Quiet mechanical keyboard?

[Jumpem]

Mechanical keyboards are loud. I got a Corsair with Cherry MX Red switches. I tried for less than five minutes. It is too loud to use.

Are the Cherry MX Brown keyboards that much quieter? Maybe I will stick with rubber dome keyboards.

 

[corkyg]

Never heard a mechanical that didn't clickety click or tapity tap.

 

[Jumpem]

Never heard a mechanical that didn't clickety click or tapity tap.

So what is the advantage then? The key presses being much noisier seems like much more of a con than the pro of better feeling key presses.

 

[Jumpem]

The keys seem to take more force to press down as well. The travel also seems longer. I am not seeing what the hype is about.

 

[Puffnstuff]

The key press has a better feel to it than the mushy membrane type and I find it easier to type on one. The clicky sound preference really tells on our ages especially if you grew up with a mechanical type writer and I did.

 

[corkyg]

So what is the advantage then? The key presses being much noisier seems like much more of a con than the pro of better feeling key presses.

Darned if I know. That's why I like my Logitch Y-UY95 illuminated KB. It is thin, quiet, and very durable.

I don't knock mechanicals - I used them for years. But, I did not grow pouning a typewriter. (I left that to my secretary. <LOL>) I opine that it is really a matter of what you are used to.

Yes, the touch/feel is different. I can liken it to the difference in playing a Hammond organ vs. an acoustic piano. On the former, a light touch works - like caressing the keys. On the ;piano, the keys must be struck. Basically, the preference is subjective.

 

[Wall Street]

One of the advantages is that the click in a mechanical keyboard happens about half way through the key travel, which is when the switch activates. Rubber dome keyboards activate the switch only when the key is pressed all of the way to the bottom. With a mechanical board you actually can type lighter because the key doesn't need to bottom out and the sound/feel gives you the confidence it registered.

 

[bononos]

Mechanical keyboards are loud. I got a Corsair with Cherry MX Red switches. I tried for less than five minutes. It is too loud to use.

Are the Cherry MX Brown keyboards that much quieter? Maybe I will stick with rubber dome keyboards.

There is no difference in the noise for red and brown switches. The browns have a tactile bump while the reds do not. You can try an o-ring mod - the Logitech 710+ have those.

 

[Pia]

The keys seem to take more force to press down as well. The travel also seems longer. I am not seeing what the hype is about.

Keys taking more force to press is an illusion. Red switches are on the light side and lighter than most non-mechanical keys. Though the key travel is longer than on scissor keys and such, you don't actually have to press the mechanical keys down to the bottom (which takes more force and makes a sharp noise on impact), since they already activate in the middle. That means less impact on the fingers in the long run if you type smoothly and don't press too much. Tactile switches like Browns where you feel the activation point are more suitable for that than linear switches like Reds. Long key travel is actually beneficial for this since it gives enough room for you to press the key without hitting the bottom.

The impact and noise of bottoming out in e.g. gaming can be lessened with additional O-rings under the keys, which also shortens the maximum key travel a bit.

The very lightest mechanicals, Topre variable-weight keyboards only have 35g activation pressure on the lightest keys. It's like typing on air. For quite a long time I found myself accidentally pressing a key when I thought I was just resting the fingers on the keyboard. Got over it and variable weight Topre is now my favorite for typing.

 

[996GT2]

Putting O-rings on a mechanical keyboard can significantly suppress the noise.

http://youtu.be/QWbQvEgWYWI

 

[Jumpem]

There is no difference in the noise for red and brown switches. The browns have a tactile bump while the reds do not. You can try an o-ring mod - the Logitech 710+ have those.

I tried the Logitech 710 as well. I didn't like it. Maybe I am too used to the quietness and feel of rubber dome keyboards.

 

[Puffnstuff]

Well everyone is different. At first I didn't care much for my 710+ but I've grown like it. I was using a razor blackwidow ultimate with the blues and I loved the feel and clicky sound from them but razor support sucks.

 

[alexeus]

I just bought a Roccat ryos mk mechanical keyboard to replace my broken Logitech g110. I must say this ain't a quiet one, but seeing how nice it feels to press the buttons ... make it worth 🙂

 

[lehtv]

I much prefer the responsive, comfortable feel of my G710+ compared to the Illuminated I had before.