Ask HN: How is your experience with a mechanical keyboard?

I've owned two(1). The first was a Filco Majestouch Otaku, blue cherry switches, very loud and clicky. Very very comfortable and satisfying for me to use. Started suffering from switch bouncing after only a few years, also even while the keycaps were blank, they were apparantly coated with something, which was worn down from usage. With better firmware, I'd recommend, but it's no longer in production.

My current keyboard, I've had for 6 years, it's from WASDkeyboards.com and it still performs very satisfyingly. It is a standard ISO layout with red cherry switches. While the switches themselves do no click, it is still satisfying to use, and less hard on my fingers (when you've learned not to rest your fingers on the keys, as they are very light). I had one switch become defective within a month, but WASD sent me two new replacements and noted that I had opted to do the repair myself and have it still be covered by warranty! (VERY NICE!). Again I opted for blank keys, and again there is apparantly still some coating on top of them that is worn down.. Some of the keycaps are now more concave from plastic being physically worn away, but new keycaps can be obtained. I'm very happy with both the style, function and especially quality of this keyboard, and it is highly worth the price to me, as it's lasted longer than any other keyboard I've owned, and continues to be an absolute pleasure to use..

At work I use some random dell rubberdome thing, that's fine too, just not as satisfying to use.

I don't think any of the keyboards have boosted my productivity, if they work, have no stuck or bouncing keys and their layout is usable for me, then I'm limited by brain speed, not finger speed.

(1) I also had a steelseries g6v2 but it broke so quickly and had other issues, it's not worth mentioning. I've also used an IBM model M for a year to annoy someone at work, but it was not pleasant for me, even if it's supposed to be the holy grail, I own several, for my old computers, and they belong there in my opinion.

I ordered one with blue switches but they came brown by mistake. Very cheap keyboard, from the brand RedDragon. It was my first, and I really like the feel. I was actually glad for the mixup, because the brown is pretty noise already. I'm afraid I'll wakeup my wife when I type during the night, or even the neighbors!

Blue switches would be a nightmare.

Yes, IBM Model M. I have about 5, which I saved from being thrown out in the 1990s.

I carried one in my luggage when I emigrated, 7 years ago. I've used it in 4 office jobs over 5 years, with a grand total of 2 (two) people complaining in all that time.

1991 model with buckling springs, UK layout. The best PC keyboard ever made (I intentionally exclude Macs -- that'd be the AEK1, followed by AEK2 -- possibly with early DEC VT terminals in the early 1980s).

The hype about noise is totally overrated.

I've had a couple over the past decade or so.

If you look past the old IBM PS/2 keyboards, in recent history i've owned:

- Das Keyboard 4 Professional (https://www.daskeyboard.com/daskeyboard-4-professional/), which was a nice "starter keyboard". I've heard quality has gone downhill since, but mine performed well. I eventually came to dislike the form factor of it because it was causing my wrists to hurt after prolonged use.

- Ducky One 2 (https://www.duckychannel.com.tw/en/One-2-Phantom-Black), this one came highly recommended. I purchased one with MX Brown switches for use at work. It took about 3 days for my colleagues to complain about the noise. It is very comfortable to use, but God it's loud. It now lives at my work-from-home desk.

- Logitech G613 (https://www.logitechg.com/en-au/products/gaming-keyboards/g6...), this one has Romer switches, and is actually quite nice to use. Not too loud and nice tactile feedback. It's rather large, and with COVID and work from home, i needed more "desk space", so it's sitting in my closet at the moment.

- Keychron K8 (https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-k8-tenkeyless-wir...), this is probably the best mechanical keyboard i have. It's still rather new, and by using it i think i can feel that i'm going to have a problem with keys binding at some point, it has that little resistant "pop up", but for now it's great.

As for typing speed, the Ducky or Keychron are the fastest with the least errors. That is of course a very personal measurement, and your typing speed might be better or worse with different keyboards.

Do they boost my productivity ? Depends how you define it. I make fewer typos on my mechanical keyboards, and experience less "inger fatigue", but i probably wouldn't chalk it up to a significant percentage when it comes to productivity. It's more of a personal preference.

I have used a full size Ducky mechanical, and TKL cheap mechanical, all with Cherry Brown switches.

To be honest, I didn't find it a revelation. I currently use a Microsoft Sculpt and I generally prefer it for the ergonomics. My typing speed, which is not brilliant, is about the same across all these boards. I still use cheap dome keyboards at work and don't mind them despite having used mechs.

Mechs tend to have a high profile so make sure your desk set up can handle that without putting your arms and shoulders in suboptimal positions.