Mechanical Keyboard Sound Isn't That Simple
Figure 1: I couldn't think of a more literal way to represent this article if I tried... Looking back just a few years ago, there’s no doubt that the huge influx of people that joined the hobby at the peak of the COVID pandemic were drawn to keyboards by way of YouTube, TikTok, and other audio-visual content platforms. Even as the output from these content creators has waned in recent months, their collective impact and legacy on the keyboard hobby is rather firmly etched in the history books. As a result of all of their sound tests, build logs, and opinion videos, the message is clear to any new person joining the hobby: mechanical keyboards are all about the sound. Thock this, clack that. Whether it’s keyboards, keycaps, or even singular switches, seemingly everyone new to the hobby meticulously pores over each component of their keyboard not in an attempt to figure out how it will feel in hand, but how it will sound as they’re furiously grinding their way out from...
Mar 27, 2024
There we have it - an existential breakdown by means of mechanical keyboard switches. By no means was this article meant to disparage anyone from attempting to dive deep into the world of switches, nor anyone who has taken up attempts over the years to try and document them all for themselves. Rather, given the fact that I am asked about this or pointed in the direction of someone attempting it on nearly a monthly basis, I felt the need to comment on the general impossibility of it all. Or, if it truly is possible, it’s a lot harder than most people take for granted at the onset of it all. The wide world of mechanical keyboard switches is complex, deep, and honestly a little bit intriguing when you consider that the best switches you’ve ever tried are likely still out there for you to find. Instead of getting hung up on trying to document each and every one of them, attempting to enjoy the journey into switches and mechanical keyboards in pursuit of your endgame build is what we should all be striving for.