Remember the old IBM Selectric typewriter? The keys felt great, it made satisfying clicking sounds and no one ever complained of repetitive strain injuries. Don’t you wish you could type on your computer using an old Selectric?
Most keyboards today are membrane keyboards. They’re cheap, but the keys are mushy and there’s no audible click to tell you when the key activates. With no feedback, you tend to “bottom out” the key, pushing it down all the way and using more force than you need. That can cause repetitive strain injury.
Mechanical keyboards have a high-quality, individual switch under each key. The switches give you an audible click, so that you can type with less force. And the keys bounce up quicker, allowing you to type faster with fewer typos. “Key feel” is a subjective term, but it’s pretty much universally agreed that mechanical keyboards feel better. Like the old Selectric.
Is There a Downside?
Of course. Mechanical keyboards are louder than membrane keyboards. They are more expensive, at around $90 and up. They are also heavier, making them less appealing to carry around. On the other hand, who carries around a keyboard? If you’re fighting pain, stiffness and numbness, you might find that the pros outweigh the cons.
So, Which One Should I Get?
How to choose the right mechanical keyboard for you? Well, the majority of mechanical keyboard enthusiasts are programmers and gamers, so you can imagine there are a lot of subtle intricacies (cherry red switches, cherry blue, O-rings, etc.) that only the initiated can hope to understand. However, we’re lawyers, so let’s just look at a smattering of the most popular models.
Try Them Out If You Can
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