Hi all. I have a question for the borgs regarding mechanical keyboards. I have read some stuff about them online but i would rather get advice from you guys as i trust it a lot more. I read rave reviews about them, Seems to be much hype. So whats makes them so good, Why are they meant to be better for gaming and what actually is a mechanical keyboard. Anyone here use them ?
It all depends, the most known of the mechanical switches are the Cherry MX switches. These range from very linear silent switches to the blue tactile and really noisy switches. Some are great for gaming, some are great for typing and really are not a good idea for gaming at all. I just made the jump to a mechanical Das keyboard 4 professional with the blue switches and absolutely love it but then I'm not planning on using it really for gaming. For gaming I have a Logitech G13 with membrane keys as holding a key or spamming keys isn't the same with a blue switch. Val had sold me on them a while back and I never got around to getting a Das Keyboard and I'm regretting putting that off. I had been planning on buying a mechanical keyboard with brown switches as they are a decent balance between the blues for typing and the reds for gaming but after buying a Cherry MX switch tester from WASD keyboards I really prefered the feel of the blue for typing. For the quick rundown Nice animations of the switches and background. http://www.keyboardco.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/an-introduction-to-cherry-mx-mechanical-switches/ And yes there is a ton of hype but I'm not going back after just 5min on my blue switches if I can ever help it.
This is one of those things where you can do research and ask advice and read reviews, both professional and user, until you are blue in the face. The simple fact of the matter is it always and only comes down to personal preference. So, really the only way to finger out the answer (see what I did there?) is to try 'em out and stick with what you like. Obviously you have a better selection online, but I would recommend hitting up your local PC shop, BestBuy, whatever; buy one and try it out. Make sure you are fully aware of their return policy. That being said, I have run the gamut on these things in addition to using plain ol' $10 non-mechanical ones, ergonomic ones, thin film ones, etc etc. Now, all of these were LED (full color) keyboards. I likes da pretties! Logitech G910 Orion Spark RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard I liked the key action on this. These are custom Logitech manufactured keys; Not Cherry. They are similar to a Cherry Brown I would guess. So a mid-range amount of physical clack/feedback. The software was robust and therefore not completely intuitive. Nothing bad to say about the keys but the keyboard case was a bit large for my tastes and in the end I returned it for that and the price $170 was a bit too steep to spend on a keyboard. Corsair Gaming K65 RGB LED Mechanical Gaming Keyboard - Cherry MX Red Ok. So, I liked the idea of this keyboard from the get-go. This is (or was) a BestBuy exclusive. It's identical to the K70 except it has no numeric keypad. I thought the smaller form factor would be a plus. But, it seems like I over compensated from the Logitech G910. The case is all aluminium, with floating keys (no raised face plate surrounding them). They keys go edge to edge. No wasted space. The LED colors were good, but not as bright as some. They software was very robust but again, takes some time to learn. Even though the keyboard is the best physically of ALL the ones I tried, I actually missed the number pad more than I thought I would. So, I considered returning and trying out the K70 w/ keypad, but ultimately two other factors were it's downfall. 1) The Cherry MX RED switches. For those unaware, the REDs have NO resistance. It's a very smooth action (no resistance) but was TOO smooth. I like a bit of feedback. This is one of the reasons many pick mechanical keyboards. They like the tactile feedback in addition to the reliability. 2) They keys were too slick. The finish on the key tops were took slick for me. Again, I need a bit physical resistance. Not only on the switch, but on the "grip" of the keys themselves. Going with the K70 would not correct any of these issues. Now, alternatively the K70 does come in a Cherry MX BROWN version, which provides tactile click when depressed. But, it was not available yet at the time. SteelSeries Apex Gaming Keyboard Now, this was not, to my knowledge, a mechanical keyboard. But, I was trying out all the full color LED ones I could get my hands on. Price is good on this one. They colors were good. I actually LOVED the big fat SPACE key. But, in the end not mechanical switches, and did not have the feeback I as looking for. If you are looking for a full LED keyboard for a good price and don't care about the switches, I would recommend this one. Razer BlackWidow Chroma Clicky Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Ok, so not to keep you in the dark any longer, this is the keyboard I ultimately wound up keeping. Now, this is a RAZER product, and some people think they are garbage. Like anything else in the PC hardware realm, past performance does not always dictate current qualities. I have had some VERY good/long experiences with Razer MICE (The old Razer Boomslang was my favorite) and one "meh" one. Forget the model. But, I digress. This keyboard was the perfect fit for me. I got it on sale for $109 which was a great deal. It's switches are actually manufactured for Razer from a Chinese company. Even though not Cherry MX they seem to perform wonderfully. Time will tell on the duration. Razer calls them "ORANGE" and they are similar (to me anyway) the the Cherry MX Browns, if possibly a bit softer. It's got enough feedback that I KNOW i hit a key, but not so much that it annoys me after long gaming sessions. The LED software is not nearly as deep as Logitech's or Corsair's but on the plus side, it's SO MUCH EASIER to configure. It has some really cool functions like SONAR. Hit a key, and it "Pings" waves of cascading color (customized by you) away from they keys across the keyboard. Lots and lots of cool features to play with. Most likely after the newness of a color LED keyboard wears off you won't care. I still like that I can customize the colors by profile, or by game. The case itself is plastic and not aluminium like Corsairs, but it is VERY solid and sturdy construction. Plus, it comes with USB port for easy access to hook up mice or other devices and mini-stereo input/output jacks for headsets. Nice if you don't like to have a bunch of cables running from the back or your PC or if your PC is a long way from the keyboard. Speaking of which, the keyboard cord is long and braided. Very good quality. I highly recommend this keyboard. Oh, and the name had no bearing on my purchasing decision. Well, ok. Maybe little.
The blackwidow is a nice keyboard, it almost was my choice since you can find them for $50 on ebay with light usage. They come in 4 different versions, there are older production models that used Cherry Blue and Brown (stealth) switches while newer production keyboards use a very similar switch made by a chinese company in partnership with razer. The Cherry patents ran out so now copies are legal, razer teamed up and developed two new switches that are based on the Blue and Brown switches. The new stealth is very close to the brown but the non stealth is a bit of a departure from the MX Blue switches. Rather than having the switch plunger be two components my understanding is that it's a single part more like the brown but still with the noise. I tried the new blackwidow non stealth briefly but ended up going with the Das Keyboard and I'm not disappointed in the least, the feel is much better in my opinion. The one that I'd have liked to have tried is the Ducky Shine 4 with its backlighting but it isn't something that you are going to find in a store stateside.
I use this one. http://www.gigabyte.us/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4565#ov It has EXTREMELY short key presses and uses a fairly unique mechanism. It isn't quite a mechanical keyboard, but it has a faster response time than a membrane one. Been very happy with it so far. View of the switch mechanism
what is a mechanical keyboard? is it pretty much better communication? or is more just how the keys work?
Just how the key works. Some people will also argue that mechanical keys have a longer life span than non-mechanical.
It can also be a gaming thing. I have always heard it as the "up and down" of the keys. Some mechanical will read a keystroke on the press down. Other will read the keystroke when you life your finger up. In super fast games like RTS and Moba's players are registering 3-400 clicks and keystrokes a minute. How the board registers the keystrokes is clutch in how those guys micro their shit.
some of the more advanced ones can actually do either and you can switch between them, toggle repeat functions, all sorts of silly little things people will use to try and get an edge over the competition. Some of it actually works , me I just prefer the tactile sensation of a mechanical keyboard, it's easier to find the home keys and I'm comfortable and familiar with them. The 'old' membrane keyboards are actually substantially newer than mechanical keyboards and I find it amusing that he seems to think they're 'old' Membrane keyboards have a small 'bubble' over the switch, which is what you're pressing down on, when the bubble flexes downward, it either triggers the switch itself, or in some cases, is actually the second metal contact for the switch itself. Over time this bubble wears down and in the second case, generally means that it will cease to function. In the former you still have the actual switch itself which is simply a very small mechanical switch, though that in itself can be problematic. this style which is most common on laptops is similar to the mechanical style of a membrane but it uses the plastic cradle to support the switch itself, providing resistance against the button until pushed to trigger the switch. they're fairly decent but prone to 'key loss' which is relatively simple to fix assuming the cradle isn't damaged, but annoying. The basic mechanical is generally far more durable simply by the virtue of the size of component, the reason the membrane and laptop keys were created was to create a keyboard capable of fitting in a much smaller space while maintaining the same level of versatility, sacrifices are made in this process, mechanical keyboards use fairly robust mechanical switches with, depending on the quality of the keyboard ranging from simple plastic covers for keys to completely modifiable and easy to manage keys. Honestly I've no idea whether there's any actual response time difference aside from the general 'knowing' that you've pressed the key correctly by feel, I've always found that a membrane keyboard doesn't always trigger the key the way I'd expect it to when typing, which can be quite frustrating, but if you're familiar with it I can't see it suffering any kind of lag comparably, sure you have to press the button all the way down, however 'all the way down' is usually a significantly shorter distance than most mechanical keys
