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
Long story short.. Noob to this new mech movement but not to them at all (20+ years IT) and I'm trying to refine what switches and keycaps to go in for. Originally it was mentioned the Matias Quiet-Click and the PBT DSA's would be good but now that I've learned much, much more over the course of several days (lol, what can I say I'm ravenous on learning new stuff) I'm now wondering if the Zelios Purple Stem would be better? I want a bump and a small 'click/clack' but nothing that will disrupt the household, as I tend to work late into the morning hours online.
Would the OEM PBT's work well or go DSA PBT's? I currently am using a Logitech G510 which of course is a membrane but I believe they use low profile DSA's on these now (albeit in ABS I'm pretty sure) and the profile itself suits me well so any good suggestions? TIA!
Switches with small bump, less noise would be tactile only switches. Cherry Brown, Cherry Clear, Gateron Brown or Zealios Purple would be good choices for you. Matias switches are harder to get keycaps for, though there are attachments you can get to use MX stem keycaps on them.
DSA profile keycaps might be closer to the keyboard you are using currently. They are pretty much flat, similar to laptop keys. Also, all keycaps in this drop are blanks, if you plan to get other keycaps in the future, would be good to get a switch that you think you would enjoy the most now.
It is not easy to choose from so many switches, especially for the first mechanical keyboard. After much reading, I am sure you have a good idea which are the ones you would enjoy.
Was a gift from my wife several years back (5-6 maybe) since I do game and she put 2 and 2 together. I don't mind the keyboard at all and the keys themselves have never given me an issue, backlight and custom RGB per the board (not per key) and just all around has been there for me. For a membrane it's got quite a mechanical sounding keystroke but clearly not mechanical in the sense. She's done me well but it's time to reduce and re-consolidate!
I'm working on a layout now in preps so I can see what I have to work with. The one issue that I fear the most is going from staggered to non-staggered which doesn't seem like much but these old hands have been 'tickling the ivory' so to speak for a might long time. Just not sure you can teach old dogs new tricks :)
Cheers! ~Icky
I am sure after some online typing sites session, you will be used to this new layout.
But matrix/ortho layouts are supposedly more ergonomic. And Dvorak or Colemak... or even the Workman layout are quite a bit more efficient than QWERTY..... yet most people still prefer the staggered layout, and QWERTY/variants thereof (AZERTY, etc)