The mechanical keyboards are one of PC peripherals that more fame have taken in recent times. They are accurate and fast in games, very durable and give the team a certain gaming aesthetic, but do you know how they work? In this article we are going to tell you how a mechanical keyboard works , its switches, and what makes them so good.
Traditional keyboards are membrane keyboards . In them, pressing a key pushes a piece of rubber with a contact through a hole in the membrane, closing an electrical circuit and thus sending an input signal to the PC.
The advantage of these types of keyboards is that they are cheap to manufacture and are quite sturdy, but the disadvantage is that many users find them “soft” when pressing the keys. This means that more effort is required to type and the results are less accurate, which is why mechanical keyboards were created as an alternative that solves this problem, while adding many other features.
How a mechanical keyboard works
The reason above is the main reason why many users prefer mechanical keyboards instead of membrane. Instead of using this system with a rubber membrane, they have individual switches with a spring, which is the one that returns the key to its original position instead of a rubber. When you press a key, the switch part makes contact with the PCB and that registers the key press.
These keyboards are called mechanical precisely because of that spring mechanism with a spring. The activation method is the same as in membrane keyboards (pushing a piece so that it makes contact and sends a signal) but the feeling when pressing is very different, since that piece of rubber that creates a sensation that we are pressing is eliminated on something soft, improving precision and reducing fatigue.
Mechanical switches
In addition, as you know, there are different switches for mechanical keyboards, both in terms of brand (Cherry, Romer-G, Kailth, OUTEMU, etc.) and type (generally expressed in colors). These switches can provide different sensations when pressed, the stiffness of the spring changes the force to be applied on the switch, and of course there are also different distances of travel of the pulsation, making them more or less fast according to the preference of the Username.
In short, the touch sensation is much more customizable, better adjusting to the preferences of each user.
Thus, different switches on a mechanical keyboard have different sensations when pressed. Some are light and easy to press, especially good for gamers, but cause more involuntary keystrokes. On the contrary, there are others that are harder and even with tactile feedback and sound, those preferred by people who are dedicated to typing a lot on their keyboard. These are the main characteristics of the switches:
- Actuation force : it is measured in grams, and it is the necessary force that we must do on the key for its activation to occur. The typical value is 45 grams.
- Pressing distance: it is the distance, measured in millimeters, that the switch travels from its normal position to the maximum that it can go down. Typical value is 4mm.
- Activation distance: it is the distance measured in millimeters that the switch must travel from its initial position until activation occurs. The typical value is 2 mm.
- Touch type : there are two types, linear and touch. Linear depressing is simply the switch going down and up in a straight line, while tactile feedback depressing has a small “bump” about midway, causing the key to jump a little when pressed and flipping. let us feel the activation of the mechanism on our finger.
- Sound : likewise, there are mechanisms that have no sound (they still sound when the mechanism reaches the top), and others that have what is called an “audible click”. These switches, like the Cherry MX Blue, have an extra piece of mechanism that makes a slight “click” sound when pressed.
Similarly, regardless of the manufacturer, there is an unwritten rule that establishes the color of the mechanism with the type. Thus, we have that the red switches (Red) have a linear operation, with an activation force of 45 grams and no sound, while the blue switches (Blue) also have 45 grams of activation force but have tactile feedback and clicky sound. .
Considerations to keep in mind when buying a mechanical keyboard
In the first place, mechanical keyboards are much louder than membrane keyboards, that is why if you are working or using the computer in a place where it is preferable that there is not much noise, keep in mind that the typing of a mechanic can be annoying. . In addition, the way the mechanical switches act will completely change the way you use the keyboard over time.
It should also be taken into account that a mechanical keyboard has a much higher resistance and useful life than a membrane keyboard, so they will withstand the passage of time and intensive daily work much better.
