What Is Mechanical Keyboard- Types, Advantages, Disadvantages & Its Switches
Do you know that what is Mechanical Keyboard? Even if you guys have heard about this keyboard. But let me tell you that it is not at all like common keyboards. Because it has many such features that you cannot find in a normal keyboards. We will learn about it in a detailed way. If you like me spend a lot of time working in computer or playing games, then you must know about these latest upgrade mechanical keyboard because if you don't know yet then you are missing a better keyboard Huh.
If you use computers a lot and you have problems with its keyboards. So in this situation I have seen that many people spend their hard earned money to buy these keyboards. This is because they do not know about this type of keyboard which is not known about the Mechanical Keyboard. Such keyboards are very cheap and even better. But often people do not know about them because they often ignore this new upgrade. But there is no need to do this anymore, why today we will try to learn about what is a mechanical keyboard and how to choose all the keyboards so that you will be able to buy it easily. Then let's start without delay.
What is mechanical keyboard.
A Mechanical Keyboard is also a common keyboard in appearance but it is different from others in the way it works. You can say a mechanical keyboard that it is a keyboard in which switches on the board that actuate themselves before their point of bottoming out. For example, Cherry-style metal contact switches. When you press their keys below, then a stem enters inside the housing and that allows metal contacts to be touched. This is where you can write each letter.
Other types of switches are also considered mechanical but the mechanism of their working is completely different. Topre switches are also very popular but they are more expensive. These switches have a stiff rubber dome and a conical spring. In this, this actuation process is triggered by changing the capacitance of the spring when it is pressed, and the tactile bump comes out when the dome collapse occurs. Apart from this, there are other types of switches such as Alps-style metal contacts, buckling springs, and Hall effect switches etc. But these switches are not much visible in today's mordern boards.
If you are a regular user of keyboards then by using a mechanical keyboard you can become a very effective typist because in this you can be precise and you will always get a consistent feel of the keys during typing. Many switches have high tactility that will help you to estimate when a press register is going to happen, so that you can easily move other keys by pressing a key without thinking of the previous one. Whether the key is lifted or not. Especially for gaming you can use such switches which are smoother and faster to actuate than other cheap membrane boards.
One thing we all have to accept is that these mechanical boards are very robust and can be easily vacated for many years because they have been made only for this reason. Each switch is very good, which can last up to millions of presses. Despite its heavy usage, a good mechanical keyboard can last for many years.
How Does Mechanical Keyboard Work?
If you want to understand what makes mechanical keyboards so popular, then you must first understand how these keyboards work. If we talk about the basic feature then it works normally whether it is a keyboard (mechanical or any other): like if you hit a key, then that keystroke is registered by electronics which Is located in the keyboard, and sends it to the PC, where it is converted to text. What separates different keyboards from each other is how your key strikes board communicate.
Most standard boards use the "membrane" system, where a thin film separates the dome-shaped rubber or silicone key from the keyboard's electrical circuits. When you press a key, the membrane depress, which allows two contacts to meet and register the keystroke in the computer. Because there are only two positions of a key: up or down. You cannot press a key halfway down.
At the same time, the thing about mechanical keyboards is different, because there is no membrane in it. Here each strike is handled by an actual mechanical switch in which it slides up or down. Each individual key has its own self-contained system, including a key, a metal actuator, and a spring that depresses stroke and returns back to a successful strike in its un-pressed state. after. Here the keyboard registers on the keypress, even when the key has gone halfway down, there is no need to go to the bottom.
Types of Mechanical Keyboard Switch:-
There are basically three types of switches depending on the characterization:- Linear switches, tactile switches and clicky switches.
Linear switches:-
They are the simplest ones. You make them feel the same from pressing to pressing. There is no tactile feedback or noise when you hit their actuation point (this is the point where the keypress is registered - usually it is somewhere in the middle of the press). So most of the time, you can press the key with a light touch.
Tactile Switches:-
This tactile provides feedback when you hit its actuation point. When you press the key down, you notice a small bump in it, this shows you that your key press has been successfully registered.
Clicky Switches:-
These switches provide additional click sound when you press the actuation point. The main advantage of Tactile and Clicky is that here you do not need to press the switch completely. You can release the key when you receive a feedback.
How to choose Layouts of Mechanical Keyboards and Correct Form Factor (layout)?
If you want to choose a mechanical keyboard, then you should choose the right layout for it, as you need it. This traditional full-size board is still the most used keyboard and it is also the most common. But if you want, you can use Mechnical Keyboard in place of your tradition keyboard by using mechanical transition for some changes.
The first is a full-size board that contains all the keys that you need to operate a computer without any tension. It has all the function layers and is accompanied by a full number pad. The main drawback of this is its size. It is more inefficient due to its size being large. Due to being large, the switches are in different places and you have to take your rings away to type any numbers which is away from the main typing area.
The second is tenkeyless (TKL), also called 80% of its keyboards. These boards do not relay on function layers for basic features, apart from this there is also no number pad. But there is a number row. If you need number pads very rarely, then this can be a good option for you. Due to the absence of the number pad, it becomes smaller than before, so that the mouse comes closer to you.
The third is 60% keyboards, which have become more popular in the last few years. A 60% board consists of only alphas, number row, and modifiers. There are no dedicated arrow keys, F-row, and number pads in it. It would be wrong to say that there are no but these features are in its function layer. So you have to hold the function and can press different keys. For example arrows such as Fn + WASD or Fn + JIKL. Its main advantage is that it is very compact and efficient when you are aware of using its function layer.
If you did not like any of these, then I will tell you about some such exotic layouts that are slowly coming to the fore.
65% size keyboard which is smaller than TKL, but in this you will see some keys like arrow keys and some more keys like delete, page up / down, etc. This is a better middle ground keyboards. WhiteFox for example. They do not take up much space and they also reduce dependence on your function layers.
Then comes the super-small 40% category. These boards have only alpha keys and some modifiers. They are essentially pocket size and usually have at least two function-key layers in which all basic keyboard commands are covered. If you are good at using 40% board, then better and efficient is not available in the entire market because all the keys are very close to you.
What Makes a Keyboard Mechanical and Why You Should Have One:-
The keyboards that are in your desktop computer are usually of rubber dome design. In this, you have to press the keys to the bottom and the contact of the dome triggers the press. The downside of this is that the rubber membranes are mostly mushy, inconsistent and you have to press down to the bottom of every press. If I talk about Laptops, then scissor switches are used in them. Which provides some amount of tactility, but its low travel and mushiness slowly deteriorate over time. Looking at all these merits and demerits, we can think that mechanical keyboards are better than all these keyboards but it is a bit costly compared to the rest. While it is best to use it due to its longivity.
How To Choose The Appropriate Mechanical Keyboard?
So far, you have probably chosen all the board sizes for yourself but you have yet to choose the switches. Because it depends on the user that he needs a switch from the cone. There are many such brands available in the market that make Switch according to the users' choice.
In large ecommerce companies such as Amazon, you will get to see items of many manufactures. It has many varients such as blue, green, brown, clear, red, and black. But before testing all the switches, it is important to know how many varieties they have.
By the way, there are mainly three different varieties:
1. Clicky (blue and green)
2. Tactile (brown and clear)
3. Linear (black and red)
How To Choose a Pre-Built Board?
Now, if you want to make pieces from cones, you must have thought about it, but now you have to choose all the boards. What I mean is to not just look at the Gaming Oriented Keyboards, because they might look tempting because of their flashy lights, they use buggy desktop software to use it which clone of poorer quality use switches. There are many brands in the market such as Cherry, Gateron, and Kailh Mezhud which are all respected switch manufacturers. For this, you have to keep an eye on all the things and then you can choose a good keyboard by going somewhere.
Which Is The Most Famous Mechanical Keyboard:-
If you talk about the famous mechanical keyboard, then no one else is a German company named Cherry. Cherry had made a famous switch named Cherry MX Switch which he made in 1980 and also registered his patent. Very soon, due to its popularity, these mechanical switches became a standard for all mechanical keyboards. Now this patent has expired and now everyone can use this designs. Now other manufacturers are also introducing their switch types. But despite this, Cherry MX Switches are still popular.
What are the Advantages of Mechanical Keyboard?
By the way, mechanical keyboards have many advantages compared to its competitors such as rubber dome or scissor switch keyboards.
i) Being Longer Lifespan:-
These mechanical keyboards have a significantly longer lifespan. Most mechanical switches have lifelines ranging from 30 to 70 million key presses. The lifetime of common membrane keyboards is up to 5 million key presses.
ii) Having No Wear Out:-
Mechanical switches not only have a longer lifespan, but they are very rare. Even after many years of use, it looks completely new. And none of the keys get stuck.
iii) Improved Typing Experience / Feedback:-
A mechanical switch offers more tweaking options than a simple rubber dome. It is no wonder that there are many different types of switch types and their variuos characteristics. Some switches have detectable actuation points, some also have additional acoustic feedback. With this, you can optimize these switches according to your work.
iv) High Stability / Robustness:-
Mechanical keyboards are significantly more heavy than membrane or scissor keyboards. Therefore they have more stability and are more robust.
What are the Disadvantages of Mechanical Keyboard?
Let us know about some of the disadvantages of Mechanical Keyboard.
i) Sound Level:-
Mechanical keyboards are mostly louder compared to other keyboards. Then you can use some silent mechanical keyboard models for this, as well as you can use O-Rings to decrease the sound of keyboards.
ii) High Price:-
Mechanical keyboards are much more expensive than most normal keyboards. But you should consider it a good investment because you can use this keyboard for many years without any defect.
iii) High Weight:-
More weight gives stability, but there is difficulty in moving it from one place to another. And even if you use it in your lap, you still have difficulty in using it due to its weight.
