Category Archives: Mechanical Keyboards

The Translation: Actuation force is the exact amount of physical weight (measured in grams) required to press a key down far enough for the computer to register it. Use It In a Sentence: “I type really heavy-handed, so I prefer switches with a high actuation force so I don’t accidentally press the wrong keys.” WhyContinue reading “Actuation Force”

The Translation: PCB stands for “Printed Circuit Board.” It is the flat, green (or black) fiberglass board sitting inside the keyboard case that acts as the “brain.” Use It In a Sentence: “I accidentally spilled coffee on my desk and fried the PCB, so the keyboard won’t turn on anymore.” Why You Care: Every singleContinue reading “PCB”

The Translation: “Lubing” is the painfully tedious process of taking apart every single switch on your keyboard and painting a tiny amount of special grease onto the internal plastic and metal parts. Use It In a Sentence: “I spent four hours last night lubing my switches, but the keyboard sounds incredibly deep and smooth now.”Continue reading “Lubing”

The Translation: Switches are the individual plastic and metal mechanisms sitting underneath every single keycap. They determine exactly how it feels and sounds when you press a key. They come in three main flavors: Linear (smooth all the way down), Tactile (a little bump you can feel halfway down), and Clicky (loud and typewriter-like). UseContinue reading “Switches (Linear vs. Tactile vs. Clicky)”

The Translation: A “hot-swappable” keyboard has special sockets that let you pull out the mechanical switches and push new ones in using just a pair of tweezers. No soldering iron required. Use It In a Sentence: “I wasn’t sure if I would like loud, clicky keys, so I made sure to buy a hot-swappable boardContinue reading “Hot Swappable”