Gaming keyboards are an important part of building a gaming PC. They are the primary way that you interact with a game. This means that your keyboard affects your performance in competitive games. However, while mice tend to get a lot of attention paid to their qualities like DPI, people often neglect their keyboards. A poor choice of keyboard might be the bottleneck that is slowing down your game. This comes down to how quickly you can do inputs on your keyboard, and how accurately there measured. In this area, you have two choices, a mechanical or membrane keyboard.
For the most part, mechanical keyboards are much better for gaming. There are a few reasons for this. However, it doesn’t mean membrane keyboards are useless. They have their positive qualities. It’s worth learning what the differences between the mechanical and membrane keyboards are, and which you’re going to need for gaming.
The Difference Between a Mechanical or Membrane Keyboard?
The difference between a mechanical keyboard and a membrane keyboard is how it registers that you’ve pressed a key. Underneath a mechanical keyboard, there are individual switches for each key. A button press registers that you’ve flicked each switch. A membrane keyboard is a thin layer on top of a circuit. This registers that a button has been pressed through the membrane, rather than having a unique identifier for each key. The difference is that a mechanical keyboard is considerably more sensitive.
What’s Better for Gaming, Mechanical or Membrane Keyboard?
While there are exceptions, out of a mechanical or membrane keyboard, mechanical tends to be much better for gaming. They offer a lot of better performance. The button presses register as quickly and smoothly as possible. However, there are some positives for membrane keyboards.
Membrane keyboards are lighter and more portable. This suits some people better. They are also considerably cheaper, which needs to be considered. Membrane keyboards can also be quiet, unlike mechanicals which make an awful lot of noise.
Generally, mechanicals are considerably better for gaming performance. However, membrane’s do offer some extra convenience.
Are Mechanical Keyboard Worth it for Gaming?
While both mechanical or membrane keyboards are going to be fine for most people, mechanicals tend to be better for serious gaming. They’re a lot more responsive, durable, and can be adapted to suit your specific needs. They offer a lot more advantages when it comes to gaming. But are they worth the extra price?
Mechanical keyboards can be bought affordably if you look in the right places! They aren’t as important for your PC as choosing the right GPU or other bits of hardware though. A mechanical keyboard is going to be worth it in the long run. However, it isn’t necessarily a part of the gaming PC to prioritize purchasing. Replacing a membrane further down the line is always an option if you’re unsure if a mechanical is going to be worth it.
Are Membrane Keyboards Bad for Gaming?
Membrane keyboards, when working perfectly, aren’t inherently bad for gaming. However, mechanical keyboards are a lot better. The membrane is still going to be serviceable, especially if you’re only playing on a casual level. A membrane keyboard can be fine for gaming, and mechanical keyboards being significantly better doesn’t make them bad. Although, if you’re really looking to improve things than switching out the old membrane keyboard is going to help you do just that.
What Keyboards Are Best for Gaming?
There are a lot of keyboards out there at the moment, membrane and mechanical, that claim to be the best for gaming. The market can get a bit crowded. This guide covers the best keyboards for gaming at the moment, including mechanical keyboards at a great price and membranes that can hold their own while gaming.
If you’re unsure about any of the massive amount of terminology involved in gaming, our other guides are going to be helpful for you!
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