this post was submitted on 20 Sep 2023
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Mechanical Keyboards

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What kind of switch is similar to my current keyboard (lemmy.ml)
submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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I have an old Logitech UltraX Premium low-profile scissor switch keyboard. Unfortunately this one's dieing, as one of the keys is now broken.

I'm not well versed in mechanical switches and I'm not native English, so some of the explained terminology is a bit harder to understand when I'm looking for the subtle differences in the switches.

I'm looking for the right switch that is somewhat similar to my current keyboard. On any given key I can apply some pressure, but the key will not press down. When I push a little harder, the key goes down to the bottom. What kind of switch am I looking for in this case? Linear, clicky, "tactile bump", ...?

I'm currently interested in the Keychron K5. It has similar dimensions with regards to height of the keys (around 2cm) and is a full layout.

Thanks in advance.

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

On any given key I can apply some pressure, but the key will not press down. When I push a little harder, the key goes down to the bottom.

Virtually all keyboards do this, have a peak in resistance that then falls off, regardless if whether they are rubber dome, scissor switch, buckling spring. Most mechanical switches.

The only key mechanism I can name off the top of my head that doesn't do this is Cherry MX Red keyswitches ("linear resistance"), which are uncommon and in my experience only used for certain gaming-oriented keyboards. So you are pretty much guaranteed this behavior regardless of the keyboard you get.

Oh, and the very early Macintosh membrane keyboards, back in the mid-1980s, didn't either, and I've used those. But that probably isn't going to be a factor here.