6 reasons it's the best time to take a leap of faith into mechanical keyboards

Summary

• The community is bigger than ever and offers tons of advice for any newcomer.
• Both the number of options and the price of high-quality keyboards have improved tremendously in the last few years.
• Manufacturers are providing modding-friendly keyboards, and building your own is easier than ever.
• Advanced features like Hall effect switches and 8KHz polling rate are becoming more popular, pushing the technology ahead.

If you've read some of my recent articles, you'll know that I write about mechanical keyboards — a lot. I might have to give it a rest for a month (no promises though). It's just the way it is lately. Mechanical keyboards are growing in popularity every day. We're getting fantastic new models across form factors from tons of manufacturers, exciting new features are coming to more and more keyboards, and the buzz in the community has been irresistible.

However, if you've still not used your first mechanical keyboard yet, this is undoubtedly the best time to indulge in this hobby. Even if you have used one of the entry-level, mass-market mechanical keyboards, there's a whole other level of quality and performance waiting for you by just spending a fraction more for a unique one. It would be fair to say we're in the golden age of mechanical keyboards, and I'm here to convince you why.

6 It's easier than ever to join the fray

The community is ripe for newcomers

Getting into mechanical keyboards might have felt a tad overwhelming a few years ago, considering the number of things you needed to know to buy one. To make matters more complicated, the information on the internet wasn't as simple and easily digestible as it is today. For a newbie mulling a mechanical keyboard purchase today, there are tons of excellent resources at their disposal — from YouTube creators to reliable publications and welcoming subreddits.

There are sound tests for different switches, keycaps, cases, and sound-dampening materials available online to guide you.

Compared to just a few years ago, there's a lot more visibility into what to expect when buying your first mechanical keyboard. There are detailed reviews on almost every keyboard you can find, so you don't need to go in blind. There are sound tests for different switches, keycaps, cases, and sound-dampening materials available online to guide you. And if you want to keep it even simpler, you can just pick one of the best keyboard options suggested by the publication or YouTuber you trust.

5 More options than ever before

Our level of access to excellent keyboards is insane

When mechanical keyboards started becoming popular again many years ago, we used to see only a handful of models, mostly from big-brand manufacturers. They were nascent compared to what we have today, and hadn't perfected the technology or feature set yet. In 2024, you have a myriad of choices when it comes to high-quality keyboards from both big-brand and smaller manufacturers.

Today, features like aluminum cases, hot-swappable switches, LCD screens, triple-mode wireless connectivity, and built-in foam are commonplace.

If you're not interested in flashy and "gamer" styled designs, you can choose enthusiast boards that are catered towards users who prefer understated and premium-feeling models. These keyboards might or might not be priced like premium and luxury products, but they will definitely provide that feeling. Today, features like aluminum cases, hot-swappable switches, LCD screens, triple-mode wireless connectivity, and built-in foam are commonplace.

4 Prices have never been lower

The barrier to entry has fallen to the ground

Only about two years ago, it was still hard to find the kind of build quality, features, and overall experience you desired at the level of $50 keyboards you can easily get your hands on today. Even if you could pick up a $70 or $30 budget mechanical keyboard back then, which had the features you wanted, the value of the product was far from ideal. You had to suffer through tacky designs, a lack of compact-layout models, and questionable build quality.

It's fairly easy to find a TKL or 75% wireless keyboard with hot-swappable switches, pre-installed foam, and programmable keys, all for around $60.

Fast-forward to today, and the market has turned on its head. It's nearly impossible to come across anything that doesn't have great quality across the board. Leaving aside the dirt-cheap keyboards you can find on Amazon for around $25, once you cross the $50 price point, the world is your oyster. It's fairly easy to find a TKL or 75% wireless keyboard with hot-swappable switches, pre-installed foam, and programmable keys, all for around $60.

You can even find pre-lubed switches and stabilizers at that price, and that's astonishing. You're getting features on budget keyboards that were unthinkable just a year ago. Whether you want RGB lighting or Mac support, keycap & switch options or USB passthrough, adjustable kickstands or knobs & screens — everything has arrived on sub-$100 and even sub-$80 keyboards from several affordable manufacturers.

3 Manufacturers are becoming modding-friendly

Prebuilt doesn't have to mean non-customizable

The growing popularity of mechanical keyboards and the rising interest of users in modding their keyboards have forced manufacturers to take notice. Almost every new model that has come out in the last year has featured hot-swappable PCBs, re-programmable keys via QMK/VIA or proprietary software, and easy-to-open cases for simple internal mods.

The vast majority of keyboards are not that hard to open and modify.

Buying a prebuilt mechanical keyboard shouldn't have to prevent you from tweaking some of its aspects to suit your preferences, and brands have started making this possible. Sure, you will find the odd model that's a pain to take apart, but the vast majority of keyboards are not that hard to open and modify. You just need to be sure you know what you're doing, as the warranty won't cover any unintentional damage you cause to the board.

So, as a newbie, if you aren't comfortable with keyboard mods now but want to have the option in the future, you have a lot of keyboard options that can enable that.

2 Building your own is easier than ever

Custom keyboard building is not scary anymore

Building a keyboard from scratch might be too advanced for someone who has never bought a prebuilt mechanical keyboard. However, if you're someone who already has a list of requirements that none of your shortlisted keyboards fulfills, and you've grown confident that you can put a keyboard together yourself, there are many DIY kits available to make your task easier.

You can even customize the kits during the purchase process, choosing different designs, colors, and additional weights (to add more heft).

Many kits come with the case, PCB, stabilizers, gaskets (if any), and everything but the switches and keycaps pre-assembled. You can even customize the kits during the purchase process, choosing different designs, colors, and additional weights (to add more heft). Then, all that remains is buying the switches and keycaps of your choice, and installing them on the kit to create a custom keyboard of your own.

If this middle ground isn't your scene, and you want complete control, then there are enough and more tutorials to hand-hold you through the entire process. You'll have to buy each component yourself, and it might cost more than a decent prebuilt keyboard, but the end result might be way better than any other keyboard you can buy off the shelf.

1 New features and technologies are gaining ground

Magnetic switches, premium materials, 8KHz polling rate

Mechanical keyboards aren't just meant to provide a superior typing experience and endless customization, but they're now also on the cutting edge of keyboard technology. From Hall effect (magnetic) switches that can enable unprecedented speed and functionality, to 8KHz polling rate for near-instant response, we're seeing more and more manufacturers coming up with advanced features. Materials like anodized aluminum and premium wood are also getting more popular.

We're yet to see how the more affordable brands respond to these trends, so there are interesting times ahead for keyboard fans.

From Razer, Steelseries, and Corsair, to Keychron, Wooting, Nuphy, and Akko — every brand has Hall effect keyboards on offer for competitive gamers and passionate enthusiasts. This year looks especially exciting for the community as manufacturers race against time to produce the most advanced keyboards at the lowest price. We're yet to see how the more affordable brands respond to these trends, so there are interesting times ahead for keyboard fans.

There's no time like the present to buy your first mechanical keyboard

The saying happens to be accurate as far as the state of the mechanical keyboard market is concerned. This year has shown us cutting-edge features, premium materials, modding-friendly keyboards, and excellent value-for-money models. We're not even done yet - the remainder of the year is about to bring more exciting models to the market. I'm looking forward to the Nuphy Field75 HE in particular for its magnetic switches and incredible design.