Why do we sell mechanical keyboards?

We type. We type a lot. Writers may type as many as 10,000 keys an hour. If you type 8 hours a day, that's nearly 30 million keystrokes a year! But most people use the rubber dome or scissor switch type keys that their desktop or laptop came with. Unfortunately, many people eventually find that these keys have low durability, poor responsiveness resulting in finger fatigue, and have an unpleasant, mushy tactile feel.

What is the solution to this dilemma? Mechanical keyboards! When you type on a mechanical keyboard, you press down on a keycap, which activates a spring-loaded switch underneath it. Depending on the type of switch, this spring can require more or less force and it can either make a pleasant "clack" noise or remain silent. In every case, mechanical switches provide tactile feedback, which helps typists know that they have pressed the key hard enough to register and haven't missed a letter. Unlike membrane keys, mechanical switches don't have to be pressed down the entire way to actuate so users can avoid the unpleasant feeling of "bottoming out" (pressing against the base) at full force.

There are so many different types of switches available, there's bound to be one that meets your needs. Check out this excellent video by our partners at LinusTechTips.