Hi, how’s it going? I was looking up mechanical keyboards and people saying they feel so much better to use (my membrane doesn’t feel to bad at all so it really intrigues me how something could be better, I’ve never tried mechanical keyboards before)
And alongside that, I wonder if a mechanical keyboard can be as quiet/quieter than a regular membrane keyboard, I don’t wanna bother the humans around me with loud af clicky noises.
If you’re in an open office setting mechanical keyboards can annoy people even with silencers.
I drag my work mechanical out only when I know I’ll have my own office
Some people do love membrane keyboards, and I won’t shame them even if I should. It’s fine if it suits you.
As for the noise, I’m pretty sure that mechanical are always a bit louder than regular keyboards. Some types of “springs” can be quiet, but never as quiet as your own current keyboard.
auch, sound is kind of a dealbreaker sadly
I have 2 mechanical keyboards with “Brown” switches that are the most regular “tactical” type of switch. I didn’t find them particularly noisy compared to the “blue” Cicky switches that are loud AF.
Recently I was wondering if I could bring a MK to the office and I still think my current keyboards with brown switches are too loud for open-space. So, I ordered some samples of silent switches and Oh Boy! They are very quiet! The typing feel is maybe not as “crisp” as the regular switches, still a mile better then membrane.
If you want a MK for the office, make sure to configure it with silent switches, and you should be good to go.
Sometimes there are mechanical keyboards on display in tech shops. You could try and see how they feel to type on them.
The Keychron K3 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard might be to your liking. It’s small tho idk if you prefer a full size. But it’s very low profile, has a backlight, good build quality, etc. And is quite quiet. If you like a membrane I think you’ll like it.
For me it’s being able to pick and choose the resistance to button presses, I go with heavy (60-70g) springs because I have a habit of hammering on keys and that resistance reduces the time I spend bottoming out the keys.
I use tactile switches (no audible click but a noticeable feel of when the switch actuates) instead of the ‘blue’ or clicky keyswitches because I prefer my keyboard not announce itself.
Linear switches are also an option, with some of them you can have an entirely silent action, often with softer springs so that typing on it feels like brushing your fingers across a cloud (for me softer springs means pressing random keys all the time because I am a ham fisted gorilla in a human suit.)
If you want to have a listen, you can see that the majority of the noise is from the key returning to the top, which can be massively reduced by using more dense material in the keycaps themselves, and by using rubber o-rings on the keycap stems. (Or by having weaker springs so the upwards return force is less aggressive)
The sound is at about the same level as typing on a regular membrane keyboard
Some people like to strike keys like a f-ing woodpecker whose mother was personally insulted by this particular keyboard. I had a colleague who was louder with a membrane keyboard than me with a Model M.
There are regular switches, which are kinda noisy, there are clicky switches, which are loud as fuck.
But there are silent switches, and there are strategies to silent them even more (Bandaid mods, o-rings, stab lubrication etc). My work keyboard with Boba U4 switches and the aforementioned mods is well within the noise floor of an open-space.
I’ve got GATERON G Pro 3.0 switches with Glorious Gaming O-Ring switch [70A (HARD) / Thin], and it’s about the same noise as a membrane but has a much better feel to it when typing.
When you pick switches, there are lots of options. Here’s what GATERON has:
Some are quieter than others.
People who are in open concept offices without noise cancelling headphones are already at a massive disadvantage. I tend not to worry much about it. If I need to do work in the office for some manager’s amusement, I haul in the keyboard and mouse and complain about the low-res monitors. I’m a fucking delight.
thing is i use the pc at night in a small house and something clicky would be annoying, the quieter i can get the more respectful yk
There are silent mechanical keyboards available if noise is a problem! Silent switches have gotten very good in recent times :D
