Pros and cons of choosing an electronic watch. World leaders in watch production

A person somehow enters information into a computer using a keyboard. Some people may not use it as actively; others, due to their duties, are forced to spend hours typing out long, multi-page documents. In general, many people are very careless when choosing a keyboard, not knowing that the ease of working with a computer directly depends on it. Also, not many people know that the most the best type The keyboard on the market is the mechanical keyboard. Let's dot all the i's right away: we understand perfectly well that mechanical keyboards are far from cheap, and besides, not everyone may like them. But believe me, if you have never typed text on such a keyboard in your life, then you have lost a lot.

As you may have guessed, in our material we will talk to you about how to buy the right mechanical keyboard. Anyway, we’ll try to explain to you what a mechanical keyboard is and why it’s so cool. So, let's get started.

Features of a mechanical keyboard and why you should have one on your desk

Most modern keyboards for personal computers use rubber pads for the button pressing mechanism. That is, when you press a key, you bend this spacer until the contact on the button closes the contact on the pad. In general, this keyboard option benefits from its low cost and relatively quiet operation. True, when typing text on such a keyboard you will not get a clear tactile feeling of pressing, and over time, such a gasket under the keys will definitely lose its elastic properties and you will have to get used to new strength pressing

The situation is slightly different with laptop keyboards. They use a special “scissors” type mechanism to press the keys, thanks to which we have a better tactile feeling of pressing, less key travel and low level noise. True, the service life of such keyboards is also short.

The process of pressing keys on a mechanical keyboard is best described as an electronic board with many switches. For example, the most common keystroke type on a mechanical keyboard is Cherry. Its essence is that when you press a key, the rod in it moves down and closes a contact on the board. In addition to this type of clicks, there are also other types. For example, the Topre click type, which is also popular but very expensive. Here, a rubber membrane and a conical spring are used for pressing. The very fact of pressing is recorded by a change in the electrical capacitance of the spring.

According to statistics, the use of mechanical keyboards greatly increases the comfort of typing. This is achieved due to the fact that you can constantly feel the tactile key press itself and you do not need to press them all the way. Moreover, this type of keyboard is ideal for gamers as they respond much faster than classic membrane keyboards.

In addition, mechanical keyboards are extremely durable. Statistics show that the keypress mechanism can withstand up to a million keystrokes. Therefore, even with fairly intensive use, such a keyboard can last long years. It is worth noting that some enthusiasts, in order to extend the life of their favorite keyboard, can transfer pressing mechanisms from other models to it.

Choosing a mechanical keyboard form factor

And so, we have already figured out what a mechanical keyboard is. Now let's move directly to the selection criteria. The first step when choosing a keyboard is to decide on the form factor. Surprisingly, you have a wide choice here.

Full size keyboard. A 100% or full-size keyboard is a classic keyboard with an additional number pad. That is, in such a keyboard you have a full set of all the necessary keys for working with a computer. The main disadvantage of such keyboards is that they are too large and bulky. In addition, they are often ineffective due to the fact that you have to move your hands far to reach the necessary keys. If you don't enter digital information often, the extra number pad can be a real burden.

80% keyboard (TKL)– this is the same classic keyboard, but without an additional number pad. If you don't use the number pad that often, then this keyboard is definitely for you. In addition, such keyboards are smaller in size, and the mouse is then not so moved to the side.

60% keyboard– a very popular keyboard form factor in last years. Such a keyboard has only a block of letters, number keys and a block of keys for control. It does not have a dedicated block of arrows and function F-keys and a number pad. These keys are accessed by pressing the Fn function key and another corresponding one. In general, these keyboards are very compact and efficient once you get used to accessing missing keys via the Fn button.

65% keyboard- This is an intermediate option between 80% and 60% keyboard. Its main difference from the 60% keyboard is that it has arrow keys, as well as PgUp, PgDown, and so on.

40% keyboard is an extremely small form factor that only has a block of letters. All other keys are assigned to one or two function keys. Why such keyboards? It's very simple: they don't take up much space on your desk, your hands don't have to move far in search of the right key, which dramatically increases your efficiency.

Selecting a click mechanism in a mechanical keyboard

After you decide on the form factor of your mechanical keyboard, you should move on to choosing the type of click mechanism. As we wrote above, the most popular type of pressing mechanisms is the Cherry mechanism. Since the patent for this mechanism expired five years ago, many clones with backward compatibility have appeared on the market.

In general, there are three Cherry mechanisms different types: with a clear click, with increased tactility and linear. In addition, each category has both a light pressure option and a tighter one.

Which type of mechanism should you choose? Everything here is very individual. For example, people who are accustomed to working on ancient typewriters like to use hard tactile mechanisms or mechanisms with a clear click. Mechanical gaming keyboards often use soft linear mechanisms. We recommend using soft tactile mechanisms, since they have very informative key presses without an additional click.

You can also try the Topre type of keystroke mechanism. But keep in mind that there are very few keyboards with such a mechanism. Yes, and they cost noticeably more.

Results

Buying a keyboard is very important point, because the overall efficiency and convenience of working with a computer depends on this. If you have to type a lot or want to avoid lag in games due to long key presses, then buy a mechanical keyboard. Thanks to the unique keypress mechanism, this keyboard will allow you to accurately feel the moment you press a key, as well as determine the height of the press. In addition, the mechanical keyboard has a high degree of durability, which will definitely justify the investment made in it. Happy shopping and see you in the next materials.

Read about how to choose a good gaming mouse in the following.

With the development of technology, many mechanisms and devices that were previously actively used by people have sunk into oblivion, replaced by newfangled inventions. However, this does not apply to watches. This measuring mechanism has long passed into the category of a status item, emphasizing good taste and the position of its owner. Therefore, the question of how to choose a watch of decent quality is always relevant.

Clockwork

This criterion is key when choosing, because the operating features and reliability of the watch depend on the mechanism. However, there is no clear answer as to which mechanism is better. It all depends on the taste, wishes and habits of the watch owner.

Mechanical watches

More than four hundred years ago they appeared mechanical watches, however, they are still the standard of quality and reliability. The source of energy in a mechanical watch is a spring or weights, and time is measured by the mechanical oscillations of a pendulum or balance-spiral. It is on this principle that many branded wristwatches work.

Advantages of mechanical watches:

work without a power source, there is no need to change the battery and contact a service center for this.
high maintainability
service life of 10 years or more with proper care.

Mechanical Men's Watch preferred by people who want to purchase reliable, high-quality, expensive thing. After all, they are usually produced in the middle and premium segments. Mechanical watches can be either manually wound or self-winding. With manual winding, by turning the crown, we force the drum shaft to rotate. Thanks to the self-winding system, with each movement of the hand, the gears independently set the watch spring in motion. Manufacturers of mechanical watches often choose a design that allows the wearer to enjoy the sight of a working mechanism.

Quartz watch

Quartz watches appeared relatively recently, about 40 years ago. This is a more common option due to its moderate price. They work on a quartz oscillator that creates electromagnetic oscillations. Available in a variety of designs and versions. These are the kind of women's watches that are most often found on the hands of fashionistas, decorated with bright straps and sparkling stones.

Why do buyers prefer to purchase stylish watches with quartz crystal:

Affordable price. There are practically no people involved in the assembly of such mechanisms, which reduces their cost;
Light weight. The tiny weight of the operating mechanism makes the final product almost weightless. That is why women's wristwatches are most often quartz;
High accuracy. The error in the operation of such a clock mechanism is about 20 seconds per month;
Reliability. The simplicity of the design and the small number of mechanisms contained in it ensure a low number of breakdowns;
Durability of use. They function without changing the battery for 5-10 years.

Digital Watch

They are the brainchild of technological progress. Applying modern technologies, manufacturers have turned such a simple and familiar mechanism into a real multifunctional device. Particularly “advanced” models combine many options: notebook, alarm clock, telephone, voice recorder, pedometer, heart rate meter and others. Such “gadgets” are usually preferred by supporters of technological progress and lovers of electronic toys.

Features of choice

Having selected the optimal clock mechanism for your needs and requirements, we pay attention to other important parameters:

Manufacturer. Branded Ladies Watch and high-status men's clothes are not produced in Chinese factories. Truly high-quality items are made by watch houses with long history and traditions passed on from generation to generation;
Originality. Counterfeits of famous brands help to show off others, but you can’t fool yourself;
Color and shape. Selected based on your own taste preferences. It is advisable that the accessory fits harmoniously into your image and is ideally matched to the size of your hand.
Case material. It can be textile, leather, plastic and metal (including precious and semi-precious metals). This factor greatly affects the price of the product.

Regardless of the type of product chosen, the features of its design, you should buy it from a reliable seller who can confirm the quality and originality of the products presented. Otherwise, there is a high probability of purchasing low-quality products at the price of the original watch.

A mechanical keyboard is not the cheapest option, so you should choose it wisely. In this article, we'll tell you how to avoid wasting your money on a keyboard that isn't right for you.

Types of mechanical keyboards

There are quite a few different types and classifications of mechanical keyboards. We will try to systematize them all and tell you how to make a choice.

There are four types of mechanical keyboards based on size:

Full-size with numpad (100−110%).

Without numpad (75%).

Without numpad, arrows and home/pgdown keys, etc., F-row. All missing keys are activated using fn (60%).

A minimum of everything. In such keyboards there are two fn - each activates its own additional buttons (40%).

The last two types are ideal for carrying with you all the time (for example, as a replacement keyboard on a laptop), the first two are universal options.

Based on the presence of backlit keys, keyboards are distinguished between backlit and non-backlit.

Backlit keyboards are usually used as gaming keyboards. With high-quality RGB lighting, you can highlight different colors groups of keys at your discretion to make it easier to use game macros in dark time days. The lighting can be adjusted to match the interior of the room or the color of the cat’s fur; the options are limited only by the owner’s imagination.

But it’s better to take the workhorse without backlighting, as it is distracting and, because of this, begins to irritate. Although this is a matter of taste.

By format, keyboards are divided into ANSI (American layout) and ISO (European layout).

They differ in the size of the Enter, Shift and backslash keys and functional features Alt keys(Alt Gr is used to enter additional characters European layout).

The choice of format is purely a matter of habit and convenience.

If it is possible to change the assignment of keys, non-programmable devices, keyboards with DIP switches and programmable keyboards are distinguished.

DIP switches allow you to swap the ctrl-caps buttons in hardware, disable/enable the win button (useful for gamers so that the game does not crash), swap win and alt (useful for Mac users). In other words, customize the behavior of modifier keys.

Programmable keyboards allow you to reprogram the entire keyboard layout. This is often implemented in the form of switchable layers. For example, Vortex keyboards have only 4 layers - 1 default plus 3 programmable ones, which you can easily switch between.

Based on their shape, mechanical keyboards are divided into classic and ergonomic. Ergonomic keyboards are designed for those who have problems with their hands, back, or those who like maximum comfort.

They are presented in two types:

In one package: Kinesis Advantage, Truly Ergonomic

Separate: Ergodox, Mistel

Expensive, but very high quality and convenient. Ideal choice for programmers, copywriters and other speed typing Jedi.

We saved the most important things for last. This is a classification of mechanical keyboards by switch type.

The presence of switches is the main difference between mechanical keyboards and their main advantage.

In the article we will consider Cherry MX switches as the most popular and time-tested (produced for almost 30 years).

The picture shows the main switch options:

For beginners in the world of mechanics, Cherry MX Brown is suitable - they are quiet and give excellent feedback.

For games, it is better to choose Cherry MX Red (classic), Cherry MX Silent Red (if it is important for you that the keyboard is quiet), Cherry MX Black (if you like tight keys), Cherry MX Speed Silver (if you need high-speed typing).

For coding and copywriting, it is better to choose Cherry MX Blue (for clicking fans), Cherry MX Speed Silver (as in games, emphasis on speed).

Cherry MX Clear - switches for experienced mechanics. We will not consider them in detail.

How to make a choice?

Conclusion from the information above:

If you type a lot and have started to notice shoulder fatigue and poor posture, take a look at ergonomic keyboards.
Gamers will be better off with standard keyboards, perhaps with additional macro keys, DIP switches, or the ability to completely reprogram the buttons.
If you are looking for a replacement keyboard for your laptop, take a look at compact keyboards (40-60% of the classic size).
The most important: Select the appropriate radio buttons. Can't figure out what you need? Take advantage.

Once upon a time, at the dawn of computer construction, all keyboards were mechanical, and under each key there was a hardware switch with a spring. Today, the vast majority of keyboards are rubber-film: they are soft, compact and silent, not very durable, but cheap. However, everything appears on the market more models classical mechanical design, and not only gaming ones, but also completely ordinary ones. Maybe it makes sense to take a closer look at a mechanical keyboard? Let's talk about the advantages and disadvantages of this solution.

First of all, a few words about why today we mainly use rubber-film keyboards. main reason- their cheapness. Over time, personal computers turned from an obscure and inaccessible curiosity into a common household appliance, and indestructible “mechanics” like the IBM Model M turned out to be simply disproportionately expensive for such a device. It is not easy to convince an ordinary user of the need to buy a keyboard for a hundred dollars, if a product that is exactly the same in appearance and functionality can be purchased for a fiver. Therefore, for many years, mechanics remained a niche product for enthusiasts and professionals.

Today the situation has changed, and mechanical keyboards have again begun to win the attention of consumers. There are two reasons: expanding the range of such devices and, of course, reducing prices.

The main advantages of “mechanics”: a clear tactile sensation of pressing; the moment of operation is often accompanied by a loud click; durability and reliability (Cherry claims that its switches can withstand about 50 million clicks). The feeling of using the keyboard is especially important for those who type a lot of text: these are typists and journalists, writers and programmers, PR specialists and copywriters. “Water” rubber-film keyboards with minimal free play and lack of a clear feeling of operation are much more tiring after prolonged use.

The revival of the mechanical keyboard market began with models for gamers: as in many other cases, it is gaming applications that become the main incentive for improving personal computers. Not all mechanical switches are structurally suitable for active games, but some of them allow you to install reliable and fast programmable keys into your keyboards.

There are a lot of relatively inexpensive mechanical keyboards available that allow you to enjoy all the advantages of this type of device, but without various frills typical of gaming models - that is, without backlighting, replaceable colored keys, wrist rests, etc. Rosewill STRIKER RK-6000 keyboards, Ducky Zero DK2108 and Monoprice generic Mechanical keyboard cost less than $60: this is about twice as expensive as a high-quality rubber-film keyboard famous manufacturer. And if you use your computer for half an hour a day to check your email or read your Facebook feed, then the “free” keyboard that came with your PC will naturally be enough for you. But if a computer is your main work tool, or if you're a dedicated gaming fan, then you'll really be able to appreciate the difference.

To choose a mechanical keyboard, you just need to try it out in a store. Even budget models are initially made from high-quality components and can last a very long time. But, of course, it is always useful to know some of the nuances of their design. In particular, it is useful to have an idea of what types of mechanical switches exist and which one is used in the model you like. It is quite easy to determine the type of switch by ear and hearing. tactile sensations. Here brief descriptions several popular types today.

1. Cherry MX Black and Cherry MX Red

The most common types of switches with uniform linear force when pressed. The MX Black variant has a tighter action and will definitely appeal to those who hate accidental key presses. MX Red switches are easy to press, especially suitable for gaming keyboards where they are often used quick combinations keys Both types do not have the click characteristic of the “mechanics”, so they are perfect for games where constant “clicks” will only distract from the process.

2. Cherry MX Blue

Mechanical switches with a “click” and a distinct tactile response. Aimed primarily at those who work a lot with texts or code. These switches have a distinct actuation point about halfway through the travel and a loud click that makes these keyboards best avoided in open offices. Their point of loss of contact is higher than the actuation moment, that is, the key must rise almost completely to do this, and this limits the use of MX Blue in gaming keyboards, where fast response is valued and repeated presses are often used.

3. Cherry MX Brown

A hybrid of MX Red and MX Blue, these switches have a distinct tactile response but virtually no click, making them equally suitable for gaming or work keyboards. The keys are easy to press and, unlike the Blue, the actuation point and loss point are almost the same, so they're great for games that require quick, repeated presses.

4. Buckling Spring

These are exactly those classic switches with a bending spring that were used in the legendary IBM Model M keyboard. The principle of operation is that when pressed at a certain moment, the spring in the switch “breaks” and the hammer is activated, closing the contacts. This is the only switch option where the moment of operation exactly coincides with the click, and due to the design features, the key stroke itself is non-linear when pressed. An absolute classic, adored by professional typists dating back to the eighties. For everyone else, such keyboards can quickly tire of them due to the loud “clicks” and the need to make a noticeable effort. Today, Buckling Spring switches are found, for example, in Unicomp keyboards.

5. Topre

Hybrid mechanical-capacitive switches that combine the tactile response of mechanical devices with the softness of rubber-film ones thanks to a thick rubber cone at the base. Spring compression causes change in conductor capacitance and triggers it. Compared to other mechanical switches, Topre are significantly quieter, although they do have a distinct “click” sound. They are perfect for typing texts and will especially appeal to those who are used to soft rubber-film keyboards.

There are some other types of mechanical switches - for example, Black and White Alps, but these are less common today than all of these, although they were quite popular in the 90s. Interestingly, Cherry independently produces switches under its own brand and sells them to other companies for the manufacture of keyboards. At the same time, Buckling Spring and Topre switches are produced by a variety of manufacturers and may have noticeable design differences.

Of course, it’s far from a fact that you need a mechanical keyboard. Firstly, they are almost the same O horns, secondly, they are much noisier than rubber-film ones, and thirdly, they are quite bulky due to the design of the switches. But if you work a lot with texts and code, then it’s worth at least trying “mechanics”: it can increase typing speed and accuracy and provide a more comfortable typing experience than a cheap rubber-film keyboard.