Mechanical vs. Membrane Keyboard: What's Best for Typing?
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Whether you work from home or spend hours gaming at your computer, the right keyboard is essential for overall performance. But what keyboard options are available — and which option is best?
Mechanical and membrane keyboards are the most popular types you’re likely to encounter. To clear up any confusion surrounding these terms, we’ve created this in-depth guide on what makes each unique and which is best for your budget and needs.
Read on to see which one is the key to better performance — a mechanical vs. membrane keyboard.
Mechanical vs. Membrane Keyboard: What’s the Difference?
Here’s a quick look at how a mechanical keyboard differs from a membrane keyboard.
Mechanical Keyboard Membrane Keyboard Feel Classic switch actuation Have a “mushy” feel Noise level Quiet to audible “click” Quiet thanks to rubber dome Price More expensive Easier to find affordable options Weight Heavier than membrane keyboards Lightweight, making them fairly portable Lifespan Longer lifespan Shorter lifespan
Mechanical Keyboard Basics
Although mechanical vs. membrane keyboards each boast unique features, the main difference comes down to how they feel.
As you might expect, mechanical keyboards feature spring-loaded mechanical switches reminiscent of classic typewriters. These mechanical switches come with different specifications that alter their overall feel. Here are the most common types:
Tactile switches provide excellent sensory feedback, presenting a tangible bump when pressed.
provide excellent sensory feedback, presenting a tangible bump when pressed. Clicky switches build on tactile switches, adding in a loud, audible noise when pressed.
build on tactile switches, adding in a loud, audible noise when pressed. Linear switches are smooth the touch, with minimal sensory feedback.
These are currently the most common switch options, though the technology continues to change as keyboards improve over time.
Mechanical keyboards tick all the boxes when considering performance, either for general computing or gaming. However, they are often louder than membrane keyboards and have a higher price tag. The advantage of buying a reliable mechanical keyboard is that it can last you a lifetime with proper care.
Mechanical Keyboard Features
Excellent feedback – Mechanical keyboards offer variable sensory feedback.
– Mechanical keyboards offer variable sensory feedback. Key rollover – With this feature, keyboards can successfully detect several key functions at the same time. This is valuable for fast typists and intricate games with lots of combos.
– With this feature, keyboards can successfully detect several key functions at the same time. This is valuable for fast typists and intricate games with lots of combos. Unique key-feel – Mechanical keyboards boast spring-loaded switches with thick ABS or PBT keycaps.
– Mechanical keyboards boast spring-loaded switches with thick ABS or PBT keycaps. Customization – With mechanical keyboards, you can often change switches and keycaps. There are endless options available online, allowing you to find the perfect look and feel for yourself.
Cons of Using a Mechanical Keyboard
Depending on the model, mechanical keyboards can be expensive.
The design of mechanical keyboards makes them a louder option.
Mechanical Keyboards To Check Out
SteelSeries Apex Pro | Amazon ($175) – For gaming, this is one of the best full-size mechanical keyboards on the market. The Apex Pro is the first-of-its-kind, featuring 8x faster response, 5x faster actuation, and twice the durability. This keyboard’s mechanical switches are adjustable and customizable, allowing you to set keys exactly how you want them. The price tag is $175.
Ducky One 2 | Amazon ($119) – If you’re looking for the ultimate mechanical keyboard, the Ducky One 2 is it. Available in several sizes, this keyboard features double-shot seamless keycaps that are durable and reliable. The three-level angle stand optimizes comfort, and the keyboard itself can handle a six-key rollover. Get it for $119.
Razer BlackWidow V3 Pro | Amazon ($229) – This wireless keyboard is versatile and allows for plenty of customization. It features full-height keys and best-in-class switches. Pick one up for $229.
Read More: The Best Mechanical Keyboards of 2022
Membrane Keyboard Basics
Most standard keyboards, including integrated laptop and office keyboards, are membrane keyboards. There are several types of membrane keyboards, but they all use rubber domes that compress when actuated.
Standard membrane keyboards come with most pre-built PCs. This type of keyboard has raised individual keys. In contrast, scissor-switch membrane keyboards have flat keys that snap into place. These are commonly used on laptop keyboards.
Both variants cost significantly less than mechanical keyboards, and you can find a full-size membrane keyboard with backlighting for under $20. However, these aren’t likely to last longer than a few years. Fortunately, you can also find higher-end membrane keyboards that offer additional features for better performance and durability. Of course, you’ll have to pay up for that.
Membrane Keyboard Features
Quiet operation – Membrane keyboards are often quieter than mechanical keyboards.
– Membrane keyboards are often quieter than mechanical keyboards. Spill-resistant – There are many spill-resistant membrane keyboards on the market, expanding their longevity.
Cons of Using a Membrane Keyboard
Harder to clean – When compared to mechanical keyboards, they’re more challenging to clean. However, they’re still more resilient to liquid and dirt.
– When compared to mechanical keyboards, they’re more challenging to clean. However, they’re still more resilient to liquid and dirt. Parts can’t be replaced – This means that membrane keyboards tend to have a shorter lifespan.
Membrane Keyboards To Check Out
Razer Ornata Chroma Gaming Keyboard | Amazon ($100) – This membrane keyboard is a hybrid, offering an option where “membrane meets mechanical.” Users enjoy this keyboard’s soft-touch yet crisp click, and the mid-height keycaps allow for faster actuation. One of the greatest selling features of this keyboard is its customizable lighting with 16.8 million color options. At around $100, this is one of the more expensive membrane keyboards on the market.
Logitech G213 Membrane Keyboard | Amazon ($70) – Being up to four times faster than standard models, the G213 is designed to deliver superior performance and a more tactile response. Users appreciate the spill-resistant feature and integrated palm rest. There are dedicated media controls and customizable options available. The average price for this keyboard is $70.
Rii RK100+ Multiple Color Keyboard | Amazon ($18.99) – The Rii RK100+ delivers the feel of a semi-mechanical keyboard at a great price. Weighing under two pounds, it’s light and highly portable. This keyboard automatically enters sleeping mode after ten minutes without operation. Get it for as low as $18.99 on Amazon.
Are Mechanical and Membrane Keyboards Interchangeable?
Although mechanical and membrane keyboards technically serve the same purpose, bridging the gap between you and your computer, you cannot change a membrane keyboard into a mechanical keyboard without changing the board.
If you currently have a membrane keyboard and want a mechanical keyboard, you’re better off purchasing a mechanical keyboard than attempting to convert your existing model.
Mechanical vs. Membrane Keyboards FAQs
In this section, we’ll answer some of the web’s burning questions about mechanical vs. membrane keyboards.
1. What is the most significant difference between mechanical and membrane keyboards?
The main difference comes down to feel. You’ll notice a smushy feel when using a membrane keyboard. Mechanical keyboards work off individual switches instead of pressure pads.
2. Why would you want a mechanical keyboard over a membrane keyboard?
People who seek mechanical keyboards often spend a lot of time typing. That’s because mechanical keyboards allow you to type faster and more accurately. This option is also ideal for gamers and those involved in coding.
3. How does the price of mechanical keyboards differ from membrane keyboards?
Mechanical keyboards are more expensive than membrane keyboards. Mechanical keyboards range from $50 to $100, with top keyboards selling for around $150. In contrast, you can get a membrane keyboard for under $20. However, there are also membrane keyboards designed for gaming over $100.
Mechanical vs. Membrane Keyboard: Which One Should You Buy?
The best mechanical vs. membrane keyboard for you will depend on what you plan on using it for. If you spend a lot of time typing or want a keyboard for gaming, a mechanical keyboard is likely the best bet.
If you need a keyboard for simple tasks and only type once in a while, a membrane keyboard can be a better option, particularly if you’re on a budget. This option is more affordable and should get most jobs done just fine.
If you need more help, SitWorkPlay has you covered. Check out The 10 Best Ergonomic Keyboards of 2021 and The 10 Best Mechanical Keyboards of 2021.
Mechanical vs. Membrane Keyboards: Crucial differences and The Overlap
They have become omnipresent in our work and our play environment, from writing a few copies of scripts, typing several code lines to gaming the whole day. Mechanical-style vs. membrane-style keyboards. Which one should you choose? Are there keyboards that integrate the features of both into one?
Some people might prefer the mechanical keyboard relative to the membrane keyboard or vice versa. Regardless, for anyone looking to make a purchase, eyes can be deceiving, right?
In this post, we will walk you through the crucial differences between the two keyboard technologies. We will identify keyboards, if any, that try to integrate the features of the two. It will go a long way to help you decide the best fit for you before making a purchase.
Note that we exclude the “keyboards” found on appliances such as the oven, calculators from this discussion.
Let us get started. Shall we?
Mechanical vs. Membrane; Differences in Design
It is important to note that both keyboards give you the same output on your monitor; what differs is how that output will register on the screen.
Let’s see what elements of their design set the two styles of keyboards apart.
Mechanical Keyboards
If you disassemble a mechanical keyboard, you will notice standalone keys, each with a dedicated switch designed to interface with a circuit board on which an entry registers with every keypress. Therefore, you can make separate entries for several keys by pushing all of them at once. In other words, you can log-on three simultaneous keystrokes or more on a mechanical keyboard, which is an essential feature for pro-gamers.
A switch contains a top housing, stem, metal actuator/leaf, coil spring, and a bottom housing, each with a specific function.
Membrane Keyboards
A typical example here is your laptop’s keyboard. If you take it apart, you will notice a pressure pad made of rubber or silicon domes below which a conductive surface lies. The conductive circuit is a three-layered membrane consisting of a top layer, an inert middle layer, and a bottom layer.
Between the layers, there are conductive traces. Pressing a key on your keyboard depresses a dome generating a signal transmitted by the conductive traces, thus completing a circuit and registering a command.
The whole set-up essentially functions as a unit, which means you cannot simultaneously operate more than three keys. Therefore, there is a likelihood that you will encounter unregistered keypresses during gaming or high-speed typing when you need to register a simultaneous combination of 3 plus keystrokes.
There are standalone membrane keyboards designed that also function this way. It is not only limited to your laptop.
The overlap
Most membrane keyboards nowadays have raised the bar on the gaming experience by incorporating what is known as anti-ghosting technology in the software that runs them.
Tactile and Audible Feedback: How Do They Vary?
It pays to know whether a keystroke you’ve made has successfully registered or not when typing or gaming. Let us explore how you will notice whether a keypress has successfully logged between the two styles of keyboards.
Mechanical keyboards
A successful log-on for every keystroke you make produces feedback, either a bumpy feel or an audible sound and a slightly rough feel. These two types of feedback are characteristic of mechanical keyboards depending on the type of switch technology built with the keyboard. The former being a consequence of tactile switches and the latter a product of their clicky counterparts.
There are mechanical keyboards on the market that use linear switches with neither tactile nor audible feedback but still manage to seamlessly register successful keystrokes.
Therefore, the type of switch you would choose to use is inherently dependent on your preferences and sometimes circumstances. You would barely manage to handle all the attention a clicky switch-enable keyboard draws towards you when using it in a public place.
One upside of feedback is, you need not worry about missed keystrokes, especially in full-speed typing or gaming. Even with half the press-of-a-button, feedback is felt or heard, which means your input is successful.
Membrane keyboards
Feedback in this style of keyboard is mostly semi-tactile
The Overlap
Gradually, membrane keyboards are increasingly closing the gap on the physical feedback they can provide to the user. There are membrane keyboards that imitate the typing experience found on mechanical keyboards. One such keyboard is the Razer Onarta Chroma, which combines the membrane keyboard’s quiet feel with the mechanical keyboard’s tactile click.
Durability
When it comes to durability, we refer to how many keypresses a single key can take before it starts to wear off. The lifespan for any particular style of keyboard varies with its intended use and sometimes the manufacturer.
All factors kept constant, which one lasts longer? The mechanical or the membrane? Let’s see.
Mechanical keyboard
You can register an order of magnitude more keystrokes on an individual key of a mechanical keyboard than on a membrane keyboard before the key begins to wear out.
For instance, Cherry MX switches can record up to 100 million keystrokes. It makes a lot of sense economically for keyboard-intensive activities like gaming and programming.
Membrane Keyboard
While better versions of the membrane keyboard are available on the market, its keys are known to deviate from their factory conditions after about 10 million keypresses. Despite their shorter lifespan, they are suitable for lightweight and more straightforward typing activities in offices.
Versatility and Flexibility
When you purchase a keyboard, you have one goal, to customize it to meet your tastes as much as is possible.
Versatility and flexibility allow you to choose the colors you want to be displayed by the keyboard and rearrange or replace keycaps. In other words, you can customize your keyboard to meet your aesthetic needs. Here is how the membrane and the mechanical keyboards compare.
Mechanical keyboard
While a switch may outlive its keycap, the keycap’s letter markings may start to fade due to friction, thus warranting a face-lift. A mechanical keyboard allows you to replace a worn-out keycap or swap a keycap for another with a different preferable font.
You also have the option of replacing a broken switch or keycap without necessarily having to buy a new keyboard and removing the keycaps to clean them, plus their controls.
Membrane keyboards
Membrane keyboards have their keycaps permanently fixed on the keyboard. The only customization achievable with these keyboards is adjusting the lights on the keyboard however you want them to appear.
However, membrane keyboards are flexible to work with as they are inherently light and so you can use them on your laps and move about with them while working.
The overlap
Apart from the ability to customize the keyboard-light colors, membrane keyboards have a long way to go before bridging the gap in customizable features achievable with mechanical keyboards.
Conclusion
There is so much to say for both membrane and mechanical keyboard technologies, including attempts to integrate all top keyboard aesthetic properties into a single keyboard type to make them easier, comfortable, and enjoyable to use. Regardless, on a one-on-one comparison mechanical keyboards are better that membrane keyboards.
Mechanical Keyboard vs. Membrane Keyboard: Why Should You Choose a Mec – epomaker
Photo: EPOMAKER EP68 Kit with Marrs Keycap Set
Many casual computer users think that all keyboards are created equal. It’s not surprising given that many people are just using computers for typing, sending emails, and some office tasks. But hardcore gamers know that they’re not. Keyboard choice is crucial to the whole gaming experience and can level up even regular computing tasks. Whether gaming or typing, a keyboard that feels right in your hands can help you perform your best.
There are two types of keyboards available in the market: membrane keyboards and mechanical keyboards. While both can deliver the same function, one is far superior in terms of quality and mechanism. So, how do these two types of keyboards differ, and why is it better to choose mechanical keyboards?
Let’s find out!
What is a Membrane Keyboard?
The switch on a mambrane keyboard
Membrane keyboards are known to be the cheaper option. But that doesn’t mean that they’re not worth using at all. Yes, they are less durable and often lower quality compared to mechanical keyboards. However, some still break this stereotype and provide a better typing experience than your regular cheap keyboard.
So what exactly is a membrane keyboard? This type of keyboard contains different mesh-like layers of wires underneath the keys, all of which are pressure sensitive. Whenever you hit a key, the metal end situated below the typing surface of each key comes in contact with the membrane mesh, which completes one of the many parallel circuits and registers that keypress.
The switches are simple on most membrane keyboards. This means that there’s no feedback when you type, except when you try to press a key all the way to the end. Basically, the switch found on this type of keyboard is as simple as a light switch, where it can either be on or off without any feedback as you transition from one key to another.
But how does a membrane keyboard feel? While it’s true that you’ll get minimal to no feedback on every keypress, this keyboard isn’t just a mechanical keyboard stripped away of the premium touch. These keyboards are entirely different, and so is their feel. The membrane keyboard is a lot softer than mechanical ones to touch. This means that you won’t need force when you press each key.
That’s why cheaper membrane keyboards often feel mushy when you type in them. However, good ones can have a uniquely satisfying feeling that you could never feel on mechanical keyboards. Some mechanical keyboards require you to push down harder, which can be tiring and annoying for some. Good membrane switches are nice and easy, with gentle keystrokes that are comfortable to use. But this is rare to find, and often you’ll get one with the squishy feel.
Lastly, their hardware isn’t as premium as mechanical keyboards. But this is acceptable for many people, especially since they are affordable and can offer numerous advantages that can also be worth it if you can find a good one.
What is a Mechanical Keyboard?
Photo: Epomaker TH80
Unlike a membrane keyboard that comes with a simple on and off switch, a mechanical keyboard’s mechanism is much more complicated. The switches found on this keyboard come with a mechanical spring-loaded switch. This switch is activated once you hit the actuation point, which refers to the point where the keyboard registers a key.
Each mechanical keyboard has a different actuation force, such as 45g±5g, 55gf±10g, etc. The actuation force is the amount of pressure you need to put whenever you push down a key and is usually measured in grams. The lighter the actuation force is, the lesser effort you need to exert to press a key down. In contrast, a higher number requires a much firmer press but often gives a more clear up-and-down feel of the keys.
In addition, mechanical keyboards come with various types of switches: blue, brown, red, and black switches. Each type of switch offers different types of feedback and actuation force, which gives you more options to choose from.
Specs of Cherry MX switches
The blue switches are the most commonly used switches and come with high tactile feedback accompanied by a loud, clicky sound. Brown switches make less noise and have less feedback. Red switches don’t have any tactile feedback, meaning you won’t get any clicky noise like typical blue switches. Black switches are heavier than most, which can tire fingers out, especially when typing for extended periods. However, black switches are also popular among gamers who would like clear straight up-and-down tactile feelings.
These are just some of the most popular switches, but there are other types you can find that will suit your needs. Apart from the numerous options to choose from, mechanical keyboards are popular because of how they feel.
Since they have increased depth and analog nature, they have more feedback with every keypress compared to membrane keyboards. This makes typing feel more satisfying, especially for gamers and people who type all day. Sure, some types of mechanical keyboards can be a lot noisier than membrane keyboards, but since you don’t need to press each key all the way down, it makes it much easier and more comfortable to use.
In addition to the feel, mechanical keyboards offer a lot of practical reasons. Sure, they tend to be more expensive than most types of keyboards, but they offer higher durability. An average membrane keyboard can only last for about five million keypresses per switch. Sounds a lot, right? But mechanical keyboards provide hundreds of millions of presses, so five million presses are nothing in comparison.
So, if you’re looking for a keyboard that you can rely on for an extended period, there’s no doubt that a mechanical keyboard is your best option. Additionally, mechanical switches have lower response times which is why many gamers prefer them. It can also support key rollover, where users can press keys simultaneously. Membrane keyboards often don’t have this, while mechanical keyboards boast six to eight key rollovers, which is beneficial in gaming.
Membrane Keyboard vs. Mechanical Keyboard
Why Choose a Mechanical Keyboard?
(because our cats like to stay with it :))
Thanks to its tactile feedback, a mechanical keyboard can provide you with a comfortable typing experience. The clicky sound and snappy feel allow you to know whether or not a key has been registered. You also don't need to forcefully push down every key; some types of mechanical switches can read keypresses halfway through the travel.
Since you can choose a switch that will suit your typing needs, you are less likely to make typos on a mechanical keyboard than on a membrane keyboard. Once you grow accustomed to a mechanical keyboard, you can precisely type even without looking at the keyboard, relying on muscle memory alone.
In addition to a more comfortable typing experience, mechanical keyboards offer customization options, allowing you to remove and replace the keys as you please. Gamers will also benefit from this customization since they can replace the most frequently pressed keys with different colors or designs. This also means that no keyboard will be put to waste since you can simply replace a key when it stops working instead of replacing the whole keyboard.
Mechanical keyboards also support key rollover. This means that it can correctly detect the keys being simultaneously pressed on the keyboard, regardless of how many keys you input. Lastly, this keyboard is durable. Yes, they may be significantly more expensive than cheap membrane keyboards, but the mechanical nature of the switches ensures that they can last for years with the same look and feel.
Get Your Mechanical Keyboard at Epomaker Today!
