Mechanical keyboard question

[RikOz]

Question for those more familiar with mechanical keyboards than I am. I bought my first mechanical, "gaming" keyboard about a year ago. It has the red switches, and that is what my question is about.

 

My keyboard is the Redragon brand, a pretty inexpensive maker. Included with the keyboard were four spare switches. I have since used up all of the spares replacing switches that went bad. The very first one I had to replace was the "W" key, obviously a less-than-ideal key to have go bad on a gaming keyboard. I've since had to also replace the 2, 3, and 4 key switches.

 

So first, I have to ask: Is it "normal" for mechanical key switches to fail so quickly?

 

Second, I was under the impression that mechanical key switches were sort of a standardized, "commodity" part, and should be interchangeable. So I bought a box of replacement switches to have ready for future repairs, and discovered that they are too big by just a hair, and won't fit into the sockets on my keyboard. Was I mistaken about them being standardized? Am I going to have to try to track down replacements switches the same brand as my keyboard?

 

Aside from these switch failures, I like the keyboard.

[Techwright]

It's been a while since I researched keyboard switches, so I've not really got the expertise you need.  That said, I'm wondering if your keyboard is populated with Cherry clones, which might possibly explain the size difference.  There's a bit of a description regarding them at this article link:

https://www.pcgamer.com/best-mechanical-switches-for-gaming/

[RagManX1]

Good mechanical switches are good for tens of thousands of presses at a minimum, and more likely to run over one hundred thousand click cycles than not. I'm surprised in only one year you've had to replace *ANY* switches, let alone four. I believe Techwright is correct, and that you have some clones of the good stuff rather than the preferred Cherry switches. I also am by no means an expert but have used numerous Cherry-switch based mechanical keyboards for years and years, including the keyboards I gave both of my sons for their computers 4+ years ago. I have yet to need a switch replacement on any of them. Not going to suggest you throw away your keyboard today, but long-term it might be beneficial to replace your current one with a higher-end keyboard for comfort and longevity.

[Hardship]

I also have a Redragon keyboard.  I've had it about 1/2 a year now and it is still going strong on the OG keys and switches.  I think I did the "brown" switches, if that matters at all.

[Azari]

slightly off topic, but i actually much prefer the old style buckling spring/model M type keyboards over the newfangled mechanical "gaming keyboards" people sell today.. 

Edited September 14, 2021 by Azari

[Olly]

Sorry if necro. I've owned a mechanical keyboard for ~2 years now, never had to replace a switch. In general, the keyboard vendors advertise the expected lifetime of the switches. iirc Cherry MX are ~50-100 million key presses ("actuations"). Gaterons ~ 50 million, and Kailh  ~50 million. Redragon keyboards use Kailhs, which are the cheapest of the three and consistently ranked below Cherry and Gaterons in keyboard reviews.

 

The market for mechanical keyboards is ridiculous, in my opinion. Some keyboards cost upwards of $200 and I've even seen $500 ones. For my part, I spent ~ $100 on a Coolermaster TK Storm (Cherry brown) and it's perfectly ok. I installed o-rings to dampen the sound, but otherwise I'm happy with it. I'd love to buy a new keyboard to try out, but haven't been able to justify *why*. Looking at Gaterons at the moment.

 

For the guy that posted on model M type keyboards, there's a vendor that makes it in this style:  pckeyboard.com