There are different types of keyboards out there, and before you pick one, you’d probably want to know how long it will last. In this article, we’ll focus specifically on the longevity of mechanical keyboards. How long will one of these last you under most circumstances?
On average, a mechanical keyboard will last you around ten years, but there are many factors that influence this average. More precisely, mechanical keys are usually rated for approximately 50 million clicks.
But what kind of factors increase or decrease the longevity of a mechanical keyboard?
We’ll discuss these factors in detail below and why mechanical keyboards last longer than regular ones.
Why Do Mechanical Keyboards Last Ten Years on Average?
As mentioned previously, many factors affect the longevity of a mechanical keyboard. You can learn more about these factors below.
Mechanical Keyboards Are Designed to Last
One of the most important things about mechanical keyboards is that they are intentionally designed to be extremely durable. The most used part of any keyboard is the switch beneath every keycap. There are many types of switches out there.
But of course, mechanical keyboards use mechanical switches. Because they forego anything fancy and focus on being simple and robust, such switches generally last up to 50 million clicks. Some high-quality ones can last up to 100 million.
Even better is that these switches are very easy to replace if they ever do break, meaning your mechanical keyboard can keep on trucking with a simple repair, possibly for several more years.
Mechanical Keyboards Usually Have a Stronger Exterior
Also of note for the survivability of a mechanical keyboard is that most of them have a tough aluminum exterior. These tough shells protect the inner workings of the keyboard from many dangerous hazards, such as impacts, dust, moisture, and more.
These cases even help make the whole setup less conductive of electricity, protecting the keyboard from extremely dangerous electronic damage. Having an aluminum exterior greatly adds to the durability of a mechanical keyboard and, thus, how long it will last.
Mechanical Keyboards Tend to Use Higher Quality Parts
Mechanical keyboards are very expensive compared to your average keyboard. That’s because mechanical keyboards are designed with dedicated consumers in mind: people whose jobs revolve around a keyboard and will perform tens of thousands of clicks on their keys every day or week.
Because this is the case, mechanical keyboards are often made with very high-quality parts. The PCB board, the outer casing, the switches… every part is intended to last as long as possible. The sum of all these quality parts is a very durable keyboard that can last a decade or more.
Mechanical Keyboards Have Easily Replaceable Parts
Because nearly every part of a mechanical keyboard is pretty straightforward, it is relatively easy to replace any and all of the parts if they get damaged. Most manufacturers designed these keyboards in such a manner and offer replacement parts you can easily acquire online.
Naturally, this plays a pretty big role in how long a mechanical keyboard can last. After all, even if a part did break, you would be able to replace it rather easily, which would extend how long the keyboard lasts overall.
What Can Shorten the Lifespan of a Mechanical Keyboard?
How long things last depends on how well you take care of them and how well you avoid hazards that negatively affect them. This is true of mechanical keyboards, just as it is everything else. Certain events or behaviors will shorten how long one lasts.
The ease with which you can replace the parts of a mechanical keyboard means that even if bad things happen to it, you may be able to essentially mitigate the damage and avoid a big penalty to your keyboard’s lifespan.
Repeated Physical Trauma
Durable though mechanical keyboards may be, they are not invincible. Naturally, if you drop them a lot or drop things on them frequently, they will probably not last as long as they otherwise could. Sure, broken parts can be replaced, but the point still stands: try to avoid heavy impacts on your keyboard.
Water Damage
Mechanical keyboards do generally have a waterproof coating of some sort on them. This waterproof coating can protect the inner workings of the keyboard from small amounts of water, but don’t take that to mean that your keyboard would be immune to water damage, as this simply isn’t true.
If you spill large amounts of liquid on your keyboard, it will not do it any favors for sure. And unlike the mechanical parts, extensive water damage could cause problems for the electronics, which are harder to replace. Above all else, avoid spilling liquid on your keyboard if you want it to last the advertised ten years!
Electrical Damage
As mentioned previously, the aluminum exteriors help keep your keyboard safe from electrical shocks and the like. However, power surges may still be a problem, and such a problem could fry your keyboard’s delicate parts in a heartbeat. Be sure to use a surge protector or something of a similar nature!
And of course, while the keyboard may be somewhat shock resistant, don’t go out of your way to put it in a situation where electrical damage might be likely.
Dust Buildup
Dust may not sound so harmful on the surface, but in the long run, a significant buildup of dust can cause major damage to your keyboard’s parts. Dust gets into tiny nooks and crannies and can impair the function of parts. At the least, it may limit just how long those parts last.
That being said, you should clean the dust out of your mechanical keyboard regularly for optimal performance.
Conclusion
If you keep all of these things in mind, your mechanical keyboard should have no problem lasting nearly ten years, even more in some cases.
