Mechanical keyboards seem like a example of creating a need through advertising instead of filling an existing need[0]. It worked well enough that I bought a $100+ mechanical thinking I was missing out. In a way you do get what you pay for since mechanical keyboards tend to last longer. But other than that they are not quantifiably better. For me I noticed my typing speed was reduced even after using it a couple weeks, so went back to low profile rubber dome and never looked back.
[0]: Actually I do not know the history here. What started the rush for mechanical keyboards? It feels like there was a point in time where they became fashionable, I assume it had to do with advertising campaigns but it could have been organic interest too.
Having a fifteen year old, my perspective is it’s the cool YouTube fetish object at the moment.
What I wonder about is why everything is a “group buy” basis. So none of these “companies” (mostly seems to be Shopify sites) have no cash to buy inventory or take any risk whatever? Or is the “group buy” kind of a hive-mind advertisement. “Oh others aren’t buying this ridiculous keyboard so I guess I should jump on too”
I just ordered for my son a 27$ 15g tube of some kind of bearing grease from McMaster Carr. All these keyboard shops sell it like its nectar of the gods. It’s just a normal specialty grease in fact. (Don’t ask me why a switch needs to be “lubed”).
[0]: Actually I do not know the history here. What started the rush for mechanical keyboards? It feels like there was a point in time where they became fashionable, I assume it had to do with advertising campaigns but it could have been organic interest too.