PCB vs Plate?

[tbc]

I was wondering, does the 'backing' of a keyboard only matter if you bottom out?  or does it always make a difference (regardless if it's 'significant' or not)?   I seem to remember someone saying that plates stop side-to-side wobbliness.

[bazemk1979]

I was wondering, does the 'backing' of a keyboard only matter if you bottom out?  or does it always make a difference (regardless if it's 'significant' or not)?   I seem to remember someone saying that plates stop side-to-side wobbliness.

here are the pros:
- gives much more solid feel when typing, not mushy AKA sort of flexing when u type on PCB installed switches
- anger management durability LOL there are people that smash on top of their boards, without the plate PCB will suffer after some time being beaten by a big guy with heavy hands .
- protects the PCB from long years of constant usage of the keyboard

Either way you look at it, plate on top of the PCB its a upgrade in any way, not a downgrade.

[The_Beast]

Some people like the feeling of PCB mount since it isn't as hard on your fingers. I think a major problem with PCB mount is the cheap plastic cases some keyboards come in. I hated my poker when it was in the stock plastic poker case. But right now, I'm typing on a PCB mounted GH60 in a Hammer case. It feels just as solid as a poker in a plastic case with a plate.

I will say that plate mount does make changing caps a bit easier since you can't accidentally pull the switch off the PCB.

[dorkvader]

Typing on a PCB mount can vary. Some keyboards (like a pure) are almost the same as a plate mount version (especially when mounted to a backplate) some keyboards (like the long G80-8200) are very different. The 8200 and 8113 have noticeable flex in the middle.

I wouldn't worry about it overmuch. Both have their pro's and cons, get both keyboards you are considering and sell the one you end up not using.

[larrymoencurly]

I've seen only two mechanical keyboards built without the metal plate. 

One had all the key switches molded into a single thick piece of plastic that also supported the key caps, apparently almost identical to the original Radio Shack computer's keyboard.  It was very rigid, whether supported underneath or not. 

The other keyboard was a kit consisting of a fiberglass circuit board and a bag of key switches and key tops.  It wobbled laterally unless a couple of metal reinforcement strips were installed on top.
 
I once removed the top plate from a mechanical keyboard with a bad switch (had to unsolder all the switches) and tried it before reinstalling the plate.  Lots of lateral wobble, but the bottoming out felt the same when the circuit board sat on the bottom half of the case.