One thing about this video I realised watching this is, I dont think anybody ever said custom keyboards were meant to make you better at playing games. People buy them to just have a better feeling and sounding thing to type on. If you really wanted a keyboard for your game, you would just buy a gaming keyboard because thats the whole point of the keyboard. This is coming from a person that has spent over 1.5k on keyboards and play games.
@@ACE112ACE112 gaming keyboards have more types of switches available like Hall effect and optical, with more latency optimized pcbs. However, the differences are very small and not many can tell the difference between 2 keyboards with a few milliseconds difference in response time, but there is still an advantage. Gaming keyboard also has better customer support and availability compared to group buy custom keyboards.
Linear switches have shorter travel distance therefore faster response time. Within the linear switch family you have different travel distances and actuation forces. If you use a clicky then switch to a linear you will notice the feedback difference in the response time translated to your game.
@@ACE112ACE112 although the difference is minor, there is a point to be made that optical switches could provide a competitive advantage in some games as they actuate faster and with a far faster response time. The question comes down to whether you prefer a better typing experience and more customisability or potentially a couple milliseconds advantage on your inputs
I really like the way theScore feels with their staff, it feels like a stay at home newscast and there's always a director in the call it just seems like a nice work environment.
A few points to point out: 1. Razer actually had a Blackwidow with Cherry MX Blue before their own knockoff green switch. That was their first mass-produced mechanical keyboard I believe. 2. The pricing for custom doesn't necessarily have to start at $300 and be custom CNC'd aluminum, I had my first custom for just $50. There are a lot of really budget options now especially for the past year or so. To me, custom keyboard is not about the gaming performance, it's about having the options. Have noodle fingers? Get switches with lighter springs. Want to have a very satisfying tactile feedback? Get big bump tactile switches. Hate your friends? Get some really loud clickies and use it during Discord gaming sessions. Want something fancy that suits your personality? Just find something you like.
This^ I think the custom scene is seen as hyper expensive 300+ dollars. This is usually from people buying gmk sets (worse if they are over retail), and expensive cnc alumimum bodies. The cheapest I've seen a good board are keychron's q series boards, and they are all 140 minimum. But if you don't care as much about that. There are 50 dollar DIY kits you can get off amazon. Buy that with some 20-40 dollar switches and some decent pbt keycaps around 40-60 and maybe a lubing kit. You can often make one for less than 150 dollars.
My standpoint as a gamer AND someone who has made a custom keyboard is this. Custom keyboards were never MEANT to give a competitive advantage and tbh they never will. They aren't optimised for performance, they're just nice to have as a novelty It's a way of expressing yourself even if no one will ever see it And it's also just nice to have a keyboard that lasts longer, feels nicer to type on, and sounds better There's really not much practicality in the hobby since it was never meant to be practical in the first place
Mechanical keyboards do absolutely give an advantage depending on the game, almost any rhythm game they will provide you with a better experience overall, also replacing keys is cheaper since it just needs a switch and not an entirely new keyboard.
You guys have me on the radar or something. Every time I get into something or binge a certain kind of content you guys always make a video a week or two later LOL.
you can build a custom keyboard for like 70 bucks if you want. for example you can combine a tester680 (~30$), some 10% keycaps, milky yellows (~0,22% per switch) and random stabs (10-25%) and there you have a perfectly fine custom
Mechanical switches are definitely "essential" in certain games that require heavy button smashing like "OSU" (rhythm game). Having that consistent feedback and tactile feel does not make you better at the game instantly but rather it provides you a consistent feel and helps you improve massively.
The most important thing in a keyboard for rhythm games is arguably it's polling rate (hz) and switch type comes in second. I would rather use a switch type I'm uncomfortable with (like cheap rubber domes) than mechanical switches. If the board with rubber domes has a significantly higher polling rate than the board with mechanical switches. I could perform significantly more accurate and consistent with the rubber dome board than the mechanical switch board, because it's possible to get used to a different switch type, but you can't perform consistently with a low polling rate board, because the variation in the time between input and output will be bigger (125hz = 0ms to 8ms in variation, 1000hz = 0ms to 1ms in variation, 8000hz = 0ms to 0.125ms in variation)
I still own my g15 keyboard and no joke, just replaced it about 5 months ago. It still chugs along but man is it worn out and very dirty! Love to see the g15 brought up in this video. Brought back so many good memories from back in the day playing world of warcraft!
I still have my g15 as well and am in same boat. It's just dirty so waiting on my first mechanical. G15 is pure nostalgia for me as it was my dad's and he passed away in 2010
I can confidently say, having played on both laptop membrane and custom mechanical keyboards, that if they do make you better the difference is absolutely negligeable. It's just that the feel and sound of a mechanical keyboard makes is very nice for typing
I swapped to a mechanical because it was cheaper than trying to find a new Dell SK8115 that I love. I quickly fell into the rabbit hole though as I learned I prefer DSA Keycaps more than anything. I'm probably gonna end up buying a K2 and throwing a DSA set on it soon.
You guys neglected to mention key ghosting. The reason I bought my first mechanical keyboard was my old non-gamer one couldn't register pressing W A and X at the same time.
@@evilbound yeah, membranes cant press more than 3 keys at the same time, while mechanicals, you could smash your keyboard and all the keys would register.
@@ripewatermelonlol thats bs lmao I have a cheap membrane keyboard from HP and I can press 4-5 keys at the same time(I do it daily while playing PES) maybe not all but yea
@@evilbound it doesn't. A membrane keyboard can have anti-ghosting too, it just has to be wired correctly. A lot of cheap membrane keyboards (think office dell ones) are wired in sections instead because it's cheaper, and mechs almost never are.
I dont think anyone or at least a very small amount of people would buy a custom keyboard just to improve their gaming, for me personally i like the building process it just feels ecstatic everytime
Word of advice, don’t buy keyboards from “gaming” brands (razer, corsair etc). You’re better off with keyboards from gmmk, keychron, qwertykeys, epomaker and many other more that lets you customized your keyboard down the line if you want to.
The biggest reason to why mechinical keyboards became so big was cause the actual signal sent in a membrane keyboard is sequential where as the keys on a mechanical one can have all keys pressed at the same time and still actuate
I sincerely don't think so, this feature is called anti-ghosting and it is avaliable on membrane keyboards, you just have to buy a Keyboard with this technology.
the term is called rollover and most gaming laptops or gaming membrane keyboard have them which allows for multiple key to be pressed, i knew the pain of not being able to mash many keys at once made some fighting games impossible to play
Before buying a mechanical keyboard, you should decide whether you need it or not. If you feel like your membrane kb stresses you out or simply makes your fingers hurt when you use it(happens pretty often), then perhaps it's about time you buy a mechanical one. Although there's a couple of things to consider and decide for yourself: 1. You should decide exactly what kind of switches will fit you. Generally even the Red, linear ones are louder than an ordinary membrane, keep that in mind. 2. You should choose the form factor of the keyboard. Do you need the numpad? No? Maybe you should consider 87 keys (TKL). If don't even need F-keys, take a look at 68-65 key keyboard. This does seem like a pretty simple choice but trust me, it really isn't. I myself went with a TKL keyboard and it honestly feels alright, but I also feel like I could get a 65% keyboard without losing anything. Remember, the less keys there is, the more space you have on your table, which is super crucial for FPS when you sometimes need a good half of your table only for a mouse pad. 3. Mechanical keyboards are usually times more expensive than membrane, but they don't necessarily have to be 100-150 dollars. You can get a Womier K87 or GK707 (those are 87 key ones)for 75 and 55 dollars respectively, and there's a bunch of other options. Just don't buy anything that has either Outemu or "Axis" switches, they won't last long. That's pretty much it. I hope it helped.
One thing that's not discussed in mechanical keyboards that needs to be shined a light on is "proprietary" keyboard switches. One thing to avoid is the ones that's way too different from the standard. The Romer-G switches used by Logitech has a time bomb where it breaks just outside warranty. Then, the legs of the keycaps would snap and get stuck at the switch and would be hard and expensive to get them replaced, to the point where it may be cheaper to just buy a new keyboard. Romer-G switches are also prone to double presses.
To be fair you can replace Outemu switches with switches that has the same sockets for said switches. They are also a pretty cheap option aswell and you can replace them with any switches that could fit in the sockets which could be more better sounding and durable than the stock Outemu switches.
@@thehighnote9579 well not all keyboards are hot-swappable. And there are also keyboards like RK87 that are in fact hot-swappable and have Outemu switches out of the box (which you can replace) but there's not many switch options for keyboards like this since the pins on Outemu switches are much more thin (therefore sockets are also smaller) than the ones on Gateron or Kailh, so you'll only be able to replace them with Gazzew Boba U4/Gum (which are made by the same vendor as Outemu, but they're much better) or any Akko switch (they also fit pretty well).
It's all about feel. That's all it is. Does it make you better no. I mean to a very small point sure. The cheapest membrane keyboard probably will not be as consistent and you might get weird double presses or no presses. Compared to a well built mechanical keyboard but overall it's more about feel than anything. But one thing I need to stress is just build your own. Seriously. You can buy sub $100 cases then $30 switches and $20 keycaps. The reason for this is 1. it's fun 2. You get to learn. 3. It's custom. 4. You can do hot swappable switches which means you don't have to solder anything and you can easily change them out for different switches. The other option is get something like an iqunix or gmmk board which is prebuilt. But is hot swappable.
You forgot about one thing: ghosting. Most membrane can't register 5/6+ keys at once, a lot cant even register 3. This becomes a problem in games like osu, bdo or elite:dangerous where clicking multiple keys at once is needed and just can't be done on membrane.
Mechanical keyboards feel great for typing. I used to like blue switches, but then switched to brown. Nowadays I have a Corsair K100 with optical mechanical keys, and while I don't like those keys as much as I do the browns they're a lot more reliable and will last a lot longer. On a related note, I will never pay as much for a keyboard ever again.
There is a latency factor. Ranging from 14ms on popular boards like the Ducky One 2 Mini to 0.1ms on the Corsair K65 Mini. RTings to my knowledge is the only outlet that actively tests for latency in boards, worth checking out. (I will stick to my thocc tho)
There is a lot more to it than it, but of course that only matters for the only type of games that the score will never cover So exemple I have 2 mechanical keyboards I have 2 membrane keyboards Ok, that doesn't matter much, so let's go into more details 1 mechanical keyboard is outemu browns, the other is cherry silver 1 membrane is a latex mat, the other is a latex thingies great, now I can go and say : the outemu browns are shittier comapred to the cherry silvers because they stick to the side because of that bump, and they also require more force to press down and both membranes just takes too much force to press down that's 95% of where everyone just stops it but great that you are going farther than that, but there's more to it so all my keyboards have a polling rate of 125ms, so that means that they are all the same regarding that aspect? Nope. How many keys can you press at once where it will send all of them at once? well, my outemu brown keyboard can only do one, once every poll, of course that is not the fault of the switches themselves, but to the board maker, my silver mx are kinda finicky in a way that's semi random if it can send more than one, and for no fuckign reason it's better in bluetooth?! anyway, who says that membrane keyboards are always bad? Because it turns out, the latex mat keyboard has the best board! despite being a stock keyboard that came with a computer, it consistantly is able to send all keys at once! talk about free greatness and the latex thingies is just as bad as the outemu browns keyboard on that matter. So now knowing all that information you can actually judge keyboards, but there's even more to it! Brands lies ! My cherry silver board maker had informations out there about being a 1000hz polling rate keyboard, well, people were assuming that because of some random shit they saw and I trusted them and I shouldn't have and I'm totally not salty about it rn that I wished I would have taken the corsair keyboard instead ah ah ah ah ah ah aha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha h
I started getting into custom keyboards because I miss the feeling of building PCs. I love building things. And making keyboards is the closest thing to building a PC imo. But ever since I built my first keyboard I can never go back to off the shelf keebs again. It's the worst and best hobby to get into.
Funny enough, I recently switched back from Razer Huntsman Elite V2 Analog to my 2018 Blackwidow Ultimate, because i NEED my tactile switches. I cannot linear. It feels so weird. And so much less satisfying too.
Forget all of those modern junk keyboards, and even forget about the IBM Model M: for true keyboard enthusiasts there is ONLY the original IBM Beam-spring range (assuming that is you can ever get hold of one). These were used with mainframe terminals in the 1970s and 1980s and have a smoothness and quality of tactile feedback that has NEVER been surpassed.There is an amazing video by Italian UA-camr "Bit Splits" which shows him renovating a IBM 3278 Beam-spring from a rusty ruin to a work of art.
One missed opportunity was to mention ghosting. Membranes can have a tendency to miss an input if you pressed multiple keys at once. In the case for Mechanical Keyboards on the other hand have an anti-ghosting feature that makes it more accurate to get those inputs in
As a full custom built myself owner here… just wait until people get into high end audio setups. My custom keybaord doesn’t compare to my audiophile open backs with a propper amplifier and DAC. They by far have elevated my immersion and experience playing any game, or listening to any audio that comes from my computer. Best addition to my pc build so far, and best thing is…. I won’t have to buy new ones every couple years like you do with run of the mill “gaming headphones.”
@@carebeyan every month? I’m guessing you are referring to the issue of becoming obsessed with audio equipment lol. I’ve been pretty good about it. Only acquired my overhead headphones and a pair of in ear monitors in the past few years. Haven’t replaced either lol. But don’t get me wrong. If I had a ton of cash floating around I’d buy some more lol.
I'm not a competitive gamer, but as a software developer I just can't go back to regular keyboards again. It's not as if mechanical makes me type faster or more accurately (not that it matters a whole lot for programming anyway) but since I'm spending half my day at the desk using this thing, it might as well be pleasing to look at and more importantly type on. Think of if this way, if you're a carpenter you might as well get a quality saw or drill or whatever it is that carpenters use, it's the thing that makes you money, don't go cheap on it. Now I've had membrane and chiclet keyboards that I liked but they can't measure up to the satisfying snappyness of a mechanical, plus they all seemed to have terrible longevity. I've felt so bad about throwing out keyboards that were almost completely okay but had some small thing broken, but like, what is there to do, it's not like I can get spare parts to repair it.
The grocery store near where I live sells knockoff mechanical keyboards, right next to the batteries. There is a bundle with a mechanical keyboard, a mouse, and a headset for $30, all of it's RGB. I wouldn't trust that it's quality for a second, but they sell it.
14:37 That's all I've ever done, it's fine, precise timings come from foresight/tactics more than reaction in that game, wherein the most precise reaction you need is your preferential sensitivity settings of your mouse. Just felt a mechanical keyboard for the first time yesterday, and you can liken it to binding scroll wheel to jump because you are too lazy to learn how to time your spacebar for bhops. It's not that difficult, but it will be easier (albeit the scrolljump method was inconsistent even with an oiled and unlocked wheel.
there are a lot of switch variants, you can choose a switch that's short-traveled, and light (by changing the springs) when you want to press the keys very fast and repetitive, like when you're playing rhythm game, or FPS games. and there are some keyboards that lets you change the actuation point of a switch, like the Apex Pro from Steelseries, so i would definitely say that MechKeys MIGHT make you perform better if you get the right one.
I honestly don't care if they make me better in no, I need the sensory click physical and audial from the mechanical keyboard, it helps me know weather or not I've even hit the key. Especially my custom metal typewriter keys that make a "Tck" sound. Their also tactile, very very tactile.
Pros: Pressing keys feels smooth and not wiggly. Cons: Keys having post-trigger travel distance is just bad despite what mech keyboard stans may say. It makes pressing a key multiple times hard and doesn't give any benefits as far as I can tell. Also, red switches like on mine are especially bad due to accidental key presses happening all the time. Maybe all the cons are specific to linear switches, but keyboards with tactile and especially short-travel switches are pretty rear if you want good bang for buck (
I might be a weird one here but i feel comfortable on my membrane keyboard even though i tried multiple mechanical ones i found myself getting back to it
It all depends on the game. In League of Legends, it will not make a difference with most champions, but when playing champions like Aatrox, having an antighosting effect because you have a mechanical keyboard does for sure make a big difference, and that is because with Aatrox you will usually press two buttons at the same time, same thing could apply to KSante, or Gnar, maybe Riven too.
Hello Dimitri and @theScore esports in general. Could you please give me your opinions on EVGA Z20 and most specifically on the Time of Flight sensor? P.S you are all the perfect choice to watch when I need to chill out
Let's be honest... High end Keyboards won't make you a better player, but adding like 100$ to your mouse budget will... you'll gain a more precise mouse and it won't freak out when you do those fast flicks... I've been using membrane keyboards since the 90s and have recently tried a budget mechanical one with red outemu switches... I hated it... It felt like typing on an old typewriter. As for gaming, the keys were too high (as in height). I guess they were high because of the metal front plate ( so the keys were raised to bounce the RGB off the plate). Usually I rest my thumb on the space bar, but here because the keys were raised I had to rest the thumb underneath the space bar, which made me reluctant to use it or took just a little bit longer to use it (in games like CS GO that's a big problem)... So in conclusion, there's nothing wrong with your membrane keyboard and the 10 000 000 presses (opposed to mechanical's 50 000 000) is not a problem because 10 mil per key is like 20 years for an average gamer... I've never maxed out the usage of any of my membrane keyboards, most of them were replaced because the WSAD keys would rub off (and mind you I'm talking about low end membrane keyboards worth like 10-20$)...So... In my opinion use that cash to get a better mouse
It is a rabbit hole. You can get a 5 pin hotswap RGB with usb C for just under 50 bucks(mine is CIY x77), you can get cheaper mechanical keyboards but it usually lacks the USB C(sleek, durable, and new standard) 5 pins(allows most switches), RGB (fun color) or hotswap (Do you want to replace a broken switch or sub out your switches? Ok, if so, do you like soldering? no? then get hotswap). Now that you have a keyboard that you can customize...welcome to the rabbit hole, color theme? you might find one, or you might need to buy 3 keyboard sets, and maybe a fancy spacebar and esc key, then you need, well you just spent another 50 bucks. Want a fancy looking coiled cord for your keyboard? Spend 15 to 30 if you want to risk it not working right, or spend 40 to 60. Know that not all keyboards are a standard draw of a USB A power source, which is what some are running into with getting a different cord, but some is just faulty wiring jobs. Then of course there is other customizable features, like o rings(under 10 bucks), or sound damping (depends on what you get, I just used a bit of glue down felt for like a buck). Suddenly your reasonable keyboard has ballooned to whatever your whim drives your toward.
As someone who is super into keyboards, their mechanisms, the history of keyboards, different types of keyboards, how keyboards vary by country, how keyboards are used… etc… Mechanical keyboards are not necessarily any better, yet alone the best technology for gaming. By mechanical, I mean MX-type keyboards which continue the design that Cherry standardised - plastic housing, spring, with a plastic keycap mount and slider sitting above the spring. This design has a decently long travel, much longer than chiclets, but similar to a classic rubber dome. I’ve tested rubber domes, chiclet, Mx-type, Alps, Alp clones, buckling springs, dome with slider, even obscure tech like buckling sleeves. Rubber domes, buckling springs and buckling sleeves all use membranes, yet one of those has way more stigma than the others. In terms of objective measurements - the best keyboard for gaming is a decent chiclet keyboard, such as the Apple Magic Keyboard, a laptop keyboard, or the Logitech MX Keys. These have lower travel, meaning buttons can be pressed faster, the tactility is instant, and the lower travel is better for your finger muscles.
The literally missed the whole point for a lot of people of why the have a MK, the advantage of registering all the keys at the same time, with a membrane keyboard, you can't, (for example, trying to move sideways, w and a/e while crouching or doing more things)
one of the biggest benefits to a mechanical keyboard is the lack of ghosting and N key rollover. When gamers are holding down multiple keys, this is a big issue that gamers encounter that 99% of regular typers do not.
im probably the only one that still uses a membrane keyboard, but while taking out my keycap i lost it and replaced it with my num pad key (yes i have a numpad) and now im missing a numpad key and you cant just reorder one like you would keycaps for mechanical keyboards
Idk about you guys but I am in diamond and when I broke my mechanical keeb....I had a mem one as my backup and used it for 2 weeks and there wasn't a difference after 2 days
I have a very loud very tactile membrane keyboard because of how the keys are connected to they keyboard cost like $25. people think it's mechanical all the time and it's very durable too
I have played games using both membrane keyboards and mechanical keyboard and I can definitely say that now the PC recognise keystrokes better when you press multiple keys at the same time as with a membrane keyboard all the input is on a membrane that is on the same surface whereas on a mechanical keyboard every key has it's own switch so the PC can recognise keystrokes better and in many games you will need that where you need to press multiple keys at a time to perform better and have a good gaming experience.
As someone who is very invested in custom keyboards (I've spent over 4grand pls help me) here's my unbiased opinion: your keyboard doesn't make you better or worse membrane or mechanical, its all preference, there's no need to spend a shit ton on money on one unless u have the money and really want it a cheap Logitech office keyboard will do the same as a 500 dollar custom keyboard, do your research if you are going to build a custom keyboard, custom keyboard are not for performances they will not help you game better they are for more comfort and preference, the only thing they have better than big box store keyboards is looks and sound which are both preferences. Also final thing Clickys are a bad (not an opinion, a fact)
One thing about this video I realised watching this is, I dont think anybody ever said custom keyboards were meant to make you better at playing games. People buy them to just have a better feeling and sounding thing to type on. If you really wanted a keyboard for your game, you would just buy a gaming keyboard because thats the whole point of the keyboard. This is coming from a person that has spent over 1.5k on keyboards and play games.
Thank you sir for doing the lords work of the custom keeb community lmao
How is a gaming keyboard necessarily better than a custom keyboard? As long as they click well with latency, I don't see the problem.
@@ACE112ACE112 gaming keyboards have more types of switches available like Hall effect and optical, with more latency optimized pcbs. However, the differences are very small and not many can tell the difference between 2 keyboards with a few milliseconds difference in response time, but there is still an advantage. Gaming keyboard also has better customer support and availability compared to group buy custom keyboards.
Linear switches have shorter travel distance therefore faster response time. Within the linear switch family you have different travel distances and actuation forces.
If you use a clicky then switch to a linear you will notice the feedback difference in the response time translated to your game.
@@ACE112ACE112 although the difference is minor, there is a point to be made that optical switches could provide a competitive advantage in some games as they actuate faster and with a far faster response time. The question comes down to whether you prefer a better typing experience and more customisability or potentially a couple milliseconds advantage on your inputs
I really like the way theScore feels with their staff, it feels like a stay at home newscast and there's always a director in the call it just seems like a nice work environment.
A few points to point out:
1. Razer actually had a Blackwidow with Cherry MX Blue before their own knockoff green switch. That was their first mass-produced mechanical keyboard I believe.
2. The pricing for custom doesn't necessarily have to start at $300 and be custom CNC'd aluminum, I had my first custom for just $50. There are a lot of really budget options now especially for the past year or so.
To me, custom keyboard is not about the gaming performance, it's about having the options. Have noodle fingers? Get switches with lighter springs. Want to have a very satisfying tactile feedback? Get big bump tactile switches. Hate your friends? Get some really loud clickies and use it during Discord gaming sessions. Want something fancy that suits your personality? Just find something you like.
This^ I think the custom scene is seen as hyper expensive 300+ dollars. This is usually from people buying gmk sets (worse if they are over retail), and expensive cnc alumimum bodies. The cheapest I've seen a good board are keychron's q series boards, and they are all 140 minimum. But if you don't care as much about that. There are 50 dollar DIY kits you can get off amazon. Buy that with some 20-40 dollar switches and some decent pbt keycaps around 40-60 and maybe a lubing kit. You can often make one for less than 150 dollars.
Agree I found a $90 keyboard with removable switches can customize it anyway I want. Doesn't have to start at 300 or any where close
He literally said they had mx switches
Yup. I had the Mass Effect N7 edition and its still going strong today as my friends work keyboard.
I also feel like being able to build a keyboard and call it your own build is cool as well
My standpoint as a gamer AND someone who has made a custom keyboard is this.
Custom keyboards were never MEANT to give a competitive advantage and tbh they never will. They aren't optimised for performance, they're just nice to have as a novelty
It's a way of expressing yourself even if no one will ever see it
And it's also just nice to have a keyboard that lasts longer, feels nicer to type on, and sounds better
There's really not much practicality in the hobby since it was never meant to be practical in the first place
Mechanical keyboards do absolutely give an advantage depending on the game, almost any rhythm game they will provide you with a better experience overall, also replacing keys is cheaper since it just needs a switch and not an entirely new keyboard.
osu! players can approve
Agree on the rythm game part. But membrane keyboards have replaceable keys as well.
@@ilysavio Yep, ima 4 dig in mania so a membrane just can’t keep up with that many taps at once.
true, i don't think i'd be able to singletap 280 bpm that consistently with a membrane kb
@Levi Based
You guys have me on the radar or something. Every time I get into something or binge a certain kind of content you guys always make a video a week or two later LOL.
Alice layout gang where you at
you can build a custom keyboard for like 70 bucks if you want. for example you can combine a tester680 (~30$), some 10% keycaps, milky yellows (~0,22% per switch) and random stabs (10-25%) and there you have a perfectly fine custom
Mechanical switches are definitely "essential" in certain games that require heavy button smashing like "OSU" (rhythm game). Having that consistent feedback and tactile feel does not make you better at the game instantly but rather it provides you a consistent feel and helps you improve massively.
Ghosting*
The most important thing in a keyboard for rhythm games is arguably it's polling rate (hz) and switch type comes in second. I would rather use a switch type I'm uncomfortable with (like cheap rubber domes) than mechanical switches. If the board with rubber domes has a significantly higher polling rate than the board with mechanical switches. I could perform significantly more accurate and consistent with the rubber dome board than the mechanical switch board, because it's possible to get used to a different switch type, but you can't perform consistently with a low polling rate board, because the variation in the time between input and output will be bigger (125hz = 0ms to 8ms in variation, 1000hz = 0ms to 1ms in variation, 8000hz = 0ms to 0.125ms in variation)
Ohio State University
sorry but *osu!
sorry but *osu!
I still own my g15 keyboard and no joke, just replaced it about 5 months ago. It still chugs along but man is it worn out and very dirty! Love to see the g15 brought up in this video. Brought back so many good memories from back in the day playing world of warcraft!
I still have my g15 as well and am in same boat. It's just dirty so waiting on my first mechanical. G15 is pure nostalgia for me as it was my dad's and he passed away in 2010
fantastic vid, im afraid ive already fallen down the rabbit hole to far, im typing this on one of my 4 custom keebs and im looking at buying another
Finally.... A Crack episode about keyboards! Keep up the good work Dmitri!
I can confidently say, having played on both laptop membrane and custom mechanical keyboards, that if they do make you better the difference is absolutely negligeable. It's just that the feel and sound of a mechanical keyboard makes is very nice for typing
Yes Dmitri. I remember trying out a Razer mechanical keyboard for the first time at a store too. I had a great experience.
I swapped to a mechanical because it was cheaper than trying to find a new Dell SK8115 that I love. I quickly fell into the rabbit hole though as I learned I prefer DSA Keycaps more than anything. I'm probably gonna end up buying a K2 and throwing a DSA set on it soon.
3:53 nice mousepad
You guys neglected to mention key ghosting. The reason I bought my first mechanical keyboard was my old non-gamer one couldn't register pressing W A and X at the same time.
Does ghosting have anything to do with a keyboard being mechanical or not?
@@evilbound yeah, membranes cant press more than 3 keys at the same time, while mechanicals, you could smash your keyboard and all the keys would register.
@@ripewatermelonlol thats bs lmao I have a cheap membrane keyboard from HP and I can press 4-5 keys at the same time(I do it daily while playing PES) maybe not all but yea
@@evilbound it doesn't. A membrane keyboard can have anti-ghosting too, it just has to be wired correctly. A lot of cheap membrane keyboards (think office dell ones) are wired in sections instead because it's cheaper, and mechs almost never are.
that's not ghosting thats key rollover ghosting is where the key is registered even when you didn't actuate it
I dont think anyone or at least a very small amount of people would buy a custom keyboard just to improve their gaming, for me personally i like the building process it just feels ecstatic everytime
Word of advice, don’t buy keyboards from “gaming” brands (razer, corsair etc). You’re better off with keyboards from gmmk, keychron, qwertykeys, epomaker and many other more that lets you customized your keyboard down the line if you want to.
As someone who has seven custom keyboards…….a custom mechanical keyboard isn’t just for gaming, it’s for expressing your waifus as well.
The biggest reason to why mechinical keyboards became so big was cause the actual signal sent in a membrane keyboard is sequential where as the keys on a mechanical one can have all keys pressed at the same time and still actuate
I sincerely don't think so, this feature is called anti-ghosting and it is avaliable on membrane keyboards, you just have to buy a Keyboard with this technology.
the term is called rollover and most gaming laptops or gaming membrane keyboard have them which allows for multiple key to be pressed, i knew the pain of not being able to mash many keys at once made some fighting games impossible to play
It was never supposed to be about making you better at video games, it was always about how the keyboard feels, and how they loock.
As a keyboard enthusiast this interest me.
I just spent 5 hours lubing last night.
I also tape modded as well as change the springs, and flimed the switches.
Before buying a mechanical keyboard, you should decide whether you need it or not. If you feel like your membrane kb stresses you out or simply makes your fingers hurt when you use it(happens pretty often), then perhaps it's about time you buy a mechanical one.
Although there's a couple of things to consider and decide for yourself:
1. You should decide exactly what kind of switches will fit you. Generally even the Red, linear ones are louder than an ordinary membrane, keep that in mind.
2. You should choose the form factor of the keyboard. Do you need the numpad? No? Maybe you should consider 87 keys (TKL). If don't even need F-keys, take a look at 68-65 key keyboard. This does seem like a pretty simple choice but trust me, it really isn't. I myself went with a TKL keyboard and it honestly feels alright, but I also feel like I could get a 65% keyboard without losing anything. Remember, the less keys there is, the more space you have on your table, which is super crucial for FPS when you sometimes need a good half of your table only for a mouse pad.
3. Mechanical keyboards are usually times more expensive than membrane, but they don't necessarily have to be 100-150 dollars. You can get a Womier K87 or GK707 (those are 87 key ones)for 75 and 55 dollars respectively, and there's a bunch of other options. Just don't buy anything that has either Outemu or "Axis" switches, they won't last long.
That's pretty much it. I hope it helped.
One thing that's not discussed in mechanical keyboards that needs to be shined a light on is "proprietary" keyboard switches. One thing to avoid is the ones that's way too different from the standard. The Romer-G switches used by Logitech has a time bomb where it breaks just outside warranty. Then, the legs of the keycaps would snap and get stuck at the switch and would be hard and expensive to get them replaced, to the point where it may be cheaper to just buy a new keyboard.
Romer-G switches are also prone to double presses.
To be fair you can replace Outemu switches with switches that has the same sockets for said switches. They are also a pretty cheap option aswell and you can replace them with any switches that could fit in the sockets which could be more better sounding and durable than the stock Outemu switches.
@@thehighnote9579 well not all keyboards are hot-swappable. And there are also keyboards like RK87 that are in fact hot-swappable and have Outemu switches out of the box (which you can replace) but there's not many switch options for keyboards like this since the pins on Outemu switches are much more thin (therefore sockets are also smaller) than the ones on Gateron or Kailh, so you'll only be able to replace them with Gazzew Boba U4/Gum (which are made by the same vendor as Outemu, but they're much better) or any Akko switch (they also fit pretty well).
It's all about feel. That's all it is. Does it make you better no. I mean to a very small point sure. The cheapest membrane keyboard probably will not be as consistent and you might get weird double presses or no presses. Compared to a well built mechanical keyboard but overall it's more about feel than anything. But one thing I need to stress is just build your own. Seriously. You can buy sub $100 cases then $30 switches and $20 keycaps. The reason for this is 1. it's fun 2. You get to learn. 3. It's custom. 4. You can do hot swappable switches which means you don't have to solder anything and you can easily change them out for different switches.
The other option is get something like an iqunix or gmmk board which is prebuilt. But is hot swappable.
Me with a laptop keyboard: uhhhh am I missing something?
You forgot about one thing: ghosting. Most membrane can't register 5/6+ keys at once, a lot cant even register 3. This becomes a problem in games like osu, bdo or elite:dangerous where clicking multiple keys at once is needed and just can't be done on membrane.
That has more to do with PCB than switches. Some keyboards, like the g80-3000, have limited rollover, especially over USB.
yes, the noise of the mechanical keyboard gives +35 mechanical skill
can't wait for the optical switch keyboards
playing osu! with a mechanical keyboard is just so much better than with a membrane one
0:39 i like that there's A7X randomly popping out of nowhere in this video lmao
Perfect timing as I had just finished changing my seitch
I almost screamed when I saw Colten rocking the Hess tshirt!
Robert is truly a king. Sad he's not commentating the Candidates right now.
9:33 AW HELL NAW CRUNCHY SWITCHES
Mechanical keyboards feel great for typing. I used to like blue switches, but then switched to brown. Nowadays I have a Corsair K100 with optical mechanical keys, and while I don't like those keys as much as I do the browns they're a lot more reliable and will last a lot longer.
On a related note, I will never pay as much for a keyboard ever again.
"imagine counterstafing in cs with a membrane" i dont gotta imagine that my bro
There is a latency factor. Ranging from 14ms on popular boards like the Ducky One 2 Mini to 0.1ms on the Corsair K65 Mini. RTings to my knowledge is the only outlet that actively tests for latency in boards, worth checking out. (I will stick to my thocc tho)
There is a lot more to it than it, but of course that only matters for the only type of games that the score will never cover
So exemple
I have 2 mechanical keyboards
I have 2 membrane keyboards
Ok, that doesn't matter much, so let's go into more details
1 mechanical keyboard is outemu browns, the other is cherry silver
1 membrane is a latex mat, the other is a latex thingies
great, now I can go and say : the outemu browns are shittier comapred to the cherry silvers because they stick to the side because of that bump, and they also require more force to press down and
both membranes just takes too much force to press down
that's 95% of where everyone just stops it
but great that you are going farther than that, but there's more to it
so all my keyboards have a polling rate of 125ms, so that means that they are all the same regarding that aspect?
Nope.
How many keys can you press at once where it will send all of them at once?
well, my outemu brown keyboard can only do one, once every poll, of course that is not the fault of the switches themselves, but to the board maker, my silver mx are kinda finicky in a way that's semi random if it can send more than one, and for no fuckign reason it's better in bluetooth?!
anyway, who says that membrane keyboards are always bad?
Because it turns out, the latex mat keyboard has the best board! despite being a stock keyboard that came with a computer, it consistantly is able to send all keys at once! talk about free greatness
and the latex thingies is just as bad as the outemu browns keyboard on that matter.
So now knowing all that information you can actually judge keyboards, but there's even more to it!
Brands lies !
My cherry silver board maker had informations out there about being a 1000hz polling rate keyboard, well, people were assuming that because of some random shit they saw and I trusted them and I shouldn't have and I'm totally not salty about it rn that I wished I would have taken the corsair keyboard instead ah ah ah ah ah ah aha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha h
@@Sinaeb jesus christ how much time do you have on your hands
I ordered a budget Mechanical keyboard with Outemu Red switches legit a few hours ago. Gonna be my first mech keyboard xD
yo I like the world hess championship shirt... Robert Hess and Danny Rensch are hilarious lol
Truly top tier. Can't spell chess without hess.
I started getting into custom keyboards because I miss the feeling of building PCs. I love building things. And making keyboards is the closest thing to building a PC imo. But ever since I built my first keyboard I can never go back to off the shelf keebs again. It's the worst and best hobby to get into.
Same, also what’s your spec for both the pc and keyboard
High quality presentation. Liked.
Tactile feedback directly aids muscle memory, and that's the biggest advantage of a mechanical keyboard for gaming.
modding side of the keyboards are pretty worth it
Shoobs the GOAT in a CRACKED video!?!?!
Funny enough, I recently switched back from Razer Huntsman Elite V2 Analog to my 2018 Blackwidow Ultimate, because i NEED my tactile switches. I cannot linear. It feels so weird. And so much less satisfying too.
Knowing I’ve been tap strafing with membrane, and gaming the past 5 years with a membrane makes it more funny.
I love that the mechanical keyboard scene is on bloom these days
Forget all of those modern junk keyboards, and even forget about the IBM Model M: for true keyboard enthusiasts there is ONLY the original IBM Beam-spring range (assuming that is you can ever get hold of one). These were used with mainframe terminals in the 1970s and 1980s and have a smoothness and quality of tactile feedback that has NEVER been surpassed.There is an amazing video by Italian UA-camr "Bit Splits" which shows him renovating a IBM 3278 Beam-spring from a rusty ruin to a work of art.
One missed opportunity was to mention ghosting. Membranes can have a tendency to miss an input if you pressed multiple keys at once. In the case for Mechanical Keyboards on the other hand have an anti-ghosting feature that makes it more accurate to get those inputs in
As a full custom built myself owner here… just wait until people get into high end audio setups.
My custom keybaord doesn’t compare to my audiophile open backs with a propper amplifier and DAC. They by far have elevated my immersion and experience playing any game, or listening to any audio that comes from my computer. Best addition to my pc build so far, and best thing is…. I won’t have to buy new ones every couple years like you do with run of the mill “gaming headphones.”
well yea you won't *need to buy every year*
you'll just definitely want to buy new gear... every other month 💀💀
@@carebeyan every month? I’m guessing you are referring to the issue of becoming obsessed with audio equipment lol. I’ve been pretty good about it. Only acquired my overhead headphones and a pair of in ear monitors in the past few years. Haven’t replaced either lol. But don’t get me wrong. If I had a ton of cash floating around I’d buy some more lol.
first launch of Razer blackwidow actually used cherry blue switches, they made the razer greens in a later version of the blackwidow
I'm not a competitive gamer, but as a software developer I just can't go back to regular keyboards again. It's not as if mechanical makes me type faster or more accurately (not that it matters a whole lot for programming anyway) but since I'm spending half my day at the desk using this thing, it might as well be pleasing to look at and more importantly type on. Think of if this way, if you're a carpenter you might as well get a quality saw or drill or whatever it is that carpenters use, it's the thing that makes you money, don't go cheap on it. Now I've had membrane and chiclet keyboards that I liked but they can't measure up to the satisfying snappyness of a mechanical, plus they all seemed to have terrible longevity. I've felt so bad about throwing out keyboards that were almost completely okay but had some small thing broken, but like, what is there to do, it's not like I can get spare parts to repair it.
The grocery store near where I live sells knockoff mechanical keyboards, right next to the batteries. There is a bundle with a mechanical keyboard, a mouse, and a headset for $30, all of it's RGB. I wouldn't trust that it's quality for a second, but they sell it.
Claim your "here within an hour" ticket here...
14:37 That's all I've ever done, it's fine, precise timings come from foresight/tactics more than reaction in that game, wherein the most precise reaction you need is your preferential sensitivity settings of your mouse. Just felt a mechanical keyboard for the first time yesterday, and you can liken it to binding scroll wheel to jump because you are too lazy to learn how to time your spacebar for bhops. It's not that difficult, but it will be easier (albeit the scrolljump method was inconsistent even with an oiled and unlocked wheel.
One of the first mainstream gaming mechanical keyboards was the SteelSeries Steelkeys 6g, way before the Logitech and Razer...
there are a lot of switch variants, you can choose a switch that's short-traveled, and light (by changing the springs) when you want to press the keys very fast and repetitive, like when you're playing rhythm game, or FPS games. and there are some keyboards that lets you change the actuation point of a switch, like the Apex Pro from Steelseries, so i would definitely say that MechKeys MIGHT make you perform better if you get the right one.
and some of the cheaper keyboards doesnt even have NKRO, meaning that when you press a lot of keys at the same time, it wont register all of the keys
Okay, now tell me how to clean my mechanical keyboard from all the dog hair, Cheetos fingers, and “other” snacks.
I honestly don't care if they make me better in no, I need the sensory click physical and audial from the mechanical keyboard, it helps me know weather or not I've even hit the key.
Especially my custom metal typewriter keys that make a "Tck" sound.
Their also tactile, very very tactile.
Amalee in Colton's background :3
The nostalgia from using the Blackwidow Chroma
It’s just a more precise tool with good ergonomics and consistent feeling. The better the gear the less perfect you need to be in someways
Mechanical keyboard sales after the release of this video: 📈
Pros:
Pressing keys feels smooth and not wiggly.
Cons:
Keys having post-trigger travel distance is just bad despite what mech keyboard stans may say. It makes pressing a key multiple times hard and doesn't give any benefits as far as I can tell. Also, red switches like on mine are especially bad due to accidental key presses happening all the time.
Maybe all the cons are specific to linear switches, but keyboards with tactile and especially short-travel switches are pretty rear if you want good bang for buck (
I might be a weird one here but i feel comfortable on my membrane keyboard even though i tried multiple mechanical ones i found myself getting back to it
no comparison once you get accustomed imho
@@Learning2BeBrave Topre isnt membrane, but rubber dome. Like the best rubber dome out there wort ha shot
I am still using my COMPAQ keyboard from the early 00's.
It all depends on the game. In League of Legends, it will not make a difference with most champions, but when playing champions like Aatrox, having an antighosting effect because you have a mechanical keyboard does for sure make a big difference, and that is because with Aatrox you will usually press two buttons at the same time, same thing could apply to KSante, or Gnar, maybe Riven too.
Alistar comes to mind
17:07 CRACKED me up xD (pun intended)
I didn't expect getting rick rolled in this vid. hahahah
When are y'all gonna make a Cracked video on GameCube controllers??
Hello Dimitri and @theScore esports in general. Could you please give me your opinions on EVGA Z20 and most specifically on the Time of Flight sensor? P.S you are all the perfect choice to watch when I need to chill out
I actually can't believe I got Rick rolled
a mechanical keyboard is almost a must for competitive tetris
Let's be honest... High end Keyboards won't make you a better player, but adding like 100$ to your mouse budget will... you'll gain a more precise mouse and it won't freak out when you do those fast flicks... I've been using membrane keyboards since the 90s and have recently tried a budget mechanical one with red outemu switches... I hated it... It felt like typing on an old typewriter. As for gaming, the keys were too high (as in height). I guess they were high because of the metal front plate ( so the keys were raised to bounce the RGB off the plate). Usually I rest my thumb on the space bar, but here because the keys were raised I had to rest the thumb underneath the space bar, which made me reluctant to use it or took just a little bit longer to use it (in games like CS GO that's a big problem)... So in conclusion, there's nothing wrong with your membrane keyboard and the 10 000 000 presses (opposed to mechanical's 50 000 000) is not a problem because 10 mil per key is like 20 years for an average gamer... I've never maxed out the usage of any of my membrane keyboards, most of them were replaced because the WSAD keys would rub off (and mind you I'm talking about low end membrane keyboards worth like 10-20$)...So... In my opinion use that cash to get a better mouse
It is a rabbit hole. You can get a 5 pin hotswap RGB with usb C for just under 50 bucks(mine is CIY x77), you can get cheaper mechanical keyboards but it usually lacks the USB C(sleek, durable, and new standard) 5 pins(allows most switches), RGB (fun color) or hotswap (Do you want to replace a broken switch or sub out your switches? Ok, if so, do you like soldering? no? then get hotswap). Now that you have a keyboard that you can customize...welcome to the rabbit hole, color theme? you might find one, or you might need to buy 3 keyboard sets, and maybe a fancy spacebar and esc key, then you need, well you just spent another 50 bucks. Want a fancy looking coiled cord for your keyboard? Spend 15 to 30 if you want to risk it not working right, or spend 40 to 60. Know that not all keyboards are a standard draw of a USB A power source, which is what some are running into with getting a different cord, but some is just faulty wiring jobs. Then of course there is other customizable features, like o rings(under 10 bucks), or sound damping (depends on what you get, I just used a bit of glue down felt for like a buck). Suddenly your reasonable keyboard has ballooned to whatever your whim drives your toward.
As someone who is super into keyboards, their mechanisms, the history of keyboards, different types of keyboards, how keyboards vary by country, how keyboards are used… etc…
Mechanical keyboards are not necessarily any better, yet alone the best technology for gaming. By mechanical, I mean MX-type keyboards which continue the design that Cherry standardised - plastic housing, spring, with a plastic keycap mount and slider sitting above the spring. This design has a decently long travel, much longer than chiclets, but similar to a classic rubber dome.
I’ve tested rubber domes, chiclet, Mx-type, Alps, Alp clones, buckling springs, dome with slider, even obscure tech like buckling sleeves. Rubber domes, buckling springs and buckling sleeves all use membranes, yet one of those has way more stigma than the others. In terms of objective measurements - the best keyboard for gaming is a decent chiclet keyboard, such as the Apple Magic Keyboard, a laptop keyboard, or the Logitech MX Keys. These have lower travel, meaning buttons can be pressed faster, the tactility is instant, and the lower travel is better for your finger muscles.
The literally missed the whole point for a lot of people of why the have a MK, the advantage of registering all the keys at the same time, with a membrane keyboard, you can't, (for example, trying to move sideways, w and a/e while crouching or doing more things)
19:29 thankyou for the advise
nice that A7x made into video
one of the biggest benefits to a mechanical keyboard is the lack of ghosting and N key rollover. When gamers are holding down multiple keys, this is a big issue that gamers encounter that 99% of regular typers do not.
I subbed right when I heard him say "so wtf is an actual mechanical keyboard?" Lol.
As someone that works in finance I just shudder at all these keyboards not having a number pad.
that eye twitch when talking about anime keycaps
So glad there’s finally a mechanical keyboard Cracked episode!
im probably the only one that still uses a membrane keyboard, but while taking out my keycap i lost it and replaced it with my num pad key (yes i have a numpad) and now im missing a numpad key and you cant just reorder one like you would keycaps for mechanical keyboards
Watching it in 2024 when rapid trigger is taking over
I shouldn't have stayed till the end. I got Rick rolled 😭😭😭😭
Idk about you guys but
I am in diamond and when I broke my mechanical keeb....I had a mem one as my backup and used it for 2 weeks and there wasn't a difference after 2 days
I like mine when it *CLOCKS*
tick tack
Remember to lube your stabilizers
25,694 views, 1.7k likes, 182 comments, 1.94M subscribers. Nice!!
Still waiting for the day blue alps is converted to cherry styled switches.
Yes it does help compared to the normal pc keyboard or laptop keyboards
I have a very loud very tactile membrane keyboard because of how the keys are connected to they keyboard cost like $25. people think it's mechanical all the time and it's very durable too
nxt topic should be is why adding gaming in the product makes the product more expensive
I have played games using both membrane keyboards and mechanical keyboard and I can definitely say that now the PC recognise keystrokes better when you press multiple keys at the same time as with a membrane keyboard all the input is on a membrane that is on the same surface whereas on a mechanical keyboard every key has it's own switch so the PC can recognise keystrokes better and in many games you will need that where you need to press multiple keys at a time to perform better and have a good gaming experience.
SQUASHY BOY MADE AN APPEARANCE WOOOOOO
As someone who is very invested in custom keyboards (I've spent over 4grand pls help me) here's my unbiased opinion: your keyboard doesn't make you better or worse membrane or mechanical, its all preference, there's no need to spend a shit ton on money on one unless u have the money and really want it a cheap Logitech office keyboard will do the same as a 500 dollar custom keyboard, do your research if you are going to build a custom keyboard, custom keyboard are not for performances they will not help you game better they are for more comfort and preference, the only thing they have better than big box store keyboards is looks and sound which are both preferences. Also final thing Clickys are a bad (not an opinion, a fact)
I like the way clicked feel better. And I can’t hear it when I have my headset in so…. Yeah clicks for me