Mechanical Keyboard Autism Thread - Because Cherry MX switches get you laid.

[Susanna]

I don't really know how a rubber dome keyboard feels compared to a mechanical one, which is what I'm used to.

Rubber domes are the "basic" keyboards, like the ones you get in an office or with the computer. They generally feel a bit mushy, since the key cap you're pressing down on just squeezes a rubber dome until the top connects with the bottom and actuates. Good rubber domes are fine (and Topre are really good rubber domes), cheap ones are garbage.
In general I'd say Cheap rubber dome < anything linear < cheap mechanical (Cherry MX) < good rubber dome < Kailh Box < Buckling spring

 

[Curry Teafag]

I don't really know how a rubber dome keyboard feels compared to a mechanical one, which is what I'm used to.

Rubberdome is somewhat similar to tactile switches, like the MX Browns.

 

[Real Fakeman]

So yeah, anyway - Topre keyboards. They look nice, they're substantially more expensive it seems. Why and worth it?

In a conventional rubber dome over membrane keyboard, the key is actuated by squishing two membranes with circuits on them together through a plastic separator to create an electrical connection. This is the membrane in a membrane keyboard. Keyboard tards on the internet almost universally confuse it for the rubber dome sheet which is placed over the membrane. The rubber domes provide the tactile feedback and return force. Rubber dome ≠ membrane.


Topre switches use a capacitance-sensing circuit board with a coil spring under each rubber dome as the capacitive element. One advantage of this design is inherent n-key rollover. It also means that you don't have to press the keys down as hard as you do on many cheap, crappy keyboards to get the keys to register. It should be more reliable and durable.

Basically, Topre keyboards are more sophisticated and higher quality than regular rubber dome boards, and some people really like how they feel. Whether they are worth it or not really just depends on if you like the feeling.

 

[Curry Teafag]

In a conventional rubber dome over membrane keyboard, the key is actuated by squishing two membranes with circuits on them together through a plastic separator to create an electrical connection. This is the membrane in a membrane keyboard. Keyboard tards on the internet almost universally confuse it for the rubber dome sheet which is placed over the membrane. The rubber domes provide the tactile feedback and return force. Rubber dome ≠ membrane.

You really wanted to sound smart here, didn't you? No one was claiming that a membrane is the same as a rubberdome sheet. Also, a membrane keyboard is something wholly different where you press directly on a membrane. The ZX81 had such one. No rubberdome sheet, no keycaps, just a membrane.

 

[Real Fakeman]

You really wanted to sound smart here, didn't you?

It was to explain how Topre keyboards are different from other keyboards and why they are so expensive. Sorry for offending you.

Also yes, the ZX81 does indeed have one of these membranes inside. The only thing that makes it different from any other keyboard is that there are no rubber domes or other external mechanism, so you are pressing more or less directly on the membranes. You are right. That doesn't mean that most rubber dome keyboards aren't membrane keyboards though. They do indeed have membranes inside. My point is that people often mix up the terminology in a way that is very unhelpful for understanding the different technologies used in keyboards.

 

[Curry Teafag]

My point is that people often mix up the terminology in a way that is very unhelpful for understanding the different technologies used in keyboards.

The terminology is not wrong, though. If anything, it is a tad incomplete. Both technologies—conventional rubberdome-membrane and Topre-style rubberdome-coilspring—are rubberdome technologies because you press (via a keycap) on a rubberdome, as opposed to a metal spring, that serves as a dampening medium and actuates some sort of electric contact.

That's what I wanted to point out.

An actual membrane keyboard, OTOH, has no keycaps and no dampening medium. There, you press on the membrane switches/contacts directly. So, while the underlying contacting technology is very similar to a rubberdome-membrane keyboard, the comfort of using one is orders of magnitude worse. There's no comparing these two whereas the difference between a rubberdome-membrane and a mechanical tactile keyboard is almost negligible.

 

[Real Fakeman]

An actual membrane keyboard, OTOH, has no keycaps and no dampening medium. There, you press on the membrane switches/contacts directly. So, while the underlying contacting technology is very similar to a rubberdome-membrane keyboard, the comfort of using one is orders of magnitude worse. There's no comparing these two whereas the difference between a rubberdome-membrane and a mechanical tactile keyboard is almost negligible.

That's right, I agree completely. When I think of a "membrane keyboard" in strict terms I imagine something like a Speak & Spell. However, people online often conflate the terms rubber dome and membrane and use one instead of the other, using "membrane" to refer to all keyboards which use rubber domes. It turns out I posted about this exact topic in this very thread like 5 years ago, when someone had conflated rubber domes and membranes:

Spoiler

I know this is ancient but I'm an autistic faggot and this is wrong!
Membrane ≠ Rubber dome
Model M keyboards use membranes to sense keypresses, but there are no rubber domes, it uses a completely different mechanism to press down on the membranes.
Model F has neither membranes nor rubber domes, it has basically the same mechanism as the Model M, but a circuit board that detects changes in capacitance instead of membranes.
Topre does have rubber domes, but unlike most rubber dome keyboards it uses a capacitive sensing PCB like the Model F, not membranes.

That's the exact confusion of concepts that I wanted to get ahead of in my original post.

 

[Overly Serious]

Well this has been informative and I read it with interest. However, mechanical keyboards are a known quantity and I know that I like them. Whilst I might like a high-end Topre keyboard I have no way to try one out and therefore no way to know. So I guess I will look for a mechanical one. Whilst building one might get me the perfect keyboard I don't want to spend so much time on it and will get a prebuilt. It's s shame that MK Night Typist one is out of stock. There are not many mechanical keyboards I'm seeing which have backlight but not that horrible RGB lighting. Not that I really need backlighting on a desktop keyboard as I can touch type nearly everything except the most unusual characters without looking. It's mainly with laptops that it's useful.

 

[Premium Dog Food]

I will treat this as the keyboard recommendation thread, so:
Can anybody recommend a keyboard that is backlit (bonus point if it backlight strength can be tuned, not necessairly RGB vomit, even more points if it doesn't have AIDS software) and is actually durable? I don't care if it's mechanical or membrane or goes clack or gives me a blowjob. I need something that works and will still work years after. Wired.

 

[cunting season]

I've gotten used to the Trust Gaming Avonn GXT 830-RW Gaming Keyboard.



Something I got on sale so I've had a while. It's a bit beat up, but it's still going. Keys all intact even after multiple cleans, its just the paint beginning to peel or whatever the coating is. Clear underneath so doesnt look that bad. From looking it up it seems (and feels) to be membrane so I'm wondering if one of those Topre Keyboards might be better on my hands in the long run. I type a shitload so anything I can do to save my hands/fingers/wrists or whatever when typing or gaming is ideal.

I don't know if it's any good and I fucking HATE the RGB, but it works just fine enough for a cheapo keyboard.

With that in mind, if anyone can reccomend wired upgrades similar enough to this, I'd appreciate it. I'm due to replace my PC in a few months and the monitor/keyboard/mouse setup will need to get some changes too. Mouse is only just now on its way out (titan mouse, very nice) and while the monitor I have now is decent, it was always meant to be a secondary one, since my original bigger one died thanks to a mishap.

 

[Diesel]

I will treat this as the keyboard recommendation thread, so:
Can anybody recommend a keyboard that is backlit (bonus point if it backlight strength can be tuned, not necessairly RGB vomit, even more points if it doesn't have AIDS software) and is actually durable? I don't care if it's mechanical or membrane or goes clack or gives me a blowjob. I need something that works and will still work years after. Wired.

If all you want is a backlit wired keyboard why not just get a cheap one? It looks like the $20 Walmart store brand keyboard has a dimmable backlight.
People spend big money on keyboards because they want something very specific.

 

[Forprexxer]

my shit keeps on randomly dropping inputs for a moment, is this a problem with using those cheap chinese redragon branded keyboards or is it a common problem with linearly activated switches such as the Cherry Red clones in it, should I take the bluepill or the brownpill instead

 

[Premium Dog Food]

If all you want is a backlit wired keyboard why not just get a cheap one? It looks like the $20 Walmart store brand keyboard has a dimmable backlight.
People spend big money on keyboards because they want something very specific.

Cheapo keyboards don't tend to last very much before they start having double press issues or the spacebar goes to shit. I want something durable. Or I could stockpile cheap keyboards.

 

[seri0us]

Mouse is only just now on its way out (titan mouse, very nice)

If its a double click issue should be pretty easy to fix. Open it up, give it a good clean, solder in new switches, and even put some new glass feet on the bottom for good measure.

People spend big money on keyboards because they want something very specific.

 

[cunting season]

If its a double click issue should be pretty easy to fix. Open it up, give it a good clean, solder in new switches, and even put some new glass feet on the bottom for good measure.

Thank you! its only very minor issues atm with the occasional time where it does indeed double click, so i usually suspect user error in the moment because my fingers will occasionally just twitch anyway (tl;dr dyspraxia). Probably don't need to do too many repairs yet (?) as it seems so minor but if it gets any worse I'll give it a go. Cleaning I'll do anyway just to rule that out. I'll go thorougher than usual too. Very handy mouse to have and probably will end up being my main choice of replacement going forwards if it gets to the point where it's cheaper to replace than repair. But then I'll prolly wonder if I'm unnecessarily kneecapping myself and there's secretly some pro gamer mouse out there but who knows

Also I'm fucking stupid, my mouse is actually apparently "Vollion PC Gaming Mice" but the RGB colour changes depending on the sensitivity setting. It works for what it does, bar the occasional time I accidentally get it trapped (user error) or sensitivity changes by mistake outside of this double click thing. I don't have a clue where I got Titan from. The logo tripped me up. So I don't think it's even one of the """pro gamer""" ones. I may move to more logitech stuff eventually - nothing but awful experiences with these razer headphones so I'm probably not gonna try any of their other stuff in future, since apparently the company is going into shit mode anyway based on what I'm seeing of reviews.

It's minor enough that it doesn't need replacing yet, so i'll give these steps a try. My specific mouse doesn't have glass feet (to my knowledge, its got two little bits on the bottom which might be them but im a noob) - would it be worth adding new ones on anyway? Is it just good to do?

More on topic; those custom keycap things look kinda cool. Am I giving into the hype if I get them?

 

[seri0us]

would it be worth adding new ones on anyway? Is it just good to do?

Only do it if the current feet are falling off. Usually screws are hidden under the feet so if you're taking them off might as well replace them

because my fingers will occasionally just twitch anyway (tl;dr dyspraxia)

Computer mouse version of bumpstocks

 

[cunting season]

Only do it if the current feet are falling off. Usually screws are hidden under the feet so if you're taking them off might as well replace them

Computer mouse version of bumpstocks

Fair enough thanks, mine seem to be plastic and very secure atm. (Or built in, which seems efficient enough @ least...)

And yeah, its useful as fuck if I need to butterfly click or just spamclick lol, but thats about it

 

[Cedric_Eff]

Extremely dumb thing I’m gonna say.

Cherry MX Speedsilver keyboard. PS/2 Compatible.

 

[⚞⛇⚟]

How are high-rise scissor switch keyboards, such as the Logitech Dinovo and Thinkpad keyboard, in comparison to mechanical keyboards?
I got one from Perixx (Periboard-329 with backlight always turned off b/c I'm not a fag) and I enjoy it, but I think that I may want something more tactile in the future. I don't believe that the low tactility is due to any limitations with scissor switches, because I have tried other scissor switch keyboards with greater tactility (Periboard-429).

 

[bookers]

Cheapo keyboards don't tend to last very much before they start having double press issues or the spacebar goes to shit. I want something durable. Or I could stockpile cheap keyboards.

i use a keychron c2 (it seems like null also bought a keychron)
you can get them for 60 dolla on amazon which is pretty reasonable for a mechanical.
the backlight is also black and white not gamer rgb stuff and it has multiple lighting/dim options.
you can buy it with browns or reds i think some have banana too which are like browns i think
you can hot swap the switches so you just pull them the same way you pull a key cap and just swap them out for new switches.
theres a couple different ones they have but heres link to one of em
amazon link

heres one with the retro look that looks kinda cool. idk if i love the keycap shape though

https://a.co/d/0a27tQA8