Mechanical Keyboard Sound Isn't That Simple
Figure 1: I couldn't think of a more literal way to represent this article if I tried... Looking back just a few years ago, there’s no doubt that the huge influx of people that joined the hobby at the peak of the COVID pandemic were drawn to keyboards by way of YouTube, TikTok, and other audio-visual content platforms. Even as the output from these content creators has waned in recent months, their collective impact and legacy on the keyboard hobby is rather firmly etched in the history books. As a result of all of their sound tests, build logs, and opinion videos, the message is clear to any new person joining the hobby: mechanical keyboards are all about the sound. Thock this, clack that. Whether it’s keyboards, keycaps, or even singular switches, seemingly everyone new to the hobby meticulously pores over each component of their keyboard not in an attempt to figure out how it will feel in hand, but how it will sound as they’re furiously grinding their way out from...
Mar 27, 2024
They improved my typing speed on the first try. When I used membrame keyboards, I could get 110+ WPM on a good day (with like 10-15 wrong words though). When I switched to mech keyboards, I got like 100< WPM on my hardest tries.
After putting these on and trying them out, I got 115 WPM on my first try (and only 1 wrong word!). This was pretty much the reason I wanted to buy these rings; to type faster and reduce finger fatigue. I love my clears; but using it for work and typing on it 8 hours a day is pretty tiring. My finger fatigue still persists (I bottom out my clears on every keystroke), but I havent used these for two full days yet; so I'll have to be patient and adjust my fingers not to squish the rings.
Overall, I'm pretty happy. I got 120 rings, which of 1 was badly degraded (looks like something took a bite from the inside of it). Not that I care, considering I use a POK3R as my only mechanical keyboard, but yeah. The other rings were of good quality though. I even tried stretching the degraded one out as far as I could, but it wouldn't snap.
The only part that I'm dissapointed about is the squishiness of the rings. I figured they'd be pretty hard to squish (vertically). When typing, I kinda feel them squishing (like VERY little, its barely anything). Maybe because it's I'm ramming so damn hard. Maybe I still need to adjust, I don't know.
Also payed 15 euros for everything in total (shipping, o-rings), which is kinda too much in my opinion. Like people mentioned before, you can get likewise o-rings from ebay and stuff for way cheaper. Not sure how legitimate the quality of those are though. The quality control on these isn't bad at all.