Types of keyboards

The keyboard is one of the most important accessories for a computer, because it is with its help that the device is controlled. This is not only the ability to enter text, but also the use of other useful buttons that make using the computer faster and more comfortable. In addition, no gamer can do without a high-quality and comfortable keyboard - in most games they are much more convenient to use than a mouse.

There are a huge number of different models on the modern market, which can be difficult for a beginner to understand. For example, few users know how a membrane-type device differs from a mechanical one and what that even means.

In order to purchase the ideal accessory for yourself, you need to carefully study all types of computer keyboards and their essential characteristics. It is important to understand that any model is designed for a specific purpose and has its own advantages and disadvantages, so it is difficult to answer the question of which keyboard is better. It all depends on your needs.

You will learn how to determine the most suitable model and what you should pay attention to first in this article.

Characteristics of keyboards

Devices differ from each other in a variety of characteristics.In addition, there are universal parameters that can be used to make predictions about whether it will be convenient for you to use the device and how long it will take to replace it with a more advanced model.

In most cases, when purchasing a keyboard, experienced users pay attention to the type of production, response speed, softness of touch, and appearance.

If everything is clear with the response time and tactile sensations from pressing, then the type of production of the device may cause some difficulties when choosing. What is a membrane or mechanical keyboard? How do they differ from each other? Let's take a closer look at this characteristic, and also identify the differences between the two types of devices, which are very significant.

Types of keyboards

There are three main types of keyboards on the market today - mechanical, membrane and scissor. All of them differ in a variety of parameters: from price to purpose.

The classification is based on the technology used to produce the device.

Membrane

Inside membrane keyboards there are special membranes, with the help of which the signal is transmitted to the computer. These membranes, being pressed, close the contacts.

The advantages of such devices include their extremely low cost and prevalence - they can be found in any specialized store, which cannot be said about some more expensive branded models.

But unfortunately, there are also significant disadvantages. The service life of a membrane keyboard is limited - this is due to the fact that the membranes lose their elasticity. Surely many people are familiar with the feeling that some keys are pressed more “softly” - these are the buttons that you used most often.Over time, the contacts will completely stop closing, which will lead to the need to purchase a new device.

In addition, the response speed of such keyboards is quite low. This can be explained very simply - their response threshold is located at the very bottom, in contrast to more advanced mechanical devices, where this threshold is approximately halfway through the press. There are also loud “clicks” when using such an accessory. Pressing is rarely soft and almost silent.

Scissor

The internal design of these models makes them ideal for those who frequently need to type large amounts of text at high speed. The main advantage is that the key will be triggered regardless of where exactly it was pressed - to the side or in the middle of the button, and the trigger threshold is very high.

With such a keyboard, your fingers will simply fly, typing quickly and clearly, if you know how to type quickly or want to learn this in the near future.

In addition, the service life of scissor devices is at least twice as long as that of membrane devices. Most manufacturers claim a figure of 10 million clicks, when for the first type it is only about five. This is approximately a little over a year of use. Even despite the relative cheapness of membrane keyboards, it is hardly reasonable to buy them every year.

The precision of pressing is also accompanied by a very pleasant tactile sensation from using scissor devices. They owe their name to the built-in mechanism, which is very reminiscent of ordinary scissors.

Despite all the advantages, it is not possible to completely get rid of squashed keys with this type of keyboard.Of course, compared to the membrane version, the service life is much longer, but in the end you will still have to face the fact that after this time it will not be very comfortable to use the device.

Mechanical

The mechanical type is rightfully considered one of the best options for purchase. The only thing that may confuse a potential buyer is the very high cost of such devices.

This technology, oddly enough, is the oldest. Its essence is that instead of membranes, special switches are used inside. There are a huge number of different models of these switches on the modern market, which allows the user to choose the ideal keyboard for themselves.

This option will surely suit everyone - both ordinary office workers and professional gamers - the response speed allows it to be used for any purpose. The tactile sensations when pressed are also different - in this case, you can feel the difference yourself by pressing the soft key once, which transmits the signal to the computer instantly.

Another advantage will be a long service life - the keyboards are designed for at least fifty million keystrokes, which is several times higher than the same figure for other types of devices. In addition, pressing through the keys is eliminated, and even by the end of this period, tactile sensations and response speed will be exactly the same as at the beginning of work.

IMPORTANT! If you don’t like the loud sound when you press keys, then you should look for a “quiet device” - mechanical keyboards are often available in two versions, one of which has a minimum click volume.

What should be the arrangement of letters and numbers

An important point is also the keyboard layout.

In this case, Russian-speaking users do not have much choice: the difference between the two existing layouts is only in the location of one letter E. It can be located either in the upper left corner or in the lower left corner.

The most common is the first option due to the fact that it seems more convenient. But the second type of layout also occurs, most often in organizations where computers have become an alternative to typewriters.

It is also worth paying attention to where the letter designations are located. It is important that they are in the lower right corner of each key and highlighted in red - this way the user will not constantly confuse Russian letters with the Latin alphabet.

The order of letters and numbers is in most cases the same, and cases where there are any differences, except for the letter E already mentioned above, are very rare and usually occur exclusively in limited and not very popular collections of narrow manufacturers.

This type of layout appeared a long time ago and does not lose its relevance to this day, so there is no question of anyone going to change it.

Now you know what exactly keyboards are, what distinguishes each type from each other and what significant features they have. Undoubtedly, a mechanical type device will be an ideal and universal option - this is exactly the device that has more advantages than disadvantages. But despite this, the decision remains yours - only the user can decide which parameter or keyboard indicator will be more significant for him.Knowing all the intricacies of the internal structure, you can buy an accessory that will delight you for a long time.