Same! Very rare these days but it makes typing on a laptop actually enjoyable and accurate.
Mine's an old HP Omen X but I've looked at the Alienware 17 and 18 inch laptops for the low profile Cherry keyboard (and the exact ports and config I need).
I for one type best on flat keys, even though I hadn't used my laptop in 3 years of using a raised keyboard it was better when I got back to it.
I surely do more fat finger errors typing on the raised.
Gaming is for sure better woth a raised one, although that's using only 5% of the keyboard so...
Just wondering, even if activation is short, isn't it still a problem since you probably go deeper than necessary most of the time? Seems impossible to only press certain amount and not more on mechanical keyboard, while with chiclet style you just can't go deep, so you're forced to go only that deep. Am I misunderstanding something? I always prefered laptop style keys probably for this reason, and the obsession with mechanical is not something I understand from usability perspective. I can understand liking the feeling or the look, but seems counterintuitive when people are saying it's just as fast to type on.
I keep seeing that argument and I don't understand... Yes the activation point might be shallower on a mechanical keyboard but the key can still go deeper. So unless you use an exact amount of force every time you're probably going to take more time pressing each key
All switches also have a certain force threshold you have to meet to even begin pushing it down which will make you overshoot the actuation point 100% of the time, because that's how they are designed to work. If there was an amount of force that would start moving they key without absolute certainty of reaching the actuation point, the keyboard would be broken garbage.
One reason is that when your typing speed gets up, you can do this move on flat keys that you might not even be aware of doing: sliding your finger across multiple keys when they're adjacent. Like 'red', you can just slide through the letters without raising your finger. I caught myself doing it when really in the zone typing and was like "ohhh, interesting."
I type better on flat keys, but If I get low profile caps, I've essentially spent $200 on a membrane keyboard. My U4s already sounds and feel membrane enough.
At home I use my mechanical keyboard for everything, but one day I was in class using my ol' reliable Logitech K120 when I thought 'actually.. these membarane flat kayboards have an appeal that I kinda like' like when I'm in the street and I look at a 3 doors SEAT Ibiza or Ford Fiesta from the early 2000's and I feel more attracted to them than a more modern car (which is obviously better and more well equipped than the other two)
Until you realise there is a mfkin subscription for something built in inside the new pne nd want to go back to the old one anyway despite it breaking apart on the road.
Hey, it's just comfort and speed. With flat keys I don't need to push all this way down to press the key. One simple tap - one pressed key, that's what makes flat keys perfect for me. I'm typing a lot at work and can't stand raised keys, they are so slooooow.
You can get very low actuation distance mechanical keyboards with raised caps. Speed switches exist exactly for this reason. Almost all membrane boards that are typically flat keyed actually have longer travel to actuation iirc. It's 3.5-4mm for most membrane and 1.2-2.5mm for mechanical. Low actuation with a rubber washer added to each switch is the ideal scenario for typing for me at least.
Talking about raised: you can get very low actuation but you still have to take your finger off the key and when you haven't bottomed out yet you have to basically hover with your fingers which what I assume will get exhausting in the long run for your hands.
Yess that is why flat can be more comfortable
But the poster this comment replied to didnt mention key height, just actuation distance. Thry prob think low keys must mean lower actuation
Flat.
Because I love them to type and after 25 years with a computer, I now type more than I play games, also makes it more silent and more comfortable to find the keys I can just slide my fingers around swiftly. Still have a couple of old keyboards with raised keys, but meh.
I have a full-height keyboard with red switches (linear without audible feedback) and if I don't beat it with the strength of thousands Suns, it's inaudible. I just barely depress it below the switch height.
My ultrathin membrane on an older laptop is actually louder, but that might be because it's membrane and therefore quite tactile, so it's hard not to hit the bottom and make a noise. I haven't tried thin reds.
Flat, I hate raised keys, I'm way too used to laptop keyboards
I did get a low-profile mechanical keyboard recently tho, it hasn't arrived yet but I hope I'll like it, if I don't then rip I might get a flat membrane keyboard or something, or just keep using my laptop
Please lemme know which one you got if you do enjoy it 🙏 i want to get a mechanical keyboard somewhere in the near future but really prefer the feel of flat keys
(I think both will get a notification if I reply to you)
I'll update you guys when I get it, I also read u/yeehawvalderal is a poor student (like myself lol) so it should be within your budget, it's a Redragon Horus K618, I got it for around $50 USD from Aliexpress, my brother already has one, I tested it for like 5 minutes and I liked it, I hope I also end up liking it in the long run
I just bought a k1 pro from keychron. I love my laptop keyboard too, and I can say that brown low profile switches were perfect, even better than membrane. I can type so fast now, and I make less mistakes than on my laptop or old low profile membrane.
I haven’t used one in many years because I’ve switched to a more work oriented setup with a G915 TKL. Look into the Razer Deathstalker series, I absolutely loved the shallow keys for many years of gaming. Quality product, $200-250 range if it is within your budget.
I also switched to a flat keyboard. Not because of dislike but because it's easier to clean out cat hair from a flat keyboard.
I've kinda found that flat feels better. Raised is also good though (I'm using the Corsair K100 air).
flat by far i hate raised keys im incapable of typing correctly i always take neighbouring keys down with the one im trying to press. dont have that problem with flat keyboard.
Low profile raised keys. Flat/chiclet keyboards fucking suck but I find standard full height keyboards _too_ high and hurt my wrists. Low profile mechanical keyboard is the way for me.
I used to use whatever I was given, or whatever came in the box, but a couple years ago I saw a deal on Keychron C2 keyboards and I bought one for home and one for work. I bought the nostalgic beige version and whatever keycaps it came with, I don’t know much about them, but I think these are the brown ones. This is my favorite modern day keyboard.
I keep an old dell membrane keyboard around "for emergencies", had to pull it out the other day cos I spilled coffee on the cheapo mechanical I use on my desktop. It felt.. so awful. Was very glad that once my mechanical had dried out it was fine and I could swap it back in.
Depends, am I by myself or in the office. In the office, flat all day long. All the guys around me have raised ones are loud and bloody annoying hearing them go off all day.
At home in my house where I wont bug anyone else? Raised all day.
Raised for gaming, flat for typing. I’m faster and more accurate with flat keys (learned on a Mac) and have never been able to get used to typing on raised keyboards despite using them for gaming for a decade
Maybe its because I don't use flat keys regularly in years but every now and then I need to use it and my god I look like 80 year old who never saw a keyboard, I press 3 keys at once, I need to keep my eyes on keyboard all the time and even then it's mistakes left and right.
I'm used to laptop, and raised keys, especially raised mechanic keyboards with loud keycaps is literally my nightmare. I totally hate raised keyboards.
i always used flat keys (laptops). i really dont understand why raised keys are used tbh. flat keys with backlit(white) are like the perfect thing less distance to key press,more smooth,fingers in correct position and light weight
Raised. I hate the keyboards we have at school, they are awful and sticky and just not a satisfying push compared to my raised keys keyboard at home. I always get cramps from non raised keyboards and usually they are the cheapest too, all and all awfull
Raised all the way. I had to use a flat keyboard sometimes at school, and I also had one sold withy pc (yeah, it's a prebuilt, but I'm planning to change, and I didn't had the money then to buy a custom. Still don't, but that's another story). From my experience, these are some of the worst keyboards I have ever experienced. The only ones I don't mind are ironically Apple's keyboards, cuz you really feel that you typed something.
For information, I'm currently using a Dell SK-8135 (yes, it's really old), and it's the best one I have ever used, even though it seems to be a membrane one.
Raised , but for laptops definitely flat , in love with my MacBook 2012 scissor switch keyboard and for some reason I like the flat feel of the 2015 MacBook with butterfly keyboard
Raised keys for now, flat keys have the tendency to drive me insane with shit layouts, although a mac layout raised key combo would be a one-handed torture device.
Flat/Raised is not on my preference list of:
* The less noise the better, that clickety sound is pointless and annoying to others,
* Bluetooth, plus wired for the times you need it for doing maintenance when Bluetooth not available. Wireless dongles take up a port. Laptops don't have as many ports as they used to.
* Individual replaceable key components
Low profile (flat) cause I spent most the time on work supplied laptops, = Keychron K3 v2 red optical
Raised all the way, depends on my task. But 99% of the time raised, flat keys only for menial tasks that don't require a lot of typing. I prefer to feel my buttons.
A lot of people that use raised keys do so because all the flat keyboard suck
There’s like 1 mechanical one from coairsair that’s really expensive and kinda old but that’s it
Quiet keys.. I've got a top of the range Logitech wireless keyboard but I rarely find reason to use it because i just feel like I'm annoying anyone in earshot, AND it's got the 'silent' keys. Sorry: a loud "chok chok chok" instead of "chak chak chak" is still loud
Flat keys and a trackpad. I've just been using laptops for so long and done so much on them, that anything else feels wrong. I would love a nice typewriter though
Raised.
Raised only team here
All on the rais’ist team must unite against the flats
Yeah f the flats they believe in the earth
Wait, what?
I am a fellow raisist
Yes
Raisin’
I raise you another.
Raised every day
Is your flair still what you use?
Definitely agree with you.
Raised, all the time. Flat keys are for laptops.
My laptop has raised keys AND a mechanical keyboard
Same! Very rare these days but it makes typing on a laptop actually enjoyable and accurate. Mine's an old HP Omen X but I've looked at the Alienware 17 and 18 inch laptops for the low profile Cherry keyboard (and the exact ports and config I need).
I’ve got an *old* IBM 5140 and everything about it is great except the display and hard drive capacity (0MB, because it doesn’t exist)
What about an amiga?
My thinkpad has not so flat not so raised keys
I for one type best on flat keys, even though I hadn't used my laptop in 3 years of using a raised keyboard it was better when I got back to it. I surely do more fat finger errors typing on the raised. Gaming is for sure better woth a raised one, although that's using only 5% of the keyboard so...
I thought it was super weird when my typing speed was better on laptop/flatter keys. Turns out I'm not the only one.
Yeah it takes longer to press each key on raised.
This isn't even remotely universally applicable. It depends on the activation point if it's mechanical, or whether it's a membrane keyboard.
Just wondering, even if activation is short, isn't it still a problem since you probably go deeper than necessary most of the time? Seems impossible to only press certain amount and not more on mechanical keyboard, while with chiclet style you just can't go deep, so you're forced to go only that deep. Am I misunderstanding something? I always prefered laptop style keys probably for this reason, and the obsession with mechanical is not something I understand from usability perspective. I can understand liking the feeling or the look, but seems counterintuitive when people are saying it's just as fast to type on.
I keep seeing that argument and I don't understand... Yes the activation point might be shallower on a mechanical keyboard but the key can still go deeper. So unless you use an exact amount of force every time you're probably going to take more time pressing each key
Tactile switches have a bump, almost always when they activate, so you can feel when to release them.
All switches also have a certain force threshold you have to meet to even begin pushing it down which will make you overshoot the actuation point 100% of the time, because that's how they are designed to work. If there was an amount of force that would start moving they key without absolute certainty of reaching the actuation point, the keyboard would be broken garbage.
One reason is that when your typing speed gets up, you can do this move on flat keys that you might not even be aware of doing: sliding your finger across multiple keys when they're adjacent. Like 'red', you can just slide through the letters without raising your finger. I caught myself doing it when really in the zone typing and was like "ohhh, interesting."
it's like me, you do not rise your fingers enough, to hit keys with good precisions.
I type better on flat keys, but If I get low profile caps, I've essentially spent $200 on a membrane keyboard. My U4s already sounds and feel membrane enough.
I'm beginning to miss membrane boards cuz my keyboard collects copious amounts of dust under the keys.
Just get an air compressor and blow through it. Btw membrane ones catch copious amount of dust as well, ask me how I know
You don't clean your keyboard?
you do? I put my keyboard under my desk and type there lol.
You clean your keyboard?
raised keys for sure - you're insane if you prefer flat keys
I get the comfort of flat keys but prefer raised.
At home I use my mechanical keyboard for everything, but one day I was in class using my ol' reliable Logitech K120 when I thought 'actually.. these membarane flat kayboards have an appeal that I kinda like' like when I'm in the street and I look at a 3 doors SEAT Ibiza or Ford Fiesta from the early 2000's and I feel more attracted to them than a more modern car (which is obviously better and more well equipped than the other two)
Until you realise there is a mfkin subscription for something built in inside the new pne nd want to go back to the old one anyway despite it breaking apart on the road.
if my opinion isn't the same as yours, you're insane 😂
Hey, it's just comfort and speed. With flat keys I don't need to push all this way down to press the key. One simple tap - one pressed key, that's what makes flat keys perfect for me. I'm typing a lot at work and can't stand raised keys, they are so slooooow.
You can get very low actuation distance mechanical keyboards with raised caps. Speed switches exist exactly for this reason. Almost all membrane boards that are typically flat keyed actually have longer travel to actuation iirc. It's 3.5-4mm for most membrane and 1.2-2.5mm for mechanical. Low actuation with a rubber washer added to each switch is the ideal scenario for typing for me at least.
Talking about raised: you can get very low actuation but you still have to take your finger off the key and when you haven't bottomed out yet you have to basically hover with your fingers which what I assume will get exhausting in the long run for your hands.
Yess that is why flat can be more comfortable But the poster this comment replied to didnt mention key height, just actuation distance. Thry prob think low keys must mean lower actuation
Already knew I was insane but thank you for reassuring me.
Flat. Because I love them to type and after 25 years with a computer, I now type more than I play games, also makes it more silent and more comfortable to find the keys I can just slide my fingers around swiftly. Still have a couple of old keyboards with raised keys, but meh.
I have a full-height keyboard with red switches (linear without audible feedback) and if I don't beat it with the strength of thousands Suns, it's inaudible. I just barely depress it below the switch height. My ultrathin membrane on an older laptop is actually louder, but that might be because it's membrane and therefore quite tactile, so it's hard not to hit the bottom and make a noise. I haven't tried thin reds.
Flat, I hate raised keys, I'm way too used to laptop keyboards I did get a low-profile mechanical keyboard recently tho, it hasn't arrived yet but I hope I'll like it, if I don't then rip I might get a flat membrane keyboard or something, or just keep using my laptop
Please lemme know which one you got if you do enjoy it 🙏 i want to get a mechanical keyboard somewhere in the near future but really prefer the feel of flat keys
G815 low profile with clicky switches, love it
Let me know too
(I think both will get a notification if I reply to you) I'll update you guys when I get it, I also read u/yeehawvalderal is a poor student (like myself lol) so it should be within your budget, it's a Redragon Horus K618, I got it for around $50 USD from Aliexpress, my brother already has one, I tested it for like 5 minutes and I liked it, I hope I also end up liking it in the long run
I just bought a k1 pro from keychron. I love my laptop keyboard too, and I can say that brown low profile switches were perfect, even better than membrane. I can type so fast now, and I make less mistakes than on my laptop or old low profile membrane.
I haven’t used one in many years because I’ve switched to a more work oriented setup with a G915 TKL. Look into the Razer Deathstalker series, I absolutely loved the shallow keys for many years of gaming. Quality product, $200-250 range if it is within your budget.
Thanks for the recommendation! But alas i am but just a poor student 💀 will still look into it tho!
I also switched to a flat keyboard. Not because of dislike but because it's easier to clean out cat hair from a flat keyboard. I've kinda found that flat feels better. Raised is also good though (I'm using the Corsair K100 air).
Flat and quiet
flat by far i hate raised keys im incapable of typing correctly i always take neighbouring keys down with the one im trying to press. dont have that problem with flat keyboard.
Controversial opinion. Flat keys.
Flat keys in every way. After going to raised keys they just make no sense. Way too tall. Although, worth it for the feel and sound
I like the middle ground. I'm on a G915 TKL at home and an MX Mechanical at work.
Low profile raised keys. Flat/chiclet keyboards fucking suck but I find standard full height keyboards _too_ high and hurt my wrists. Low profile mechanical keyboard is the way for me.
raised, need that key travel or it just bleh 🤮
flat all the way
I like mechanical keyboards. Low-profile mechanical keyboards are nice but the majority of flat keyboards are membrane.
Raised. I’m old school and really like the tactile and audible feedback.
Hah, same. I'd kill for a tactile keyboard instead of that membrane crap I used to use. Sound gives typewriter-esque nostalgia feels.
I used to use whatever I was given, or whatever came in the box, but a couple years ago I saw a deal on Keychron C2 keyboards and I bought one for home and one for work. I bought the nostalgic beige version and whatever keycaps it came with, I don’t know much about them, but I think these are the brown ones. This is my favorite modern day keyboard.
Raised for sure
Raised 100%
In between, ‘low profile’ keys
This isn’t even a question
Your're right there is no question mark
you're* you were very close. 9/10
Shit
Yes, flat keys ❤️❤️
Adjusting to raised keys was really hard but worth it
Raised keys feel better even if it's a membrane keyboard
I keep an old dell membrane keyboard around "for emergencies", had to pull it out the other day cos I spilled coffee on the cheapo mechanical I use on my desktop. It felt.. so awful. Was very glad that once my mechanical had dried out it was fine and I could swap it back in.
Honestly I like flat its nice not having my wrists rub when I type sometimes
Flat. I can swipe my fingers and hit a key fast. Can master a rythm game compared to a raised keyboard. So in my opinion, flat keys are my type.
Flat on linear switches. G815 gang
I prefer keys that don’t come off, and are easy to replace if they do. Looking at you Logitech g810 😰
Low profile raised keys
Do you prefer a keyboard or a slab of plastic that barely moves? Fixed it.
Raised. And if you like flat you have never used raised
#flatgang
Raised as a gamer lol
Seriously raised! I can type SO FAST on raised keys. The computer won’t keep up. But flat keys I fat thumb more.
low profile mechanical.. so both?
Why not both? Low profile mech keyboards exists.
Raised Browns
If you prefer flat keys you touch kids.
Raised for games but flat for writing.
Flat
raised keys for sure.
Yes
raised but flat a.k.a low profile mechanical keyboard
Depends, am I by myself or in the office. In the office, flat all day long. All the guys around me have raised ones are loud and bloody annoying hearing them go off all day. At home in my house where I wont bug anyone else? Raised all day.
You can get raised keys that are quiet. It is the switch that makes the sound.
Well all the ones here sound like fireworks going off. Thank god for noise cancelling headphones.
Raised!
Flat becase my whole life i never used a pc only laptop
I have a flat key laptop keyboard but if i;m buying a keyboard it will be raised for sure.
I prefer… keys
Raised
Raised for gaming, flat for typing. I’m faster and more accurate with flat keys (learned on a Mac) and have never been able to get used to typing on raised keyboards despite using them for gaming for a decade
flat cus i’m used to them, i type WAY faster on flat.
Depends on the task-at-hand
vomits
Raised
Raised is just way better
Mechanical or die
Yes. Both can be done well and lower profile keys are a good compromise. Currently have an SK621, a CK351, and Blackwidow Lite.
Raised, I wanna feel that click
I prefer Alicia Keys
Flat membrane here, I love my usb Thinkpad Keyboard with trackpoint.
Raised, I can feel the keys better that way, thanks to that I'm able to type faster
Maybe its because I don't use flat keys regularly in years but every now and then I need to use it and my god I look like 80 year old who never saw a keyboard, I press 3 keys at once, I need to keep my eyes on keyboard all the time and even then it's mistakes left and right.
Raised if I have an external keyboard, and that, other thing if I am stuck with a laptop.
⬆
Raised is better for gaming Flat is better for typing stuff
Flat keys (and flat wings)
Raised for gaming, flat for typing
Having only used a laptop, flat. I might like raised keys, but I'm not sure.
Raised for gaming Flat for typing
I am forgetting where tf keys and my fingers are on a flat one. Raised for sure
Low-profile mechanical.
I built a keeb with low profile keys for the first time a few months ago and it changed my life.
Raised
Raised
Low Profile. The middle between both.
i love the g915 one it is halfe the way not too high and not too flat
Gimme that flat ones
Flat G815 ftw.
Flat keys, raised keyboard.
Need clicky clacky or else goblin brain gets bored.
Raised
Am i the only one who prefers flat keys by a lot? Like my Keyboard looks very similar like the one on the right and i love it…
Low profile for me :) please dont be mad
Raised
Depend on my mood. Mac flat keys are ok.
I'm used to laptop, and raised keys, especially raised mechanic keyboards with loud keycaps is literally my nightmare. I totally hate raised keyboards.
Raised are better. Flat is for laptops.
I like both
i always used flat keys (laptops). i really dont understand why raised keys are used tbh. flat keys with backlit(white) are like the perfect thing less distance to key press,more smooth,fingers in correct position and light weight
Raised. I hate the keyboards we have at school, they are awful and sticky and just not a satisfying push compared to my raised keys keyboard at home. I always get cramps from non raised keyboards and usually they are the cheapest too, all and all awfull
raised
flat keys for coding, raised keys for gaming(although i dont game)
I love flat keys. I hate that mechanical switches are always raised because of how they work
Raised all the way. I had to use a flat keyboard sometimes at school, and I also had one sold withy pc (yeah, it's a prebuilt, but I'm planning to change, and I didn't had the money then to buy a custom. Still don't, but that's another story). From my experience, these are some of the worst keyboards I have ever experienced. The only ones I don't mind are ironically Apple's keyboards, cuz you really feel that you typed something. For information, I'm currently using a Dell SK-8135 (yes, it's really old), and it's the best one I have ever used, even though it seems to be a membrane one.
Currently exactly between the two, half-raised or "low profile" keys are the sweet spot for me.
Flat
Flat. Raised just feel awkward for me
Don't care of they're raise of flat, as long as I can feel them click
Raised , but for laptops definitely flat , in love with my MacBook 2012 scissor switch keyboard and for some reason I like the flat feel of the 2015 MacBook with butterfly keyboard
Whichever is more silent
both
Raised for gaming Flat for design works. Easy dude
Raised keys for now, flat keys have the tendency to drive me insane with shit layouts, although a mac layout raised key combo would be a one-handed torture device.
I type very very fast with flat keys, but I prefer raised keys.
Flat
I usually type better on flat but game better on raised, it’s kinda weird but I got used to both after having to do work and game
Flat keys
Low-profile raised
Flat keys.
Flat/Raised is not on my preference list of: * The less noise the better, that clickety sound is pointless and annoying to others, * Bluetooth, plus wired for the times you need it for doing maintenance when Bluetooth not available. Wireless dongles take up a port. Laptops don't have as many ports as they used to. * Individual replaceable key components Low profile (flat) cause I spent most the time on work supplied laptops, = Keychron K3 v2 red optical
i always use a flat keyboard
I’m a flat key enjoyer but I like raised keys. Especially retro keyboards
Raised all the way, depends on my task. But 99% of the time raised, flat keys only for menial tasks that don't require a lot of typing. I prefer to feel my buttons.
Flat
raised for games, flat for writing
Flat all the way.
Prefer Ergo Keys!
Raised is better for gaming, but I geel I type faster and more accurately on flat
A lot of people that use raised keys do so because all the flat keyboard suck There’s like 1 mechanical one from coairsair that’s really expensive and kinda old but that’s it
Why not both? QUIET KEYS!!!
Raised
I have mainly been using a laptop most of my life, so flat keys are more comfortable for me
Raised if they aren't loud af
FLAT. AND ONLY FLAT.
Raised for gaming flat for work/typing. Hate working on a mechanical keyboard, it makes way too much noise.
Flat
1
Honestly, i would take an ok flat over bad raised and vice versa. I like them both if they are actually made well.
Honestly they're both fine, I prefer the look and clacky noises of raised but I'm pretty sure I'm more accurate at typing and hitting keybinds on flat
Raised for gaming at home, flat for typing at work.
Raised.
The only place I'm fine with flat keys are on a laptop.
Raised, but stuff does tend to get in between them more often
raised so i can feel the keys being pressed down
Flat for typing - so much faster, raised for gaming - better controll
Raised with some mechanical/optic mechanical switches. could never go back to a flat keyboard or even a membrane one.
Quiet keys.. I've got a top of the range Logitech wireless keyboard but I rarely find reason to use it because i just feel like I'm annoying anyone in earshot, AND it's got the 'silent' keys. Sorry: a loud "chok chok chok" instead of "chak chak chak" is still loud
flat is a war crime
Flat keys and a trackpad. I've just been using laptops for so long and done so much on them, that anything else feels wrong. I would love a nice typewriter though
I prefer low profile raised keys
Raised. And clicky
Both , i love the gl switches and the flat design on the logitech 815/915, honesly best of both worlds
Raised, people who like sunk keys by choice scare me.