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[Meted]

Tried a few over my years of gaming, i play pc and console games, had a lot of experience with many different kinds of keyboards but i can't understand the appeal of a mechanical keyboard. It feels like a typewriter (i have used one as a kid) and i hate how "hard" it feels to press and the bounce back. Aesthetically i hate how loud they are, i don't watch many streams or lets plays but i have heard the sound of someone using a loud mechanical keyboard alongside the gameplay, can't understand why that is an appeal but i guess its like people who want their car or bike to sound really loud. Am i the only one? or is this a common thought and mechanical keyboard lovers are just more vocal on the matter?

 

[Outrunner]

Ok, thanks for sharing

 

[TUROK]

The appeal is supposed to be about the tactile feedback of hitting the keys and probably some more enthusiast shit like how fast they bounce back or something.

I have one. Don't remember what kind of switches exactly; I like it but it's not a revelation or anything.

 

[Contica]

You're not alone. But you're basically pissing on the candles in church right now.

Give me super flat keys and I'm happy.

 

[Soodanim]

I have ordered and returned a couple MKs over the years and none of them have felt good enough to keep, so I guess I can relate to a point.

It sounds like you're describing Cherry MX Blue switches, which are designed to be clicky and loud. Apparently good for people that type.

I ordered a keyboard with red switches first as it was the one most often described as good for gaming, but it felt far too loose to use.
Next was brown switches, which has a slight tactile feel but quieter than blue. Didn't feel fantastic.


Find me a keyboard that has silence as a feature and I'll consider it. Until then I may as well stick with my cheap membrane keyboard.

 

[MightySquirrel]

The advatage of mech keys are longevity and perhaps more importantly faster response for pro gamewrs since red keys activate half way or even earlier.

 

[shoegaze]

I agree OP, mechanical keyboards are shit to the core. Too long of a travel, too loud of a sound, It captures the true essence of a hipster.

 

[The Cockatrice]

Super but you do realize there are quite a lot of different switches for mechanical keyboards which is why most people prefer them. There are quite useful but hardly mandatory if that's what you're worried about. The fact that they feel like a typewriter is the nice part about them, at least to me. I like to feel that I'm actually typing instead of shitty plastic ones where keys might get stuck or whatever. You can also get silent switches so the loud clicky noise won't be as annoying.

 

[kraspkibble]

wait, so you're telling me that not everyone likes something? that you have your own thoughts and opinions? whoa.

it's OK not to like something. but thanks for sharing.

 

[DGrayson]

Ive never used on OP but I have used a typewriter a lot as a kid.

Maybe I am no competitive gamer but my wireless Logitech with the unifying receiver works fine for me. Its relatively quiet. I am a hard and fast typer so I can only imagine how a mechanical keyboard would go over in my household ...

 

[Lupin3]

Tried a few over my years of gaming, i play pc and console games, had a lot of experience with many different kinds of keyboards but i can't understand the appeal of a mechanical keyboard. It feels like a typewriter (i have used one as a kid) and i hate how "hard" it feels to press and the bounce back. Aesthetically i hate how loud they are, i don't watch many streams or lets plays but i have heard the sound of someone using a loud mechanical keyboard alongside the gameplay, can't understand why that is an appeal but i guess its like people who want their car or bike to sound really loud. Am i the only one? or is this a common thought and mechanical keyboard lovers are just more vocal on the matter?

Did you try all the available switches? Even the silent ones?

Personally I love mechanical keyboards. Can't use anything else. I've used my fair share of crappy rubberdome keyboards, and there's no way I'm going back.

 

[alife]

Spoiler

Cherry MX Clear switches are nice though. Not too "clicky" and just the right amount of tactile feedback for me. Currently using an ikbc CD87.

 

[Meted]

Did you try all the available switches? Even the silent ones?

Personally I love mechanical keyboards. Can't use anything else. I've used my fair share of crappy rubberdome keyboards, and there's no way I'm going back.

"Silent" mechanical keyboards are anything but silent. Give me a keyboard that is quieter than a non mechanical one and i might reconsider but i still don't like the feel of it

 

[Meted]

wait, so you're telling me that not everyone likes something? that you have your own thoughts and opinions? whoa.

it's OK not to like something. but thanks for sharing.

I did state at the end if i'm the only one or if its just that mechanical keyboard users seem more vocal about how much better a mechanical keyboard is to a regular one.

 

[brap]

I have a cherry red one which feels really nice and smooth. The sound doesn't bother me at all.

I agree OP, mechanical keyboards are shit to the core. Too long of a travel, too loud of a sound, It captures the true essence of a hipster.

Says the dudenamed after one of the most hipster genres of music.

 

[Virex]

You have to use the keys with your penis. Using your hands on the keyboard is why it feels uncomfortable to use. It wasn't designed to hit the keys with your fingers.

 

[Spukc]

Today on my NeoBlog.
yes OP you are the only one on planet earth with this issue.

 

[FatboyTim]

 

[ROMhack]

Well, I bought a mechanical-feel keyboard recently because I'm cheap and it's one of the worst keyboards I've ever used. Threw it away when I moved.

It was indeed insanely hard to type on compared to my beautiful Sidewinder X4.

 

[Ellis]

I have a cheap mid 90s Dell mechanical keyboard, which I'm willing to wager has better build qaulity and feel than most of today's ''gaming'' mechanical keyboards you'll buy for £100 on Amazon.

That being said, these days I prefer the comfort of chiclet keyboards, and I can still breeze through DOOM using one. They're also whisper quiet which is a huge factor for me.

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

People have different preferences OP.

 

[Birdo]

Mechanical Keyboards have always felt like hipster bullshit to me. A placebo for people who are easily parted with their cash.

 

[shoegaze]

I have a cherry red one which feels really nice and smooth. The sound doesn't bother me at all.


Says the dudenamed after one of the most hipster genres of music.

Sorry mate, majority of us are just people with opinions, but only a true hipster would like a cherry red one and feel it's niceness and smoothness, while also being completely oblivious to the scowling faces of his family and neighbours at 2 o'clock in the morning.

 

[MMaRsu]

I bought one with mx red switches and I thought it was garbage

then i bought a k95 rgb platinum with brown switches and its the best thing ever

 

[ScaryBrandon]

The advatage of mech keys are longevity and perhaps more importantly faster response for pro gamewrs since red keys activate half way or even earlier.

You serious? Membrane keyboards are pretty much indestructible . Mechanical switches can break so easily due to their moving parts.

 

[Husky]

With you OP, all I want are compact, flat keys.

 

[Wonko_C]

Would a mechanical keyboard be a good choice for someone who hits the keys hard? My dad tends to hit the keys in his laptop as is he was using an oldschool typewriter, now some of the keys are dead.

 

[Ellis]

Would a mechanical keyboard be a good choice for someone who hits the keys hard? My dad tends to hit the keys in his laptop as is he was using an oldschool typewriter, now some of the keys are dead.

He'll most likely appreciate an old buckling spring keyboard. You can get new old stock, or refurbished ones on ebay. Just be wary if you choose a modern made one from these gaming accessory brands you see today. The build qaulity won't be great no matter what bullshit marketing they peddle.

 

[Endless Fluff]

Mechanical Keyboards have always felt like hipster bullshit to me. A placebo for people who are easily parted with their cash.

Yeah, right... because getting rid of "key jamming" or "ghosting" are placeblo effects. ...

This can only come from someone who types really slow with just 2 fingers, or someone who has never played a game that requires multiple key presses in very short time (high APM games). Heck, I threw my Logitech membrane in the trash when I figured that it couldn't do more than 3 simultaneous keypresses around the WASD area.

What you typically want as a gamer is full n-key rollover and membranes can't give you that, you'll only get this with a mechanical and this should be the only reason why you buy one.

 

[The Bloody-Nine]

I love my mechanical keyboard.

 

[InterMusketeer]

I've owned keyboards with red, blue and brown switches. They're all good in their own way, but I prefer brown. I use a laptop now though, so I just use its built-in keyboard, which is fine too.

 

[MightySquirrel]

Would a mechanical keyboard be a good choice for someone who hits the keys hard? My dad tends to hit the keys in his laptop as is he was using an oldschool typewriter, now some of the keys are dead.

Yes, decent mechanical keyboard is hard to destroy.

It WILL be loud, yes.

 

[Ban Puncher]

 

[Birdo]

Yeah, right... because getting rid of "key jamming" or "ghosting" are placeblo effects. ...

I've been using a regular keyboard for over thirty years. I've never once experienced either of those

 

[Lupin3]

"Silent" mechanical keyboards are anything but silent. Give me a keyboard that is quieter than a non mechanical one and i might reconsider but i still don't like the feel of it

You'll most likely be able to lead a normal life without it.

Yeah, right... because getting rid of "key jamming" or "ghosting" are placeblo effects. ...

Key jamming is the worst. Had it on several of my old shitty rubber domes or whatever it actually was (non-mechanical is enough), no matter the brand or price.

 

[Lupin3]

Would a mechanical keyboard be a good choice for someone who hits the keys hard? My dad tends to hit the keys in his laptop as is he was using an oldschool typewriter, now some of the keys are dead.

Look for Cherry MX Black switches, but I don't know how common they are today. Just know that they aren't ideal for gaming since the higher actuation force puts a lot of strain on your fingers when keeping the keys pressed down. Really good for typing, though. And my old CM Storm Trigger with black switches is built like a tank on top of that. Best wrist rest ever made included as well.

 

[Spukc]

I use a custom laser cut backlater mini p12 backplate with etching. And have mounted the R66 base to use handmade artisan keycaps with handblown glass no bubbles ofcourse. And casted letters in the glass. Every entry is routed by itself.And the custom cherry pinks provide a tactile feedback unheard of.
Surrounding the caps is a solid slab of mahony polished to perfection.
Shaved from a single tree.
I coilwrapped a custom cable with easy plug in and out conectors. Handwoven himalayan silk to protect the inner 99% silver cable.
Last time when i went to keyboard-con
I got it handsigned with gold by the inventor of cherry keys.
I never use the keyboard to be honest.
As it is a bunch of bullshit.
And i rather type on my 5 dollar shitboard.

/hipster

 

[Dice]

I can understand preferring laptop keys (tho I don’t) but if you’re meaning that you prefer membrane keyboards I can’t understand that.

 

[Chastten]

Agree with op. When the clicks of a keyboard are louder then the gameplay of the game I'm playing I'm out. But then again, I hate loud videocards, cpu-coolers and anything of the sort as well. Everything except the speakers must be as silent as possible.

 

[Caffeine]

so go back to a membrane
I have 2 keyboards 1 is mechanical the other is membrane.

 

[Tesseract]

i love the model m as much as anyone but the shit is so old and busted and loud, it's not worth it anymore

 

[Shai-Tan]

I think for the average user it's overrated even to determine what type of keyboard you like, let alone look into key switch types. I have a Logitech g613 and g915 and in all my use I wouldn't really prefer it over a random membrane keyboard as long as it had anti-ghosting.

edit: and the main reason I got those keyboards instead of other mechanical is because lightspeed battery life (mostly play games in a a recliner in front of a tv)

 

[Godzilla Emu]

My Model M and I are getting really triggered (in a loud clicky way) right now .

Edit: I really hope that OP's opinion becomes more common place so that eBay prices for Model M keyboards depreciate. I need a few more. I'll never go back to using rubber dome / membrane switched keyboards. I even restored a Model M keyboard to use with my PC at work.

 

[Woo-Fu]

OP might want to do a bit of research. If he/she doesn't like loud keys and/or keys with tactile response he should probably pick mechanical keys without either of those features. https://www.keyboardco.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/an-introduction-to-cherry-mx-mechanical-switches/

Something with MX Red or equivalent switches would probably be much more to your taste.

 

[Meted]

OP might want to do a bit of research. If he/she doesn't like loud keys and/or keys with tactile response he should probably pick mechanical keys without either of those features. https://www.keyboardco.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/an-introduction-to-cherry-mx-mechanical-switches/

Serious question, what am i getting out of a mechanical keyboard if it doesn't have the tactile response and the clickity clack

 

[Woo-Fu]

Serious question, what am i getting out of a mechanical keyboard if it doesn't have the tactile response and the clickity clack

Durability, key rollover, easier to clean, feel(membrane keyboards feel like shit to me compared to any type of mechanical switch, subjective though).

I learned to type on a manual typewriter and spent ~20 years typing on Model M or equivalent keyboards, YMMV. The rise of laptops, Apple's in particular, has ushered in a wave of very short throw keys which pretty much destroy my fingertips in comparison to what I've been using since the mid-80's. A mechanical with long-throw keys allows me to activate the switches without "bottoming out", making typing a much more comfortable activity. Mechanical keys activate the switch before they bottom out, unlike a membrane.

All that said, if you're perfectly comfortable with membrane keyboards I'd stick with them. They're usually cheaper and there are better things to spend your upgrade cash on than a keyboard, IMHO, unless you type all day every day.

 

[Bitmap Frogs]

Tried a few over my years of gaming, i play pc and console games, had a lot of experience with many different kinds of keyboards but i can't understand the appeal of a mechanical keyboard. It feels like a typewriter (i have used one as a kid) and i hate how "hard" it feels to press and the bounce back. Aesthetically i hate how loud they are, i don't watch many streams or lets plays but i have heard the sound of someone using a loud mechanical keyboard alongside the gameplay, can't understand why that is an appeal but i guess its like people who want their car or bike to sound really loud. Am i the only one? or is this a common thought and mechanical keyboard lovers are just more vocal on the matter?

There's nothing wrong with having a preference. If you don't like mechanical switches have you looked into topre switches? they're essentially very well built membranes. They feel like a membrane keyboard ought to feel. Not a lot of options out there for topre since they're not "authentically mechanical" and so are scoffed by the community but...

 

[joe_zazen]

Like so many things, i like them in theory.

 

[FMXVII]

I absolutely love them.

They are so cherry.

Different strokes?

 

[MiyazakiHatesKojima]

wait, so you're telling me that not everyone likes something? that you have your own thoughts and opinions? whoa.

it's OK not to like something. but thanks for sharing.

LMAO speak for yourself, Billy.