Keyboard Advice: Why should I buy a mechanical keyboard?

[LuckyBadger]

Hey all, new to the site and looking for some advice!

So I'm wanting to buy a new keyboard, but I'm not sure if I want to go with an Optical or Mechanical keyboard.

With everything I researched on optical keyboards there seems no reason not to buy one. They can have clicky switches, RGB, longer life, and actuate quicker. They seem pretty much the same as mechanical, just an upgraded version.

However, I still see mass appeal for mechanical keyboards and while I do like them myself, I'm wondering if it's really worth sticking with mechanical or moving to optical.

Do you guys have any thoughts on why I should consider one over the other? 

[no, the other guy]

Wtf is an optical keyboard?

[yuppie]

Wtf is an optical keyboard?

[LuckyBadger]

Wtf is an optical keyboard?

Here's a quick article: https://www.tomshardware.com/news/what-are-optical-keyboard-switches,32352.html

But basically they use light rather than metal to metal contact as an actuation point.

[no, the other guy]

I see.

Get a mechanical one.

[Findecanor]

Oh, that looks like a Razer Huntsman keyboard. You should not buy Razer products. You should not believe a word in their specifications or marketing. Razer is full of crap.

When I make a buying decision, I go for:
* The look and feel that I like. Try before you buy. Keyboards is so much about personal preference than anything else.
* Quality (Razer has low quality)
* Price. No matter if it is high or low, the price should be appropriate. (Razer's products are often overpriced)

Mechanical keyboards are not always pricy, or high quality, but most of them do give you "N-key rollover" (which means that you are not limited in which keys you can press at once). N-key rollover is significant only for gaming, if you play games using a keyboard for movement.

In marketing you can find talk about "speed switches" and "fast polling rate" and so on. That is often a load of bull*** that won't matter a thing.

Backlit keys are often low quality. If you do get a mechanical keyboard and you want quality, do choose one without backlighting, with keycaps of PBT plastic. Leopold is a good brand.

[Tactile]

You forgot about capacitive. Capacitive switching FTW!


...just kidding, folks. Carry on.....

[yuppie]

I think it really comes down to what you want. Optical switches probably won't fit GMK sets. Sounds like RGB is important to you. What else would you like?

If you're NOT into customs or building it yourself or tuning the switches or swapping out keysets, then it probably doesn't matter if you go mech or opti.

[LuckyBadger]

Oh, that looks like a Razer Huntsman keyboard. You should not buy Razer products. You should not believe a word in their specifications or marketing. Razer is full of crap.

When I make a buying decision, I go for:
* The look and feel that I like. Try before you buy. Keyboards is so much about personal preference than anything else.
* Quality (Razer has low quality)
* Price. No matter if it is high or low, the price should be appropriate. (Razer's products are often overpriced)

Mechanical keyboards are not always pricy, or high quality, but most of them do give you "N-key rollover" (which means that you are not limited in which keys you can press at once). N-key rollover is significant only for gaming, if you play games using a keyboard for movement.

In marketing you can find talk about "speed switches" and "fast polling rate" and so on. That is often a load of bull*** that won't matter a thing.

Backlit keys are often low quality. If you do get a mechanical keyboard and you want quality, do choose one without backlighting, with keycaps of PBT plastic. Leopold is a good brand.

Thanks for the advice on what to look for! And yes, I have been done with Razer since my mamba stopped responding right after the warranty ran out. .-. I know Razer uses Bloody's switches (at least in the huntsman). I looked more at their stuff and saw they have keyboards with N-key rollover and the basics most mechanical keyboards have and a decent price range. 

I guess I'm trying to understand why mechanical keyboards are better if everything is the same? Even if the speeds are market-y, they're at least known to outlast mechanical keyboards with the removal of friction.

[no, the other guy]

Because not everything is the same. Gaming keyboards are hideous.

[LuckyBadger]

I think it really comes down to what you want. Optical switches probably won't fit GMK sets. Sounds like RGB is important to you. What else would you like?

If you're NOT into customs or building it yourself or tuning the switches or swapping out keysets, then it probably doesn't matter if you go mech or opti.

For me, I'm not into the custom builds/building myself. So no worry there! Although, I do see that's a bigger difference between mech and opt.

Mainly trying to see if there's a reason to go mechanical over optical. Considering optical is newer tech, is mechanical still worth buying into?

[yuppie]

I think it really comes down to what you want. Optical switches probably won't fit GMK sets. Sounds like RGB is important to you. What else would you like?

If you're NOT into customs or building it yourself or tuning the switches or swapping out keysets, then it probably doesn't matter if you go mech or opti.

For me, I'm not into the custom builds/building myself. So no worry there! Although, I do see that's a bigger difference between mech and opt.

Mainly trying to see if there's a reason to go mechanical over optical. Considering optical is newer tech, is mechanical still worth buying into?

Yes. The mass appeal comes with more options and compatibility. Going optical will limit your options.

[LuckyBadger]

I think it really comes down to what you want. Optical switches probably won't fit GMK sets. Sounds like RGB is important to you. What else would you like?

If you're NOT into customs or building it yourself or tuning the switches or swapping out keysets, then it probably doesn't matter if you go mech or opti.

For me, I'm not into the custom builds/building myself. So no worry there! Although, I do see that's a bigger difference between mech and opt.

Mainly trying to see if there's a reason to go mechanical over optical. Considering optical is newer tech, is mechanical still worth buying into?

Yes. The mass appeal comes with more options and compatibility. Going optical will limit your options.

Ah, yeah I can see that. Thanks for the input!

[Blue_Moon]

i haven't tried optical, but on paper it sounds better. i'm using mechanical now, but i dislike that mechanical keys can chatter (double press). my lefthand game pad (a razer orbweaver) chatters and i can't set the debouncing. it really annoys me. i prefer topre for that reason. optical sounds similar to topre in that it shouldn't chatter

that being said, the mechanical i'm typing on now doesn't chatter. you'll have a broad variety of switches to chose from if you go mechanical

oh, i also dislike hysteresis which mechanical keys have. every mechanical switch i've tried (and i haven't tried many), i've been able to actuate or release before the click or tactile bump if there is one. i'm tired of it so i just went with linears this time. it matters when i game because of holding down keys, and i gradually relax my finger, then it stops registering even though i didn't feel the bump indicating it reset

[Findecanor]

Clicky switches have hysteresis. Other switches should not have it

The Bloody LK switches are louder than most other types of switches.

[Blue_Moon]

Clicky switches have hysteresis. Other switches should not have it

then, i’m using the wrong term. i don’t know if there is a term, so i’ll just describe it. what i dislike is that the tactile bump or click is fake. it only approximates the actuation point. i’ll use kailh thick gold switches as an example, because they’re the most recent switch i’ve had this issue with. i can press the key down and watch it register before it ever clicks. the clicker is just a tiny metal bar near the actuation. i’d prefer for it to be the actuation itself

[Findecanor]

Ah, yes. That is an undesirable property to have in a key switch.
I think that for the mainstream tactile switches though, actuation and tactile bump are close enough.

[tradercreep]

As for now, I think that choosing the mechanical will have much more options for you in using out of the box or customization. As for the optical keyboard really last longer, I think most people here buy keyboard frequently so that's not a problem   

[jamster]

i haven't tried optical, but on paper it sounds better. i'm using mechanical now, but i dislike that mechanical keys can chatter (double press). my lefthand game pad (a razer orbweaver) chatters and i can't set the debouncing. it really annoys me. i prefer topre for that reason. optical sounds similar to topre in that it shouldn't chatter

that being said, the mechanical i'm typing on now doesn't chatter. you'll have a broad variety of switches to chose from if you go mechanical

I've been using mechanical boards (BS, MX, Topre) for decades. I've never had one that suffered from chatter. Admittedly, I've never used a Razer either as I have been convinced that they don't make good products.

[Polymer]

then, i’m using the wrong term. i don’t know if there is a term, so i’ll just describe it. what i dislike is that the tactile bump or click is fake. it only approximates the actuation point. i’ll use kailh thick gold switches as an example, because they’re the most recent switch i’ve had this issue with. i can press the key down and watch it register before it ever clicks. the clicker is just a tiny metal bar near the actuation. i’d prefer for it to be the actuation itself

That's purely psychological though..because how you notice that isn't the same way you'd use the keyboard..when using it you won't notice that at all...

It is the similar problem some people have with MX browns...sure, when you press them slowly they feel a bit weird and scratchy...in normal use though, they don't (or not in the same way anyways).

[Blue_Moon]

then, i’m using the wrong term. i don’t know if there is a term, so i’ll just describe it. what i dislike is that the tactile bump or click is fake. it only approximates the actuation point. i’ll use kailh thick gold switches as an example, because they’re the most recent switch i’ve had this issue with. i can press the key down and watch it register before it ever clicks. the clicker is just a tiny metal bar near the actuation. i’d prefer for it to be the actuation itself

That's purely psychological though..because how you notice that isn't the same way you'd use the keyboard..when using it you won't notice that at all...

It is the similar problem some people have with MX browns...sure, when you press them slowly they feel a bit weird and scratchy...in normal use though, they don't (or not in the same way anyways).

you guessed wrong. i noticed it because of the way i do use keyboards. i'm a gamer and i frequently encounter that issue when pressing the "forward" key (w in the wasd cluster but i use a different key), because i have to hold the key down instead of just typing it. i'll find myself slowly letting up on the key and my character stops running forward even though i didn't pass the bump in a brown switch. i prefer topre for this reason because the rubber dome kicks my finger back up clearly signifying that it reset (the only way i can get a topre to activate midway is by using two fingers on the switch, but i never play like this)

[opensecret]

I’ve got keyboards with at least six different switches (Alps, Buckling Spring, Cherry, Hall Effect, Topre and the pretty good chiclet keys on my Thinkpad), and what matters most for all of them is not some putative technical advantage but how they feel in typing.  I mostly use my two favorites: a WASD board with o-ringed Cherry browns, and a couple of Realforce unweighted boards.

If you find a membrane board for under $20 that is a dream for you to type on, grab it.  If you find optical switches that feel great to you, go for them.