
Ask HN: Does anyone else despise mechanical keyboards? - fireseven
https:&#x2F;&#x2F;imgur.com&#x2F;a&#x2F;vOELehA<p>Am I alone in my preference, here?<p>I bought this aluminum frame keyboard from SIIG like 10-15 years ago. Short travel and low keys means I type faster. It&#x27;s quiet. It&#x27;s sturdy. It has lasted longer than most things, or people!, in my life. We are almost family. :D haha. It&#x27;s so well loved the shift and ctrl keys are fading. I even left a review (rare for me), because I have gotten such great use out of it. It actually still works. I just have noticed the plastic on the S key is bending finally.<p>Google, Amazon, old HN threads ..all have not shown me a replacement option. Out of stock, everywhere, as expected.<p>In order to maintain this level of satisfaction and productivity I am still refusing the popular mechanical keyboards. I really like being able to roll my finger from one key to the next on occasion. You can&#x27;t do that as well with full-height keys. Can&#x27;t really at all with chiclet keys.  Also, talking to people on meetings while on the phone and typing at the same time is a daily activity... so having one that is quieter is kind of crucial.
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therealmarv
My first keyboard on a PC was a Buckling spring keyboard from Original IBM PC
(XT). Actually I liked the feeling of typing on it and nothing came ever close
to it in my opinion.

But.... nowadays I also want to be fast,quiet and small and do not prefer too
much typing "force". So since years it's the Apple magic keyboard 1 everywhere
[https://i.stack.imgur.com/WV6up.jpg](https://i.stack.imgur.com/WV6up.jpg)
Also with an old Macbook Air there is not much difference from Laptop to the
wireless keyboard.

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Broken_Hippo
There are no mechanical keyboards in my house - and for good reason. My spouse
has misophonia, and the keyboard sounds are one of his triggers. They also
keep me from falling asleep. I also don't really like the deep keys - I can
type faster on the low-profile keys.

Both of the ones in my house are Logitech Illuminated Keyboard K740 [1]. The
physical keys look much like the one you are trying to replace - low profile
keys, and seeminly standard sized keyboard. There is a wireless available if
you choose. Now, I don't know about wear and tear: My spouse has managed to
destroy one of these, but this death also came with a great deal of abuse and
dropping. The main issue was lost key covers instead of actual defects. I
imagine if we hadn't lost a few bits we'd still have the first one. Mine still
works perfectly.

[1][https://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/illuminated-
keyboard-...](https://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/illuminated-
keyboard-k740)

~~~
fireseven
SO CLOSE... I got really excited, but that insert key. Dang. :/ Otherwise it
looks like such a good option.

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Doyniish
I don't despise, but it does get annoying in the workplace when someone next
to you is smacking MX Blues all day. I have had many mechanical boards, some
ergonomic and some regular layout, but I keep going back to chiclet style. I
feel like I can type much faster with chiclet style boards.

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nextos
I think mechanical and low-travel, which is what you like, are not mutually
exclusive.

For example, MX Cherry Low has been recently developed and it's pretty similar
to what you are depicting. And probably a lot more sturdy.

But you do make a good point. Some very low travel keyboards get me a few
extra key-presses per minute too.

~~~
fireseven
MX Cherry Low might have me try a mechanical. It looks good in videos. Was
hard to find typing videos/examples, but thank you! I have a lead!

~~~
nextos
Yes, I think it's a pretty good option. Mechanical is usually associated with
high-travel, high-force and relatively noisy switches. But there's so many
options, you can have basically anything.

The only common denominator is, I'd say, better reliability. My MBA scissor
keyboard is pretty good. But after several years of intense use most switches
are literally falling apart.

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pwg
> Does anyone else despise mechanical keyboards?

Some likely do, some don't.

In my case, I don't. I'm typing this right now on a Northgate OmniKey Ultra
[1] that was bought circa. 1991 (sometime late 1991). I've got a second
identical to it at work as well, but the second one was purchased circa. 1995.
Myself, if there is anything I despise it is the low throw, chick-let style
keyboards, so I'd be almost opposite you there.

The reality is, to each his own. Different people will have different opinions
on mechanical vs. non-mechanical keyboards.

[1] This model here: [http://www.northgate-keyboard-
repair.com/ultra.jpg](http://www.northgate-keyboard-repair.com/ultra.jpg)

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robohoe
It seems like you're looking for a Low Profile keyboard - have you looked at
Logitech/Lenovo/etc on Amazon?

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PaulHoule
I've had times when I had both a mechanical keyboard and a low profile
keyboard for use during calls when my mechanical keyboard was too loud.

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ctrlaltdev
I do prefer mechanical - but I have an hybrid one (that reduce the sound) and
have smaller key height. I feel i kinda have best of both world.

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cordonbleu
would this be better, or worse ?

[https://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-holographic-
keyboard.htm](https://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-holographic-keyboard.htm)

