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Technical Writing Sample
Project Title: Mechanical Keyboards
Introduction
Whether you’re at the office, playing games, or even playing games at the office, mechanical keyboards have become one of the best computer accessories of today.
According to Computer Shopper, (http://peekand.co/hardware-reviews/best-mechanical-keyboard/), “Mechanical keyboards…have a following that brings to mind another term: ‘fanatical.’ Once you try one, we bet you’re going to get hooked. Imagine a keyboard that makes you want to type?”
Standard PC keyboards have one of two kinds of mechanisms under each key: “rubber domes”, or a mechanical switch. Cheaper keyboards are apt to use rubber-dome technology. In these keyboards, a small bundle of silicone, rubber, or a similar pliable material provides the recoil you feel from each key. A rubber-dome technology based keyboard has a unique feel when a key is pressed and is much less sturdy than a mechanical model.
A mechanical key switch keyboard has springs, levers, and is built with more durable construction. Mechanical keyboards are used for one of two things: gaming or productivity. Another element that separates mechanical keyboards from standard keyboards is that mechanical keyboards use key-switch mechanisms (an invention made by Cherry Industrial).
Cherry’s MX switches are widely considered the standard of PC-keyboard switches and they vary by color to differentiate between their individual pressure, texture, and audibility characteristics.
As you begin shopping for your mechanical keyboard, it’s important to keep in mind some important factors to ensure you’re making a wise and solid decision about which keyboard to purchase.
- Be on the lookout for real Cherry-brand mechanical switches.
- What is the backlighting like?
- What about the interface and extra ports?
- Do you need a numeric keypad?
- Do you need dedicated shortcut keys?
- Keep gaming software in mind (if applicable).
According to www.gomechanicalkeyboard, here are the five best Bluetooth mechanical keyboards on the market today! Let’s take a look!
Das Keyboard 4 Professional
Sold by getDigital, we – as computer users – need this high profile mechanical keyboard with gold plated contacts and N-Key-Rollover as it provides one of the best mechanical keyboard experiences that technology can offer us. With a sharp look of matt black plastic against the anodized aluminum top panel, Das Keyboard 4 Professional, made by Metadot, gives us everything we need with multimedia keys and the choice between brown and blue Cherry MX switches for a unique typing experience. With new dedicated media controls, a sleep button, and very satisfying volume, and two USB 3.0 ports to boot, Das Keyboard 4 Professional gives us everything we need in a keyboard.
“For those who want a really classic yet powerful and elegant keyboard, this should be your choice.”
- Kozma Salomea, Amazon Customer
Vortex KBC poker 3 – Ultra Compact Mechanical Keyboard
Rated at 4.5 stars, Vortex KBC poker 3 offers all that we need in a keyboard and more! With Arbitrary programming and 3 layers of customization, Vortex KBC poker 3 is the perfect solution for those of us with limited space. Built up 3 kinds of layout, it features programmable keys that are uniquely individual. There is individual LED coding and a tiny size keyboard with 62 keys. Though there is no Poker 3 with backlight yet, but it does have an N-key rollover. This small keyboard can meet our needs!
“Overall the keyboard is excellent for typing on and with cherry mx blue switches you get a satisfying noise when type and tactile feedback for each keystroke, combined with the PBT keycaps gives an excellent typing experience. For those looking to this review who are new mechanical keyboards and thinking of picking this one up as your first mechanical keyboard you will not regret it.”
-Luke Webb, Amazon Customer
Corsair K95 RGB
As a keyboard with 100% Cherry MX RGB Red Mechanical gaming key switches, and multicolor per-key backlighting and effects, this keyboard is our dream come true! With virtually unlimited lighting customization, and aircraft grade black anodized brushed aluminum for superior durability, Corsair is the keyboard we’ve been looking for! It has 100% anti-ghosting with full key rollover on USB, and every keystroke translates into accurate gameplay. Every one of the keys can be assigned a unique backlighting color, and multiple brightness levels for a level of customization never before seen in a mechanical keyboard. 122 key rollover and anti-ghosting ensure accurate gameplay. And, the K95 RGB is built to last, with a black anodized brushed aluminum finish that’s sturdy and lightweight.
“The actual keyboard itself is very well built; brushed aluminum finish and a very comfortable hand rest. Keys can be removed and replaced easily for cleaning (even the spacebar and other wide keys, which are notorious for being finicky on mechanical keyboards). It looks the part, and I’ve had a lot of people compliment me on it when they’ve visited my apartment.”
-Perk, Amazon Customer
Cooler Master SGK-4020-GKCL1-UK Quick Fire TK
As a mechanical keyboard with Mechanical CHERRY MX switches with a lifespan of over 50 million key presses, and with a compact layout with an integrated number pad block, Cooler Master SGK was made with an embedded steel plate for maximum durability and reliability. We are gamers and a gamer knows that a mechanical keyboard means the difference between winning and losing. With this keyboard, we can choose between 3 different Cherry MX switches. Each keycap is UV coated to make it sturdy. Equipped with full LED backlighting with 3 modes and 5 brightness levels, as well as the 7 easy-access multimedia shortcut keys (that will save us time) Cooler Master SGK is a slim and lightweight keyboard that will give us plenty of room for our mouse. This keyboard is also great for LAN parties!
“A one-of-a-kind keyboard, the QuickFire TK has a tenkeyless form factor, except all of the function and arrows keys are integrated into the numpad. This means that the keyboard is very portable and easy to store on the fly. The keyboard’s portability and immaculate design make it a sleek looking keyboard, without being too showy. This keyboard is competitively priced compared to other mechanical gaming keyboards and one of the cheapest out there.”
-Demetrio Mistica, Amazon Customer
Corsair Gaming CH-9000069-UK
With 100% Cherry MX Red mechanical key switches for ultimate performance, the Corsair Gaming K70 keyboard has deep red key-by-key customizable backlighting. In addition, the Corsair Gaming K70 keyboard is 100% Anti-Ghosting and has 104 key roll-over on USB for accurate game play. It is made from Aircraft-grade anodized brushed aluminum for superior rigidity and has contoured, textured WASD keycaps which create easy to locate FPS keys. The Corsair Gaming K70 is a fully mechanical, backlit keyboard that’s manufactured for the best of the performance gaming community. The built-in Cherry MX Red switches deliver smooth, linear responses for ultra-fast double and triple taps without the audible “click”. If we want the best of the best of mechanical keyboards, Corsair Gaming K70 is the way to go!
“This keyboard is unbelievable.”
-qsom, Amazon Customer
(For more information on mechanical keyboards, please visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrAjlVs_xKI and/or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OfUAQiIOWQ.)
Works Cited
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrAjlVs_xKI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OfUAQiIOWQ
http://gomechanicalkeyboard.com/best-mechanical-keyboards/
http://peekand.co/hardware-reviews/best-mechanical-keyboard/
Technical Writing Continued…
Project Title: High quality articles needed – Mechanical Keyboards – top 5 review format
Introduction
Whether you’re at work, playing games with or against friends, or just using your computer in your spare time, the best mechanical keyboards with cherry switches have become one of the most sought after computer companions of this generation! Let’s explore the top five mechanical keyboards with cherry switches and see what all the excitement is about!
Cooler Master Quick Fire Rapid-i
The Cooler Master keyboard comes fully equipped with mechanical Cherry MX Brown Keyswitches, providing tactile and satisfying feedback with low noise. Its compact, ergonomic production makes it easy to go from place to place and provides the opportunity to keep your mouse arm closer to you for additional relaxation and comfort. This keyboard comes with a fully white LED backlight, resulting in total illumination for complete visibility in low-light environments. Made with ActivLite technology and possessing trailing lite effects, this keyboard is sure to exceed your expectations. It is powered by a 32-bit ARM processor and has individual key lighting; you are able to save up to 4 different lighting profiles for different games or usages. The Cooler Master also has a N-Key rollover and registers an unlimited number of simultaneous keypresses.
This Roccat Keyboard has illumination per key with other outrageous customization possibilities. A user is able to assign a secondary function to virtually any key. It has a N-Key Rollover which means advanced anti-ghosting. With its high powered software, two 32-bit ARM Cortex processors, and 2 MB of flash memory, this keyboard is a winner! A user to able to keep track of any of their vital statistics with the Roccat Achievements Display. There are key switches to suit every gamer – complete with Cherry MX key switches in blue, black, brown and red. It has a smudge proof glossy look, in addition to an integrated media hub for audio in/out jacks and two USB 2.0 ports.
Considered the world’s fastest RGN mechanical gaming keyboard, this keyboard has exclusive Romer-G Mechanical Switches with up to 25 percent faster actuation. It has customizable RGB illumination and a user is able to personalize individual key lighter from a pallet of 16 million colors. The Arx control App and smartphone dock allow a user to instantly access in-game data without game interruption. There are 9 programmable G-keys which allows game macros to be customized in order to execute complex commands quickly and accurately. This keyboard also has dedicated media controls and a one-touch control panel for quick access to play, pause, mute, volume, and skip.
The Razer keyboard offers a crisp, tactile feel and its responsiveness and consistency provide a unique (and often unfair) gaming advantage. With extreme durability, the Razer’s mechanical switches are ranked up to 80 million keystrokes and comes with a two-year warranty. Your individuality is able to be expressed with Chroma backlighting and over 16.8 million color options. There are fully programmable keys for gaming benefits and its easy access media keys are convenient for volume control and media playback. There is also a 10 key rollover for extreme anti-ghosting.
Ducky Shine 5
Ducky Shine 5 RGB LED Backlit Mechanical Keyboard (Brown Cherry MX) is ideal for gamers. The keyboard is compatible for Windows and is a full-size QWERTY mechanical keyboard. Complete with a manual and USB cables, this keyboard is designed to have each key programmed individually, allowing them to act on their own with their own color and action. It is manufactured from the best of materials to be durable and long-lasting. The LED effects are incomparable and a user is able to use USB 3.0 for even better lighting. It includes a Ducky 2015 YotG space bar and a “menu” key to replace the “right Windows” key. The micro/shortcut binding is also excellent as are the consistency and accuracy of the key switches.
So, regardless if you’re working, playing games with or against friends, or just using your computer in your spare time, any of the five mechanical keyboards above will provide you the experience you need to get the job done, to win the game, or just simply enjoy life!
References
http://www.pcgamer.com/best-mechanical-switches-for-gaming/
http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/mechanical-keyboard-guide
http://lifehacker.com/how-to-choose-the-best-mechanical-keyboard-and-why-you-511140347
https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/mechanical_switches.php
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