Mechanical keyboards last longer, feel better, and can be easier to type on after an initial learning period. But they don’t always come in a full range of regional language layouts, offer features like pairing to multiple computers, and other basics found in mainstream keyboards. That, and they’re often too thick, making them uncomfortable or even harmful to use. Logitech’s new MX Mechanical keyboards address every one of those problems. “I started getting hooked with mechanical keyboards as a gamer, and then it eventually grew on me as I got used to typing with it for hours,” tech writer and mechanical keyboard fan Victoria Mendoza told Lifewire via email. “The click sound is an extra addition to the tactile feedback, which means you will get more response to a keypress, leading to more accuracy in typing and gaming.”
Mechanical Advantage
Most keyboards have membrane or dome switches under the keys, which are slim but can be relatively mushy and unresponsive. As the name suggests, mechanical keyboards have a mechanical switch under each key. These activate near (but not at) the bottom of the key’s travel. This means—despite what you may think when you hear that programmer in your office hammering on their clackety blue-switch boutique keyboard—that only a light touch is required to actuate a keypress. “In membrane keyboards, you have to apply more pressure to register a key, which messes up the whole ergonomics of the design,” says Mendoza. “People working with rubber dome keyboards also often end up with finger fatigue within a short duration.” The audible and tactile feedback from mechanical keys lets you know exactly when a key has actuated, and once you get used to it, all other keyboards seem soft, like potato chips left open overnight. Other advantages are repairability and customizability. Keycaps (the part you touch) can be swapped out, and the key switch (the hidden part beneath) can be replaced when they go bad—or just replaced by alternate key switches for a different feel. “Mechanical keyboards are more durable because the keys are made of individual switches that can be replaced as needed,” programmer Morshed Alam told Lifewire via email. “Second, they offer a superior typing experience because they provide tactile feedback and make a distinctive clicking sound when you type.” This swap-ability is at the heart of the keyboard mod scene, but if that’s your goal, then Logitech’s more pedestrian office-friendly units might not be the best starting point. But mechanical keyboards are not perfect for everyone.
Slimline
I’m a big fan of mechanical keyboards, but I gave up after a few years because they’re all too tall. The MX Mechanical uses low-profile Choc V2 switches from Kailh, which are way shorter than regular mechanical switches. This means that the MX Mechanical looks and feels a lot more like a non-mechanical keyboard. Logitech also offers a range of key switch options, so you can opt for clicky (blue), linear (red), or quiet (brown), tailoring the feedback and noise output to your own office or home office situation. Then we get to the other keyboard features. Being a Logitech, the MX Mechanical works with its universal wireless dongle, which offers a better connection than Bluetooth, and makes the connected computer think that it’s connected via a USB cable–handy for those times when Bluetooth isn’t available. You can connect it to up to three devices and switch between them with a keypress. This is a standard Logitech feature, and it is excellent, allowing you to use the same keyboard with a desktop, a laptop, and an iPad, for example. Another huge advantage of buying from an established mainstream maker like Logitech is that you can pick the language you want. UK and US English layouts are both available, as are German, Swiss, French, and Scandinavian. Oddly there is no Spanish option right now, but surely other languages must be on the way. If you’ve been keyboard-curious for a while, this might finally be the time to jump in.
