I just got myself a new keyboard.  I know, hold the phone right!? In the age of the mobile device, some might question why it is that I am so excited.  Fair enough I say, but have you tried typing on a proper mechanical keyboard?  Since I knew I would be doing a lot more typing for this blog I thought it a reasonable investment in my sanity.

I want to share my insights so far and out the outset, provide an almost unconditional recommendation that if your job/hobby involves any serious amount of typing you should be investing in a mechanical keyboard right now!

I found a basic 101 key full mechanical keyboard for the absurd price of $125.00  This was a super special price considering that it was reduced from $180.00.  I remember that these keyboards where the only option back when I first started getting interested in computers.  Both Honeywell and IBM supplied great typists’ keyboards at a really cheap price.  The thing that separates the wheat from the chaff as they say is the use of the patented Cherry style switches.  Each key has an independent mechanical switch to register a keystroke.  The inclusion of these Cherry switches is what makes all the differences.  They have three main models available, conveniently classed into colours (everyone loves colours right?). Blue, Red and Brown.  See this extremely well produced infographic for an explanation of the differences.  After trying them, I went with the ‘Red’ switches as I found them best for my style of typing.

It is more than the satisfying ‘clicky’ noise that each key makes as it is depressed.  It gives you the confidence to type much quicker and more accurately than any other keyboard I can think of or have used.  I should note that I have used pretty much EVERY style of keyboard in existence during my IT career! I  am platform agnostic meaning, I am equally comfortable on Windows based PC’s or Mac’s or any of the various flavours of Linux.  I have found that the Apple style wireless keyboard is atrocious in terms of the feedback you receive upon depressing a given key.  Whereas the standard ‘el cheapo’ keyboard bundled with new PC’s is also sadly lacking in tactile feedback, at least it has some decent amount of key travel to give you the feeling you have at hit a certain key.

I should also say that I am no speed demon on the keyboard.  I should probably do a typing speed test on the old and new to provide you with some empirical evidence to support my claim….perhaps in a follow up post.  But my gut feeling at this early stage (day 3) is that I should have done this along time ago.

Now for all you laptop users out there (yes, my girlfriend, I am looking at you) the ergonomic benefits of using a full size separate keyboard will be instantly be felt throughout your body.  It is one of the easiest ‘upgrades’ you can give to yourself.  No more sore/strained neck and wrists.  You will also find (hopefully) that your accuracy and speed will increase markedly when using this style of input device!

In conclusion, I want to say that there are many reasons that having a mechanical keyboard makes sense if you have to type large amounts of text regularly.  Please try not to be put of by the extra expense, it will pay for itself many times over during its’ life!

I would like to hear your views on mechanical keyboards or what you have found works best for you.  Please drop me a line in the comments.

Happy Typing

Kim