OT: Mechanical Keyboards

[HuskyHawk]

A whisky forum I participate in includes a lot of guys who are geeks for mechanical keyboards. I ordered one on their suggestion and today is my first day with it. I'm torn a bit as to whether I like it or not. The size is just right, didn't need a full sized. But the height is a challenge and I am not used to it at all.

Do any of you guys use these boards? Any thoughts? I could get a pretty nice membrane keyboard for half what I paid for this one. I'm told I'll get used to it and love it, but I don't know if I can return it if I invest that time and don't.

 

[BGesus4]

I have a cheap $25 one. I love it.
Much easier on your fingers.

 

[CL82]

I have a cheap $25 one. I love it.
Much easier on your fingers.

I learned to type on a mechanical typewriter. I am inclined to overstrike anyway. I much prefer the mechanical keyboards, but that's just me.

 

[upstater]

Personally I would just like to buy a working non electric typewriter somewhere but the cheap ones on EBAY are junk and the ones Staples sells cost $300!

 

[jleves]

Mechanical keyboards are so much better than membrane. I like the click sound but you can get quiet ones. If you type for more than an hour a day, I don't know how you could live without one.

 

[Lefty2one]

I use one at work and one at home. They are amazing and a must-have if you're someone who spends most of their day typing. It's one of those scenarios, like dual monitors, where once you have it you'll wonder how you went without it for so long. It was a real blast from the past/trip down memory lane to my childhood when I unboxed my Rosewill keyboard five years ago.

I use the Rosewill at home (cherry MX blue), Corsair (cherry MX brown) at the office. The blue is amazing but loud, a non-issue in my home office. I like it considerably more than the cherry MX brown switches.

 

[HuskyHawk]

@CL82 @Lefty2one and @jleves I think you guys are convincing me to stick with it. I think part of the challenge is it definitely requires a wrist rest and mine is full sized, which is annoying. Plus, I didn't get a cheap one. Got a Vortex Tab 75 with Cherry MX Clear switches. Figured if I did this right the first time I'd be good for a long time.

I'm home so noise isn't a big issue, except when I am multitasking on a zoom call. Have to mute my microphone or everyone knows I'm typing away. I didn't like the blues in the tester, these clears are like Browns with slightly more input resistance. I learned on an electric typewriter, but my HS typing teacher ended up giving me a D-.

 

[JCSuperstar]

I have two Das Keyboard's an All Black for work (pic below, almost guarantees that no one will touch my keyboard), and a more regular one for home, both with Cherry MX switches. Love them both.
I think its funny that the Venn diagram of whisky and keyboard elitists seems to be a circle.

 

[CL82]

@CL82 @Lefty2one and @jleves I think you guys are convincing me to stick with it. I think part of the challenge is it definitely requires a wrist rest and mine is full sized, which is annoying. Plus, I didn't get a cheap one. Got a Vortex Tab 75 with Cherry MX Clear switches. Figured if I did this right the first time I'd be good for a long time.

I'm home so noise isn't a big issue, except when I am multitasking on a zoom call. Have to mute my microphone or everyone knows I'm typing away. I didn't like the blues in the tester, these clears are like Browns with slightly more input resistance. I learned on an electric typewriter, but my HS typing teacher ended up giving me a D-.

Lol, oh the noise is a thing, especially if I am not making a deliberate effort to type quietly. I once had a someone on a call say "Man you must really hate your keyboard. Take it easy on that thing."

(My new 'best zoom call story' comes from the woman's board. They were doing press availability and one of the reporters was pretty gassy. So during the interview you hear farting and then the camera cuts back to the guy who is just staring at the screen blankly like "why is the screen cutting back to me?" Toward the end you see the realization creeping in on him. Very entertaining. If I stumble back on to it, I'll post it here.)

 

[HuskyHawk]

I have two Das Keyboard's an All Black for work (pic below, almost guarantees that no one will touch my keyboard), and a more regular one for home, both with Cherry MX switches. Love them both.
I think its funny that the Venn diagram of whisky and keyboard elitists seems to be a circle.

View attachment 60022

I have tried to figure that out. Near as I can tell they are people who tend to go "all in". When you are sourcing independent bottlings of single cask Scotch from Europe, rather than buying what is on the shelf in most shops here, you probably apply that mindset to other things.

 

[FatHank]

Maybe whisky had something to do with their forum contributions about the topic!...

 

[ZenConn]

The IBM model M's were a beauty. I haven't looked into getting a mechanical keyboard yet but are the Das ones similar in feedback and sound?

 

[jleves]

The IBM model M's were a beauty. I haven't looked into getting a mechanical keyboard yet but are the Das ones similar in feedback and sound?

This place has essentially remade the model M. I've been thinking about picking one up but I have three mechanical keyboards already.

https://www.pckeyboard.com/page/product/NEW_M

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Alright, I'll bite: what is the advantage of a mechanical keyboard? These look like throwbacks to keyboards I had years ago.

 

[CTMike]

Pre-covid I used a mechanical keyboard every day... thing is a tank and carved out of a solid block of aluminum. Cherry MX Brown switches and some little rubber dampers to soften the clack sound. It's preposterous in a great way. If anyone is interested let me know... my current work from home setup has me using my laptop keyboard.

 

[Fishy]

Alright, I'll bite: what is the advantage of a mechanical keyboard? These look like throwbacks to keyboards I had years ago.

It can be boiled down to this....people like the clickey sound.

They all kinda trace back to the IBM Model M keyboards which were rather nice to type on.

But like lobster rolls, pizza, whiskey, etc., there ain’t nothing that people will not eventually get around to fetishizing.

 

[Dandy]

Alright, I'll bite: what is the advantage of a mechanical keyboard? These look like throwbacks to keyboards I had years ago.

They can look pretty much however you want. Some are made to look like older keyboards, some have LED lighting that gamers like, and others can be artistic. You can replace the keycaps as well to fit whatever look you are going for. Keycaps themselves are another niche hobby and some sets can sell for hundreds of dollars.

One of the advantages is they last much longer than a membrane keyboard. You can potentially own the same mechanical keyboard for the rest of your life if you take care of it.

There are also a wide variety of switches which all have different actuation points, sound and feel.

If you were to put a mechanical and membrane keyboard next to each other and try them it would be very apparent the mechanical one is much higher quality.

This is a great website to check out if you are interested.

 

[8893]

How in the world did I miss this opportunity to obsess about and spend money on something I never ever knew about until now?

 

[Kitaman]

Ergonomic for me, my fat fingers need the space.

 

[dennismenace]

At first I was confused and then bewildered about the topic here not knowing if it was about computer keyboards, manual typewriters and eventually I thought it must be musical instruments before coming back to earth. Boneyard classic.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I'll be honest, the single most comfortable keyboard I've ever used is the one that doubles as the iPad pro carrying case, but like 8893, I'm always looking for a niche product to blow money on.

 

[8893]

At first I was confused and then bewildered about the topic here not knowing if it was about computer keyboards, manual typewriters and eventually I thought it must be musical instruments before coming back to earth. Boneyard classic.

I went through the exact same thought process, and when I googled "mechanical keyboards" I was fully expecting to see musical instruments.

I am partial to the B3.

 

[8893]

I'll be honest, the single most comfortable keyboard I've ever used is the one that doubles as the iPad pro carrying case, but like 8893, I'm always looking for a niche product to blow money on.

I like that keyboard, too, but I'd like it even better if it were just a little larger--although I understand that it is limited by the size of the iPad.

 

[Fishy]

I'll be honest, the single most comfortable keyboard I've ever used is the one that doubles as the iPad pro carrying case, but like 8893, I'm always looking for a niche product to blow money on.

The new-fangled iPad Pro keyboard is both expensive and nicer to type on.

 

[CTMike]

More than the sound it’s the feel. For something you touch for 90% percent of your computer interactions... it’s nice. Not necessary though.

 

[ihatepants]

A whisky forum I participate in includes a lot of guys who are geeks for mechanical keyboards. I ordered one on their suggestion and today is my first day with it. I'm torn a bit as to whether I like it or not. The size is just right, didn't need a full sized. But the height is a challenge and I am not used to it at all.

Do any of you guys use these boards? Any thoughts? I could get a pretty nice membrane keyboard for half what I paid for this one. I'm told I'll get used to it and love it, but I don't know if I can return it if I invest that time and don't.

This is one of my favorite hobbies right now. I've spent over $1000 on stuff for mechanical keyboards this month alone with a couple of $500 and $800 keyboards that I'm looking to get when they open up for sale later this month as well. That's without any switches or keycaps yet, either. Most keycap sets alone cost $130+ and then resell for $300+ nowadays because of how limited they are and how if you miss out on one the only way to get them is from a person who actually bought them when they were available.

If height is a problem for you, I'd definitely recommend a wrist wrest. But ideally you don't rest your wrists while typing at all since most workplace ergonomics recommendations say that the only time your wrists actually touch the table are when you're not actively typing. Alternatively you can get a different profile of keycap since every keycap profile has different shapes and heights. Cherry profile and DSA keycaps are the lowest profile ones and most keyboards sold as a set use OEM profile which is slightly taller.

@CL82 @Lefty2one and @jleves I think you guys are convincing me to stick with it. I think part of the challenge is it definitely requires a wrist rest and mine is full sized, which is annoying. Plus, I didn't get a cheap one. Got a Vortex Tab 75 with Cherry MX Clear switches. Figured if I did this right the first time I'd be good for a long time.

I'm home so noise isn't a big issue, except when I am multitasking on a zoom call. Have to mute my microphone or everyone knows I'm typing away. I didn't like the blues in the tester, these clears are like Browns with slightly more input resistance. I learned on an electric typewriter, but my HS typing teacher ended up giving me a D-.

Cherry MX switches used to be all the rage with the mech keyboard community years ago when they were pretty much the only company making them, but there's tons of better alternatives nowadays for whatever type of feel or sound you want.

 

[8893]

This is one of my favorite hobbies right now. I've spent over $1000 on stuff for mechanical keyboards this month alone with a couple of $500 and $800 keyboards that I'm looking to get when they open up for sale later this month as well. That's without any switches or keycaps yet, either. Most keycap sets alone cost $130+ and then resell for $300+ nowadays because of how limited they are and how if you miss out on one the only way to get them is from a person who actually bought them when they were available.

If height is a problem for you, I'd definitely recommend a wrist wrest. But ideally you don't rest your wrists while typing at all since most workplace ergonomics recommendations say that the only time your wrists actually touch the table are when you're not actively typing. Alternatively you can get a different profile of keycap since every keycap profile has different shapes and heights. Cherry profile and DSA keycaps are the lowest profile ones and most keyboards sold as a set use OEM profile which is slightly taller.

Cherry MX switches used to be all the rage with the mech keyboard community years ago when they were pretty much the only company making them, but there's tons of better alternatives nowadays for whatever type of feel or sound you want.

Oh, my.

Wow.

Who knew?

 

[ihatepants]

Alright, I'll bite: what is the advantage of a mechanical keyboard? These look like throwbacks to keyboards I had years ago.

It's all about the THOCC. But yes, as was pointed out a lot of people use keyboards every day and it's all about what looks and feels comfortable to them. I have multiple keyboards and mostly just have them on display, and have some that I prefer for gaming or to use as daily drivers. I'd say it's similar to how some people collect or enjoy sneakers, watches or bags/purses. The resale market on custom mech keyboards is just as crazy as they are for sneakers. For example, Keycult 1/65 boards are going for around $2500 right now when they originally cost $500.

For me, it's also a hobby. I buy custom machined cases made out of a variety of materials like polycarbonate or aluminum or acrylic and then a PCB and then I solder the mechanical keyboard switches into the PCB myself. Lots of the PCBs nowadays also support QMK which runs as the firmware and you can also program that yourself. After using Space Cadet Shift (where tapping shift ctrl or alt will do brackets () [] {} for you) I don't want to go back to a board I can't do that with, so I program that functionality into all my keyboards nowadays.

 

[mussels]

This is one of my favorite hobbies right now. I've spent over $1000 on stuff for mechanical keyboards this month alone with a couple of $500 and $800 keyboards that I'm looking to get when they open up for sale later this month as well. That's without any switches or keycaps yet, either. Most keycap sets alone cost $130+ and then resell for $300+ nowadays because of how limited they are and how if you miss out on one the only way to get them is from a person who actually bought them when they were available.

If height is a problem for you, I'd definitely recommend a wrist wrest. But ideally you don't rest your wrists while typing at all since most workplace ergonomics recommendations say that the only time your wrists actually touch the table are when you're not actively typing. Alternatively you can get a different profile of keycap since every keycap profile has different shapes and heights. Cherry profile and DSA keycaps are the lowest profile ones and most keyboards sold as a set use OEM profile which is slightly taller.

Cherry MX switches used to be all the rage with the mech keyboard community years ago when they were pretty much the only company making them, but there's tons of better alternatives nowadays for whatever type of feel or sound you want.

What is your favorite whiskey ?

 

[Chin Diesel]

Oh, my.

Wow.

Who knew?

No kidding. I'm on my fourth or fifth article on this topic and had to check in with my son to see what type of keyboard he uses on his gaming computer. His initial response was "The glowing kind?"
Then he sent me a pic and, with my newfound knowledge on the subject, could ascertain it has programmable RGB back lighting with blue style keys guaranteed for 50 million clicks.
EDIT: Also has a solid aluminum frame.