Question Should I upgrade to a mechanical keyboard from a membrane keyboard?

[bOOm_headshOt]

Hey everyone!
I currently use a membrane keyboard (2 months old) from a supermarket. Yes, the supermarket. For 120 TL (6 English pounds). I am not a serious gamer and only play when I have some free time. I was thinking about getting a 40-pound keyboard. I know it isn't expensive (at least for pounds) but I am not sure if I should. Also, I do a lot of typing work. So do you guys think I should get a mechanical keyboard?

 

[Colif]

it can't be worse that a membrane keyboard bought from a supermarket... unless it too is from a supermarket

I have a friend who buys PC from Aldi so there is that.

I am not a serious gamer either but I spend most of my time using keyboard so it might as well be good.

 

[Brian Boru]

I do a lot of typing work. So do you guys think I should get a mechanical keyboard?

They're typically very noisy, so your typing could easily annoy you or others.

 

[Alm]

They feel good quality but I wouldn't think they are a necessity. It depends how much you value the tactile experience.

 

[Colif]

They're typically very noisy, so your typing could easily annoy you or others.

thats true, i forget that some of the switches are excessively loud. I have used keyboards I was afraid would wake other people just by typing on them, my current one has quiet switches. I can't expect a cheap one to have them.

 

[JarlBSoD]

If you primarly are going to use it for typing at work i would personally recomend a Logitech MX Keys, they are pricey but, MAN are they nice to type on, not mechanical though. Not the best gaming keybord perhaps but they work. If you do want a mechanical keybord try look at tests and see what kind of switch suites your needs since there are many diferent, some are nicer for typing, some makes less noice, some makes more noice etc.

I use a logitech g910 on my home PC and i love it, i never use the "gaming F buttons" but i love the switches for both gaming and typing (not as nice to type on as the MX Keys though mind you) But it is allso pricey and a matter of personal preference.

 

[redmark_]

once upon a time, I bought a cheap 20-30$ budget mechanical keyboard because I was so annoyed by the ghosting caused by membrane keyboards for gaming...

never regretted my decision since. 😉

Now I love Mech keyboards, but I'll use a membrane if I have to. those are quiet after all 😆

also now I regularly scroll through r/mechanicalkeyboards (warning it's addicting 🤣)

Reddit - Dive into anything

www.reddit.com

 

[bOOm_headshOt]

Thank you for all your help everybody! But if you have any recommendations on some not so expensive mechanical keyboards, I would love to read them!

 

[Colif]

I use a logitech g910 on my home PC and i love it, i never use the "gaming F buttons" but i love the switches for both gaming and typing (not as nice to type on as the MX Keys though mind you) But it is allso pricey and a matter of personal preference.

I had a G910, its my spare keyboard now. Its switches were made specifically for Logitech.
Using a Corsair K70 now.

I don't have any comments on cheap mechanical as i haven't ever had one. I buy good keyboards as I spend most of my day using it. I don't plan on getting a new one for a few years so extra money is worth it in my eyes.

I buy gaming keyboards, not really for the function keys, more for the rgb and being able to set colors up how I want them... probably due to do that on current keyboard. No backlighting is something I refuse to use now.

Here are a few - https://www.rtings.com/keyboard/reviews/best/cheap-mechanical-keyboards

 

[bOOm_headshOt]

If you primarly are going to use it for typing at work i would personally recomend a Logitech MX Keys, they are pricey but, MAN are they nice to type on, not mechanical though. Not the best gaming keybord perhaps but they work. If you do want a mechanical keybord try look at tests and see what kind of switch suites your needs since there are many diferent, some are nicer for typing, some makes less noice, some makes more noice etc.

I use a logitech g910 on my home PC and i love it, i never use the "gaming F buttons" but i love the switches for both gaming and typing (not as nice to type on as the MX Keys though mind you) But it is allso pricey and a matter of personal preference.

I agree that the Logitech MX Keys are great but man are they expensive. And I work from home so I don’t really have anyone to annoy. So I think I will stick with a mechanical keyboard for now. And I dont have a large budget so I’ll stick with cheaper ones. Thank you for the reccomendation though!

 

[JarlBSoD]

I have used my g910 since they were released in... 2014 or 15 or something, i bought a g502 at the same time, the g502 has been replaced by a g502 lightspeed because i wanted to get rid of the cable but my old G502 is a backup and still fully functional

 

[bOOm_headshOt]

I have used my g910 since they were released in... 2014 or 15 or something, i bought a g502 at the same time, the g502 has been replaced by a g502 lightspeed because i wanted to get rid of the cable but my old G502 is a backup and still fully functional

Nice. I personally use the m705 marathon. It's not the greatest but it worked fine for years now.

 

[Colif]

this is on the link I showed above, has same switches as the G910 mentioned already

https://www.rtings.com/keyboard/reviews/logitech/g413 (TIL You can only read so many of their reviews before they expect you to join)

its not as cheap here as elsewhere though.

 

[redmark_]

I agree that the Logitech MX Keys are great but man are they expensive. And I work from home so I don’t really have anyone to annoy. So I think I will stick with a mechanical keyboard for now. And I dont have a large budget so I’ll stick with cheaper ones. Thank you for the reccomendation though!

I've seen some people recommend this chonky boy, saying it has been with them for years, and it's not one of the expensive ones...

https://www.amazon.com/Redragon-K552-Mechanical-Keyboard-Equivalent/dp/B016MAK38U

also here's one of the reasons you might want to have a mech keyboard, they're fun to play with and add custom keycaps to. 🤣

here's a very (relatively) cheap RTX 3080 🤩

“Mom can i get a RTX 3080?”
“We already have a 3080 at home.”
3080 at home:

View: https://youtu.be/aL2_p-pN5sk

 

[Colif]

i have seen people have problems with Redragon keyboards, possibly rgb related though. (note: I have probably seen problems with every piece of hardware by now so this isn't really saying a lot. That and I only ever get questions from people with problems, people without problems don't come to forums to complain about it)

I like rgb keyboards as I can change the entire color scheme if I want to. I had all green alpha keys but it got too much, so there is no green now, half the keyboard is red now

or perhaps purple. or Rose coloured.

I need a new setting on my camera, hide dust. I can't see it but damn camera sees it.
There are advantages to being blind without glasses
Glasses I use to read monitor aren't strong enough to read keyboard. or see the dust. Need reading glasses for that and I rarely use those.

 

[redmark_]

i have seen people have problems with Redragon keyboards, possibly rgb related though. (note: I have probably seen problems with every piece of hardware by now so this isn't really saying a lot. That and I only ever get questions from people with problems, people without problems don't come to forums to complain about it)

I like rgb keyboards as I can change the entire color scheme if I want to. I had all green alpha keys but it got too much, so there is no green now, half the keyboard is red now

or perhaps purple. or Rose coloured.

I need a new setting on my camera, hide dust. I can't see it but damn camera sees it.
There are advantages to being blind without glasses
Glasses I use to read monitor aren't strong enough to read keyboard. or see the dust. Need reading glasses for that and I rarely use those.

that's true, like murphy's law, every piece of tech invented will always fail, and only a few percent of people write rave reviews about a functioning product because most humans are lazy. 🤣

but they'll complain in a heartbeat 🫀

speaking of redragon, I bought a redragon gamepad recently to test out on some NFS games I had. 😁

REDRAGON SATURN G807 WIRED CONTROLLER

Redragon G807 Saturn Gamepad Experience the console-style gaming on your PC. With a familiar console-like layout, easy-to-customize controls and extensive support for your favorite hits and classics, the Redragon G807 Saturn Gamepad might the only PC gamepad you'll ever need. The controller...

www.redragonzone.com

also nice corsair keyboard, I also like RGB because it can be customized, though the keyboard I still have now, can't be customized (it's not true RGB) just each row is a different color.

also what do you mean hide dust? I can't see anyt- (zooms) oh there it is. 👀😝

 

[Colif]

Most people with working things are too busy using those things to write reviews. People looking for answers might though.

I decided being able to change every light on my keyboard was enough customisation, I thought about getting a Steelseries Apex KB but I don't need to be able to adjust the height at which I need to press a key down to get it to register.
This Keyboard should even let me change the colour of the lock lights, but it doesn't want to right now. Software lets me, Keyboard ignores me.

I cleaned it after that photo but it needs an actual wash I think. Numbpad was too red so i mixed it up a little.

 

[ZedClampet]

Hey everyone!
I currently use a membrane keyboard (2 months old) from a supermarket. Yes, the supermarket. For 120 TL (6 English pounds). I am not a serious gamer and only play when I have some free time. I was thinking about getting a 40-pound keyboard. I know it isn't expensive (at least for pounds) but I am not sure if I should. Also, I do a lot of typing work. So do you guys think I should get a mechanical keyboard?

My advice is to only get a mechanical keyboard if you don't use your PC while others are sleeping.

 

[Colif]

Its not that simple. While there are really loud switches, there are also silent ones.

I think I have either MX Red or MX Silent Red switches. These are the more quiet Cherry switches.

Cherry MX Switches: A Complete Color Guide and Chart

A complete guide to Cherry MX switches. Includes a full Cherry MX switch chart, comparison table along, photos, and sound tests.

switchandclick.com

A Razer Blackwidow, the 1st mechanical KB I had, was loud and yes, I did question if I kept people awake but the current KB is pretty quiet, not as quiet as a membrane but I prefer the advantages of mechanical

 

[ZedClampet]

Its not that simple. While there are really loud switches, there are also silent ones.

I think I have either MX Red or MX Silent Red switches. These are the more quiet Cherry switches.

Cherry MX Switches: A Complete Color Guide and Chart

A complete guide to Cherry MX switches. Includes a full Cherry MX switch chart, comparison table along, photos, and sound tests.

switchandclick.com

A Razer Blackwidow, the 1st mechanical KB I had, was loud and yes, I did question if I kept people awake but the current KB is pretty quiet, not as quiet as a membrane but I prefer the advantages of mechanical

Trust me, my wife would hear it. She's on the top floor, and my computer is on the middle floor on the other side of the house, and she hears my mouse clicking, and it isn't loud. When the house gets silent at night, she can hear just about anything that happens, so I put my pretty quiet mechanical keyboard to rest and pull out my membrane. That's the one thing she's never said that she's heard. She's gotten used to the mouse clicking. But pretty much every woman I've ever known has virtual super hearing compared to men.

 

[Colif]

I just asked my mum and she never hears it, or mouse... Only hears music if I forget what time it is... and that is rare. Try to use headset late at night.
Probably helps my door is almost always closed.

edit: I said open, I must have been tired.

it might depend on surfaces. I can hear my mum if she uses her PC as she doesn't have a mouse pad and I can hear her lift mouse sometimes. My mouse lives on a Steelseries mousepad so rarely makes any noise.

Maybe I am just lucky.

I wanted a quieter keyboard this time, its not MX Red Silent as they don't make my Keyboard with those switches. I can only hear keyboard now as I am listening for it...

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

Depends on your typing style as well. I'm a complete barbarian and I hammer on the keys bottoming out every time. The Corsair board I had before this was cherry reds, a K63 I think. You could hear me typing on that thing in the yard outside, it rattled like hell, even with O rings on it. Before that I had a Nopoo Choc Mini with Cherry Browns, once I put the O rings on it it was quite quiet, but the cable broke and It was attached unfortunately.

Picked up a Varmilo with Cherry Silent Reds and I have my wifes approval again, no O rings required.

 

[Brian Boru]

I'm a complete barbarian

Ah, that's why you moved to those Nordics/Vikings!

I have my wifes approval

Ooh what a rare drop! Got a screenie?