Let Me Explain Some Of The Reasons Why I Like Mechanical Keyboards
For me, mechanical keyboards are one of the main joys of using a computer. Trying out different keyboards and alternating between the ones I already have is quite fun. Some people may wonder why we like these keyboards, and that’s what I will try to explain in this article. It may be hard to explain the hobby with mere words, but I will do my best to do that to the best of my abilities.
If you feel like it, you may want to try mechanical keyboards yourself. I have some affiliate links in the article to help you with that (which will also help keep Tech Fairy running).
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Mechanical Keyboards Feel Good
From the feeling of the keys to the sensation you feel when you press the keys, mechanical keyboards can be quite fun to use. It’s as if the keys are inviting you to press them. There are different typing experiences you can get from these keyboards depending on the feeling you want. Have finger fatigue? Use red switches for easy actuation. Want something clicky? Blue switches are there for you. Want something in-between? Brown switches are an option. There are way more options than that.
With mechanical keyboards, you get a feedback for every key you press, particularly with tactile switches. Because of that, you know the key you pushed down was pressed for sure. This can be useful in gaming, pressing shortcuts, or even typing.
I personally don’t like tactile keyboards much, but I have one I use from time to time because of how different it feels to use compared to anything else I have.
The Sound Of The Keys
This is related to my last point about feeling good. Depending on the configuration, mechanical keyboards can sound from quiet to clicky & loud. There are a lot of options in-between that too.
There are some mechanical keyboards that feel nice to type on but don’t make the best sound, while others are the opposite. Some keyboards give you both. I personally go for the right feeling if I have to choose between the two, but a good-sounding keyboard is quite nice to have on top of that.
Some Mechanical Keyboards Are Chique & Feel Premium
Some of the more expensive mechanical keyboards can be quite pleasant to type on. The keyboards in the $100-$240 range feel particularly premium. The more expensive keyboards have aluminum or metal chassis that make them a bit heavier. Many of the cheaper keyboards have beautiful designs too; this includes some that are below $100.
Customization:- Key Remapping & More
Aside from being able to pick between many types of keycaps & different types of switches. Many mechanical keyboards have customizable firmware. This allows you to customize every single key the way you want to. You can map any key to any other key you want, even if it wasn’t on the keyboard itself. You can have keys that do things like controlling media or the mouse cursor. You can even assign macros to some keys, which triggers a series of key presses every time you press that key. That can be a productivity booster if used right. It’s quite common to have multiple layers of remapping, where each key is mapped differently depending on which modifier keys are pressed. That adds a lot of possibilities for what you can do with your keyboard.
Even cheaper mechanical keyboards have software that allows you to remap the keys & adjust various things like RGB lighting. The customizations may not be as thorough as the more expensive keyboards (which come with extensive firmware like QMK), but they can be quite good.
Customization allows you to do more than just remap the keys. You can do some innovative things with them. Like having a small mechanical keyboard on the side solely for the purpose of mapping the common keyboard shortcuts you often use to each key on it. The sky is the limit when it comes to key mapping & customization.
Nice Additional Features Like Knobs
Many mechanical keyboards have extra niceties like knobs or rollers, which are useful for many things, like adjusting the volume, scrolling, or anything else you want them to do. They can usually be customized in the same way I just explained when it comes to customizing each key.
Easy To Repair
Compared to membrane keyboards, mechanical keyboards are much easier to repair. Keycaps are standardized for the most part, and you can change them very easily. Many mechanical keyboards have hot-swappable switches, so if any key starts acting up, like double typing or needing to be pressed hard to actuate, you can replace that switch very easily. Even for cheaper mechanical keyboards where the switches are soldered, you can still replace faulty switches with a bit of soldering skills. Mechanical keyboards are also pretty easy to clean. All that makes mechanical keyboards last longer.
Compare that to a membrane keyboard, where you may not find spare parts at all, depending on your keyboard. You can buy key scissors for a lot of keyboards, but installing them can be a bit of a pain (at least compared to mechanical keyboards).
It’s The Tool Of The Trade
I use computer keyboards more than anything else in my life. Not only do I use them to type the articles you read here in Tech Fairy (I am even writing this with a low-profile mechanical keyboard with red switches). I also use keyboard shortcuts to control my computer, so the keyboard is an essential tool in my life, and owning a good keyboard greatly enhances my life.
Overall, It’s Just Another Hobby
Just like anything in life, some people simply enjoy mechanical keyboards. Like there are people who enjoy other things in life, like photography, vinyl records, good food & anything else in life.
You can use nothing but a membrane keyboard & never ever need to use a mechanical keyboard in your life (some membrane keyboards are pretty nice), and there’s nothing wrong about that. That keyboard can be relatively cheap & lasts for years. But you can also get into the hobby & start exploring the various options it offers. You don’t need to go crazy & spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars to be considered an enthusiast in my opinion. Just owning one or two mechanical keyboards makes you one of us.
It’s your choice, and no matter what you pick, it’s not wrong at all.
And Finally
There are other reasons for liking mechanical keyboards. I didn’t mention, like the nostalgia for how keyboards used to be in the past, but I believe I mentioned all the main reasons for liking them. I will make sure to update this article if I find any more reasons to add to the list.
Anyway, I hope this article explained why I like mechanical keyboards, and I will see you in another Tech Fairy article. Check out the mobile apps I developed, which I hope you find useful & interesting.
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