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Is a mechanical keyboard too noisy for work?

BossLackey

Member
Of course you can get different switches and dampen the noise with mods, but I'm talking about a bog-standard red/brown switch mech out of the box.

I've been using one at work for several years and just realized I might be an asshole for doing so.
 

eddie4

Genuinely Generous
I remember hearing a story about some IT guy annoyed with his coworkers. When they had to order and replace new keyboards, he found the loudest mechanical keyboard and replaced all of them. The environment was apparently one of those where it's an open space, and everyone is close together. I can imagine the noise.
 

Buggy Loop

Member
Yes. Even for gaming at night with family asleep. CLICKITY CLACK CLAK

Bought a Logitech MX keys, haven't looked back.
 

Patrick S.

Amiga Forever
I use Cherry MX Blacks at work, and those are BARELY tolerated by my colleagues. You could get reds or silent reds, those don't make much noise. Absolutely forget about MX Blue. I could get away with them, and in fact I used them for a few weeks, because I'm the senior dude and could't just tell my colleagues to get earplugs, but I'm not THAT much of an ass so I went back to the blacks haha
 
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Bitmap Frogs

Mr. Community
I remember hearing a story about some IT guy annoyed with his coworkers. When they had to order and replace new keyboards, he found the loudest mechanical keyboard and replaced all of them. The environment was apparently one of those where it's an open space, and everyone is close together. I can imagine the noise.

Oh god an office full of cherry blues lol.
 

BossLackey

Member
Well sheeiiit. I guess I'm an asshole. It's an open-plan office, so there's generally a lot of noise as is, but I think the kb might still be too loud lol.

I guess I'll get some new switches as per the suggestion. Legit not sure why it only just now dawned on me. I guess part of it is because I don't type at full speed/force in the office.
 

0neAnd0nly

Member
Idk but

The thought of using the loudest effing mechanical with RGB backlighting in a super crowded office environment with everybody staring at you and you just smiling and blissfully ignorant has me absolutely rolling.

I don’t have any idea what you look like, but I have built the image in my head. That’s enough for me! Haha.
 

BossLackey

Member
Idk but

The thought of using the loudest effing mechanical with RGB backlighting in a super crowded office environment with everybody staring at you and you just smiling and blissfully ignorant has me absolutely rolling.

I don’t have any idea what you look like, but I have built the image in my head. That’s enough for me! Haha.

Uhh I mean it's just a little 60% board with no RGB. I didn't realize this was such a hot topic, Jesus.
 

Azurro

Member
Well sheeiiit. I guess I'm an asshole. It's an open-plan office, so there's generally a lot of noise as is, but I think the kb might still be too loud lol.

I guess I'll get some new switches as per the suggestion. Legit not sure why it only just now dawned on me. I guess part of it is because I don't type at full speed/force in the office.

I can predict your next thread. "Guys, my motorbike has no muffler installed and I like to rev it up at 10 pm. Do you think my neighbours find this annoying?". 😛
 

PSYGN

Member
I'd think everyone has tuned it out by now, but certainly at the beginning they'd probably notice. If no one else has joined you in the work louder not harder movement then I would probably move to a quieter keyboard. My coworker got one and came to the same realization within that same year. I don't know if anyone complained but I certainly noticed him typing on his keyboard when I didn't have my earphones in. Didn't really bother me as I didn't sit right next to him and played music through my earphones to block ambient noises anyway.
 
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0neAnd0nly

Member
Uhh I mean it's just a little 60% board with no RGB. I didn't realize this was such a hot topic, Jesus.
Haha bro, don’t take my comment too serious. It was just funny in my head!

Personally I like the sound, wouldn’t bother me at all. I just went to the extreme in my head which made me 😂.
 

BossLackey

Member
I'd think everyone has tuned it out by now, but certainly at the beginning they'd probably notice. If no one else has joined you in the work louder not harder movement then I would probably move to a quieter keyboard. My coworker got one and came to the same realization within that same year. I don't know if anyone complained but I certainly noticed him typing on his keyboard when I didn't have my earphones in. Didn't really bother me as I didn't sit right next to him and blasted music to block ambient noises anyway.
Yeah, I mean, people are in meetings right next to me about 50% of the time and everyone is typing. I think it's just slightly louder than everything else when there are no meeting.
 

PSYGN

Member
Yeah, I mean, people are in meetings right next to me about 50% of the time and everyone is typing. I think it's just slightly louder than everything else when there are no meeting.

Well if it annoyed them I think your boss would let you know (unless you're the boss, heh username), and it seems they didn't. In which case, keep hackin on.
 
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Azurro

Member
Well if it annoyed them I think your boss would let you know (unless you're the boss, heh username), and it seems they didn't. In which case, keep hackin on.

Or, it's not enough of a big deal to go to HR, but it is also probably pretty annoying nonetheless. Seriously, a mechanical keyboard in the office? I'd go crazy having to work in that environment.
 

PSYGN

Member
Or, it's not enough of a big deal to go to HR, but it is also probably pretty annoying nonetheless. Seriously, a mechanical keyboard in the office? I'd go crazy having to work in that environment.

Then that's on them for not bringing it up, if it's "pretty annoying" I'd say it's a big deal enough. Of course whether or not HR do anything about it is another thing.
 
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0neAnd0nly

Member
I sort of want to get another office job now, for s&gs, bring in the most obnoxious looking and sounding mechanical keyboard I can, and type with the authority of Thor dropping the hammer down.

Also, I will keep my cell phone on speaker when I am talking on a call, and … does anybody know if they make mechanical keyboards with a speaker built in?

——————

OP, all seriousness as I said above - you are probably really fine. I doubt people really care. Again, my mind has concocted such a fun overview of this now it’s inspiring me to see for myself. Hah.
 

jm89

Member
Sat a few desks from someone who was using that shit drove me nuts.

Although i use to wear headphones alot and our office use to have music going alot of the times so that helped somewhat drown it out.
 

Patrick S.

Amiga Forever
Sat a few desks from someone who was using that shit drove me nuts.

Although i use to wear headphones alot and our office use to have music going alot of the times so that helped somewhat drown it out.
Crazy how differently people perceive these things. I LOVE the sound of mechanical keyboards, and wouldn't mind at all if everyone around me used them.
 

RoboFu

One of the green rats
Logitech makes some really high quality very quite mechanical keyboards these days.

But yeah, the clacking of a M keyboard at work is bad.
 
There was an older lady accountant that sat two cube rows away from my Finance team and had an old-school accountant calculator with paper reel. CLACK CLACK CLACK. SKRMP. REEEEEEE ad nauseum

My Director would get so pissed and talk crap about it in our team meetings. Of course, she never brought it up with the lady directly. The noise didn't bother me. I thought it was funny my Director couldn't just tune it out.

I wonder if it's a similar situation at OP's workplace. Some people are very sensitive to that sort of noise. Maybe it's a "control" thing 🤔
 

lachesis

Member
People used to work with actual type writer.... but I guess in this day and age, I am not surprised if people get offended by the clicks and all. I am more triggered by the notification/message rings from others smartphone to be honest. Also phone rings, and being able to hear others talk. I'd much rather have clack clack clack sound than constant phone ringing.

I work in a place where the white noise from my plotters and bunch of computer noise are always around, so if I worked with an mechanical keyboard, it would have been pretty washed out by other noise. Also, it would depend on how much of typing you do.

But I don't really provide the keyboard - the techs do - and they tend to have the awful rubber capped ones that comes bundled with.

I have Cherry Brown Filco Majestic keyboard at home that I've been using for past 10 years or so - and if this thing breaks down, I'm getting another unassuming mechanical keyboard. (I don't like any RGB stuff nor futuristic one)
 
Nah. If you have to go into an office. Loud ass keyboard, loud ringtone, eat the yogurt cup until you scrape the plastic, microwave fish, clip your nails, clear your throat a lot and loud, find a squeaky chair and spin, Loud slurp coffee and water all day.
 
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I have a few IBM Model M's. THOSE are loud :D



EAR PORN!!!


RDBGL3D.png
 

BadBurger

Is 'That Pure Potato'
Yes, it's rude to come rolling up into a mostly quite office environment with a loud mechanical keyboard.
 
They are louder than a membrane obviously but if someone around you thinks a mechanical keyboard is loud and annoying then that's their problem.

You can pry my mechnical keyboard from my cold dead hands. I refuse to use shitty cheap membrane office boards.

I'm more productive with a mechanical keyboard. It's what I use at home. If I am to be forced to use a membrane board then I'm going to do shit slower.
 
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BlackTron

Member
It's too loud even when I'm alone for striking WASD constantly. I'm extremely picky about mice but keyboards aren't such a big deal for me. As long as they aren't too noisy lol.
 

reezoo

Member
Get red switches for office if noise is concerning you, still 1000x better than those dell mushy gunk infused things. Going back to rubber dome is impossible after using mechanical keyboard.
 
Once upon a time I got one with cherry blues for work.. before the end of the day i was told i could no longer use it.. lol

Now i work remote so those bitches cant complain about shit.
 

Tams

Member
If you're in an open environment, then yes, you are an arsehole.

If you're fine with normal size switches and like keyboard modding, then you could faff about with the various 'silent' mods there are.
 
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