Can I improve my typing speed using a mechanical keyboard?

[Fullcream]

From my experience I didn't really gain noticeable improvements in my typing speed, maybe a little. But what was much more obvious is that after switching to mechanical I got used to lighter key presses and faster actuation and now when I type on a rubber dome I am slower and often miss letters. I guess mechanical switches taught me to not bottom out as much. 

[Voixdelion]

I dunno bout faster if you started on a rubber dome board, but I do know that my own speed is without a doubt DECREASED by large factor if I don't use a mechanical board, but I grew up with the IBM selectric typewriters and took my touch typing course on one in the seventh grade,  and the majority of the papers I wrote in high school and college were done in the era of the old school Model M's.  I had an appleIIc with a keyboard that I didn't enjoy as much as those larger extended boards, but they were all better twenty years ago than anything now except for the mechanical ones.    I ended up getting my mechs not to improve speed, but to maintain the speed I used to have, as it was suffering by a thirty percent drop on anything else, and just got rather annoying.  I don't have to use the backspace key a fraction as often on a mechanical board. 

But that may just be a matter of what I am used to using making the difference; even so I won't use a rubber dome board unless I HAVE to.  But they are at least better than touch screens - GOD I HATE touchscreens more than anything.  I finally moved to a smartphone only because Magic JaCK made an app that saves me money by using the wifi instead of my cell minutes, but I still carry my Razrv3XX  in my purse, just in case I get too frustrated.  Having to LOOK at what you are typing is a real PITA and I still make mistakes in a 10 digit phone number.  It is a fail as an input device, though is interesting as an interactive tool, to some degree.  Give me a smartphone that I can dial with one hand without looking at it, I will be a grateful beyond belief.

[Polymer]

It is because it is more comfortable but not better for the wrists..People get lazy and just want to lay their wrists down..perfectly normal although not considered proper form or good for you...

Proper form (wrists floating) is supposed to be better for your hands and wrists (although if someone has research that counters this, that would be interesting to see).  I don't have any other data to back this other than this is how they've been teaching people to type for awhile.

When I'm just doing work and other stuff, my wrists are always down.....when I want to go for more speed they'll float...

Really? I suppose that the full hand Ergodox would be worse, then. I'd never really known the specifics of which was more ergonomic, it just seemed that resting would be better because they can be done at a lower energy use.

Well the Ergodox and other ergonomic keyboards are at an angle which can give you better form and allow you to rest your wrists...But as far as a standard keyboard is concerned, I'm pretty sure they still teach the same typing form they have for awhile which is floating wrists...of course if someone has any updated info on that, that would be interesting to see. 

As I said, I mainly type with my wrists down...it is just laziness and the need for any real speed isn't there most of the time...but if I need to really plow through something, wrists come up..always..and it makes a significant speed and accuracy difference for me. 

[tooki]

I type at the same speed on mechanical and scissor-switch keyboards. Because I've used flat scissor-switch keyboards almost exclusively for the past 12 years or so, my typing accuracy is still lower on the mechanical. (It's been six months.) I am hoping it will improve over time.

But my fingers are much happier, which is good, because I was on the way to becoming disabled, with RSI in my thumb and fingers.

[WakeMeIPlan]

Mechanical keyboards significantly improved my WPM. I went from 110 to around 130.  But if you don't already type decently fast, you won't see much of an improvement.

[C5Allroad]

I can absolutely say yes. I used to type at 20 then 30 then 40 and now 50. And this was all in one year of switching from reds to browns and using some blues in between. The biggest thing to get used to is the switch, then caps, then height of the board. Since it's mechanical it's inherently taller than domes.

[Polymer]

I can absolutely say yes. I used to type at 20 then 30 then 40 and now 50. And this was all in one year of switching from reds to browns and using some blues in between. The biggest thing to get used to is the switch, then caps, then height of the board. Since it's mechanical it's inherently taller than domes.

This doesn't mean the mechanical keyboard made a difference..the fact that you're more interested in keyboards means you're probably paying more attention to what you're doing and the details..it is like a lot of users on here, once they get into keyboards, you will definitely see people be more interested in their main use, which is typing. 

The actual keyboard itself is not making a difference...

[C5Allroad]

Well the switch really helps too. Compared to chiclet boards it feels so much nicer. Then again that is my opinion, but it really does help me.

[Polymer]

I can see why you'd think that..but since most people will type pretty much the same speed on any keyboard..and really fast typers have already shown they will do basically the same speed on a RD keyboard or a scissor switch board, you'd have to think that the reasons behind someone's increase in speed isn't because of the keyboard itself but one of the many other reasons associated with getting a mechanical keyboard.

For some it could be they now actually ENJOY typing on it..they're using it more..they're practicing with it..the general enjoyment is just higher so they're typing with greater frequency..they're finding excuses to use their keyboard. All of those reasons might increase your speed.  A good test would be, if you go back to a rubber dome for a few weeks, are you still typing at your increased speed?  Chances are yes you are...

[Linkbane]

Well the switch really helps too. Compared to chiclet boards it feels so much nicer. Then again that is my opinion, but it really does help me.

Don't worry about Polymer, he's always right in his own mind.

[tuxsavvy]

From my experience I didn't really gain noticeable improvements in my typing speed, maybe a little. But what was much more obvious is that after switching to mechanical I got used to lighter key presses and faster actuation and now when I type on a rubber dome I am slower and often miss letters. I guess mechanical switches taught me to not bottom out as much.

I actually did not think much about this point until later on that from based from my experiences with Topre switches and the information provided by deskthority wiki in regards to Topre switches. I can definitely agree to an extent on the point highlighted in bold.

When the conical spring is compressed, a capacitative sensing mechanism on the PCB senses the key press mid-actuation. Circuitry on the PCB collects sensing data from smaller key groups and feeds it to the controller. This scheme has the capacity for providing N-key roll-over.

and..

The switch action is very smooth, with a tactile bump that you can feel near the top of the stroke. After the bump, the resistance is almost flat, making it difficult to avoid bottoming out. You can not feel the mid-stroke actuation point. It bottoms out distinctly with a "thock" sound.

as well as..

Some Topre keys are very light, which can lead to unintended key activations; this happens especially on keyboards that have differently weighted switches for different fingers.

To me the first two quotes are quite true, I have sort of discovered that on my own coincidentally when resting my "heavy" fingers on the keyboard". Which leads to the third quote as a result of my HHKB (most likely being weighted around 45g) it is easy to accidentally register key presses unintentionally. I often find myself when chatting on IRC for instance that when resting my fingers on my HHKB in home positions (again QWERTY specific) it was easy for me to accidentally hold down the "d" key as well as the "l" key. Most of the time personally I press "d" more. It was evident as the actual "input bar" I could see the letter "d" being repeated several times until I realised that my finger were resting heavily on it. Not everyone is the same as me but I thought I just like to point it out. Something interesting that I have noticed when using or switching to HHKB after dealing with more stiffer switch and/or old rubber dome keyboards.

Though ironically at the same time it is really hard to hit the keys just when it reaches the actuation point. It is kinda like playing tennis where the racket has a sweet spot right in middle of the mesh. Hitting the ball outside the sweet spot may not be as easy on the hands let alone would give out optimum force but when hitting on the sweet spot is the best. The very same sweet spot on the Topre switch (for me when weighted stock around 45g on each switch) it is hard for me to hit that sweet spot and register the key input at the right time.

I guess in theory if I could hit my HHKB's sweet spot (mid actuation) I maybe able to slightly improve my typing speed. I really don't know how much more speeds I can gain by constantly trying to hit HHKB's sweet spot but I guess at the same time whilst targeting at one specific switch's sweet spot may lead me to slower typing responses (as the result of missing keys probably because I hit the keys too lightly) as a result.

Actually the whole point is nonetheless interesting. To think that my mechanical keyboard (in particular my HHKB) is actually teaching me a thing or two. I really don't know about other mechanical keyboard switches and their actuation points but say in theory if the actuation point is not by bottoming out the keys itself, one maybe able to attain a slightly faster typing speed in a bid to improve their typing speeds.

Food for thought.  )

[Linkbane]

To me the first two quotes are quite true, I have sort of discovered that on my own coincidentally when resting my "heavy" fingers on the keyboard". Which leads to the third quote as a result of my HHKB (most likely being weighted around 45g) it is easy to accidentally register key presses unintentionally. I often find myself when chatting on IRC for instance that when resting my fingers on my HHKB in home positions (again QWERTY specific) it was easy for me to accidentally hold down the "d" key as well as the "l" key. Most of the time personally I press "d" more. It was evident as the actual "input bar" I could see the letter "d" being repeated several times until I realised that my finger were resting heavily on it. Not everyone is the same as me but I thought I just like to point it out. Something interesting that I have noticed when using or switching to HHKB after dealing with more stiffer switch and/or old rubber dome keyboards.

Though ironically at the same time it is really hard to hit the keys just when it reaches the actuation point. It is kinda like playing tennis where the racket has a sweet spot right in middle of the mesh. Hitting the ball outside the sweet spot may not be as easy on the hands let alone would give out optimum force but when hitting on the sweet spot is the best. The very same sweet spot on the Topre switch (for me when weighted stock around 45g on each switch) it is hard for me to hit that sweet spot and register the key input at the right time.

I guess in theory if I could hit my HHKB's sweet spot (mid actuation) I maybe able to slightly improve my typing speed. I really don't know how much more speeds I can gain by constantly trying to hit HHKB's sweet spot but I guess at the same time whilst targeting at one specific switch's sweet spot may lead me to slower typing responses (as the result of missing keys probably because I hit the keys too lightly) as a result.

Actually the whole point is nonetheless interesting. To think that my mechanical keyboard (in particular my HHKB) is actually teaching me a thing or two. I really don't know about other mechanical keyboard switches and their actuation points but say in theory if the actuation point is not by bottoming out the keys itself, one maybe able to attain a slightly faster typing speed in a bid to improve their typing speeds.

Food for thought.  )

A bit that I'll just add, Topre switches are, to the best of my knowledge (coming from many owners and my own brief experience) very difficult to not bottom out on. It's possible, but very difficult, considering how actuation force drops like a rock after the press.

[tuxsavvy]

To me the first two quotes are quite true, I have sort of discovered that on my own coincidentally when resting my "heavy" fingers on the keyboard". Which leads to the third quote as a result of my HHKB (most likely being weighted around 45g) it is easy to accidentally register key presses unintentionally. I often find myself when chatting on IRC for instance that when resting my fingers on my HHKB in home positions (again QWERTY specific) it was easy for me to accidentally hold down the "d" key as well as the "l" key. Most of the time personally I press "d" more. It was evident as the actual "input bar" I could see the letter "d" being repeated several times until I realised that my finger were resting heavily on it. Not everyone is the same as me but I thought I just like to point it out. Something interesting that I have noticed when using or switching to HHKB after dealing with more stiffer switch and/or old rubber dome keyboards.

Though ironically at the same time it is really hard to hit the keys just when it reaches the actuation point. It is kinda like playing tennis where the racket has a sweet spot right in middle of the mesh. Hitting the ball outside the sweet spot may not be as easy on the hands let alone would give out optimum force but when hitting on the sweet spot is the best. The very same sweet spot on the Topre switch (for me when weighted stock around 45g on each switch) it is hard for me to hit that sweet spot and register the key input at the right time.

I guess in theory if I could hit my HHKB's sweet spot (mid actuation) I maybe able to slightly improve my typing speed. I really don't know how much more speeds I can gain by constantly trying to hit HHKB's sweet spot but I guess at the same time whilst targeting at one specific switch's sweet spot may lead me to slower typing responses (as the result of missing keys probably because I hit the keys too lightly) as a result.

Actually the whole point is nonetheless interesting. To think that my mechanical keyboard (in particular my HHKB) is actually teaching me a thing or two. I really don't know about other mechanical keyboard switches and their actuation points but say in theory if the actuation point is not by bottoming out the keys itself, one maybe able to attain a slightly faster typing speed in a bid to improve their typing speeds.

Food for thought.  )

A bit that I'll just add, Topre switches are, to the best of my knowledge (coming from many owners and my own brief experience) very difficult to not bottom out on. It's possible, but very difficult, considering how actuation force drops like a rock after the press.

+1 To not bottom out is definitely hard. Doable but lots of practice and one may end up being too Topre biased, to find "tapping" away on other keyboards (of completely different switches) would be yet again another set of pain to deal with once too used to Topre's own sweet spot.

[Polymer]

To not bottom out is definitely hard. Doable but lots of practice and one may end up being too Topre biased, to find "tapping" away on other keyboards (of completely different switches) would be yet again another set of pain to deal with once too used to Topre's own sweet spot.

I can see not bottoming on 30g....but 45g or more would be very difficult and definitely not worth it.  You can definitely type with a very light bottom out but trying to not bottom out with Topre is a waste of your time..ultimate speed killer.

But like with anything else..if someone here is typing with 45+g Topre without any bottoming out... and doing it with good speed, I would love to see it...even if I don't see a point, that would be something very unique to see indeed.

[kolonelkadat]

Yes! absolutely! Just like any other tool, the skill to use it comes with the price tag. This is doubly true for dexterity based tools like keyboards and guitars.    )

One thing to consider is whether you really need typing speed.
Are you a salaried data enterer? wpm is important
Are you an hourly data enterer? wpm is not important.
Are you a transcriptionist? wpm is important.
Are you a programmer? wpm is entirely irrelevant.
Are you a writer? wpm is only important as is needed.


As a programmer, I have a story for you.
1) One of the best programmers I have ever worked with was hit one night by a drunk driver. He lost both his eyes and 1 hand, maybe part of his other hand I dont remember. His post accident wpm: 0. Was he fired? NOPE. The company hired a typing -I dont know- slave for him. Her WPM mattered, but only in so far as she was able to keep up with what he told her to type.

[Wildcard]

I think myu typong speeed has improvved greatly with my mew leeboard!

Just need to work on my accuracy now.

[bhtooefr]

For what it's worth, my fastest keyboards, in order:

Matias Tactile Pro 4, 120 WPM
IBM Model F 6110345, 119 WPM
Acer Aspire One D250, 119 WPM

You couldn't get three more different keyboards, but each has factors that make it fast.

Easy to distinguish keycaps are critical. The Matias and the IBM are best there, but the Acer wasn't particularly bad (unlike some of Acer's later models) in that regard.
Short distance to actuation helps, but as evidenced by the Model F being in there, it's not critical.
Short travel can also help, because it means you can recover from bottoming out more easily.
Force needs to not be too low, or you'll be prone to errors (part of why I don't get along with Cherry blues, there's other precision and feel concerns I have), but it also can't be too high - this is why a Model M isn't among my fastest.
Preload, however, must be low, unless actuation is extremely early. Another reason why the Model F works for this despite having such long travel and late actuation.
Key spacing is important, but this one is widely variable based on the operator's hand size. The Acer has 16.95 mm key pitch, as opposed to the 19.05 of a standard keyboard. I found that size to be faster, but if my hands were any bigger I'd have found it cramped.

So, a mechanical keyboard may not make you faster. Before I got the Matias board, my fastest boards were an atrocious netbook keyboard and one of the greatest IBM aircraft carriers ever produced. But, it was a far better typing experience.

[TacticalCoder]

Can I improve my typing speed using a mechanical keyboard?
..........
Or is it just the general feel of the keyboard that is pleasurable?

I can't explain it well but to me the one thing that stands out on good keyboards is that you "feel" when you triggered a key. IMHO this is especially useful when you made a typo / error. Even though you're not supposed to make typos when you (touch-type) correctly, I still do and "feeling" if you just didn't trigger a key you should have triggered or triggered a key you shouldn't have is great.

When you're typing fast sometimes you'll make an error and you somehow "know" you've made the error without really needing to read it. Sure, you see it on screen (because you're not looking at your keyboard right) but it doesn't matter: you already "felt" you made the error and can correct it immediately.

(by the way for me it comes with a "delay": because I type fast --compared to most people, not compared to real fast typists here-- by the moment I "feel" my mistake I may have already typed or or two characters but it's not a problem: I "know" how many characters I need to backward delete. It's not really a conscious thing IMHO).

Of course it doesn't always work: say I write "wirte" instead of "write" I may not realize it when typing and may miss it too.

I'd say that the more feedback, the better: I like both tactile and audio. That's the one thing I miss from my Model M on my HHKB: the 'click'. I like white ALPS (click), I like MX blue (click, even though I'm no big MX fan), I love buckling springs.  But I still prefer the overall smoothness of the Topre even though I which it was "clickier".

Erf, slow day: 93 wpm / 99.6% on TypeRacer (just tried once after reading your post because I knew I wouldn't reach 100% accuracy. I rarely do)

[terran5992]

Can I improve my typing speed using a mechanical keyboard?
..........
Or is it just the general feel of the keyboard that is pleasurable?

I can't explain it well but to me the one thing that stands out on good keyboards is that you "feel" when you triggered a key. IMHO this is especially useful when you made a typo / error. Even though you're not supposed to make typos when you (touch-type) correctly, I still do and "feeling" if you just didn't trigger a key you should have triggered or triggered a key you shouldn't have is great.

When you're typing fast sometimes you'll make an error and you somehow "know" you've made the error without really needing to read it. Sure, you see it on screen (because you're not looking at your keyboard right) but it doesn't matter: you already "felt" you made the error and can correct it immediately.

Of course it doesn't always work: say I write "wirte" instead of "write" I may not realize it when typing and may miss it too.

I'd say that the more feedback, the better: I like both tactile and audio. That's the one thing I miss from my Model M on my HHKB: the 'click'. I like white ALPS (click), I like MX blue (click, even though I'm no big MX fan), I love buckling springs.  But I still prefer the overall smoothness of the Topre even though I which it was "clickier".

Erf, slow day: 93 wpm / 99.6% on TypeRacer (just tried once after reading your post because I knew I wouldn't reach 100% accuracy. I rarely do)

Thats quite accurate .

I usually get 80% if i try to type quickly

[johnv474]

I’ve been thinking about this for a while.  My opinion is that increased speed is due to the lack of error correcting time.

Overall, my favorite is still a Model M, but my daily driver has MX Blues, because I prefer TKL for mouse placement.  People in the other room also prefer when I am using the blues.

-JV474
PS is that necro enough?  Google brought me here again, years later.