Probably Need a New Keyboard

[Vicarian]

I'm a programmer, and I have a pretty fast typing speed, which means the force and frequency with which I press my return key is a bit higher than the average user.  My return key is starting to not register presses.  The same is happening to a few other keys I press fairly often.  I don't really have soldering equipment or the skill to be able to fix a broken switch connection on the PCB.  I currently have a Razer Blackwidow Chroma V2.  Does anyone have any experience with a more durable mechanical keyboard that I won't gradually destroy while doing my day job?

[GarlicDeliverySystem]

Without sending you down the custom keyboard rabbit hole too much, but I would encourage you to look for the following features:

• hotswap switches, meaning you won't have to solder in the future to replace/change switches when they break
• "gasket mount", the idea being that the PCB/plate combo is not screwed into the case, but held at the edges by a rubber gasket or foam pieces. The effect can range from nonexistent, to only affecting sound, to really dampening the bottom out and absorbing a lot of the force when pressing "too far".

The former is probably more important, though the latter might be something for you, if you really feel you hit them too hard.Be warned though, "gasket mount" is also somewhat of a marketing term nowadays and effects vary from model to model.

 

Depending on the size and layout of the board, as well as budget of course, there are some great options for value in the smaller sub-TKL (75% or 68%, even 60%). Full-size with proper layout are rarer.

[Vicarian]

I should have mentioned I get a lot of use out of this board's 10-Key layout, in addition to navigating a file with Home, End, Page Up, and Page Down.  I wouldn't own a board for daily driving without this layout.  I'll look into the gasket mount feature, thanks.

[GarlicDeliverySystem]

17 hours ago, Vicarian said:

this board's 10-Key layout,

OK, maybe I am missing something, but I only see a regular full-size board with maybe the extra macros on the side and some weirdness going on with the bottom row?

[Vicarian]

5 hours ago, GarlicDeliverySystem said:

OK, maybe I am missing something, but I only see a regular full-size board with maybe the extra macros on the side and some weirdness going on with the bottom row?

I meant that it actually has a keypad on the right.  I do get some use out of the macro keys, but not a dealbreaker.

[GarlicDeliverySystem]

22 hours ago, Vicarian said:

I meant that it actually has a keypad on the right.  I do get some use out of the macro keys, but not a dealbreaker.

Well, the usual suspects are Nuphy, Monsgeek and Keychron then. Otherwise, some brands like Ducky also offer hotswap versions now, even some gaming brands starting to get into that, finally.