stupidity in the space of Keyboards, Mice and Mousepads is truly a vast ocean …
even a freak genius like me had a lot of misconceptions …
the average tech reviewer is anywhere from lost to having no clue at all …
oh well, more for us to talk about !
going to link some random articles here that explain a few things:
https://deskthority.net/wiki/Membrane_keyboard
from above:
The terms “membrane” and “rubber dome” are frequently conflated, owing to how typical keyboards utilize both. However, membrane keyboards do not require rubber domes, and rubber domes do not require membranes: each can be used with suitable alternatives.
can you imagine a world in which a Tech reviewer is capable of comprehending the above ?
i can’t …
for example my Niz Plum keyboard ( which is a Topre clone ) uses rubber domes but is not a membrane keyboard. instead it is an electrocapacitive keyboard.
but the real reason i was looking into this is because the new Asus RX switches are actually scissor switches … yet they are Mechanical switches … yet they are also optical. don’t tell any tech reviewers though - they suffer enough !
every tech reviewer referred to Asus RX switches as “optomechanical switches with a cross stabilizer” because that’s what Asus calls them and all any tech reviewer is capable of is reading the PR material and passing it off as his own “ideas” …
once you look at their “cross stabilizer” though:
it is LITERALLY THE SAME as the scissor mechanism found in basically every laptop keyboard:
i watched a dozen reviews of the Asus RX switch and keyboards using it and NOT ONE OF THEM has mentioned this.
this is how lost those puppies are. they have no clue. NONE.
all Asus did is change the color of the scissor from traditional white or black to red and voila - it’s a new technology as far as Tech reviewer cretins are concerned !
anyway here is deskthority on scissor switches:
https://deskthority.net/wiki/Scissor_switch
anyway scissor switches are actually apparently the new trend so Asus is doing good there by bringing that tech into a mechanical switch ( an industry first as far as i know ) … i just wish they would call it what it is instead of inventing new terminology to bamboozle the poor tech reviewers …
the scissor allows for a lower profile, more stable switch which is what the customers ultimately want so it’s understandable why Asus went that way …
i do have to wonder though if such switches will be as robust as ones without the scissor since the scissor is not actually required in a mechanical switch and is thus adding extra moving parts that can break …
in a laptop scissors are used to REPLACE certain parts and besides they are the only thing that fits in there but in a gaming keyboard Asus’s solution is adding significant mechanical complexity to chase marginal benefits in design and feel of the keyboard …
but such is the nature of high-end …
here is TechPowerUp’s review of Asus keyboard using this tech including a detailed teardown ( from which i sourced the above image of the “cross stabilizer” )
the Claymore might not be for US market but they have other keyboards for US market using this switch that i am considering for my next KB …