A keyboard with N-Key Rollover can register as many keys as you can press at once without any key blocking issues. NKRO refers to N-Key Rollover, the ultimate in keyboards. So a 3KRO keyboard is a keyboard that can register 3 keys being pressed at once without experiencing key blocking. Keyboards use the term KRO to represent the maximum number of keys you can press without experiencing any key blocking. Key Rollover is the number of keys that can be pressed in succession without having to lift a finger from any of the previous keys. Key Ghosting can occur when three keys are pressed at once and a fourth keystroke you did not press is registered by your computer. Keyboards have a maximum number of keys it can register at one time and if you depress more than its limit, it won’t register the other key presses. Key Blocking is when multiple keys are depressed simultaneously, your keyboard will not recognize future keystrokes until the original keys are lifted. Keyboard Terminology Common Keyboard TermsĪctuation Point is the point at which the contact mechanism registers a keypress. Try it for yourself and see if it doesn’t make a difference in how quickly you type. Plus, not having to bottom out with each key allows you to move to the next letter more quickly with less energy wasted.
Some people find that listening to the clicks helps them create a faster typing speed. You get the rhythm of clicking while you type and often it is a calming sound. Certainly, the clicking sound on a mechanical keyboard can be an acquired taste, but what is interesting is how many people find it relaxing. Try it on a membrane keyboard and you may be the one fragged.
Gamers who need to mash key combos quickly to frag their enemy also benefit. This is helpful for folks who type really fast and need to be able to hit keys in quick succession.
A mechanical keyboard is the only keyboard with the capability to register all keys at one time (PS/2 permitting), also known as full N-Key Rollover. Think about how often you press a single key, and you’ll realize that’s a long time! Compare that to membrane switches, which typically last around 5-10 million keystrokes, and you’ll see why the initial investment in a mechanical keyboard is well worth it. Switches on a mechanical keyboard are made to last up to 50 million keystrokes. Key switches will be explained in full detail in future installments, but the differences amongst them include the tactile feel and audible click each produces. Depending on the type of switch, they have a variety of response and travel times. Mechanical keyboards, however, use a switch underneath every key. Without tactile feedback it is very difficult to type without bottoming out every keystroke, causing over-exertion and finger/hand fatigue that can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome. The biggest problem with this type of keyboard is that you have to completely depress the key, also known as “bottoming out.” There is also little to no tactile feedback. This allows current to flow “closing” the switch so that the parent device registers the keypress. When you press a key, it causes the membrane to press down and make contact with a bottom layer. Most inexpensive keyboards, like the ones that come with computers, utilize a flexible membrane layer beneath the keys.