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A beginner’s guide to computer keyboards

Nathan Mekthanavanh Staff Reporter May 02, 2024

Have you ever felt that your desk is a tad bland? Is your workspace feeling a little empty? Worry no more! Even your peripherals can be exciting, it doesn’t have to be black or white, instead it could be a rainbow. The possibilities are endless.

A desktop should be personalized to reflect you. Most people think about the inside of the computer, for its performance. It’s understandable you would want your computer to be fast and efficient. However, most people overlook the aspect of comfort. The furthest extent the average person would possess would be a wrist rest and a mouse pad.

There are plenty of things you can do to liven up your desk. The necessities would be your keyboard and your mouse. Keyboards are essential to your computer as most find they are primarily typing when using their computer.

The common keyboards will be attached to your laptop or have come with your computer. Keyboards have either flat or tall keys or keycaps, but they will be membrane keyboards. Membrane keyboards entail rubber domes that you press down and pop back up.

The other type of keyboards are mechanical keyboards. The difference between the two is how they push back your key. Mechanical keyboards have a button under the keys that house a spring.

There are other types, however there aren’t many keyboards with them. There are optical and magnetic versions that come with their own quirks.

The buttons found within keyboards are called switches. There are three different types of switches. The first are clicky switches, which click using a bump. The next switch is the linear switches, they are the smoothest and quietest of the three. The last switch is the tactile switch, which is a combination of the two aforementioned switches.

The switches are identified using colors. Blue signifies clicky, red are linear, and brown is tactile. These are the most common switches found inside of mechanical keyboards. The most common mechanical keyboards are the gaming keyboards you find inside tech stores.

You won’t find many enthusiasts using the keyboards found in stores. Enthusiasts get custom keyboards that will perfectly fit their needs. Some keyboards will cut off the numeric keypad and the ones on the smaller side will get rid of the function row on their keyboard.

There are many variables that go into a keyboard. The cases range from plastic to aluminum. The keys range from wood to porcelain. Some keyboards are filled with foam to dampen noise and others are filled with a weight to obtain a more resounding noise. Even the frame of the case matters and largely affects the noise outcome.

Now there are people who take it a step further. They will lubricate every switch to make each press smoother, however it must be the right amount otherwise it’ll muddy the keys and make it sticky. To assist larger keys like the space bar, keyboards will use stabilizers, which can also be lubed, so that the key isn’t lopsided as it only uses one switch for the space bar.

Should you have a hollow keyboard, every button press will result in a ping. That is why custom keyboards are filled with multiple layers of foam or weights. Higher end keyboards will opt for three-way connection, USB, wireless dongle, and Bluetooth. There are advantages and disadvantages of wireless. The main disadvantage being the fact that you have to charge it every once in a while.

Everything mentioned thus far has all been about the feel and performance of the keyboard. But the visuals are still important as well. The foundation of all keyboards is the case – their housing. But the keycaps are equally as important, as they are the thing that will encapsulate most of your personality. Whether you want patterns, solid colors, or a rainbow, the choice is yours.

There are also keyboards that come with special features. There are keyboards that come with a screen. There are some that have knobs. Some keyboards can connect to multiple devices. Most keyboards will come with lights, RBG, you can make them into any color, just make sure the LEDs are capable.

Just be wary of buying keyboards and keycaps as most will take up to half a year to obtain. The reason being custom keyboards aren’t mainstream enough to maintain consistent stock. So, companies will sell keyboards like Group Buys, which are pre-orders. They make the keyboards and keycaps according to the demand. The time depends on how niche the product is.

Having to type every single day can get tiring, in the least, having something that feels, sounds, and looks pleasant might help you go even further with your work.

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