News Computers Clicky Keyboards Are So Cool They Hurt Take care of your wrists by Charlie Sorrel Freelance Technology Reporter Charlie Sorrel has been writing about technology, and its effects on society and the planet, for 13 years. our editorial process Charlie Sorrel Published March 3, 2021 Updated March 3, 2021 01:39PM EST fact checked by Rich Scherr Fact checker Rich Scherr is a seasoned technology and financial journalist who spent nearly two decades as the editor of Potomac and Bay Area Tech Wire. Our Fact-Checking Process Twitter LinkedIn Article fact-checked on Mar 03, 2021 Rich Scherr Tweet Share Email Computers Phones Internet & Security Computers Smart & Connected Life Home Theater Software & Apps Social Media Streaming Gaming View More Key Takeaways Mechanical keyboards look, feel, and sound great. Many models are too tall for comfort, and may cause wrist pain. The clicky keyboard habit can get expensive. Charlie Sorrel / Lifewire Clicky keyboards are hot. They look cool, they sound great, and they’re a lot of fun to use. But they’re often too tall, can aggravate repetitive strain injury (RSI), and many of them aren’t as well-made as you’d like. Mechanical keyboards come in a few basic types, but all of them have sprung keys that move way more than the keys on a modern laptop. This springy movement, along with a positive click that lets you know when a keypress has been registered, make them very satisfying to use. I love them. I’ve owned or reviewed plenty of them, and I still keep a few under the couch. But I rarely dig them out anymore, because they’re just too painful. What is a Mechanical Keyboard? Picture a computer from the 1980s, or an electric typewriter like the IBM Selectric from the 1960s. They comprise a molded plastic keycap, with a switch underneath, and the best ones, or at least the noisiest ones, are the Cherry Blue switches. These switches are the whole point of a mechanical keyboard, because they provide a feel unlike that of any scissor-switch or butterfly keyboard, or those awful rubber-dome switches found inside really cheap keyboards. "This springy movement, along with a positive click that lets you know when a keypress has been registered, make them very satisfying to use." Those keycaps can also be pulled off and replaced. The switches aren’t moving (unless you have a special model where the switches are meant to be replaced), but the keycaps can be swapped. There’s a big market for custom keycaps, so you can really go to town and customize your keyboard. Ergonomics The keys take a little getting used to. The first few days can be frustrating. If you ever swapped your mouse or trackpad to your non-dominant hand, this feels the same. The discomfort is in the head, not the fingers. But persevere and it will seem quite comfortable. Or not. While some people prefer the increased finger movement of mechanical keys, others (like me) may find it uncomfortable after a while. It all depends on your own setup, and the state of your carpal tunnels. Mine aren’t happy with an extended use of clicky keys. Charlie Sorrel / Lifewire But more pressing than the keys, themselves, are the ergonomics of the keyboard as a unit. I find they are, almost universally, too tall. Unlike a regular modern computer keyboard, which is only a few millimeters tall, the average mechanical model can tower well over an inch above the desk. Couple this with today’s desks, which are also a little high, and you have a recipe for RSI. Look at the stands that held old electric typewriters, and you’ll see how low they are compared to your desk. If your keyboard forces your forearms up to meet it, you should either add a keyboard tray under the desk, or saw a few inches off the desk’s legs. I opted for the latter, but it’s still too high with some keyboards. Expensive Habit The other downside of mechanical keyboards is they’re expensive. That’s no problem on its own, because a good keyboard will last decades, but they can be addicting, and you might find yourself with an expensive habit. Charlie Sorrel / Lifewire Here’s an example. I’m using my trusty Filco Majestouch 2, which I really love. While writing, I decided to research the latest low-profile mechanical keyboards, and it sent me on a journey into expensive experimentation. If you write all day long, you owe it to your wrists to get a good keyboard, and to position it properly. That may be a mechanical model, but it might equally be a simple modern keyboard. Whatever you do, don’t use a mechanical keyboard if it's uncomfortable, no matter how cool it looks. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Email Address Sign up There was an error. Please try again. You're in! Thanks for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. Thank you for signing up. Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit