Gaming has evolved. It isn’t the same as it used to be a decade ago, where if you didn’t have an activity or were bored, you’d open up your PC and begin playing any game.
Now, it is a much more sophisticated task with many prerequisites.
As serious as gamers have turned, these days wouldn’t have probably been thought of back in the day.
The way they tend to be cautious about fulfilling every need gives them the environment and feel for a perfect gaming experience.
The way they aren’t reluctant to spend a few extra bucks on gadgets that may not be necessary but could surely alleviate the comfort.
Way they tend to exhaust up to find the perfect piece to join their jigsaw to complete the puzzle. It is, for most common users, insanity, but for gamers, it’s passion.
One such piece of equipment that has long been used as an integral part of gaming and continues to instill advancements is a gaming keyboard.
What are Gaming Keyboards?
When talking about gaming on a computer, the two most important devices that form a crucial part of the overall experience are a mouse and a keyboard.
Although undeniably mouse has a better and more controlling role in the task, keyboards are no less, especially when they have gone through such customization and adaptation to suit gamers.
Gaming keyboards over the standard keyboards are usually based on the WASD layout and tend to be smaller. The keys are arranged in a way to ensure efficiency for users and other perks collaboratively ascertain the quickest and optimized key presses.
The role of gaming keyboards is so crucial that it effectively plays a significant part in deciding your destined win or lose – not exaggerating it!
Consider this, if you have a keyboard that’s smooth, has a quicker response, and consists of shortcut keys for instant action, wouldn’t it contribute largely to a win?
Obviously, if your strategy and techniques are wrong in the first place, the keyboard isn’t to blame.
In view of the importance associated with a gaming keyboard, it is essential to select the right peripheral that can suffice your needs and contribute to the satisfaction of a victory.
Speaking broadly, there are two types of keyboards that are available on the market, broken down depending on their switch type: Mechanical and Regular/Membrane.
Mechanical vs. Regular keyboards
The primary difference between the two types of keyboards lies in how they function and register your key press.
Mechanical keyboards are the older ones here with block-like keys. They consist of keys that rise well above the surface and tend to make a clicking sound upon a press. As the name suggests, these keyboards use a mechanical switch.
Each key has a separate switch which is triggered when you press the key. This switch has three primary components; a stem with two metal contacts and a spring in between.
A hard plastic “stem” contains two metal contacts and a spring underneath. When you press a key, the stem causes the two metals to connect and consequently register the press before bouncing back to its original position (because of the presence of the spring).
As old as they may be and as outdated as they may look, a fact to reckon here is that they are still the most preferred type of keyboards that dominate the market. This is primarily due to their distinct and resilient ability to register every key press.
Whether it is the linear or tactile switch – that’s a later step to be concerned about. Concisely, linear switches need to be pressed all the way down to register the keypress, whereas tactile switches only need to go about halfway to do the job.
On the other hand, Membrane keyboards are the ones that are most commonly available these days (the reason why they are called regular keyboards).
They are cheap to produce and, therefore, are used in almost all of the appliances and many keyboards you come across.
The idea is simple; they have a rubber dome and a thin membrane that presses on a circuit layer as the key is pressed.
As simple as the process sounds, equally simple is its production, thus forming the reason for its cheapness as opposed to the Mechanical ones.
It is merely the mechanism of key registration that makes each of these keyboards distinct and unique.
However, as far as gaming is concerned, I wouldn’t spare a moment to give out the verdict that Mechanical keyboards are better for gaming.
Don’t worry; it isn’t an absurd claim. I sure have some solid reasons to justify my statement. Without further ado, let’s get straight to why mechanical keyboards are better for gaming.
Why Are Mechanical Keyboards Better for Gaming?
As stated above, Mechanical Keyboards have a switch-type mechanism to register every key press.
This factor alone gives it fairly an edge over its counterpart in terms of various elements that collaboratively make it the most suitable option for gamers.
Before going onto the advantages of Mechanical keyboards, let’s first look at the essential characteristics a gamer wants in his keyboard.
This way, it would be easier for you to understand why gamers use Mechanical keyboards.
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Actuation Force and Distance
Actuation force is how hard you need to press the key to register the press on the keyboard.
Conversely, actuation distance is the distance that the switch needs to travel down to register.
Although they both refer to the actuation of the keys themselves, it is important to choose what’s right for you. A general belief is that gamers want lower actuation force and, against common perception, greater actuation distance.
Tactility
Tactility is the feedback that you receive when typing. This could either be in terms of the noise heard on each keypress or simply the fact that you see the keys moving back and forth as they are pressed.
Noise Level
This is usually connected to tactility and acts as one of the forms of feedback.
Generally, Mechanical keyboards are noisier because of the click sounds and the longer travel distance, whereas Membrane keyboards, due to the silicon cushion, have quieter switches.
Cost
This is a large preferential factor. However, to break the ice here, Mechanical keyboards are pricier than their regular counterparts owing to the description given above. However, for Mechanical keyboards, there are types of.
By this I mean various brands, how old a model is, the size of the keyboard, and how many added features you need. The more you add to the list, the greater has to go out of your pockets.
Durability
The durability of keyboards takes into account the number of keystrokes it can register over their lifespan. You sure don’t want to spend a lump sum on a keyboard that won’t even last for a load of key presses.
And even worse becomes the case when you are a gamer, which alleviates spoilage due to intensive and rigorous usage.
Customization
Which gamer does not relish the perks of customization? If you had the option to alter the keycaps on your keyboard or add some LED lighting to the keypad, wouldn’t you? Well, I surely would.
However, saddening is the part of hearing that this is also a feature primarily associated with Mechanical keyboards that have changeable keycaps.
Advantages of Mechanical Keyboard
Having discussed the potential features of a gaming keyboard, here’s why a mechanical keyboard is better in respect of all those features.
They’re Durable
Mechanical Keyboards are known for lasting a longer lifespan. On average, they tend to survive a greater amount of keystrokes as compared to their membrane counterparts.
Furthermore, since they don’t speedily wear and tear, you can expect them to last for a long time while looking as good as a brand new one.
They’re More Responsive
Owing to the switch mechanism incorporated in their build, mechanical keyboards have the perfect response one could expect.
With the tall keycaps, longer actuation, and the click sound at the end, it gives accurate tactile feedback to ensure the press is registered.
This is unlike the regular keyboards that tend to have a mushy feel with little or no offerings in terms of feedback.
They’re Easier and Quicker to Type on
Interlinked to these keyboards’ responsiveness, a fact to reckon here is that the better the feedback, the faster you can type.
This is due to the general psychic of users whereby, when they receive a response in one way (sound) or the other (the visual of watching a key depress), the chances of making mistakes and repeatedly looking at the screen for typing accuracy is minimized and thus, leading to greater speed.
They’re Customizable
Unlike their competitors, mechanical keyboards, along with other factors, have the edge over them in terms of customization.
Whether it is the keycap that you wish to tweak, the inclusion of added features, or the usage of switches that are primarily designed for gamers, it is all possible on these keyboards.
Are Mechanical Keyboards Better for Gaming?
Yes! (X 1000) They are undeniably a better option for gamers.
Not only are they sturdily built, but stability is also ensured, and feedback is assertive, they simply have the trust of users that have been building upon for decades now.
If you are looking for a keyboard that adds value to your gaming peripherals, mechanical is what you should go for!
