The story of my conversion to mechanical keyboards - must read for heavy typists

[rabbit_39]

So I've always liked typing on those old keyboards, the clickety-clackety ones. Most notably from IBM, but other brands too. There's just something nostalgic about them, I thought. Especially since I really like vintage stuff. I collect fountain pens, I used to collect and perform minor repairs on old type writers, and the clickety-clack of a keyboard just seemed "proper".

Of course once the PS/2 connectors disappeared, and it gets more difficult to find "old" keyboards even with USB connectors, I started to just use whatever keyboard is around. Who'd pay more than $20 for a keyboard anyway? Plus I used to have them laying around from different projects I was doing. And then I moved to strictly using laptops once I finished college and had my own apartment. Space was at a premium, obiously multiple desktops with multiple screens are out. So even more of a reason for me to not use real keyboards.

Then last year, my friend introduced me to his mechanical "gaming" keyboard. It was fancy, it had German made key switches, and it clickety-clacked. Well, not really, but it was as close as you can get to clickety-clacking. I was just borrowing his computer to do a quick google search. It was a revelation! But I still wasn't convinced. It was great, yes. But he paid darn near $250 for the darn thing.

Fast forward to last week. In the past 18 months, my work have increasingly become more typing heavy with doing report writing and research work. Plus I'm gearing up to do grant proposals for a few ideas I have. My last 3 laptops have been pretty good, I thought, when it came to typing. I had just gotten a new one and I was really being aware of the keyboard difference from my last one. I tried to compare my typing from my next to last laptop to the newest laptop. I used an online typing test website. With the Sony I can reach an average of 50wpm (corrected for mistakes). Yea I know, I'm not a very fast typist. Then with the Dell I can average 55wpm.

Fast forward to today. I've been thinking that I really have a lot of upcoming reports and projects and I wonder if I can increase my typing speed even more with a mechanical keyboard. If I can, then that would be awesome and save me time. I know I'm in Indonesia so that likely I wouldn't be able to try out the keyboard beforehand. I went to STC (Senayan Trade Center) because there is a store selling a brand of keyboard that I've researched to be good. Sure enough, unless I committed to buy, they wouldn't open the box for me to try.

So I took an Rp 1.6million gamble and adopted one to take home. I'm typing on it now. The typing test website reported that I can now reach an average of 67wpm (highest at 72wpm). And I'm still stumbling a little bit since this is a full keyboard and it's been years since I typed on anything but a laptop's keyboard.

CONCLUSION:
If you type a lot, it's worth it to get a mechanical keyboard.

Sorry for the long post, I just had to try out this new keyboard...I know I know I have two reports due tomorrow, but I had to try typing without the pressure of having to think of what to type.

 

[Jaime C]

When you say mechanical, are you just referring to ones that have keys that move when you press them? I learned typing on a Selectric in the 80's, and having been using computer keyboards since the late 70's.

 

[rabbit_39]

Mechanical switches rather than a membrane switch. let's see if I can get a good website for reference. It's basically the keyboard that makes the clickety-clack sound. Unlike the keyboard on a laptop, or most cheap keyboards, the mechanical keyboards have actual moving parts and springs on each key.

Here's a good reference of the mechanical keyboard switches with pictures: http://www.keyboardco.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/an-introduction-to-cherry-mx-mechanical-switches/
And here's a more comprehensive article on keyboards in general: http://lifehacker.com/how-to-choose-the-best-mechanical-keyboard-and-why-you-511140347

I know....I'm a geek.

 

[El_Goretto]

Read this article recently: How to choose the best mechanical keyboard

Pretty much covers all the basis, thought it might interest you.

And of all the places to try out some keyboard, check out Toy City in PIM 1. At the back they have a range of gaming accessories, including a keyboard with mechanical keys on display.

 

[rabbit_39]

El_G: a keyboard with mechanical keys? As in a single one? Hehe heh. I probably would have looked at it. I chose Cherry MX Browns by the way. I just felt that I want the feedback but not so clickety clacky like the blue. Without having tried the blue (audible click mechanism), I am really loving the brown. I can probably train my fingers to not have to go all the way down to the bottom. Definitely fast!

 

[El_Goretto]

El_G: a keyboard with mechanical keys? As in a single one? Hehe heh. I probably would have looked at it. I chose Cherry MX Browns by the way. I just felt that I want the feedback but not so clickety clacky like the blue. Without having tried the blue (audible click mechanism), I am really loving the brown. I can probably train my fingers to not have to go all the way down to the bottom. Definitely fast!

Yeah at least 1 fully open. But the others have cut out in the boxes to feel the keys.

 

[pinky321]

It's a new thing for me to know the real name is a mechanical keyboard and faster than usual keyboard.
I'm still having that mechanical keyboard with PS/2 connectors, old big monitor and the CPU which i used to 10 years ago. Physically still in a good condition and with all the dusts

 

[Puspawarna]

Sorry for the long post, I just had to try out this new keyboard...I know I know I have two reports due tomorrow, but I had to try typing without the pressure of having to think of what to type.

Hey, if you were able to type 67 wpm, that post took you 8.78 minutes to write!

 

[dafluff]

I still use a mechanical PS2 keyboard. Has lasted me over 10 years now, I think. Occasionally (ok maybe 2 times in 10 years) I have to pop all the keys open and clean them one by one, and then it is basically a new keyboard.

 

[Jaime C]

I never liked that split type keyboard. I get used to something and have a hard time changing.

 

[rabbit_39]

I had that keyboard of different variations. But I thought it connected through USB, not PS2? If it is still PS2, do you have a PS2 to USB connector on it? Don't lose it!

I'm not sure I could type any faster on that thing, I think I got comfortable enough and I thought I just couldn't type any faster. Honestly I've never been a really fast typist. Something about having to slow down my brain to catch up to my typing ends up slowing down my typing. I've caught myself typing words that are several words ahead of what's on the screen. Once in a while even a couple of sentences of what I wanted to type, but this rarely happens. Mostly because I don't think I can truly decouple my typing from what I really want to say.

Several hours later and 1 report down, I'm enjoying this gamble. It's definitely the most expensive keyboard I've ever purchased. But if it can last 10 years (all indications point to "YES"), then it's worth it. I've never treated a keyboard like a real gadget before, but I will now. At least this one. I may end up buying another one later on so that I can have one at home and one at my office.

 

[fastpitch17]

I'm the opposite. Like the quiet keyboards. Then again, if I could type 55 words a minute I might like the sound of the rhythm

 

[rabbit_39]

if I could type 55 words a minute I might like the sound of the rhythm

Ha ha yep. Clickety-clack clickety-clack is quite different from click...click...click clack...............click click.....click...clack

 

[dafluff]

I had that keyboard of different variations. But I thought it connected through USB, not PS2? If it is still PS2, do you have a PS2 to USB connector on it? Don't lose it!

It has a PS/2 connector, connected to PS/2 port on my computer (old school!). It has a "gaming" motherboard, and apparently gamers still prefer PS/2 connection, because it is a fraction of a millisecond more responsive and you can press more keys at the same time.

I actually love the split ergonomic keyboard, and I use this one more for that reason than the PS/2 or mechanical keys.

 

[rabbit_39]

It has a PS/2 connector, connected to PS/2 port on my computer (old school!). It has a "gaming" motherboard, and apparently gamers still prefer PS/2 connection, because it is a fraction of a millisecond more responsive and you can press more keys at the same time.

No way! Really!!! I've not been a gamer for 10 years or more. I can't remember the last time I had a computer with a serial port, let alone PS/2 connector

 

[willianto]

I could say that I type for a living, so I guess I can be in the so-called heavy typist guy .

I have used the mechanical keyboard, but I didn't notice that. Ever since 2000, I use laptop -- and I have to get use to its keyboard (Lenovo keyboard is still the best --- imo). There were a couple of times (or maybe three times) I had a little pain on my wrist -- but that was it. I think I'd settle with laptop keyboard.

Anyway, 1.6 juta rupiah for a keyboard is quite expensive. The feel must've worth the price

 

[Zavia]

As a gamer, I know how important a good keyboard is.
Perfect tactile feedback without sacrificing time confirming the feedback is very important.
It cant be too hard, too soft, too noisy(personal pref) and not totally silent(very bad for gaming).

I find getting a good gaming keyboard also helps my generally fast typing. My family slowly also converted to gaming BACKLIT keyboards.

If you dont wanna change to a mechanical keyboard, trust me, try some gaming ones. USD50 can get you a reasonable one. It may change your life.

I saw someone talking about the noise....
https://codekeyboards.com/
scroll down to switches, these days theres all types of mechnical switches, with different feedback(both tactile and audio) feels.

 

[William King]

I went to STC (Senayan Trade Center) because there is a store selling a brand of keyboard that I've researched to be good. Sure enough, unless I committed to buy, they wouldn't open the box for me to try.

So I took an Rp 1.6million gamble and adopted one to take home.

pathetic customer service.

 

[rabbit_39]

pathetic customer service.

Very much so. But I can't get it any other way. If I had a choice I would not have spent the money there.

 

[Banana72]

I worked with a programmer on a long-term (one year) project and he brought his (mechanical?) keyboard with him, it was super heavy and what was interesting was the keyboard had no letters..it was all blank. So unless you've taken a typing class or have typed a lot, you would've had issues using it, but it was awesome and had a nice, sturdy feel when you type. Cost he said was about 1.5 mill...so it's probably similar to what you bought..