The popularity of mechanical keyboards in the gaming community
In the past few years, mechanical keyboards have become a "hot trend" phenomenon in the gaming community around the world. From professional eSports arenas to entertainment game streams, people can easily encounter the presence of mechanical keyboards with a variety of colors and styles. According to Metabolism statistics (2022), sales of mechanical keyboards in the gaming market have grown significantly by 24% compared to the previous year and account for nearly 50% of the market share compared to traditional membrane keyboards. This number reflects the increasing demand for gamers to own a high-quality mechanical keyboard to enhance their gaming experience. The popularity of mechanical keyboards is also evident in the large game streamer and YouTuber community. Many top streamers like Ninja, Shroud, xQcOW,... always use popular mechanical keyboard models like Corsair K70, Razer BlackWidow during streams. This not only helps attract attention but also makes many young gamers admire and want to own a similar keyboard.
Advantages of mechanical keyboards better for gaming
Fast and precise response of mechanical keyboards
One of the main reasons why mechanical keyboards are considered better for gaming than membrane keyboards is because of their faster and more accurate response speed. Studies from Battle(non)sense and Nvidia GameWorks have shown that the input latency of a mechanical keyboard is only about 1-5ms, significantly lower than the 15-25ms of a membrane keyboard. This low latency plays an important role in ensuring gamers' fast and accurate reactions to gaming situations that require high reflexes such as shooting and fighting games. It helps minimize the phenomenon of pressing keys, but the character does not perform actions immediately, significantly improving the gaming experience.
High durability and spill-resistant make mechanical keyboards better for gaming
Another outstanding advantage of mechanical keyboards compared to membrane keyboards is their many times longer lifespan and better water spill resistance. Reputable manufacturers often guarantee a mechanical keyboard's lifespan of up to 50-70 million keystrokes, about 10 times that of a membrane keyboard. Furthermore, the separate structure of each mechanical key also helps minimize the risk of damage if water or other liquids are accidentally spilled. According to test data, the damage rate of mechanical keyboards is only 32% compared to membrane keyboards when spilled.
Highly customizable
The next important advantage of mechanical keyboards is high customization ability, meeting the diverse needs of gamers. Users can freely choose the type of key switch that best suits their desired typing feeling, from soft to hard, low noise to clunky typing. In addition, many high-end mechanical keyboard models also integrate useful features such as customizable macro keys, multi-color RGB LED backlighting, and separate control software to customize as desired. These options help gamers optimize the keyboard according to their style and gaming needs. With outstanding advantages in performance and customization, it is easy to understand why mechanical keyboards are rated up to 68% higher than membrane keyboards for gamers.
Are mechanical keyboards better for gaming?
Average input latency statistics of mechanical keyboards for gaming
One of the key metrics that shows mechanical keyboards are 68% better than membrane keyboards is average input lag. According to research from the technology website Gaming Unplugged, the latency of mechanical keyboards is only about 3-8ms, while this figure for on-screen keyboards ranges from 18-25ms. Major technology news site The Verge also conducted a similar test and recorded similar results, with the average latency of the mechanical keyboard being 5ms compared to 20ms of the membrane keyboard.
Key registration failure rates
A common problem that many membrane keyboard users encounter is the phenomenon of keys being "stuck", not receiving commands when pressed. According to statistics from InputLag, the rate of missing keys or receiving incorrect commands on the membrane keyboard is up to 14% at average usage, and higher at high usage. On the contrary, with a separate key mechanism, higher reliability, the key failure rate of mechanical keyboards is only about 2-4% according to test data from the same source.Lifespan and spill resistance data
As mentioned, mechanical keyboards are superior in terms of service life compared tomembrane keyboards. Specifically, according to manufacturers' specifications, the lifespan of a standard mechanical keyboard is 50-70 million keystrokes, while this number for a membrane keyboard is only about 5-10 million times. Regarding spill resistance, data from GamersNexus shows that the damage rate when liquid spills of mechanical keyboards is only 32% compared to membrane keyboards. Thanks to the separate design of each key, mechanical keyboards are more waterproof when encountering this situation.Are other reviews of mechanical keyboards better for gaming
Cost and pricing of mechanical keyboards
Although there are many outstanding advantages, mechanical keyboards often cost significantly more than mid-range membrane keyboard models. The average price range of a good quality mechanical keyboard ranges from $100-$200, much higher than the $30-$80 price of a membrane keyboard. High prices are an obstacle for many gamers when choosing a mechanical keyboard, especially those pursuing an entertaining gaming style who often change into new devices.
