Mechanical Keyboards

There was a time when all keyboards used mechanical switching. Meaning they had springs to provide the up and down movement and pieces of metal to make the electrical contact. Then membrane technology using rubber domes was developed and provided a way to make keyboards very cheaply. Computer manufacturers, ever cost conscious, moved to the new technology for the most part.

But mechanical switches never went away entirely and in the early years of the 21st century people began to realise that the whole typing sensation was somehow improved by the old fashioned technology and through user groups and community websites the popularity of mechanical rocketed. Especially amongst super users, gamers and anyone who typed a lot as part of their work or play.

Now it is back to stay and many manufacturers are very committed to using mechanical switches in their products and many users would not consider anything else.

At the forefront of this renaissance were manufacturers like Filco and Das Keyboard.

• Filco Majestouch 3
• Das Keyboard Pro4

Something like 98% of the switches in mechanical keyboards on the market today are based upon the Cherry MX switch design. The patent ran out on these so now anyone can make switches using the MX design and indeed, many factories are developing it further. 

However, there are other switch designs. The Alps switch was very popular with a mechanism that by it’s nature gives a strong tactile feel.

Yes. This is another aspect and attraction to mechanical keyboards. Those with Cherry MX based switches all have the same keycap fitting so there is now a lively after market in keycaps and people can change to a new colour, or any number of designs of keycaps. 

And with ‘hotswap’ switch sockets available now one can also pull out switches and replace them with other switches quite easily.

With the Cherry MX switch design it is possible at manufacture to make the switch have slightly different characteristics. 

A clicky switch has a distinct click noise as you press down, at the point where the press is actually made – the point of actuation.

A tactile switch has some tactile feel at that point. 

And a linear switch is smooth all the way down.

These tend to suit people’s preferences. There is much more about this in Will’s switch guide on our blog at……  Kbcbklog.coooom.

Yes. And No.

The switches themselves are far more reliable than the membrane/dome technology. Mainly because they don’t rely on the nature of pieces of rubber and carbon paint for their main functions.

But the switch is only part of the keyboard and we are seeing many makes that don’t quite do the other parts of the keyboard as well as they should. Overall build quality matters. And there is a tendency to throw the kitchen sink at it with all sorts of added ‘features’ that may also go wrong at some point.

That said. The most reliable keyboards we ever found were from Filco, Tokyo. We have keyboards that have been in constant use for close on 20 years now. Still working like new as mechanical switches have no deterioration curve.

There are types of switch that are not regarded as fully mechanical, but use some of the best parts of different approaches. The most famous example being the old IBM Model M Buckling Spring switching which uses a buckling spring to provide copious tactile feel but also uses a membrane below to provide the actual switching. 

Topre REALFORCE uses a conical spring which as it compresses makes an electro capacitive connection and uses a rubber dome under this to provide a very soft and quiet feel and is proven to be super reliable.

Other things that may be described as hybrid are scissor switching which is often used in laptop keyboards and low profile applications.

Topre REALFORCE 

Unicomp New Model M. Buckling Spring.