So I bought a couple of mechanical keyboards...

Posted by Madfish on 1439811521

I've wanted a mechanical keyboard for ages (specifically, a tenkeyless design without the number pad, as both my home and work desks are small).

But they are pretty hard to get in Thailand, so I ended up buying a Ducky Zero online (red switches, for gaming) and a CM Storm Rapid-i (blue switches) for work (I actually wanted brown switches but you sometimes you just have to take what you can get in Thailand). Overall I prefer the red switches for gaming and general use, these are the smooth 'non clicky' ones.

The blue switches are meant to be better for typing, as they have an audible 'click' when activated and a point of resistance, so you know if a key has been actuated or not. But frankly if you can touch type at a reasonable speed this is pointless, as you'll have two or three fingers coming down at any point in time so it doesn't help, and actually I find the extra resistance of the keys fatiguing.

But where it *does* help, and the reason I am writing this apparently otherwise random post, is in programming. You aren't typing full tilt when programming and have to stretch to hit keys you don't normally use much in general typing. Here the blue switch feedback is actually useful. I am finding I make fewer errors (because I am more aware of errors) using the blue keys.

A mechanical keyboard feels nice but it doesn't help you type faster by the way. I actually type a lot faster on laptop style and chicklet keyboards, because the keys have very little distance to travel.