Membrane vs. Mechanical vs. Optical Keyboards
Which type of keyboard is best? Mechanical keyboards have been around for longer, but were supplanted by keyboards with softer, quieter membrane keys. Some gamers swear by the clickety-clack of mechanical setups, while others favor the new kid on the block, optical keyboards, which use light rather than physical metal contact filaments. We’re going to try to put this issue to bed, but we fear that even the MaximumPC team might remain divided....
ROUND 1
Value
Straight out of the gate, optical keyboards stumble. Using a combo of sturdy mechanical keys and lightbeam-based switches results in a costly manufacturing process, and optical keyboards tend to be expensive.
Membrane keyboards are almost unilaterally the cheapest option. Many business environments have made the shift to membrane keyboards, usually due to price and quietness. Generally, a multipurpose membrane keyboard is cheaper than a mechanical model with the same features, primarily due to the lower cost of the materials. Membrane key tech has effectively reached its apex, too, so industry efforts can be focused on making the production process more affordable.
Mechanical models sit somewhere in the middle. While the base technology behind mechanical key switches has been around for years, modern mechanical keyboards use delicate, expensive components in their key switches, and the tech is still being refined and improved. That’s not to say that mechanical keyboards can’t be affordable, but budget-friendly ones tend to be lower quality or feature-light compared to membrane keyboards of the same price. A clear winner, then.
Winner: Membrane
ROUND 2
Precision
Anyone who tries to convince you that membrane keyboards offer the best sensitivity and performance is wrong. Just wrong. Membrane keys do have advantages, but the precision of a mechanical key switch is simply superior. Cheaper membrane decks tend to have issues with key rollover, where rapid key presses fail to register separately, and many people find membrane keys feel spongy.
Some mechanical keyboards offer adjustable key actuation—the point to which a key must be depressed to register any input—and certain highend units may even have keys with analog switches capable of registering variable inputs. Customization is often king when it comes to mechanical keyboards, with gimmicks such as swappable key switches (commonly Cherry’s color-coded MX switches).
Mechanical and optical keyboards are great for registering rapid simultaneous inputs—ideal for gamers and speedy typists. Mechanical keys vary significantly when it comes to input response, with more expensive keyboards typically having less delay, but optical key switches register input at the speed of light, making optical keyboards the most precise of all.
Winner: Optical
ROUND 3
Feedback
Physical typing feedback can be crucial when deciding what keyboard to buy. If you don’t like how using it feels, you’re not going to want to type on it every day. This is tricky for us to judge; this very writer prefers a flat, quiet membrane keyboard for office work, but craves chunky mechanical keys for gaming. Personal preference is a major factor.
Mechanical keyboards can have a variety of key press responses, from smooth Cherry MX Red switches to the more tactile MX Greens, which have an audible click and require more force to press. Optical keyboards use fixed LEDs and light sensors, so the actuation point usually can’t be adjusted and key press sensation is more in control of the manufacturer.
Membrane keyboards, on the other hand, tend to have less key travel and a more squishy typing sensation, as the base of each key presses against the flexible membrane below to close an electrical circuit. The membrane isn’t as solid as the springs in mechanical and optical keyboards, but some users prefer that; for us, though, a sturdy mechanical key is more satisfying. You know when you’ve accidentally hit a key on a mechanical keyboard, which is why they get the win.
Winner: Mechanical
ROUND 4
Ease of Use
Membrane keyboards are quiet. Without a physical switch beneath the key, much of the noise produced by the keyboard is reduced or absorbed by the membrane underneath the keycap. Mechanical and optical models can be clattering monstrosities under the fingers of a fast typer. A physical switch produces more noise, and while optical keyboards can be slightly quieter than their mechanical brethren, both are beaten in the sound stakes by the mighty membrane.
Membrane keyboards tend also to be lighter and smaller than the others; their composition uses fewer metal components, and membrane keys can sit flush with the rest of the board due to their reduced travel. Only a select few could bear using a mechanical keyboard on their lap, while membrane ones can be incredibly light and thin.
Mechanical keyboards ( and most optical ones) are easier to clean, as each key can be removed without the need for any tools. Blast compressed air into the space below and boom, clean keyboard. The keycaps can usually be washed separately, too. Membrane keyboard users don’t enjoy this luxury, but they’re still easier and quieter to use, so they win this round.
Winner: Membrane
ROUND 5
Durability
This is where membrane keyboards really fall down. Where a mechanical or optical key will, in most cases, retain the same pressing sensation for its lifespan, the squishy layer beneath the keys of a membrane model wears away, changing the feel of the keys.
Mechanical keys last longer and the switches are also relatively straightforward to replace. Membrane keyboards are significantly harder to repair should a key fail, but will likely need replacing long before that point, due to the membrane wearing thin.
In terms of day-to-day use, optical keyboards have the longest lifespan. The key switches last longer than mechanical keys, due to the lack of delicate electrical contacts, and the key switches are usually simple to replace. So, why do mechanical keyboards win? While mechanical key switches might wear out a bit faster than optical ones, mechanical keyboards are more robust on the whole. Tiny light sensors and emitters mean that optical keyboards are more susceptible to damage, dust, and electrical failure. Mechanical keyboards last for ages, and if you drop one, the most you’ll likely have to do is pop a few keycaps back on.
Winner: Mechanical