Mechanical keyboard key travel depth?

General Discussion
1

My current keyboard’s starting to show its age, so I’m looking for a new one. I know a LOT of people swear by mechanical keyboards, but I’m concerned about the key travel depth.

Besides Overwatch and other games, I type a LOT for work so it’s really important that I can type quickly. I usually type the best on keyboards with really shallow key depth - because I can bottom out the key quickly, I can easily move on to the next letter. I tried a friend’s mechanical keyboard, and it felt like there was a lot of depth to the key press, which I’m pretty sure would slow down my typing.

I know mechanical keyboards are top-of-the-line, so is having this much key travel depth normal? Is it something that will slow down my inputs and typing? (also, is there any way to make them quieter so they won’t annoy people around me?)

2

The key travel depth doesn’t matter - you don’t need to bottom-out a mechanical keyswitch at all. What might matter (in some tiny way, but probably not enough to make a noticeable difference) is the actuation point - that is, how far you need to press the key before it is registered.

Keyboard manufacturers like to throw a whole bunch of numbers at you to try and convince you that they’re selling you something awesome when they maybe aren’t.

Here’s a couple of quick tips:

  • Cherry MX switches are some of the cheapest and most ordinary switches around. They’re also just fine for most people.
  • Buy a cheap multi-switch tester. They cost a few dollars and will let you test a bunch of different switches all at once. Once you find something you like, pick a keyboard based on that
  • Use what feels best for you, not what has the best marketing or is listed as ‘for gamers’
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3

I’ve read that you don’t need to bottom out the keys on a mechanical, but then how do you get feedback that the keypress is registered? With a very shallow key I know that when it’s bottomed out you can move on. Is it just something you get used to after practice with a deeper depth?

4

There are different sorts of mechanical switches:

  • Tactile - You ‘feel’ slight resistance around the point where the switch actuates. There’s very little if any noise from the key at this point.
  • Clicky - Like tactile, but the key audibly clicks and there is more tactility
  • Linear - There’s no tactile feedback. A lot of ‘gaming’ keyboards use linear switches for some reason. I personally hate them but I guess others like them. It sounds like this is the sort you’ve used before.
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5

Tbh, if shallow key travel is your gig, might want to take a peek at analogue keyboards. Either the Wooting or the Steelseries Apex Pro both have linear switches that have adjustable register points.

Otherwise, just buy a switch tester and see which one feels best for you.

Got a couple choices - MX are the most popular. Most popular switches inside there are Reds (linear switches, very smooth, no ‘middle of the push’ click), Blues (clicky tactile switches, you feel a ‘click’ when the switch registers), and Browns (Tacticle, softer and quieter than blues but still have a click at actuation).

Similar things are Romer G’s for Logitech keyboards (GL Linears are close to MX Reds, GL Tactile are close to Browns, GL Clickies are close to blues), Razer switches (Greens are clicky and close to blues, Oranges are quieter and closer to Browns, Yellows are linear like Reds), and Kailh (Red, Brown, and Blues are the same as MX, but cheaper).

Following that, you might want to take a peek at Kailh Speed switches if you’re looking for fast actuation. Think MX switches but about half the height - typing feels somewhere in between a mechanical keyboard and a chiclet keyboard from the one I had.

One thing I will say is don’t really let the ‘gamer gear’ stuff get you - I went through so many Corsair, Logitech, and Razer keyboards over the years due to quality issues, switches giving out, boards just stopping working - bought a Vortex Pok3r with MX switches when it was released in 2015, and it’s never had a single issue or switch failure yet. Go for quality > pizazz, especially if you type a lot for work.

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6

Thanks to both of you! I’ll try out a few different switches and see what feels best.

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7

Only mechanical keyboard I’ve used is the Logitech Orion, and it’s quite good. I use brown switches, good mix between typing and gaming and are on the quieter end.
Also, as far as travel depth goes, it shouldn’t be an issue once you get used to it. If you’re really concerned, you can get rubber rings for them that are pretty cheap that stop you from pressing much deeper than needed to activate the key, and also make them quieter.

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8

get one of those keyboards you can roll up. thats about as flat as you can go.

9

I think that longer travel time might be more of a in your head thing but if you’re really concerned with this you might wanna look at Cherry MX silver speed switches (or similar from other brands). I have those too and they have a very short actuation point compared to other switches. Though some people find them triggering way to easy.