Mechanical Keyboard Worth it?

Are they seriously worth me plunking down 80$ on one? I really hate my current keyboard...

Every forum i've went to seems to recommend it, but i just don't see why it's worth 60$ over a normal keyboard from, say, Logitech or an OEM manufacturer.

 

Have you ever used one? If not, head down to the nearest computer store and try it. They're more stable feeling to me, but someone else will have to tell you the main advantages, I only use laptop keyboards at the moment.

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Meh, to me it really depends on whether you like the feel of it (I do) or not. If you want bang for the buck and a good tactile feel, the Sidewinder X4 will do you good.

 

I'll see if i can. As it stands, all the keyboards i use are a) laptop keyboards or b) cheap OEM keyboards

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFZL4ABbkk0

Really love the sound of this one.

 

The Black Widow while built alright has rather thin keycaps and doesn't have that bulky solid feel that most other mech keyboards have. I should know, I own one as well as a CM Storm Quickfire Rapid which feels much more solid, the same can be said for my Zibal 60. also, the Black widow Ultimate has the pass through connectors on the right which gets in the way of the mouse.

MX Blues are my least favorite switches by the way, I prefer Black, Brown/Red in that order.

 

Yes.

I currently use a Logitech g710+. Its uhhh-maze-ing!

Sent from my Galaxy Note 8.0

 

As someone who has never typed on a mech, i would like to know the differences between switches before i make a purchase.

I do not wish to buy anything higher than 80$, and i do not need numpads.

Will mostly be making my purchase on Boxing day though if i can find a good deal before then i might pull the plug.

 

Shoulda asked earlier. There was a Rosewill with Cherry MX Blues going for $40 at Newegg on Black Friday.

 

Newegg.com or Newegg.ca?

 

Both but deal's over now.

This is the thing to get if you want to test out the different Cherry MX mechanical switches: Mechanical Key Switch Demo Board - Cooler Master Store

Blues are my favorite. Love the tactile clickiness and light springs.

 

http://m.bestbuy.com/m/e/product/de...ming &cp=1&lp=1&pid=1219052962024

There's the CMStorm Quickfire TK + Mouse for $70.

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I live in Canada.

But i found this:

Cooler Master Cmstorm Quick Fire Rapid Compact Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Black USB

Opinions on the link above?

 

Overpriced plus no num pad.

 

Oops, sorry.

You could probably wait for a deal on the Rapid. It usually goes as low as 50 USD.

I have it and I like it.

 

Yeah, hence why i said i am waiting for boxing day.

Just did some reading and blues are apparantly loud. Will look into some other types. What about reds?

 

I'm really out of it today, sorry.

 

If you game a lot you might consider going for Browns because rapid-fire presses on the same key are a little slower on Blues due to the clickiness. Browns allow faster presses but still preserve the tactile feel that I feel linear switches like Blacks and Reds lack. Note that both Blues and Browns are quite loud but noise is not a problem for me. My personal opinion is Blues for typing and Browns for a mix of typing and gaming. It's all personal preference of course so YMMV. Trust me, you should really try out all the different switches before making a decision. Reading about them can't replace hands-on time.

 

Time to take a trip to the computer store (staples) and find out myself.

 

Er good luck with that...

 

You'll struggle to find mechanical keyboards in a store. If you have a Best Buy near you (are they in Canada?), a lot of them carry MX Brown and MX Blue on display with the Logitech G710+ and Razer Blackwidow Ultimate.

Blues are great for just typing, but if you plan on gaming I'd avoid them. The clicky mechanism gives great feel for typing, but makes repeated presses of the same key slower than MX Browns (small tactile bump) or MX Red/Black (linear).

 

My point exactly. I doubt you'll find anything but membrane keyboards at Staples. And some of the smaller Worst Buy stores don't have those two in stock or on display either. Good luck finding anywhere to try out Blacks and Reds. The only places with a decent selection of mechanical keyboards are computer stores like Fry's and Micro Center or mom and pop shops. Not sure how many of those there are in a small town.

Dat click doe...

Anyway I'm really enjoying the $40 Rosewill Blues I got from Newegg last week. I'm mainly an FPS guy so I never spam the keyboard, just the mouse.

 

I owned several mechanical keyboards when I had desktops (including a completely blank Das Keyboard II). I also had a buckling spring IBM Model M-type keyboard which I liked a lot: http://pckeyboard.com/page/UKBD/UB4044A

I'd say a mechanical keyboard is worth owning at least once for the experience. You'll be able to appreciate it if you have an eye for precision.

Try buying a used one; mechanical keyboard last significantly longer than normal keyboards.

 

If you can find an IBM Model M in good working condition for a fair price at a yard sale, or heaven forbid sticking out of a dumpster, then you've hit the jackpot. My friend's dad has one of those and they are just timeless classics.

 

I have Corsair's K70 with red switches, there's quite a difference between standard rubber domes and a mechanical board, but I've tended to buy scissor switch (laptop style) keyboards over standard rubber domes anyway. I'd stick with mechanical for the future now personally.

 

Once you go *click-clack* you never go back!

 

Yes, blues are loud (not IBM model M loud though) and I wasn't a fan of the tactile bump to be honest, but I have a friend who swears by them, enough to get my quickfire MX blue off my hands so I could get th MX red version. The Browns are a good mix of slight tactile bump and low actuation force which I do find pleasant and I use my Black Widows Ultimate Stealth Edition at the office for typing. For gaming, I prefer MX blacks, hence the Zibal 60, they're stiff linear keys, to me it just feels right and I do like to feel the resistance of the keys, typing for a whole day on it would be tiring though because of the stiffness of the switches. The MX red are also linear, but require much less force to actuate, you can literally brush the key and have it register. You should definitely get a feel for linear switches, they will feel rather different the first time you try them and you may not like it.

If you have a Canada Computer store near you, they may have some mechs on display.

 

MX Blues (Das Keyboard Ultimate S) are my favorite, as they're wonderful for typing. My brother has a Cooler Master QuickFire with MX Browns, which aren't bad either. They're significantly quieter than the MX Blues, but still fairly loud compared to the usual membrane keyboards.

 

Mech got cheaper in the us, so you may find some way to get one in. I had been using a das brown for a year , but I don't type enough to really comment on anything. Also brought a lefties blue for 20 to try out the key, but the key travel is horrible.

Yup and blue are loud, da da da dadadadadada. You get the feeling.

 

Just to reiterate everyone here, are mechanical keyboards worth it? If you have disposable income, then yes.

 

If you live in Canada like I do, then you check out Canada Computers or Tiger Direct - both of them have tons of gaming keyboards on display, including mechanical. I have went there last week to try out mechanical keyboards myself, but for me personally I prefer all the extra features of my Logitech G19 keyboard over any of the mechanical keyboards that I have tried. I guess it's just personal preference, but I love typing on my non-mechanical G19, and I didn't really have that superior typing feeling that people say they have - but I guess it's just me. As said before, the Microsoft Sidewinder X4 is an excellent keyboard with a good typing feel on the hands, and is extremely cheap these days ($40) - but it isn't mechanical.

 

I believe OP lives in the middle of nowhere, er I mean Charlottetown, PE. So he may not have the luxury of being close to big stores like Tiger, NCIX, and Canada Computers.

 

Yeah in terms of actuation noise, Blues are the loudest. But they all sound about the same when bottoming out.

 

I can only order from these online, neither of these have stores in my town. The closest CC requires me to drive all the way to Quebec, which is 920km according to google maps, which is actually 2x the travel distance from Paris to London.

 

I have played with a few mechanical keyboards, and I don't see the point. Sure, they are different, but better? Not to me.

 

Recommend any good membrane ones? I heard on NBR the Sidewinder X4 and Logitech K120 are solid.

 

i'd say don't buy them, my 1st mechanical keyboard has a black switch.... and now i have 3 mechs, one full size black, a full size blue and a tournament red, all in working order, thats how bad they are..... its addictive

 

So they are that good?

 

Yes check your sarcasm detector.

 

So using a mechanical vs a membrane is like moving from an HDD to a SSD?

(funny enough i use Raid 0 HDD's in my desktop and they are snappy enough for me).

 

No because mechanical keyboards don't make your computer faster. They might make your typing faster and/or more accurate though.

 

its something different, its like getting a new screen with higher refresh rate for gaming, not a lot can tell at first try but in time you will start seeing differences, and according to some famous gamers, it will be significant instead of something else like getting 16 vs 32 Gb ram JUST for gaming

lets say its improvement is in between getting 16/32 Gb ram for gaming and HDD/SSD for system snappiness, its significant but at the same time not so significant and only time can tell

I tried my best explaining, I apologize if it causes confusion

 

I was talking about the experience, of course keyboards don't make your computer faster (however i've seen a non-techie say this 0_0)

 

People get mechanical keyboards for the same reasons they invest in nice monitors and mice. It's one of the basic means of interaction with your computer so getting something which feels comfortable and enhances your usage experience day-in and day-out goes a long way.

 

I have had used two different mechanical keyboards for an extended amount of time (Rosewill and a Ducky). Both had Cherry MX Brown switches. I chose Brown after trying each type of switch type in a Microcenter while on vacation (there are no Microcenters around here). I have to say that the keyboards are definitely worth their price. I'd pay up to $80 for the Rosewill and $120 for a Ducky. When you're paying that price, they can't really skip on the basics. They're far heavier and more sturdy, are easy to disassemble and clean, and feel fantastic (in my opinion).

I like them because instead of the typical mush response of modern keyboards, you get a nice click. The noise accompanying that click is the only downside. The Cherry MX Clear switches are supposedly more quiet, though I've never seen them in the wild.

 

Thanks for the info. Any other concerns?

 

Noise and weight are the main ones.

 

one per machine is the major concern for both you and your bank account

 

ROFL yeah mechanical keyboards are totally like crack.

 

Don't need one for my server, don't need one for my laptop...

Soooo.... 1.

 

They are indeed "addictive" if you like how they feel. That said, a membrane keyboard with a good tactile feedback is something I'd definitely be happy with. On the other hand, I sort of killed the WASD cluster on my last membrane wireless keyboard which was a run of the mill logitech with too much gaming. There was a period when I had more time to play games and that keyboard saw a lot of use. Now, I can't game as much as I used to unfortunately.