I had never seriously looked into mechanical keyboards until about a month ago, but it turns out that I now have a lot to say on the subject. So much so that I'm going to split it into two posts:
Part 1 (this post): Why I decided to get a S$35* mechanical keyboard, and how I chose it.
Part 2: Software customisation (creating hotkeys, shortcuts and macros using Autohotkey which is a free, open-source program) and hardware customisation (keycaps and switches).
* S$35 = US$26.
I realise that this is a niche topic, probably of interest to about 0.1% of my readers (what is 0.1% of 5 readers?) It's also rather dry and technical. Nevertheless, I'm writing it all down, partly for my own future reference, and on the off chance that it helps someone who is actually interested in MKs and facing some of the same choices that confronted me.
MK: What
So what is a mechanical keyboard? Mechanical keyboards (MKs for short) have individual mechanical switches under each key, whereas membrane keyboards – which are cheaper and more common – have a rubber or silicone membrane beneath the keys. Many people find MKs more tactile and satisfying to type on.
On r/mechanicalkeyboards, MKs are promoted (and membrane keyboards correspondingly lampooned) with religious zeal – like this comment describing membrane keyboards and their "mushy uncomfortable feeling we've all come to despise."
Despise! But hey, this is reddit.
MK: Why
A good MK is obviously satisfying, but I think other keyboards are fine too. My laptop keyboard has chiclet keys, and I was fine with it. My work keyboard, on the other hand, really does not spark joy; I think it's below par even by membrane keyboard standards. I put up with it for over a year, but eventually decided that I had had enough.
A few other factors contributed to my decision. Two of my friends (one is a co-worker, the other an ex-co-worker) have MKs. I tried them and liked the look and feel. Around the same time, Mike Johnston over at The Online Photographer wrote a series of posts about keyboards, which also contributed to luring me down the MK rabbit-hole.
My main reasons for wanting a mechanical keyboard (in no particular order):
1. They are pleasing to type on.
2. Depending on the size/layout that you choose, MKs can be small, cute and minimalist – and I'm a sucker for small, cute and minimalist things.
3. If your MK is hot-swappable, its look and feel can be customised (by swapping out the switches and keycaps, for example).
4. They are supposedly more durable, and also, if an individual key stops functioning, it can be replaced without compromising the keyboard.
Some MK users also say that MKs improve their typing speed and accuracy, but for me, they're about the same. I did this speed test on my laptop keyboard, before I got my MK. Not bad, huh?
With the MK, my speed initially dropped by about 20 wpm, but after a few days I got used to the new keys and was back up to speed.
Choices, choices
If you're thinking about getting a MK, these are some of the main decisions that will confront you. I've explained my own choices, but of course your preferences and priorities may be different.
1. Budget: High-end MKs can get really expensive, running into hundreds of dollars – and that's before you get to artisanal keycaps and 24-karat gold plating. Mine was just S$35 (US$26), and I'm perfectly happy with it (more on that below). If you want to personalise your MK, a decent set of keycaps costs about the same.
2. Split or monoblock: Split keyboards – like Corne or Dygma – look cool, and I was (am) curious to see if they are more comfortable to use. But they are way above my budget, so I went for a plain-Jane monoblock (one-piece) keyboard.
3. Ergonomic or regular: Ergonomic keyboards tend to be bigger and – let's not mince words – a bit ugly. Besides, I'm used to regular keyboards, so I saw no reason to change.
Stagger refers to how the rows or columns of keys are offset to one another. Some MK enthusiasts find vertical or orthogonal stagger more ergonomic, but budget keyboards all have "normal stagger", and again, that's what I am used to. It would take me a while to get used to a different layout and learn to type as fast as I do now, and I'm not convinced that the ergonomic benefits (if any) will be worth it.
4. Size: Or in other words, how many keys. This article has a good overview of the most common sizes, but in short, a full-size (100%) keyboard has 104 keys, while a 40% keyboard may have as few as 42.
I wanted to get the smallest size that would not be actively inconvenient to use, and ended up choosing the 65% (68-key) configuration. Compared to a full-size keyboard, it lacks the numpad, F keys and some of the navigation and pause/lock keys (instead of F1, for example, you press Fn+1). The next smallest size, which is 60%, also loses the arrow keys – but I like my arrow keys, thank you very much.
If you're interested in 65% keyboards, this site (archived), while not exhaustive, is still a great list. The original reddit post also lists a small subset of 60% keyboards which are unusual in that they have arrow keys.
6. Hot-swappable: Most MKs are hot-swappable, but it's best to check. I wanted a hot swappable keyboard, for the reasons given here (except the last reason; I don't think mechanical switches make me any more precise, probably about the same). Speaking of which, that's another choice to be made – what kind of switch you want. But I'll cover this in the next post when I talk about hardware customisation.
7. Other features: I wanted a wired keyboard, because wireless keyboards need batteries, and I feel like I already have too many rechargeable batteries and devices in my life. Some keyboards have RGB backlight. I thought I didn't care about this one way or another (the lights can be switched off, which is what I planned to do). But the keyboard I got happens to be backlit, and it's kind of fun to light it up sometimes.
My mechanical keyboard
This is the keyboard I eventually got: Bow G68S, all-white version with red (linear, silent) switches. Like I said, it was just S$35 (US$26), and I'm perfectly happy with it – so much so that I am considering buying another one to use at home. I like the white keycaps more than I expected, but I'm still playing around with other keycaps (more on that in the next post).
The keyboard is a compact and pleasing shape, and doesn't feel cheap at all. It has little stands which allow for two different levels of inclination. It even came with keycap- and switch-pullers, and three extra switches.
The best thing about it is that it makes typing actively pleasurable, not just a routine chore. Like writing with a good fountain pen. Maybe with time, the magic will wear off, but I've had it for two weeks now, and it still feels as good as ever.
As I said in a previous post, it has literally improved my quality of life.
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