Are membrane keyboards better for poor gamers like me?

[P4r4gr4ph]

Yeah, I know, mechanical keyboards are superior and all, but I'm not the type of guy that can afford $150 for a keyboard alone. Hell, I'm still holding off on upgrading my PC where my new PSU is literally more expensive than my shitty CPU. My best taste of mechanical keyboards at home is the Reddragon K552 which I got for $30. Of course, it's basically just Cherry MX Blues made in China. I know that $30 is not gonna get me the best experience, but I'm not really willing to pay so much for a keyboard. I have been using it for a while, and it's actually had given me quite some trouble that I guess I decided to tolerate like I always do for whatever reason, such as it pretty much destroying discord voice chat rooms when I'm not using push to talk. Even then, in some cases, the keyboard can be louder than my voice, which is especially quite impressive in some weird way since I'm a total squeaker. I also know that mechanical keyboards aren't supposed to really be that quiet, but is there really no solution for MX keyboards to be silent without putting O-rings in them which makes it feels weird in some indescribable way, and now with the new MX Silents, it feels like there are giant O-rings built within the keys themselves? All of this isn't to say mechanical keyboards are shit. Believe me, I have window shopped and sampled many good mechanical keyboards and I would totally get MX Browns if I could afford it, but apparently not even off-brand browns are cheap enough for the $40 I'm willing to pay at the very most, at least from what I could find. However, I have had pretty good experiences with membrane keyboards, strangely enough. Hell, I even have a shitty Microsoft keyboard that is more silent and feels a lot more tactile than my mechanical keyboard. What I want is a keyboard that's tactile so I can tell when the key activates and what key it is, preferably quiet, preferably without a 10key, and preferably one where the switches won't fuck up if I spill the tiniest amount of my drink into the thing. I have yet to find any sort of MX browns for the $40 price range I want, and I feel like I've had better experiences with membrane keyboards. I guess at this point I should do a shitty transition back to the main question, which is if mechanical or membrane keyboards are right for my poor ass. I guess since I also described the type of keyboard I want, I guess I'm also open to suggestions on what keyboard to buy, and of course I'm willing to buy membrane.

 

TL;DR the only mechanical keyboard I've found in my price range is shit and the only other thing I can afford are membranes but I don't want to give up on mechanical keyboards but at the same time I don't know what else to do. Other than the main question being if mechanical keyboards are right for my cheap ass, I guess I'm also looking for suggestions on what keyboard to get, accepting membrane keyboards as well. Tactile so I can tell what key is being activated, preferably without a 10key, preferably one where the switches won't fuck up if I spill the tiniest amount of my drink in it, and preferably one that ain't so loud that it destroys whatever voice chat I'm in.

[r2724r16]

2 minutes ago, P4r4gr4ph said:

<big block of text>

TLDR?

[Garoninja]

If you are having fun and it doesnt bother you then go for it.

[aezakmi]

7 minutes ago, Geography said:

TLDR?

Ya, here: I'm on a tight budget trying to get a keyboard, for some unknown reason I want it to be mechanical but the only one I can afford is a $30 chinese knockoff that's probably a regular keyboard with springs to make it look legit

 

I pwned shitty noobs with a $5 keyboard for YEARS son so those who say a mech is better for games are liars. What matters for games is skill not having an expensive keyboard.

[Raudi_]

It's easy to find a keyboard with cherry clone versions of the MX Browns which I find to be a very scratchy switch overall. Some clone switches are a lot smoother I feel personally but you can also get a heavier switch as well. Which can help sometimes with the volume of the switch itself. 

[flibberdipper]

Even as someone who loves my Strafe with Reds, I'd be fine stepping down to one of Dell's membrane keyboards. Hell I've got one (albeit an annoying layout used down in Mexico) and honestly it's gotta be one of the least annoying modern membrane boards I've used. Genuinely my biggest complaint (aside from the layout) is the lack of media keys.

[BobVonBob]

Cheapo mechanical keyboard will probably beat a medium price membrane. Although I can't use a membrane now after using a mechanical keyboard for so long, so I may be incredibly biased.

[seon123]

You could take your Blue switch keyboard, and mod the switches into jailhouse blues. 

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=38091.0

[LukeLinusFanFic]

Linus recommended the red dragon in his "cheap mech keyboards under 45", and I have the TKL Aukey one that I genuinely believe could be used as a blunt instrument, at 25USD.

[dgsddfgdfhgs]

On 2/26/2019 at 8:24 AM, P4r4gr4ph said:

Yeah, I know, mechanical keyboards are superior and all, but I'm not the type of guy that can afford $150 for a keyboard alone.

Not at all, you can always get off brand mechanical keyboards for much cheaper.

unless you are very unlucky, they should feel good enough compared to those $150 ones.

eg I got my mechanical keyboard for under $15, no complains

[megasthenes]

I've tried multiple brands and price ranges of mechanical keyboards as well as rubber domes in the past two years and after all of this the thing that became clear is:

 

It's all about preference. After trying almost all cherry- and cherry-knockoff switches and resting with mx blacks for a while as they felt best for me, but still a bit wobbly, I gave it up and sold all my Cherry boards. While Buckling Springs have been my favourite switches I can't really use them as they're simply too loud - and would be too expensive for you either way.

 

I settled with rubberdomes now. But the arguably best domes I've ever encountered on an IBM KB-7953, which I bought as NOS for 15€. It easily beats each and every mechanical keyboard in the 40-150€ range that I've owned, but then again: preference.

[MagnusMunch]

On 2/26/2019 at 12:34 AM, aezakmi said:

Ya, here: I'm on a tight budget trying to get a keyboard, for some unknown reason I want it to be mechanical but the only one I can afford is a $30 chinese knockoff that's probably a regular keyboard with springs to make it look legit

 

I pwned shitty noobs with a $5 keyboard for YEARS son so those who say a mech is better for games are liars. What matters for games is skill not having an expensive keyboard.

"Pwned Shitty Noobs" wow what is a COD player doing on this forum lmao

[TheSpaceOtter]

ROFL

[Tristerin]

4 minutes ago, vinyldash303 said:

If you're looking at membrane keyboards, just look for one of these on ebay. Not the wireless one- the wired one. 

 

Its called the Dell Media Keyboard- bestest membrane keeb I've ever used. 

I agree with this 100% - I have this keyboard in the parts pile as my backup now (used SO LONG the grey under the space bar, plus the spacebar itself, have a worn out hollow where my hand rested gaming for soooo long LOLOL)

 

Anyhow, OP

 

Before buying a Mech Keyboard look at reviews.  Heres some blue, or brown switch mech boards, @ 30 shipped.  Everywhere I looked was 4 star or better reviews.

 

https://flash.newegg.com/Product/9SIA6YZ3V05217?icid=WP_17_02272019

https://flash.newegg.com/Product/9SIA6YZ3V05208?icid=WP_35_02272019

[aezakmi]

4 hours ago, MagnusMunch said:

"Pwned Shitty Noobs" wow what is a COD player doing on this forum lmao

1v1 me at nuketown boi

[Juniiii]

I like mechanical because of the feeling, tbh nothing to special, it’s probably more of a nuisance for everyone in my home since I’d be on my computer at 3 am and all they hear is “TICK TICK TICK TICK TICK.. TICK TICK TICK TICK TICK TICK TICK” as I furiously either do some Lua programming or rant on 4chan/reddit.

[i_build_nanosuits]

I use this and i LOVE it...was 25 or 30$ on amazon and it works amazing...

 

[MagnusMunch]

2 hours ago, aezakmi said:

1v1 me at nuketown boi

lmao