Ask HN: How is your experience with a mechanical keyboard? Do you own a mechanincal keyboard ? Which one ? What type of key does it use ? How is your experience with it so far? Do you think it boosts your productivity compared to a conventional keyboard ? |
I have yellow switches because I modded it a bit but the red ones are nice enough (personally not a fan of brown/blue).
Overall it's cheaper than an Apple keyboard and nicer to type on even without any modifications, what's not to like.
Don't worry about productivity; just find something that you like typing on.
Currently awaiting the K10 to be available in a Nordic layout, and then it will probably replace my Ducky One 2. The K8 is MUCH quieter than the Ducky One 2, despite both being blue switches, though the Ducky has MX keys, and the Ducky has Gateron.
And yes, i will probably go for Red switches instead of Blue this time. Blue has it's charms, but i find the key travel more of a help than the tactile feedback.
If you look past the old IBM PS/2 keyboards, in recent history i've owned:
- Das Keyboard 4 Professional (https://www.daskeyboard.com/daskeyboard-4-professional/), which was a nice "starter keyboard". I've heard quality has gone downhill since, but mine performed well. I eventually came to dislike the form factor of it because it was causing my wrists to hurt after prolonged use.
- Ducky One 2 (https://www.duckychannel.com.tw/en/One-2-Phantom-Black), this one came highly recommended. I purchased one with MX Brown switches for use at work. It took about 3 days for my colleagues to complain about the noise. It is very comfortable to use, but God it's loud. It now lives at my work-from-home desk.
- Logitech G613 (https://www.logitechg.com/en-au/products/gaming-keyboards/g6...), this one has Romer switches, and is actually quite nice to use. Not too loud and nice tactile feedback. It's rather large, and with COVID and work from home, i needed more "desk space", so it's sitting in my closet at the moment.
- Keychron K8 (https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-k8-tenkeyless-wir...), this is probably the best mechanical keyboard i have. It's still rather new, and by using it i think i can feel that i'm going to have a problem with keys binding at some point, it has that little resistant "pop up", but for now it's great.
As for typing speed, the Ducky or Keychron are the fastest with the least errors. That is of course a very personal measurement, and your typing speed might be better or worse with different keyboards.
Do they boost my productivity ? Depends how you define it. I make fewer typos on my mechanical keyboards, and experience less "inger fatigue", but i probably wouldn't chalk it up to a significant percentage when it comes to productivity. It's more of a personal preference.
I had a Das Keyboard (blank keys to switch between OSX and Windows) that I really liked, and another smaller mechanical keyboard I keep in my garage. They are nice, but you’ve got to be all over the mute button if you want to type / take a note on a call. Again, I rarely type and talk at the same time, so it’s not a big deal.
Also, an important point is that I stopped using it because my wife found the noise very annoying.
well a "TVS" branded one but repaired it a couple years ago and has been running fine. people do complain its "loud"
I love it! Although productivity wise, I'd say it's only a marginal psychological advantage that I enjoy typing. During the in-between period where I only used my MKB for TW3, I was issued a couple of gaming laptops for work, with tactile rubber dome[1] keys. That's when I realized that the tactile feedback is what makes me enjoy my MB. So maybe a high-end rubber dome keyboard with good tactile feedback would also do the trick for me.
Unpopular opinion these days maybe but I also like the sound of Cherry MX Blues, adds to the enjoyment. Nowadays I have to make an effort to type gently during work calls but I think that's more my sound set-up than anything (it's very basic). As I said, I've used it in the workplace/in-person office to no issue but maybe social norms can differ. But I'm of the opinion some of the complaints about the noise of blue switches is exaggerated.
It's also great for gaming, at least for TW3. I never thought I'd be one of those guys who would say their equipment affected their performance but I'm pretty sure it did here. Even with the gaming laptops from work which I used five days a week, it was noticeably easier for me to react instinctively and not miss that crucial keystroke in a boss battle. I'd say it's the physical depth of the keys; laptops by design are just too shallow, tactile feedback be damned[2]. Or maybe the fact that even by default this keyboard is already angled.
Form factor is also great. Not too wide, just about the same width as even small laptops. Very personal preference but it's how I like it, it doesn't strain my wrists.
Lastly, the honest drawbacks. For some reason this keyboard needed a lot of maintenance during the time I was using it only sparingly for games. That's despite the fact that I kept it in the sleeve it came with. Every few months or so, keys would get stuck so I'd have to pry off the keycaps, blow air/gently dust off the switches, and rinse the keycaps in soapy water. Then of course dry it off before putting them back in one by one. But with constant usage, this kind of problems don't crop up. Weird if you ask me.
[1] I'm not a keyboard nerd so I'm not sure if this is accurate wording. But I hope you get my drift.
[2] Again, I'm not a keyboard nerd.
It takes some time getting used to it. People say it's at least 2 weeks, but my experience is at least 2 months. I didn't know how to touch type before although I typed with 10 fingers. So in parallel I'm learning touch typing and getting used to a different layout (i.e. thumb cluster). When I passed 30 WPM threshold I finally started feeling comfortable and productive.
To me, biggest gain wasn't productivity but comfort/ergonomics! 80% of the finger pain was gone in 2 weeks. My shoulder and back posture is just way better. I don't slam the keys anymore, just gentle touch is enough to press them. I also "cheat" a bit by using Karabiner Elements with Space Cadet and Super Duper modes, and it's been a godsend.
To recap, it is expensive but I would never ever go back to any other keyboard :)
I carried one in my luggage when I emigrated, 7 years ago. I've used it in 4 office jobs over 5 years, with a grand total of 2 (two) people complaining in all that time.
1991 model with buckling springs, UK layout. The best PC keyboard ever made (I intentionally exclude Macs -- that'd be the AEK1, followed by AEK2 -- possibly with early DEC VT terminals in the early 1980s).
The hype about noise is totally overrated.
I've used DEC vt220 and 320 terminals, their keyboards were better than average but not all that; IMO. the keys were a bit smaller and the whole thing more compact, I'd say. They're nothing like the build quality or repairable.
People used to speak well of Northstar keyboards back when, i didn't care for them. I had a Victor AT keyboard form that era that I wore out utterly.
The model M clicky noise isn't all that bad. I have only had complaints on a couple occasions, woke the wife up once with a spate of typing she swore sounded like someone shaking a spray paint can.
My current keyboard, I've had for 6 years, it's from WASDkeyboards.com and it still performs very satisfyingly. It is a standard ISO layout with red cherry switches. While the switches themselves do no click, it is still satisfying to use, and less hard on my fingers (when you've learned not to rest your fingers on the keys, as they are very light). I had one switch become defective within a month, but WASD sent me two new replacements and noted that I had opted to do the repair myself and have it still be covered by warranty! (VERY NICE!). Again I opted for blank keys, and again there is apparantly still some coating on top of them that is worn down.. Some of the keycaps are now more concave from plastic being physically worn away, but new keycaps can be obtained. I'm very happy with both the style, function and especially quality of this keyboard, and it is highly worth the price to me, as it's lasted longer than any other keyboard I've owned, and continues to be an absolute pleasure to use..
At work I use some random dell rubberdome thing, that's fine too, just not as satisfying to use.
I don't think any of the keyboards have boosted my productivity, if they work, have no stuck or bouncing keys and their layout is usable for me, then I'm limited by brain speed, not finger speed.
(1) I also had a steelseries g6v2 but it broke so quickly and had other issues, it's not worth mentioning. I've also used an IBM model M for a year to annoy someone at work, but it was not pleasant for me, even if it's supposed to be the holy grail, I own several, for my old computers, and they belong there in my opinion.
So far it was great, I love tactile sound of a mechanical keyboard. There is some sort of pleasure in it. But to be honest, it's easier to use MX keys or an Apple Keyboard. Because my hands get sore after writing couple of hours without break.
Would I suggest K2? Yeah it's a great keyboard but If I'm on a market for Mechanical Keyboard I would buy K8 or C1 because I hate to press fn key everytime I want to control volume etc.
I really enjoy mine and it was one of the only ones (maybe the only?) that came with a default Mac layout, Bluetooth with USB-C, and the smaller form factor.
Fortunately having clear requirements made it easy to shop for, but unfortunately it’s hard to meet those requirements lol.
There is 0 way to measure productivity boost unless you’re just trying to see if it makes you type faster so I wouldn’t use that as a metric or decision factor.
not sure how anyone retains their sanity using blues for more than 5 minutes
Blue switches would be a nightmare.
I replied to other comments, but I like my Kinesis Advantage 2 for the ergonomics. I liked my Das Keyboard because it felt like I was interacting with a premium device, and was just a nice, solid way to use a computer. Yes it would make me more productive than a broken keyboard, but no, I don’t think it’s a huge gain (I also use laptop keyboards from time to time).
Investing money in what goes between you and the ground makes sense. Another thing to consider spending money on is what you touch throughout the day.
I bottom out hard, and feel knuckle-, eventually wrist-pain, when typing intently for more than half an hour on Apple external keyboards. In the long run, it keeps typing more comfortable, so it's a kind of survival advantage.
To reduce noise, it's my current practice to put a thin hand towel under the keyboard, both at home and at co-working spaces. It eliminates some of the deeper more noticeable noises. This helps lessen annoyance, or at least comments, from friends, roommates, and partners, and so is again, a survival (of on-going use of my current setup) advantage.
I really like the big space between the keys older keyboard used to have. I don't like a lot of flatter Logitech keyboards because if you don't push straight down, the key doesn't press. I think this is most of the "productivity increase", to be honest. I miss less because the keys are farther apart more than they go click click.
I am not a super fan of RGB, but if you're always in the dark it helps you find your keyboard. A mouse is different because you can just swipe your arm around.
Das Pro 4 w MX Cherry Blues - clicky (read: loud), feels good, survived baby puke with no problems after cleanup. Even with a headset on I found I needed to type quietly or it would attract attention in meetings.
Corsair STRAFE RGB w Cherry Reds - silent and linear, and linear means no pressure is needed to activate the switch. I don't know if I would have liked this as the first one, but only needing the gentlest touch to type really helps.
Right now I use a Dreevo Calibur V2 w/ Outemu Red switches. Feels much the same as the same as the Corsair at less than half the price. It's basically a mechanical laptop keyboard layout wise, and I've learned to appreciate the keys not being so far away from my mouse. Frees up a ton of space on the desk too.
Only problem is the price is steep. I think it's worth it.
The model I have is also tented and that’s where there’s a huge gain for me. The fact that I can position the two halves of my keyboard anywhere and that they’re tented relives a lot of stress in my wrists and elbow. I might not still be a developer without this tool. Whenever I travel with just a laptop I bring a Keyboardio Atreus. It’s not tented but it’s enough to help me get through short trips.
I've used a Rosewill RK-9000 (basic full-size keyboard) with Cherry MX Brown switches since around 2013 and have had to replace a couple switches but otherwise it has served me well. A friend spilled diet coke all over it early on but disassembling it and washing all the plastic parts in soapy water and the pcb in distilled water was enough to clean that. It still works wonderfully but either I've gotten used to more tactile switches or the browns in it have gotten less tactile in the last 8 years.
A few years ago I got a Matias ErgoPro with quiet click switches to use at work. I love the split profile and the layout with the bigger left ctrl key and the right ctrl key on your right thumb. Unfortunately a few switches started giving me problems: they'd either keep sending keypresses even though the key was not held down or they'd not send keypresses when I press them. I've heard lots of people have similar issues and I think there was a bad batch of switches or something. From what I've heard Matias is really good about customer service and will replace your keyboard but I wanted to have extra switches to use on diy projects anyways so I just bought a bag of 200 switches and replaced them myself. I'm tempted to have a go at writing some custom firmware to turn the hard-coded shortcut keys into real macro keys. The switches are super quiet but still feel clicky which made this perfect for work.
Most recently I picked up a Tex Shinobi kit with green switches which are extremely loud (especially on the metal plate in that keyboard) but feel good. The keyboard is laid-out like classic ThinkPad keyboards and even has the little red pointer nub. I don't use it too much now since my work keyboard is at home. (Also my partner is always home and it really is loud so I tend to just use it for when I've got a laptop hooked up to a television and this keyboard in my lap where it won't resonate as much as on a desk.)
I'll admit I'm a bit anxious about choosing the switches. Every time I read about mechanical keyboards it seems to be "a big deal™". I'll be choosing between Kailh Silent BOX Brown (tactile), BOX red (linear), BOX white (clicky) switches, plus a fourth yet to be decided.
Noise is a bit issue - quieter the better - so the whites are off the menu. Have to dig into the pros and cons at some point.
At the office I have Razer Huntsman V2 with linear optical switches. Surprisingly quiet, quieter than most membrane keyboards even.
Huntsman keyboards are very comfortable (detachable leather wrist rest) and build feels indestructible (metal base). They do have one very annoying flaw - the volume wheel gave up on both 2 previous keyboards I had and the 3rd one I'm on is already showing signs. I don't understand why Razer wouldn't fix something so seemingly simple on otherwise very good product.
When is the last time someone made a bunch of noise on your conference line because of their keyboard choice? Imagine being able to type furiously while unmuted and no one able to hear it. This is almost like a super power compared to where I used to be.
To be honest, I didn't find it a revelation. I currently use a Microsoft Sculpt and I generally prefer it for the ergonomics. My typing speed, which is not brilliant, is about the same across all these boards. I still use cheap dome keyboards at work and don't mind them despite having used mechs.
Mechs tend to have a high profile so make sure your desk set up can handle that without putting your arms and shoulders in suboptimal positions.
Maybe good: lower latency down to 1 ms.
Bad: Larger key travel slows down your typing, which you can fix by stacking a few o-rings under the keys. Clicky keys are super annoying, but thankfully there are silent switches out there.
Long story short, I think it’s all personal preference, but if you get yourself in the world of mech keyboards, the environment might change you into thinking that’s what’s good and what you should be using.
Mechanical switches are just nice bonus. Of course it's fun to try different switches, keycaps, o-ring and pimp the keyboard in some way but I don't think it boosts my productivity in any way or helps with RSI....
Best thing I bought in 2021 for sure.
It's loud though.
I liked this idea so much that I got myself Moonlander and haven't looked back since.
Personally I prefer mechanical keyboards and other gaming gear not because of flashy LEDs and other fads, but because of the durability, build quality and features. Seemingly little things like volume wheel on the keyboard or tilt wheel on the mouse, can ad a lot to comfort of use.