I traded my mechanical keyboard for a magnetic one. I’m not going again
After 4 years of clacking, I used to be prepared for a change.
I first made the leap from a membrane keyboard to a mechanical one in 2020 with an $80 Aukey keyboard. It was a hulking mess loaded with 104 keys, an infinite quantity knob, and gaudy blue buttons particularly there for on-board RGB customization. Its flaws didn’t concern me, although; I used to be too busy obsessing over the candy sound of clicking. It didn’t take a lot to show me right into a convert, as I may really feel myself typing with higher precision because of the tactile and audio suggestions.
So much has modified for me in these 4 years. A shedding cat and a brand new house co-working setup with my associate meant that my loud, hair-collecting PC setup had grow to be a detriment to my wants. I wanted a brand new answer, and Turtle Beach’s Vulcan 2 TKL Pro was the proper experiment. The keyboard would as soon as once more push me out of my typing consolation zone by introducing me to the world of magnetic Hall Effect switches. Now that I’ve tried it, I’m unsure I’ll be going again anytime quickly.
Magnetic typing
I started working into issues with my Aukey setup a couple of 12 months into proudly owning it. While I used to be keen on its loud switches, they tended to gather cat hair and different particles a lot faster than I believed. I used to be continually wrenching keys off to wash it, pulling up spools of mud. It didn’t maintain as much as put on and tear very nicely both, as keys would constantly stick on me after a couple of years of fixed use. The final straw got here when my girlfriend and I moved in collectively and I all of the sudden turned hyper-aware of simply how loud the switches had been. That, paired with a transfer to a smaller desk area, meant that I had loads of issues to resolve.
While my unique plan was to maneuver to a similar Alienware mechanical keyboard, I made a decision to present the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro a strive when it got here throughout my desk for testing. Its compact measurement was a a lot better match for my wants, in order that was a great begin. I plugged it in, watched its white body mild up with colour, and began typing. I used to be shocked for a second; it felt and sounded fully totally different than what I used to be used to, however I couldn’t work out why.
What I hadn’t realized on the time is that the Vulcan 2 makes use of magnetic Hall Effect switches as an alternative of the usual mechanical ones I used to be used to. That’s a more moderen expertise during which the keys don’t really make bodily contact with something when pressed. Instead, they use magnets to register keystrokes. In principle, that results in each more-precise typing and more-durable keys. Considering that my previous keyboard wanted fixed upkeep, I used to be particularly intrigued by that second half. Despite my preliminary unease concerning the really feel, I made a decision to keep it up.
The Vulcan 2’s switches are a lot quieter than what I’m used to.
The first hurdle was getting used to what felt like a tougher, shorter cease once I pressed a key down. The Vulcan’s switches felt a little bit extra inflexible than what I used to be used to initially, which initially felt a little bit onerous on my fingers. Once I adjusted to that (utilizing the Swarm 2 app to regulate actuation), I rapidly received a way for the way satisfying Hall Effect switches might be.
My typing has felt extra fluid than my previous mechanical keyboard, as I can transfer between keys quicker with out shedding accuracy. That’s helped by the truth that the Vulcan 2 makes use of some particularly clean key caps that just about make me really feel like I’m gliding over porcelain tiles. They’re skinny caps resting on excessive switches, leaving loads of area for the RGB lights to shine by way of and make sure every particular person keystroke with a fast flash.
While the texture could also be an acquired style, the drop in decibel stage is a giant improve. With no bodily contact being made, the Vulcan 2’s switches are a lot quieter than what I’m used to. The sound is extra in between a mechanical and membrane keyboard. They nonetheless make a noise, nevertheless it’s extra of a muted clacking, as if I’m typing beneath a blanket. It’s a hotter, much less harsh tone that I’m positive will probably be considerably much less annoying to my girlfriend when she’s working one room away.
The huge take a look at, although, would come right down to how nicely it will deal with the mess that comes from a cat who loves to hang around on my desk. Her shedding was in the end my mechanical keyboard’s downfall, and I hoped that Hall Effect switches would do away with any contact interferences that may have been slicing into my keystrokes.
While it’s too early to say how that’ll shake out, I’ve seen that it’s a lot simpler for me to really see that particles in my keyboard now. Because of its economical change design, I can see straight right down to the board and spot any stray hairs between keys. That makes it simpler to keep up on the fly, as I can merely blow it out quite than wrenching keys off to even see the board. That makes me hopeful that I’ll have a keyboard that each lasts longer and appears cleaner.
For the time being, I don’t plan on packing up my Vulcan 2 anytime quickly. I’m offered on the idea of Hall Effect tech for now thanks to express typing, straightforward customization, and a gentler sound. Turtle Beach’s stab at it feels robust, particularly at a $150 value level, even when I want the keys had only a bit extra flex to them (extras like a quantity knob, palm relaxation, and the very helpful Swarm 2 app make up for that nitpick).
Will my honeymoon section stand the take a look at of time, or will I be seeking to the subsequent huge development as soon as my keys inevitably put on out? I’ll inform you in 4 years, however one thing tells me the Vulcan 2 will survive that wait.
