Here’s how I see things. I’d like your thoughts:
If those butterfly keys from the 2015 macbooks had been more reliable and more sturdy, they’d be the best keys ever made for typing.
Mouse buttons are the apex of ergonomics, speed, ease of use, comfort, and efficiency. No one has ever put cherry MX brown mechanical keyboard switches on a mouse, and for good reason. Apple’s butterfly keyboard is basically a bunch of little mouse buttons, and they allow for a very ergonomic and efficient typing experience.
The only reason to use keys with 4mm travel is if you have too much muscle memory with old-fashioned keyboards (and to be clear, there’s nothing wrong with that. Do what works for you, whether that’s using scissor switches or using your grandpa’s rusty typewriter). But aside from personal habits, the most objectively ergonomic option (and for most new users, the most pleasant option) seems like it should be a key that balances the most tactile feedback possible, with as little excess pressure and travel as possible, in the most sturdy package possible.
So I don’t get why no keyboard makers seem to be striving for this goal?
Again, that’s just how I’m seeing it. Any constructive points about this are welcome. Peace!
I’m sorry this is one of the worst takes I’ve ever seen. It’s cool that you like short travel keyboards but a mouse is used for different things than a keyboard and that’s why it’s inherently designed differently. Mouse buttons are more efficient at one thing and that is being fast and repeating quickly—this is not what a keyboard is for. Preferring short travel like on the butterfly keyboard is one thing and that is absolutely personal preference but calling it the ideal ergonomic solution is something else entirely and just plain incorrect. There is a reason why keyboards haven’t trended to lower and lower travel—I can see the argument that 4mm may be a little long, but 0.5mm isn’t enough. On the other hand, I have zero problems with the 1mm travel on my current mbp.
As someone who had a fully working butterfly keyboard Mac at work, absolutely fucking not. Type for extended periods on it and legit hurts my fingers. For short bursts, it is probably faster but you pay for it in comfort. I can’t say this enough: the low travel is actively uncomfortable and jarring and a poor ergonomic choice. And I am someone who was totally used to it. To your point on balancing tactility and excess pressure: this is WHY the butterfly keyboard is a poor ergonomic choice. The harsh bottom out adds excess pressure to your fingers. The actuation force may be less but if you’re talking ergonomics it’s not about that, it’s about the force on the thing doing the typing (fingers)
Mice don’t have long travel switches because that’s not what they’re used for. I almost feel like this post has to be a troll because it is incredibly obvious that quickly clicking on things one at a time (or double clicking, or in games with rapid clicks) necessitates responsiveness and a different type of feedback than typing.