Every detail of your gaming setup needs to be crafted carefully for the execution of excellence. That not only includes your system unit, but for the choice of your peripherals as well.
So, when you are thinking about that perfect gaming keyboard, which type is the best? Most gamers would immediately jump to the mechanical switch version, and they wouldn’t be wrong!
In this article, we are going to give you the pros and cons of each type of keyboard so that we can breakdown just why the mechanical keyboard is better for your gaming needs.
Types of Keyboards
Like with all things, technology keeps evolving, and that means better, faster, more efficient tech that will help increase your abilities.
With keyboards, this evolution has given you three distinct types of keyboards to choose from. Each has their merits, but as you will see, only one comes out a winner when it comes to those late-night gaming sessions. Let’s look at each type and weigh our options.
Membrane
This keyboard uses a dome switch under the keycaps. Once you press the keycap fully, the signal is sent to the computer to execute the command.
Pros
It works very similarly to the mechanical keyboard in principle. You press the keys to the actuation point and boom — the command is sent to the computer. Plus, the noise level of the keys is less than a mechanical, for sure.
The best thing about the membrane keyboard models is that they are extremely lightweight, which means ease of transport is enhanced, and they do tend to be a little more budget-friendly.
Cons
The keys on this type of the keyboard need more pressure to reach actuation, and this may make you feel that the keys are a little too mushy.
When you play, you will need to use multiple keystrokes to achieve your goals, and with the poor rollover on this model, you will find yourself in the trenches with commands missing not executed. They also tend to have short lifespans, and it is difficult to clean as the keycaps are not removable.
Mechanical
So, imagine the membrane model but with a switch under the keycap — that is what a mechanical keyboard is. That switch changes the actuation rate needed to send a signal to the computer allowing your command to go through. There are many switch types and colors, and each will have their areas of heightened advantage, but they all will have the following pros and cons.
Pros
The biggest benefit to the gaming world when it comes to a mechanical keyboard is the rollover. All gamers know that when executing certain commands, you will need to press multiple keys at the same time, and that is where this keyboard shines.
Well, that and the situation rate: Both combined serve to create the ability for rapid typing and ease of command execution. The tactility of the keyboard is also something that helps in this process.
Being able to feel the switch and knowing just how far it takes to hit actuation with touch is vital to making sure you can move quickly and efficiently across the keyboard. These types are a little heavier and often are more durable build. Lastly cleaning is easy with the removable keycaps, plus there is a lot of cool customization that comes with a mechanical keyboard.
Cons
They say you get what you pay for and in fact, mechanical keyboards have a heftier price tag then their less gaming-friendly membrane cousins. They are also louder and take some patience as you will often be required to take the keycap and do a little do it yourself work for set up.
Hybrid
This is a new entry into the keyboard world and often takes the best of both worlds and merges them into one compact keyboard. That is the overall main advantage of this style of keyboard. You get the customization and response rate plus things like rollover keys and anti-ghosting with a quieter type — and a slightly lower price — than some of the mechanical options.
So Why is a Mechanical Keyboard Better for Gaming?
So why is mechanical better when it comes to gaming? Ultimately it all has to do with the ability to move rapidly across the keyboard while using multiple keystrokes for one command.
The responsiveness and the ease of actuation allow for rapid gameplay and more efficient keystroke manipulation. So, if you are a hardcore gamer, the only way to go is mechanical (unless of course, you want to try a hybrid — they are good too).
