What is a Mechanical Keyboard?

First of all we need to differentiate between mechanical keyboards and everything else.

Mechanical Keyboards

Mechanical keyboards are exactly what the name is, mechanical keys. Their is a physical switch underneth every key to get input from the user to your computer. Mechanical keyboards have different types of switches to give different tactile feel, key travel, force to press the key, and noise. We will get into those going though the various key switch types.

Membrane Keyboards

Membrane keyboards are one of the types of keyboards that are the most common in the world today along with dome switch keyboards, but we will get to those here in a minute. Membrane keyboards have two basic types in flat panel and full travel keyboards.

Full travel membrane keyboards are what you would get if you bought a computer at Wal-Mart or Best Buy. They are very basic in that they have your key cap that you press down into a membrane which then connects to the actual circuits in the keyboard to register the key.

Flat panel membrane keyboards are what you mind mostly on microwave ovens, photocopies, and various everyday use objects.  These keyboards have three parts to them to make them work. The first is the actual keypad that has the printed letters or numbers on them and as anyone knows do not have very much feel to them so you aren’t quite sure when they are pressed. The second part is a spacer between the first part and the third part so that no electrical contact happens. The third is stripes that form a grid so that when you press down on the first item it will go though the spacer and complete the circuit for that key. This is a very basic understanding.

Dome Switch Keyboard

Dome switch keyboards are the other very common keyboard type that you probably encounter on a daily basis and don’t even realize it. Dome switch keyboards are basically a mixture between a membrane full travel type and mechanical switches. Typically they are stainless steel formed “domes” with a rubber or silicone keypads overlayed that when pressed down complete the circuit to input the keystroke. They have some tactile feedback. These are very common and used in your remote control for your television, buttons in your car, and various other devices in consumer electronics.

Other types of keyboards

• Scissor Switch
• Capacitive
• Buckling spring
• Hall effect
• Laser
• Rollup

Why would you want a mechanical keyboard?

The first that that will jump out at you if you use keyboard extensively is the feel. On a membrane or dome switch keyboard you have to push all the way down or bottom out for the key to register and depending on what type of mechanical switch type you have it can all be different. Essentially they were designed so that they key will register before you bottom out. Doing this saves wasted energy from having to bottom out on a membrane or dome switch type keyboard. Also something to consider is the durability of the keyboard. Mechanical switches typically will last 2-10X as long as membrane or dome switch.

Above all like I mentioned is the feel, responsiveness, and feedback. Once you find the right type of switch for you then it is highly doubtful you could ever go back to a membrane or dome switch style for everyday computer use.