Do mechanical keyboards hurt fingers? Mechanical keyboards don’t hurt your fingers and if they do you might be doing something wrong.
Here’s why mechanical keyboards don’t hurt fingers, how to stop them from doing so and why they are popular.
Are Mechanical Keyboards Harder on Your Fingers?
No, mechanical keyboards aren’t hard on your fingers. In fact, they are the best-recommended type amongst types, gamers, etc.
The ability to swap out the switches which change the tactile feedback and travel makes mechanical keyboards popular.
Mechanical keyboards are only hard on your fingers if you press them all the way down. In other words, bottoming out the keys are harder on your fingers and might cause discomfort.
When typing make sure the keys go down enough for it to register. If you are coming from a chiclet keyboard to mechanical.
This change might be hard to do because chiclet keyboards don’t have deep travel making you bottom out the keys when typing.
Do Mechanical Keyboards Make Your Fingers Tired?
First of all, what type of switch are you planning to use? Different switches require different levels of actuation.
Using more force than necessary will make your fingers get tired easily especially if you bottom out the keys frequently.
What about if the mechanical keyboard is right and you don’t bottom out?
Then it might be that you have been typing for too long or your typing posture/position is preventing you from applying the right amount of actuation force i.e., ergonomics, chair height, etc.
There might be several factors that might cause your fingers to get tired when typing and this isn’t limited to the type of keyboard (mechanical, membrane, or chiclet).
Do Mechanical Keyboards Hurt Fingers?
If you are not used to a mechanical keyboard, then using it for the first time might cause your fingers to hurt.
Aside from that, mechanical keyboards do not hurt your fingers. There are a few reasons why you feel pain when typing on a mechanical keyboard:
- Bottoming out the keys during typing will cause your fingers to hurt i.e, pressing it all the way down. Tapping a hard surface repeatedly with the tip of your fingers will cause pain and that’s what happens when you bottom out keys.
- Improper ergonomics can cause your fingers to hurt. The angle of the keyboard, size of the keyboard, sitting position, table height, chair height, etc. all play crucial roles in preventing hand, finger, and back pains caused by typing.
Are Mechanical Keyboards Better For Touch Typing?
Yes, mechanical keyboards are fantastic for touch typing. Because you will clearly feel every key that has been pushed due to the incredible tactile feedback.
This results in higher accuracy and precise typing on a mechanical keyboard.
Are Mechanical Keyboards Better For Your Fingers?
Assuming you have ergonomics right and you don’t bottom out the keys. Then mechanical keyboards are better for your fingers in the short and long term.
Mechanical keyboards have the right amount of tactile feedback and key travel compared to other types of keyboards.
Moreover, you have the option of accessing several types of key switches which have their own actuation force, travel, noise, etc.
For example, the Cherry MX red switches have low actuation force allowing for rapid typing or key presses.
On the other hand, the Cherry MX blue switches have a higher actuation force and provide greater typing feedback making them awesome options for touch typists but at the cost of being loud.
If mechanical keyboards hurt fingers then they wouldn’t be popular. Different types of mechanical keyboards and switches cater to different needs.
Overall, they are much easier on the fingers than chiclet and membrane keyboards.
