediocre-bad to shambolicly bad... everything about it felt wrong - the angle, the [lack of] travel in the keys, the spacing between the keys, and the fact even typing normally you sounded like you were doing this:



the only upside is it's comically easy to remove the keys and rearrange them, thus winding up your colleagues