Mechanical keyboards vs. membrane keyboards. Which is better?
If you are a PC gamer or an intensive PC user, you’ll want an excellent keyboard. There are primarily two types in the market right now. The first one is the mechanical keyboard, and the second one is the membrane keyboard. In this article, we will be comparing the two, and hopefully, you will realize which is just perfect for you by the end.
Let’s kick off by describing these keyboards.
Both mechanical and membrane keyboards come with several features which are very similar, including backlighting and key rollover. Where they differ is the registration of keystroke. Membrane keyboard has all keys connected with what essentially are pressure pads that provide any little if any tactile feedback, which can be challenging to blind typing. On the other side, we have mechanical keyboards that have individually mechanical switches underneath each key.
To separate the wheat from the chaff, we’ll look at the following three features:
- Quietness
- Typing touch
- Durability
Straight away, let’s in detail, look at the features as mentioned above.
Quietness Membrane keyboard produces the slightest sound during typing or playing a game. However, the mechanical keyboards are much louder and can make your coworkers go crazy and can be distracting with many workplaces. Nevertheless, some switches like the Cherry MX silence boast a similar noise level to a membrane keyboard with many benefits of the mechanical switches.
- Typing touch
Nothing is more frustrating than missing keys on a membrane keyboard because you didn’t press hard enough. This is because they have a lot of problems with key rollover or simultaneous key input, due to having pressure pads on one membrane. If you press many keys at once or type very fast, some keystroke won’t be registered. On the contrary, a mechanical keyboard requires less force when pressing the keys, as key registration is instant.
Durability is another important feature to pay attention to. Thus, when we look at this feature, we figured out that the mechanical keyboard lasts longer due to switches that do not wear out no matter how many times you press a key. After some years of typing with this keyboard, it still feels as though it is new. In contrast, membrane keyboards do not last long because they comprise of silicon and rubber, which eventually wears out. Finally, some keys will stop functioning correctly, and you will have to buy a new one.
Which one should you choose?
Although these two keyboards correlate closely, the lifespan feature gives the mechanical keyboard the advantage. However, the perfect fit depends, ultimately, on consumer preferences and requirements.