Why Mechanical Keyboards are better for Typing?

Why Mechanical Keyboards are better for Typing?
8 min read
14 January 2023

You're considering buying your first mechanical keyboard, but you're curious how it will impact how you type. Let's talk about what to anticipate when utilizing a mechanical keyboard to enhance your typing.

Let's examine our list and all the advantages of typing on a mechanical keyboard.

Extremely Reliable Keystrokes

The regular keyboard you use at work or the one that came with your computer are very different from mechanical keyboards.

I'll go into further detail about membrane or rubber dome keys, which are used on standard keyboards.

Instead of being individual, the keys sit on a pressure pad and are activated when a membrane is pressed, which turns on an electrical circuit underneath.

The biggest drawback of this typing method is the absence of tactile feedback, which makes error-free typing extremely challenging. Your fingertips will feel as though they are lost at sea when typing on a waterbed.

On a mechanical keyboard, each key has a specific switch underneath it.

The switch is made up of a casing and a spring. The spring provides some resistance when the user presses a key, and the keyboard will recognize the keystroke after the key is fully depressed.

You can anticipate your keyboard to consistently and reliably register each keystroke because each key has a separate switch. This is why mechanical keyboards are preferred over rubber dome keyboards by both gamers and typists.

Special Switches for Precise Typing

The freedom to select the switch type you want to use is the main advantage of utilizing a mechanical keyboard. Clicky, linear, and tactile switches are the three basic categories of switches.

In essence, clicky switches are exactly what they sound like; they have a tactile bump and produce a loud click sound with each keystroke. Perfect for folks who enjoy typing loudly and prefer to work alone. Our favorite clicky switches are discussed here.

Smooth as butter are linear switches. With each keystroke, there is no physical bump, barely any noise, and exceptional consistency. Due to how consistently they operate, gamers frequently employ this type of switch. Linear switches are also enjoyable for keyboard users, although they must be careful not to bottom out the switches when typing. Our preferred linear switches are described here.

For typists, tactile switches are the best option. The switches offer a pleasant tactile bump and are relatively noisy, which can improve typing accuracy and enjoyment. Here is a list of some of our favorite tactile switches.

It is entirely up to you whether you prefer a keyboard that clicks loudly, has a bumpy surface, or is smooth and quiet. Others prefer a keyboard that is quite covert, while some people type better on one that is loud enough to wake the neighbors up at night.

The important thing is that you can choose the feel and tone that will enable you to type as quickly as possible.

The tactile or clicky feedback provided by a mechanical switch is unmatched, so choose one that provides a satisfying click or bump with each keystroke to indicate that it was successful. And not to mention how fulfilling it is.

Easily Modifiable Layouts

The wide range of keyboard sizes offered by mechanical keyboards is another excellent advantage. There are many sizes available, ranging from full-sized, 60%, to a small layout. Here is a link to our size guide for mechanical keyboards.

There are options available whether you require a full-sized keyboard with a number pad for frequent data entry or only a keyboard with alphanumeric buttons.

Finding the ideal size and comfort ratio can help you free up valuable desk space, reduce clutter in your office, and increase productivity.

Choosing a smaller keyboard is also useful for typists who frequently travel with their keyboard, such as from home to the office or to a coffee shop. Your best hope for finding the ideal size tiny keyboard is a mechanical keyboard.

The 65% mechanical keyboard layout is our personal favorite size because it strikes the ideal mix between size and compactness.

N-Key Rollover

Even if you've never heard of N-key rollover, I'm confident you've at least once felt the drawbacks of not having it.

Currently, using a keyboard? Try pressing four to five keys simultaneously. You need a new keyboard if just one or two keys respond.

With N-key rollover, you can simultaneously press several keys and have them all register in the order that you pushed them.

If you type quickly, you've probably had the problem when the key didn't register even though you were certain you pushed it. You weren't the problem; the keyboard was just unable to keep up with your typing.

N-key rollover is a feature that both typists and gamers must have, thus you should buy a mechanical keyboard just for this feature.

Why Mechanical Keyboards are better for Typing?

Long-Term Robustness

Mechanical keyboards have an extremely long lifespan. The IBM Model M is one of the first mechanical keyboards from the 1980s that is still in use today.

A mechanical keyboard's switches last a lot longer than a membrane keyboard. The top switch maker, Cherry MX, takes pride in its capacity to withstand 100 million keystrokes before deviating from factory specifications. You'll note that I did not state that they fail after 100,000,000 keystrokes.

The switch won't break even if you manage to push one of your keys 100 million times; it will merely feel somewhat worn out. Even after 100 million keystrokes, your keyboard will still feel wonderful, perhaps even better than brand new. In fact, many keyboard fans prefer the sensation of a broken-in switch.

For comparison, the maximum number of keystrokes that a membrane keyboard can withstand is 10 million, or one-tenth of that amount. If I've ever seen a good-looking cost-benefit justification for purchasing a mechanical keyboard, this is it.

Additionally, some mechanical keyboards have features that will improve them even more in the long run. Key components like PBT keycaps, aluminum metal shells, and detachable power cables can extend the lifespan of mechanical keyboards to an absurd degree.

Does Using a Mechanical Keyboard Speed Up Your Typing?

You may be wondering whether using a mechanical keyboard will genuinely speed up your typing now that we've covered all of the major advantages.

At first, the answer is probably no. The feel of a mechanical keyboard is different, and it will take some getting used to for your fingers to acclimatize to the new typing feeling.

Your typing speed will eventually return to normal, and you might even see a drop in the number of mistakes you used to make, which can increase your words per minute.

But in truth, spending a lot of time on the keyboard and practicing diligently are the greatest ways to speed up your typing. Although you might see an increase over time due to fewer typing errors, switching to a mechanical keyboard is not a fast fix to double your typing speed.

Conclusion

Using a mechanical keyboard for typing has many advantages, including more consistent keystrokes, specialized switches, various size layouts, N-Key rollover, and long-lasting sturdiness. The limitations are quite infinite, therefore it was difficult to condense them into just five suggestions.

Even though adopting a mechanical keyboard won't immediately increase typing speeds, the advantages more than outweigh the expense, so I urge everyone to give one a shot. You should experience a reduction in the number of errors you commit, which may result in a faster wpm.

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AkaraKarimi 13
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