Let's Talk Keyboards! Mechanical??

I really like mechanical keyboards and would be using one for sure if I had a desktop/tower setup. I had a Logitech wired keyboard, and a basic Dell, and liked both. I've had some coworkers that spring for the fancy 150-dollar models, but I never found there to be much of a difference.

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But nowadays everyone is going to laptops for primary machines. When we went remote during Covid, I forced myself to start using my laptop keyboard, and when we started going back and forth to the office, I kept the same setup at home and the office so I wouldn't have to keep bouncing back and forth. Two big monitors above, laptop screen centered down below.

Then again, I have a Dell Precision 7700 series, which has a numeric keypad and other niceties that some laptops do not.

I miss my mechanical keyboard, but not having to lug one around with me outweighs my desire to use one again.

This probably speaks to my age but I had a typing class in high school where we learned on the old mechanical typewriters where you really had to hit the keys with some force. Fast forward to college in my thirties taking a class on basic microsoft programs and the instructor was constantly blowing a gasket accusing me of trying to kill his keyboards. Neither of us really got over it. One thing I just can't get use to is using a laptop keyboard. The one thing all about my mechanical keyboard I can never quite figure out is why when I flip it over and shake it out, enough dirt falls out to plant a garden.

For sure mechanical, the clacking lets your colleagues know that you're really cranking out the work.?ÿ Make sure it has the number pad, that's all!

I was intrigued by this questions a few years ago, made the switch to mechancial (corded), and don't think I'll go back.

I was amazed at just how much money you can spend on these things.

Not bragging, but I settled on this model because it was in stock, had good reviews, was reasonably priced compared to others, and Corsair brand gear is usually pretty good:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D5W7R2X/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

I wanted one without the RGB, but you can turn it off, if you like. It's also made of metal, which has a great feel.

You can get a mechanical keyboard that has a feel from OG typewriter (chunky & loud) to lowprofile laptop style (smooth, fast, quiet). But to me, going mechanical also involves the sound.

When moving to a quality mechanical keyboard, the question you need to wrestle with is the type of switches (keys) you want.

Cherry MX switches are a bit of industry standard. I went with Cherry MX Blue switches. (clicky):

https://www.cherrymx.de/en/cherry-mx/mx-original/mx-blue.html

I absolutely love the experience with this keyboard. The sound and feel reinforce each other while operating. Whether typing documents, or running cad. The keys i picked require more force to activate, but I also don't fumble or "fat finger" strokes nearly as much.

I thought this periphereal was stupid expensive while waiting for it to arrive. Once I used it, I realized what a good purchase I made. If it breaks, I will get another.

I've found the following philosophy about purchases leads to good outcomes: stereotypes are typically correct. For example, fat people generally know what tastes good. Gamers generally know what computer gear is best.

I bought a mechanical keyboard and gaming chair based on reviews and nerdy recommendations. They were exactly right.

@williwaw Amen, brother. That old typing class in high school was the most useful class ever.

I took typing in high school.?ÿ One of 2 guys in the class of girls who expected to become secretaries. I thought it might be useful for writing papers in college.?ÿ Boy, did I underestimate the value it would ultimately have.

@williwaw dirt dirt now grandma said dirt was something you found under the ice bix the devil made dirt God made soil for growing gardens ????. ?ÿI canƒ??t type but I did start out with a type writer at home. ?ÿWrote most of my essays and reports on a typewriter. Of course that was a different time. The gals did typing classes and I went hunting or shop class. Usually we were mowing the fields around the school. ?ÿSeemed all the baseball coaches and football coaches always needed a group of us to prep the fields. We had a many of lawnmower races keeping that football field looking good.

I never could get used to a laptop keyboard.?ÿ The bigger and clackier the better.?ÿ I took typing in high school though the machines were electrical.?ÿ About halfway through the class, I was playing with a butterfly knife at a flea market which happen to come razor sharp.?ÿ Ending up closing my hands around the handle too fast and pushed that blade right through the pad of my index finger to the bone.?ÿ It is difficult to type with an enormous bandage around the end of a digit so I just sat in class doing nothing so I wouldn't pick up bad habits working around a bum finger.

I have always liked IBM keyboards.

The keyboard is one of the main things I notice using a computer.

We have an old IBM mechanical one on the family PC

I'd like another one for my desktop machine - it has a much newer Genius brand with very short throw - feels like an Apple laptop 🙁

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I have a manual typewriter, hit key letter goes directly on paper. It doesnƒ??t change what you typed, it doesnƒ??t bug you about upgrading my cloud. You have to really want the character on the paper.

Thanks for the feedback.  I went ahead and got a cheaper one... $32 on Amazon.  I figured it would be a good way to test the waters before forking over $150.  So far, I like it.  Definitely an old school feel to the way the keys interact.  I do not think it's "faster" for me but I am still getting use to it.  I'm sure a high end one would be amazing.  I got a medium brown key and it's still a bit loud for the office.  However, everyone wears ear buds or headsets so not too big of a concern.  

ok, but what's a great mouse/controller for autocad?   I've never found one I really like or that I was able to program in any clear way.    

@bruce-small 

a s d f   j k l ;

I took type class in H.S.  I can type without watching my fingers, but it's a hard habit to break, and I still do so a lot.   

ok, but what's a great mouse/controller for autocad?   I've never found one I really like or that I was able to program in any clear way.    

I used a gaming mouse such logitech G502 or razer naga and programme the buttons to common commands in Autocad.