Do you play Doom with a mechanical keyboard or membrane keyboard?

[THEBaratusII]

I've been in a debate about getting a mechanical keyboard, so I've decided to post this topic. What is your preferred type of keyboard for playing Doom (or other FPS games)? is it mechanical or membrane? If possible what are your recommendations for a mechanical keyboard? (I've barely used mechanical keyboards and am willing to try one.)

 

Don't forget to tell what model of the keyboard you are using. ;)

Edited January 14, 2020 by Baratus II

[BigBoy91]

My current setup. Could use some improvement, but it feels comfy for the time being. Not really a priority as long as PrBoom+ runs fine.

 

So yeah, membrane.

[Bauul]

I play Doom on my laptop, but I bought a mechanical keyboard for work, as typing on one I find a much more pleasant experience.

 

These days you can pick up perfectly decent mechanical keyboard for relatively cheap.  I bought this one about three years ago and I've been completely satisfied with it.

[THEBaratusII]

2 hours ago, lazy91geek said:

My current setup. Could use some improvement, but it feels comfy for the time being. Not really a priority as long as PrBoom+ runs fine.

 

So yeah, membrane.

Ah nice, I can see my topic in this photo :-)

 

1 hour ago, Bauul said:

I play Doom on my laptop, but I bought a mechanical keyboard for work, as typing on one I find a much more pleasant experience.

 

These days you can pick up perfectly decent mechanical keyboard for relatively cheap.  I bought this one about three years ago and I've been completely satisfied with it.

I looked at that keyboard you've linked, pretty good to know it has MX-Brown switches. I heard that those switches are good for both typing and gaming. 

[Chow Yun Thin]

I still use my Microsoft Internet Keyboard and have no real need to switch.

[Grazza]

Mechanical. This one to be precise (a little pricey, but I got it at a considerable discount as a Black Friday deal). Nice and responsive. Good for both gaming and typing. Maybe too clicky/noisy for some. And most importantly it lights up in all sorts of customizable ways.

[CyberDreams]

Sadly, i've never used a mechanical keyboard but i suppose it would be my "preferred" way to play any game as i know for a fact they are better. They are also easier to clean as every key comes off.

 

But for now i voted Membrane as that's what i have. I just use a Logitech G105. Fairly standard full size gaming keyboard. It lights up, you can press multiple keys at one, ect.

 

BUT if i could afford it, i would go with a mechanical for sure.

 

5 hours ago, Grazza said:

Mechanical. This one to be precise (a little pricey, but I got it at a considerable discount as a Black Friday deal). Nice and responsive. Good for both gaming and typing. Maybe too clicky/noisy for some. And most importantly it lights up in all sorts of customizable ways.

I've always heard good things about those Corsair keyboards but damn those prices haha!

Edited January 14, 2020 by CyberDreams

[StoneMason]

I felt much more comfortable typing and gaming after switching to Mechanical. This is my current keyboard

 

[xvertigox]

3 hours ago, Baratus II said:

I've been in a debate about getting a mechanical keyboard, so I've decided to post this topic. What is your preferred type of keyboard for playing Doom (or other FPS games)? is it mechanical or membrane? If possible what are your recommendations for a mechanical keyboard? (I've barely used mechanical keyboards and am willing to try one.)

 

Don't forget to tell what model of the keyboard you are using. ;)

 

Mechanical is where it's at. I've got around 9 different mech boards so I can definitely help out. At the moment I'm running a WASD board with cherry blues - I was running a model M as my daily driver for a good year or so (buckling spring).

 

If you're looking for a good middle of the road mechanical keyboard I'd recommend getting something with either blacks or browns. I'm running a das with cherry browns (blank caps) at work and it's a beaut. Maybe a nice TKL board? Personally, I don't fuck with RGB but that doesn't really make the boards much cheaper.

[Egg Boy]

Using a generic ass Microsoft brand keyboard, putting together a new PC right now which WILL have a mechanical keyboard, just to see what the fuss is about.

[seed]

Just a regular gaming keyboard. I am thinking of upgrading to a mechanical one in the future though, but it's not a priority considering it's quite a bit more expensive.

[incel]

Membrane keyboards? Like on ZX81?

Edited January 14, 2020 by incel

[chungy]

I use this for everything: https://www.daskeyboard.com/daskeyboard-4-ultimate/

[ReaperAA]

Have been using Membrane keyboards my entire life.

[idbeholdME]

Doom is the main reason I got a mechanical keyboard. Was sick of not being able to circle strafe to the left. This is the one I use: https://steelseries.com/gaming-keyboards/6gv2. Really glad that it has the US layout and not the one used in EU (small left shift, terrible for gaming).

 

Due to the shitty matrix layout of cheap membrane keyboard, some inputs don't register. Try circle strafing to the left and shooting at the same time on keyboard only. You will get a beep 100% of the time on membrane keyboard.

 

Plus it feels nicer, is easy to clean, has incredible life span and I really like the MX Blacks. The only thing that I would consider a negative is that spacebar is extremely easy to press on the 6gv2. Can barely rest my thumb on it.

 

EDIT:
Oh an if you want to make sure that there is actually no limit to how many key presses will register simultaneously, make sure you use the PS/2 connector and not USB. Dedicated gaming keyboards should come with a USB to PS/2 adapter included. I could literally smash my hand into the keyboard and every single one of the keys that got pressed would register.

Edited January 14, 2020 by idbeholdME

[Matias]

I literally started using mechanical keyboard today.

I was using ~20year old IBM rubberdome keyboard up to this point. (using the ps/2 port)

And the only reason why i was able to justify spending money at mechanical was by making a list of things that i didn't like about my previous keyboard.

 

Is it worth it to upgrade? Yes if you have a reason for it.

But if you are perfectly happy with your current setup then there is no reason to upgrade. 

 

oh and the mechanical keyboard has cherry mx brown switches.

As someone who has not used mechanical keyboard before i had to do extensive research on what switch would fit my preference

 

So far the mechanical feels way different to my previous keyboard but nothing that you can't get used to. 

Edited January 14, 2020 by Matias

[Tartlman]

I'd use a mechanical keyboard but they're way too noisy for me.

[idbeholdME]

19 minutes ago, Tartlman said:

I'd use a mechanical keyboard but they're way too noisy for me.

Get non-clicky, linear switches. Blacks or Reds if you go for Cherry.

 

Blues are nonsense for gaming. It is so noisy it actually distracts from the game. And I sure as hell wouldn't want to share or even be in a room with anyone using them.

 

Browns are questionable, but I don't need a noticeable bump to be able to tell that I pressed a key. It also makes quickly double-tapping a key slightly more difficult due to having to get over the bump twice in quick succession.

 

Mechanical != noisy.

Edited January 14, 2020 by idbeholdME

[_bruce_]

All keyboards I own are cheap membrane ones.

The mechanical keyboards are the tits but the Cherry models I want are very expensive - ~200€. Nearly fetched one with blue switches for 50€ but forgot and it already had been sold the next day.

Btw, the louder the better.

Edited January 14, 2020 by _bruce_

[mewbusi]

I personally have a mechanical keyboard with Cherry MX Brown switches that I use for my home keyboard. Having a tactile switch with a little bit of audio feedback is personally what I prefer.

 

However if you do want an overview of the Cherry MX mechanical keyboard switch type check this out https://www.hyperxgaming.com/us/keyboards/switches

 

Also you can heavily reduce noise with mechanical keyboards with o-ring dampeners, personally I haven't tried them before but I do hear good things about them.

[Killer5]

Big fan of the hhkb.

 

Topre switches feel great and the layout is great for work.

[Doomkid]

Here’s my Epic Gamer Gear™:

 

 

I used to use a clunky, old, beige Gateway keyboard that plugged into the PS/2 port, but the limited number of simultaneous button presses made it impractical, as much as I loved using it..

Edited January 14, 2020 by Doomkid

[Doom_Dude]

I'm still using a logitech internet navigator keyboard from 2000 or something. It has these silly specialized keys along the top for starting your webcam and other useless shite. I do like the fact that the music player function keys still work, so I can mute, pause, adjust volume, etc with a key press... Oh and the web scrolling keys on the side work but I rarely use those. heh. Otherwise it's a tough old son of bitch that keeps on ticking. I even spilled beer in it once and had to strip it down and dry it out. haha. I built a new comp a couple years ago and kept the old keyboard. I was gonna buy one of those newfangled keyboards but never did.

 

 

My previous keyboard was one of these guys. In other words I've not owned very many keyboards. Like fucking 2.

 

 

So between these 2 I've gone through, 4 or 5 computers.

Edited January 14, 2020 by Doom_Dude

[THEBaratusII]

1 minute ago, Doomkid said:

Here’s my Epic Gamer Gear™:

 

 

 

[unerxai]

I just use cheap keyboards 'till they start dying. They last me years anyway

[Doomkid]

The next time someone tells me 2000 wasn’t the last year of the 90’s, I’m going to show them that Dell ad. Despite being from 2000 it smashes you in the face with 90’sness!

[THEBaratusII]

@unerxai Here's one of my keyboards I've used for years. However just recently found out that it went defective like it would lock up and it took multiple presses to register a key etc. (This is a membrane keyboard though.)

 

For now I am using a IBM KB-0255 membrane keyboard till I can get a replacement keyboard.

[BBQgiraffe]

I had a mechanical keyboard for about a year but it's really loud and one night my brother came out of his room, unplugged it from my pc, and fucking stomped on it until the thing was in pieces, so now I use membrane.

[unerxai]

@Baratus II In my case the WASD keys eventually start crapping out (missing inputs), but like I said it takes a lot of time.

 

Once I bought a "gaming keyboard" but all it was, was a normal black keyboard with red WASD keys. It was awesome.

[fraggle]

I have a Poker II with MX Clears that I use for work and a Filco Majestouch with MX Browns at home.

 

"Speed Silvers" are the linear switches that Cherry have introduced specifically for gaming. I've been tempted to pick up one of those cheap gaming half keyboards that are available now and refit it with speed silvers since it would make a nice compact setup that would both be cheaper than and use less desk space than a whole second full-size keyboard.