why are gaming keyboards so overpriced?

[BestBOTEU]

so i remember a few years ago gaming keyboard's max price was like 70$, nowdays most gaming keyboards i see are 100-120$, my friend has a black widow, i tried it and it feels exactly the same as my 10$ dell keyboard, all this mechanical keyboard stuff just seems like a marketing thing for me, sure people perfer build quality and silent keyboards but i dont think it justifies the 100$+- price, i think another big attraction to people who buy gaming keyboards are the leds

 

so if anyone here has some expensive gaming keyboard please explain why you bought it 

[ShadowCaptain]

so i remember a few years ago gaming keyboard's max price was like 70$, nowdays most gaming keyboards i see are 100-120$, my friend has a black widow, i tried it and it feels exactly the same as my 10$ dell keyboard, all this mechanical keyboard stuff just seems like a marketing thing for me, sure people perfer build quality and silent keyboards but i dont think it justifies the 100$+- price, i think another big attraction to people who buy gaming keyboards are the leds

 

so if anyone here has some expensive gaming keyboard please explain why you bought it 

 

Mechanical keyboards feel completely different to membrane keyboards

 

You also get things like customizable macro buttons, media controls, backlighting, interchangable keycaps, etc etc etc

[Guest]

Because 'gaming'

[Guest]

Also what, mechanical is not the same as membrane...

[mikat]

my macbook air also has backlighting  

[BestBOTEU]

Mechanical keyboards feel completely different to membrane keyboards

 

You also get things like customizable macro buttons, media controls, backlighting, interchangable keycaps, etc etc etc

macro and media controls are gimmicks, i bet most people dont use them or rarely use them

[BestBOTEU]

Mechanical keyboards feel completely different to membrane keyboards

 

You also get things like customizable macro buttons, media controls, backlighting, interchangable keycaps, etc etc etc

sure it feels different but does it justify the huge price? 

[Nup]

macro and media controls are gimmicks, i bet most people dont use them or rarely use them

 

Maybe, but it still costs to put them there and get them working. 

[ShadowCaptain]

macro and media controls are gimmicks, i bet most people dont use them or rarely use them

 

I use media controlls every day, many many times,controlling volume skipping songs, playing and pausing music etc, - especially if I am playing music while gaming so I dont hae to alt-tab

 

I also use macro keys for various premier pro  and photoshop shortcuts, and sometimes for games too , as well as controlling my shadowplay recordings much easier

 

 

Also you can pick a specific mechanical switch that you like, like I use a cherry mx blue keyboard at work for better typing, and I use mx browns at home, for a nice mix between typing and gaming

 

They are also better built AND more attractive on the desk

 

 

sure it feels different but does it justify the huge price? 

 

Absolutely

 

Also you need to learn

Expensive does not mean the same thing as overpriced - Yes they are expensive, but since they are worth their money to me, they are not overpriced

[TheGamingBarrel]

macro and media controls are gimmicks, i bet most people dont use them or rarely use them

I complain about not having them, I like listening to music during games, and whenever I use SharpKeys to rebind them to a media key my stuff breaks some games, like CS GO where play/pause drops my weapon. macro's are helpful because I need some things to be automated that I cannnot be bothered to script (Because I am lazy)

[RedSphyxis]

macro and media controls are gimmicks, i bet most people dont use them or rarely use them

wow don't go saying people don't use them just because you probably don't. I use media keys all the time for volume control and others. And as for macro's I use them for shortcuts in programming and editing photos.

 

For programmers, video editors and other media editors. Macro controls are extremely helpful to map out commands. Which leads to less fatigue and more efficiency.

[Thronar]

main price increase is because of cherry mx switches and yes they do justify the price

 

the rest comes from gimmicky crap like marcos, media keys, having 5 profiles, rgb, etc

oh and lets not forget adding an aluminum plate to get away with using shitter plastic

[BestBOTEU]

main price increase is because of cherry mx switches and yes they do justify the price

 

the rest comes from gimmick crap (prob only adds $10-15 at most) like marcos, media keys, having 5 profiles, rgb, etc

oh and lets not forget adding an aluminum plate to get away with using shitter plastic

so people buy these keyboards just so they will be 100% sure that they actually tapped a key and it registered? again a useless feature, while gaming you wont have time to concentrate about that and i never had a situation where i pressed a key and it didnt register unless i used a really old keyboard from the early 2000's, again its just marketing, thats all i see

[Thronar]

 

so people buy these keyboards just so they will be 100% sure that they actually tapped a key and it registered? again a useless feature, while gaming you wont have time to concentrate about that and i never had a situation where i pressed a key and it didnt register unless i used a really old keyboard from the early 2000's, again its just marketing, thats all i see

I cant speak for others but I pay for my mechanical keyboards because they dont feel like shit when I press them and I can replace the keycaps with keycaps that dont feel like shit

 

Quote from overclock.net

 

"There are a few advantages offered by mechanical keyboards over your typical rubber dome keyboard.

 

The feel: With a rubber dome keyboard you've got to press the key all the way down to the bottom to get it to register. This wastes a lot of energy and causes fatigue, as most of your effort is spent pushing against a solid piece of plastic. Mechanical keyswitches are designed so that they register before you bottom out, so you only need to apply as much force as is necessary to actuate it, not wasting any.

 

The choice: Mechanical keyboards are available with many different types of switches. Each different type of switch, whether it be one of the many Cherry MX options, Topre or Buckling Spring (among others) have unique characteristics that set them apart. As such, there are a multitude of options for you to choose from, to make your typing experience that much easier.

 

The durability: Modern mechanical switches such as Cherry MX varieties and Topre switches are built to withstand millions of keypresses, this combined with the modularity of switches like Cherry MX varieties mean that mechanical keyboards can last you far longer than their rubber dome counterparts."

[BestBOTEU]

I cant speak for others but I pay for my mechanical keyboards because they dont feel like shit when I press them and I can replace the keycaps with keycaps that dont feel like shit

 

Quote from overclock.net

 

"There are a few advantages offered by mechanical keyboards over your typical rubber dome keyboard.

 

The feel: With a rubber dome keyboard you've got to press the key all the way down to the bottom to get it to register. This wastes a lot of energy and causes fatigue, as most of your effort is spent pushing against a solid piece of plastic. Mechanical keyswitches are designed so that they register before you bottom out, so you only need to apply as much force as is necessary to actuate it, not wasting any.

 

The choice: Mechanical keyboards are available with many different types of switches. Each different type of switch, whether it be one of the many Cherry MX options, Topre or Buckling Spring (among others) have unique characteristics that set them apart. As such, there are a multitude of options for you to choose from, to make your typing experience that much easier.

 

The durability: Modern mechanical switches such as Cherry MX varieties and Topre switches are built to withstand millions of keypresses, this combined with the modularity of switches like Cherry MX varieties mean that mechanical keyboards can last you far longer than their rubber dome counterparts."

how can people get tired from using a keyboard?

[CyanideInsanity]

so people buy these keyboards just so they will be 100% sure that they actually tapped a key and it registered? again a useless feature, while gaming you wont have time to concentrate about that and i never had a situation where i pressed a key and it didnt register unless i used a really old keyboard from the early 2000's, again its just marketing, thats all i see

Im pretty sure most get it for the feel. I know i did, and i always see people saying they use mechanicals because they feel better.

As for price, membrane keyboards are just a pcb with a rubber sheet with contacts (i dont know what the contants are made of). Mechanical key switches are individual switches unlike membrane. Then you have QA adding some additional cost for too.

Although for the $100+ keyboards it probably is inflated a bit for the 'gaming' branding. There are mechanical keyboards for around $70 still.

[Thronar]

how can people get tired from using a keyboard?

have you tried typing for 8 hours for work/an essay/project/etc? trust me its not fun to do with a membrane keyboard

[Blebekblebek]

millions of people doing it daily from their cubicle

anyway, I use mechanical IBM keyboard since 92

and I don't miss it when it finally broke, it's heavy & noisy (I hate that clicky noise)

 

my father is a writer, even with mechanical it doesn't change his opinion that typing with Typewriter is still better for him.

[SillyWabbit]

You should see it as a gift to be able to see a $10 keyboard the same as a $150 keyboard. I mean seriously, in a good way.

 

Not all gaming keyboards are $100 it's just where all the heat is. It's like some car shows only does the 500k cars instead of your honda and toyota everyday working horses. Go to newegg and type in gaming keyboards and you still see more keyboards are under 50 or something.

 

And there is an enthusiast part of that too, that's with most people who games anyway, and there is actually a premium for that.

 

I wonder what is your status as of now OP, do you game a lot? Do you work as a professional closely related to IT? Because that's what really defines how you see the value of a $200 dollars product and if it's overpriced. If I only have to type for 1 day a month for my work then I'd not pay for a 200$ keyboard, but since it's more like 8 hours a day 5 days a week I'd gladly pay even for a marginal improvement in typing experience. I play tennis like, 5 times a year, I'd gladly do away with a $30 dollars racket instead of a $200 one.

 

Personal preference and purchase ability 

[SeriouslyMikey]

If you're talking about mechanical keyboards, then it's fairly simple. You're paying for the build quality and long lasting switches. Switches that can last decades without wearing out or gunking up, if kept in clean order. You're paying for metal and high quality plastic construction, with gold plated switches. 

If it's gaming keyboards in general. Everything with "gaming" on the box has a premium. Because of fools. 

[Villain]

Mechanical keyboards are definitely not just marketing. If someone uses their keyboard frequently whether it be for gaming or just typing, they will almost certainly see benefit in getting a mechanical.

 

As far as the "gaming" keyboards go, they are generally more expensive because it's easy to get people to pay more when you say it's for gaming; especially when it comes to people who are newer to pc gaming and may not realize that there is no real differences between a regular keyboard and a gaming one. There are some keyboards that cost more because of pretty lights and a few extra buttons here and there, but usually the extra cost isn't justifiable.

[Vozella]

Because people buy them.

[SkilledRebuilds]

Who here bought the Steelseries Zboard or Steelseries Merc Stealth

Like the ones with Claw gaming keys on the left side....

 

These were expensive back in the day... and still are.

[EpicAdom]

macro and media controls are gimmicks, i bet most people dont use them or rarely use them

I use the macro and media keys on my Razer Blackwidow all the time, so it would be incorrect to say that most people don't/rarely use macros.

 

Also, macro keys are very useful for people who use them to get work done more efficiently, so macro keys isn't a gimmick.

[ManWithBeard1990]

I find with my clicky switches and the excellent tactile feedback they give my typing is faster than it was before, and less full of typos.