Are Mechanical Keyboards Better For Office Work?

Mechanical keyboards are the rage in modern workplaces. They offer variety, customization, and ergonomics that the membrane keyboard cannot. The crisp keystrokes and solid feedback provide a luxurious feel that glues employees to their work desks.

Office work can be harsh on the body with hours of typing and usage. The comfort of keyboards with linear switches and typing experience on a tactile switch make mechanical keyboards ideal for office work. According to the latest research, Acumen expects the market to grow from 1.3 billion USD to 5.6 billion USD by 3033.

Continue reading to learn about these mechanical switches and what makes a mechanical keyboard excellent for office work. You will find value in this blog!

1. What Makes a Keyboard Mechanical

The mechanical key switches are the components that make a keyboard mechanical. The switch design makes the keyboard feel linear, tactile, or clicky.

Every key under the keycap consists of a mechanical switch in mechanical keyboards. There are as many switches as keys. The mechanism starts working as soon as we apply force to a key. The keycap moves downward with force against a spring inside a mechanical switch until the metal contacts meet.

A membrane keyboard has a rubber or silicon dome that deforms when we press a key. The rubber moves and contacts the circuit on the keyboard PCB to register a key.

2. Why Use Mechanical Keyboard for Work?

Workplaces mainly utilize two types of keyboards: membrane and mechanical. Membrane keyboards are standard in office work as they offer value for money. However, with time, the benefits of the mechanical keyboard outweigh the membrane mechanism in performance and ergonomics.

Mechanical keyboards for office work offer a hot-swappable option, which makes them maintenance-friendly. Users or technical departments can easily replace a faulty switch with a new one without changing the keyboard. It saves costs in the long run.

3. Office Keyboard Buying Guide

There are loads of mechanical keyboard suppliers in the market. Each offers a unique spin on the design to cater to different buyers. To make sure you find the best product for your office or personal use, here is our short guide:

Usage Type: Loud, Tactical or Silent

The mechanical keyboards are available in all configurations. There are options suitable for a quiet cubicle or a tactile courtroom keyboard. Here are the three standard switches to look for when purchasing a keyboard:

● Red Switches: Users who require a smooth operating experience without tactility and loudness can opt for a red switch. Their design is linear movement and is best for a quiet environment.

● Blue Switches: For a clicky experience, go for the blue switches. They are loud and suitable for a confined space where others might not get disturbed. Or in an industrial application where key press conformance is vital for operations.

● Brown Switches: Typists in an open space can use brown switches. They provide tactility with a satisfactory bump that typists crave.

Layout: Space or Operability

There are multiple layouts available for a mechanical keyboard. Small sizes provide space for mouse movement and generally have better aesthetics. However, they need more keys; otherwise, they may hinder some user's performance. In comparison, full-size keyboards are the best for office use but take up a lot of desk space. So choose wisely among these widely available layout options:

● Full-Size

● TKL

● 75%

● 65%

● 60%

Wired vs. Wireless: Charge-free or Convenience

Offices can vary in their working environment. Users can decide whether a wired or wireless mechanical keyboard is better depending on their usage.

● Wired: There is no need for charging, and the best response time. There are zero interference issues, and they are generally highly reliable.

● Wireless: Frequent charging can be troublesome as it may cause a loss of focus. Wireless keyboards are prone to interference but provide excellent convenience and portability.

4. The 5 Best Office Keyboards for 2024

Now that you have a clear target for buying a mechanical keyboard for your office or home usage. Take a look at our recommendations from the best mechanical keyboard suppliers. Some options suit every user type:

Logitech MX Mechanical

Layout: Full-size | Hot-Swappable: No; Connection: Wireless Switch Type: Mechanical

Considering the standard layout and full-size layout as criteria, Logitech MX Mechanical is an excellent choice for office workers. Logitech is a well-known name in the mechanical keyboard supplier category. The keyboard has three different typing styles: Clicky, Linear, and Tactile Quiet. The choice depends on the buyer. It can connect through Bluetooth or a 2.4 GHz wireless dongle included with the keyboard.

MEETION MK007 PRO

Layout: Full-size | Hot-Swappable: Yes | Connection: Wired | Switch Type: Mechanical

If you want a metallic surface keyboard that is reliable and long-lasting, then MEETION MK001 PRO is a great choice. It offers Outemu Blue Switches, perfect for typists who want solid feedback for essential registration. Aesthetically, it is ideal for a creative work environment where professionalism and innovation meet. Each key is hot-swappable and sits firmly on top of a high-grade PCB. Each key has a rating of more than 50 million keystrokes.

NuPhy Air75 V2

Layout: 75% | Hot-Swappable: No | Connection: Wireless | Switch Type: Mechanical

The keyboard offers an excellent 75% design, ideal for a small tabletop. The low-profile design features a choice of 6 types of mechanical switches. Users can connect the keyboard using BT, 2.4GHz, or wired. It provides a 1000Hz polling rate for flawless performance without a wired connection. Overall, it's a minimalist design keyboard with high performance.

MEETION MK80

Layout: Full-size | Hot-Swappable: No | Connection: Wireless | Switch Type: Mechanical

Are you looking for a slim keyboard with a crisp typing experience? The MEETION MK80 is ideal for its full-size design and Outemu slim blue switches. The chocolate keycaps and mechanical switches have a 50 million keystroke rating. The keyboard offers full-key anti-ghosting capability, so there is no limit to simultaneous keystrokes. Its 64-grade e-sports game chips can store macros, improving your productivity. Overall, it's a slim, aesthetically pleasing keyboard with a solid base and powerful performance.

Keychron V3

Layout: TKL (80%) | Hot-Swappable: No | Connection: Wireless | Switch Type: Mechanical

Ten Key Less (TKL) is a popular format for offices that do not use the numeric keypad. The mechanical keyboard features PBT keycaps with good illumination. It comes with a Program V3 featuring QMK & VIA. It lets users program the keys and map them according to their requirements. It is ideal for IT professionals and programmers who demand a subtle look with the programmable key feature.

Conclusion

Overall, a mechanical keyboard is suitable for office work. On the other hand, we have a membrane keyboard that does not offer much flexibility. A mechanical keyboard can cater to every type of user. Using the mechanical key switches, mechanical keyboard suppliers can offer varying actuation force, travel distance, tactile feedback, and audio experiences. Overall, mechanical keyboards are great for gaming and equally excellent for office work. So why wait! Get one for yourself today.