6 features that should be mandatory on every mechanical keyboard

The topic of mechanical keyboards is a deeply divisive one, with every opinion evoking passionate reactions from the community. For many hobbyists and enthusiasts, a mechanical keyboard is a highly personal device, and devoted users go to extreme lengths to craft every single aspect of their keyboard to painstaking standards.

A pre-built mechanical keyboard can never satisfy every user out there. There are far too many layouts, designs, materials, switch options, keycap profiles, mounting styles, and otherwise for a manufacturer to be able to design the ‘perfect keyboard’ for all. That said, I believe there exists a set of features that should be available on every single mechanical keyboard, mandated by law (maybe not, but you get my point). These features together represent the bare minimum experience on a modern mechanical keyboard.

6 Bundled accessories

Don’t make me buy them separately

For someone who’s buying their first-ever mechanical keyboard, they expect everything they need to operate it to be available inside the box. This includes a keycap puller to clean or replace keycaps, a switch puller to swap switches, a few extra switches if some go bad, and ideally a transparent cover to keep the new keyboard protected from dust.

Thankfully, this has become the norm on many keyboards you’ll see on the market today, but not every manufacturer sticks to it. While a combo keycap & switch puller and extra switches are bundled with almost every keyboard, something that’s often missing is the cover. While it’s not a deal-breaker, I’d love for manufacturers to provide one in the box. Hunting for a compatible cover can be tough. Besides, it adds to the cost and doesn’t exactly enhance the customer’s experience.

5 PBT keycaps

ABSolutely non-negotiable

ABS and PBT are the two most used materials to make keycaps. Other materials like POM, resin, ceramic, and metals are also seen, but they’re few and far between. ABS keycaps are easier to mold and cheaper to produce, but they can easily suffer from faded legends and shiny surfaces under long-term use. ABS keycaps also sound thinner and less pleasant compared to many other keycaps.

This is why you’ll see that most keyboards produced in the last few years have adopted PBT keycaps due to better durability and deeper sound. They’re relatively more expensive to produce, but add a lot more value to a keyboard’s overall quality. Even budget keyboards have switched over to PBT keycaps almost completely, with $60 keyboards proudly displaying them in their product titles.

If you’re buying a new keyboard, you could choose between PBT double-shot and PBT dye-sublimated keycaps, as both have their advantages and drawbacks. While double-shot keycaps are the best keycaps for durability, sound, and the ability to have translucent legends for backlighting, dye-sub keycaps can have more intricate colors and designs.

4 Pre-lubed switches and stabilizers

Don’t expect everyone to invest time in lubing

Lubing your switches and stabilizers is an important step when building a keyboard, and custom builders happily do it to get the perfect sound and feel. However, when a user buys a pre-built keyboard, they expect it to come with a great typing experience out of the box. If they need to go the extra mile to remove the keycaps, switches, and stabilizers, and then properly lube dozens of switches and 5 to 6 stabilizers, that’s not acceptable.

In 2024, getting pre-lubed switches and stabilizers is not a luxury, even on extremely budget keyboards. Pre-applied lube might not boast of perfect application or finesse, but it prevents your keyboard from sounding scratchy, harsh, and essentially, not smooth and creamy. Lubing reduces the friction between the internal components of your switches and stabilizers, adding to that satisfying typing sound and feel that every user deserves.

3 Multi-layer sound dampening

Companies should stop skimping on foam

Several factors come together to generate the thocky or creamy sound that many users prefer on their keyboards. Of course, the material of the keyboard case (plastic, aluminum, wood), type of switches, and mounting style are huge contributors, but what’s much easier to get right is sound-dampening material.

Today, almost every keyboard comes with a few layers of internal foam to help muffle the keystrokes and yield a deep, soothing typing experience. Some cheaper keyboards try to get away with a single layer of PORON, PET, EVA, or Neoprene foam, but this is mostly inadequate, especially if the other aspects of the keyboard aren’t high-quality. Having multiple layers of foam helps a lot in eliminating a distracting ping found on an otherwise hollow keyboard.

2 Tri-mode connectivity

I need the option to go wireless

Depending on your setup, you might not miss wireless connectivity on your keyboard. It’s possible you don’t hate cables on your desk (especially if it’s a fancy one), don’t ever move your keyboard (many boards are insanely heavy anyway), or simply have a separate wireless keyboard for your away-from-PC excursions.

This doesn’t mean that other users function the same way. Many of us often want to take our beloved keyboards with us when we’re working from a cafe, on a trip, or on a laptop away from our desktops. Besides, it isn’t that hard to provide a PCB with tri-mode connectivity — wired, 2.4GHz, and Bluetooth. Users who want the reliability (or assurance, at least) of a wired connection can always use that, while others can use a fast 2.4GHz wireless connection with the provided dongle.

The Bluetooth connection comes in clutch for devices where plugging in a USB dongle isn’t an option. Whether you’re working on a laptop in another room, or on your iPad when traveling, you can still take your smooth, thocky, and satisfying mechanical keyboard with you. Of course, portability is another factor to consider here, but manufacturers should start providing tri-mode connectivity by default. And, an onboard battery indicator would be lovely while we’re at it.

1 Hot-swappable switches

I don’t want to be stuck with a bad switch

Finally, the one thing that every mechanical keyboard should come with is a hot-swappable PCB. Allowing a user, especially one new to mechanical keyboards, to easily remove and replace their switches is a godsend. They shouldn’t have to be stuck with a switch experience they don’t like, making do with it because they don’t want to buy a new keyboard or, worse, learn how to solder switches.

Hot-swappable switches have become increasingly common, but still not every keyboard has them. This needs to change, in my opinion, so that more and more people can get into mechanical keyboards without worrying too much about their switch choice. The type of switch greatly influences the typing experience, and how much you’ll like or dislike a keyboard. The ability to easily change your switches provides some, if not complete, customizability on your keyboard.

Many manufacturers provide three or four switch options for users during the purchase process. Although this is commendable, I’d still prefer the ability to hot-swap switches just to be able to experiment with different switch types. This is one of the most basic and intrinsic aspects of the mechanical keyboard experience, which isn’t that hard to provide on even the most budget keyboards.

Mechanical keyboards have exploded in popularity

Due to the rapidly rising interest in mechanical keyboards, there has been a flurry of new brands, more affordable options, newer technologies, and a sense of excitement in the community. Things that were once thought of as luxuries are now commonplace on budget keyboards, and premium models are fast adopting cutting-edge features like Hall effect switches and 8kHz polling rates.

With new users trying out mechanical keyboards every day, manufacturers are bound to raise the bar. They will start providing not only the features I listed above as a default, but also bring in more premium materials, customizable displays, multimedia control knobs, and much more as standard offerings on their newer models. It’s a great time to be a part of this wonderfully expanding industry.