Mech keyboards - Why now?

So I've been wondering this for a while. They've been threatening to give me RSI ever since e.g. the days of the Cherry red-like ALPS switchers on my Toshiba T3200's that I hammered on regularly in the 80's (probably one of the first machines which went with me practically anywhere I could drag it) when not actually giving myself strain injuries and a deaf ear with the IBM keyboards.

But it's only recently I've seen everyone and their dog intro one again.

What was the catalyst?

 

advertisement and money?
"superior gaming performance!!!"

For people who know keyboard : probably N-key rollover

 

Looks at my desk witch has 3 keyboards on it...

::shrugs::

Prob when a few big players started to push it, the rest just fell after like dominoes.
I personally type way easier/better on MX Reds than other mechs and much better than membrane keyboards. So that is my own personal reason for it.

 

Well, there's only one maker on the market which is NKRO over USB...? Same as on the membrane side?

(And since PS/2 converters don't make a keyboard NKRO this restricts users to PS/2 legacy mobos, which kind of wipes out the gaming argument for PS/2-NKRO boards, does it not?)

 

Well, there are some keyboards that support NKRO through a PS/2 converter, but they are more the exception than the norm, there is an additional chip for that on the keyboards i think and there are still some modern mobos with PS/2 connectors. I still got a PS/2 connector for mouse and one for a keyboard on my P8P67Pro motherboard.

That said, personally, i don't care what type of switches the keyboard has as long as it feels great and i'm sorta addicted to buying and trying new/different tech. Those were my reasons to get a mech more than anything, i'm a fan of get whatever you like the most as long as cash isn't an issue approach.

 

Which one(s), as a matter of interest? Would be interesting to see how they manage that.

 

I'll have to check again, give a moment, i was going from memory so ill need to do a quick search again, i'll edit accordingly.

EDIT: The quickfire rapid and other quickfire keyboards claim NKRO through a USB to PS2 adapter, some rosewill keyboard also claim the same with a cable swap like the RK-9000. I suppose i could give the quickfire rapid a try since i have one and the PS/2 adapter is included with it. I know for a fact that the Zibal 60 is 6KRO no matter the interface though, same for the Black Widow. The Steelseries 6Gv2 supports NKRO though an adapter as well as far as i can tell from a quick search.

It does say nearly every key so it might not be entirely NKRO, but close enough.

http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.p...sk=view&id=872&Itemid=65&limit=1&limitstart=2

 

I use my Das on PS2 on a Asus P8P67 Deluxe Mobo, pretty sure in the manual it says NKRO in PS2 but not USB.

Edit: Yep verified here: Das Keyboard's PS2 PCI Card Recommendation for N-Key Rollover | Das Keyboard Blog

Also thats not a bad idea if you needed NKRO and don't have it on your mobo is to get a PCI card of sorts.

 

Ah... yeah googling around, I see how they do that now.

@Vicious: Yeah... The Syba card appears to be the one and only slot-based solution remaining in the general market, but again if you're aiming for legacy-free then you're SOL.

 

Personally, i don't feel a need for more than 6KRO anyways.

 

Same the only time in my life I needed more than 6KRO was playing O2Jam and since they don't let NA play anymore...

 

Not that I disagree for the most part. It's just that it doesn't then really explain the onset of mechs from the baiii-mentioned perspective.

 

Yeah, well NKRO is used as marketing and it likely works even though people might not really need it. Like i said for me, it's the feel of the keyboard. I would lie if i said my choice was motivated purely by practical factors, but i wouldn't have bought a mech if i didn't like the feel compared to a run of the mill membrane keyboard. I really enjoyed typing my thesis on browns and reds. I also enjoy the built like a tank feel of my quickfire rapid, but that isn't exclusive to mechs either.

 

I guess it is more on the better build/QC that the premium should bring? and the xxx features come with that. Like a business class laptop, which get TPM/dock etc that is irrelevant for most people.

To me, OP's question is asking whyy people suddenly start considering a mech instead of just ,well, a working keyboard. If people type for their life, I guess they are more irrelevant to OP's question.

Honestly, I am one of those that are in OP's curiosity, I dun have good WPM, nor proper typing technique, I don't even type much.. I brought a used Das brown off a fellow NBR for a decent price.(still steep for a keyboard huh) If you ask me If I can still live with a dome? Sure I can, a mech properly just "feel better", maybe mentally or physically or both.