If you are a fan of videogames, the first thing you think of when you talk about keyboards is mechanical switches. This type of keyboard has established itself as the perfect option for gaming, and with good reason. But, you should never rule out the membrane type keyboardssince they can be very good options.
Throughout my life I have used a large number of keyboards, of different brands and types. I must say that I have played with both mechanical keyboards and membrane-type keyboards. We must not rule out the membrane type, since they are an interesting solution if you have a very tight budget.
How to choose the best possible option?
We are going to rule out capacitive keyboards, since they are intended for more electronics and development functions. These types of keyboards are activated when we play them directly, without pressing a key. We can say, simplifying, that it is a PCB without more which we touch and it is activated. Some of these keyboards are covered by different thin materials.
The membrane type keyboards They have an internal circuit with two contacts under each key. When we press the key, both contacts come together and generates an electrical signal. The keyboard, in this case, sends the signal after pressing.
We do not have an internal mechanical element, we can easily say that it is a mechanism that joins two pins. This type of keyboard is characterized above all by being extremely cheap. It is not the only strength of this type of keyboard, since they are also more lightfurther thin and more silentthan mechanical keyboards.
A mechanical keyboard is characterized by having a separate switchThat names commonly as axis. We have in this case a internal contact in the shaft body. When we press the key, the shaft body generates an electrical signal.
Keyboard mechanic It is characterized, above all, by having a much longer lifespan than a type keyboard membrane. In addition, it allows the creation of different zones, combining different types of mechanical switches. It allows this to generate a different feel for each key, but in this case, it will be much more expensive.
It all depends on our needs and economy
In my experience, you can play perfectly with a membrane type keyboard, they work perfectly. They are slim keyboard, cheap, simple to use and, above all, they are extremely cheap. For those who are going to play casually or have a tight budget, it is a great option.
If we are going to play intensively, we are interested in a mechanical keyboard. There are very interesting options, such as those based on Cherry MX Speed Silver switches, which are very good to play and quieter than other keyboards. In addition, Cherry has reduced size switches that allow you to create more compact keyboards.
Mechanical switches offer us a great capacity for customization. A membrane switch is simple and does not allow any type of customization, there are no different types of routes and axes. Within the mechanics, we have different axes, routes and actuation forces. Creating a custom keyboard isn’t cheap, but if you can afford it…
