Discussion

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Topics of discussion related to mechanical keyboards and the surrounding culture.

What are the benefits of a mechanical keyboard?

There's really no ergonomic benefit of a mechanical keyboard (some can even be worse). There's also really no typing speed improvements that come from using a mechanical switch over a rubber dome keyboard.

The benefits are on a personal level:

The typing experience is better (subjectively) in that it feels and sounds better than a rubber dome keyboard. It's an indulgence that makes tasks like writing emails, essays, or code more enjoyable and satisfying.

You can pursue mechanical keyboards as a hobby and thus create a source of enjoyment and creativity that you otherwise might not have. It can allow you to learn skills and meet new people.

Why is buying a keyboard so difficult?

This hobby is built around limited runs and group buys which haven’t scaled with the massive growth that this hobby has seen in the past few years. As a result, most available custom boards end up regularly out of stock and any limited runs are cleared out in seconds.

It can be frustrating and especially discouraging to those newer to the hobby that are trying to build their first board. It can require some real tenacity to find an available board that also fits what you like. I recommend signing up for email updates regarding restocks, checking shops regularly, and most importantly remaining patient.

Group buys/pre-orders are the most adapted with the growth of the community as it determines the number of orders before they are manufactured to ensure everyone who wants one gets one. Some groupbuys will have cutoffs if the manufacturer is smaller to ensure they can keep up with the demand. If you want to ensure you get a keyboard or keycap set, join a group buy but be prepared to wait upwards of a year to get it.

What makes an enthusiast?

There’s no one definition of an enthusiast. Within consumable products like hardware, many attempt to attach the term ‘Enthusiast’ to the most expensive and best products. I personally find that to be a poor way of defining the term as it can be exclusionary to those unwilling to buy expensive items yet remain committed to the hobby and active within the communities.

I personally don’t think you need to own expensive keyboards, keycaps, or switches to be an enthusiast, anyone can spend money on a product. Active or passive involvement in knowledge transfer and discussion is what I think makes someone an enthusiast.

At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if you’re an ‘enthusiast’ just as long as you enjoy your keyboard and enjoy how you partake in the hobby.

Is my keyboard good enough? Keyboard envy and endgame

This hobby is rooted in the concept that you'll never have a true endgame - a point where you stop participating in the hobby because you've built a board that's sufficient for you. There are people who've built boards and been on their way.

If you're interested in this hobby, you'll experience the feeling that your current board isn't as good as others and you'll definitely want to buy new keyboard parts and build new boards.

Be careful though! You might find yourself pushing into the territory of impulse buying and end up with projects and products that you don't have a desire to use or build. Step back and evaluate why you want to make the purchase, there's nothing wrong with regularly buying keyboard parts but it's frustrating to lose passion for a hobby.

It's also ok to take a step away from a hobby. Consumption based hobbies can burn you out and sometimes it's important to take a step back and allow for a reset.

Buyer's remorse

You might end up regretting a purchase you’ve made regarding this hobby at one point or another. Either due to purchasing past your means or impulse buying, it can happen to the best of us. This hobby is rather unforgiving when it comes to buyer’s remorse with limited options if you decide you regret your purchase.

Refunds are usually only issued regarding defective or poor quality products. Many companies have limited refund options outside of this. If you find yourself looking for a refund in a group buy/preorder, some sellers will have a short refund window before sending orders to the manufacturer.

If you end up with a product that you dislike or regret, consider selling it on the used market

How do I justify buying an expensive keyboard to my partner?

Have a conversation with your partner regarding your hobby and help them understand what you enjoy about it and why it brings you happiness. It might help the both of you understand what each other values.

I don't condone lying or deception when it comes to discussing anything financial with your SO. We all joke about lying about how much we spend on our keyboards, but honestly is important in a relationship and shrouding this hobby might tarnish the experience for you.

They’ll probably still get mad if you spend $600 on a keyboard though. This can be an expensive hobby, make sure you have the means to justify the purchases.