A lot of gamers swear by the effects of breaking in the switches, and a lot of others say it’s just a myth.
Granted, when you see how it’s done, breaking in switches does seem a bit absurd, but it actually works better than you think.
If you’re not used to mechanical keyboards, your fingers may feel fatigued when you use scratchy switches because of the extra resistance.
Breaking in works wonders though for softening the keys and easing the pressure on your fingers.
Scratchy switches are when the switch is new and has some “rough” edges to its action.
Let’s dig into this in more detail.
Do you need to break in a mechanical keyboard?
Yes, mechanical keyboards usually need to be broken in. In fact, some people look for keyboards that are already broken in before they buy them because they don’t have enough time to do it themselves.
It might sound crazy, but it’s true.
Especially when it comes to gamers.
On average, mechanical keyboard switches need around 10,000 key presses to break them in.
That said, it depends on the number of scratchy switches on your keyboard and how often you use them. For gamers, the WASD keys are broken in faster and in fewer presses than any other keys, and for obvious reasons.
If you’re buying a mechanical keyword because you type a whole lot more than the average person (freelance writer, author, data entry specialist, etc) then it might take you that bit longer to smooth out any scratchy switches.
In the end though there isn’t any tangible proof that breaking in mechanical keyboards makes them perform better – this is down to personal preference.
That’s something that you’ll feel when you get a keyboard with scratchy switches. But most people report that their keyboards feel better after using them for a couple of months.
Why do mechanical keyboards need to be broken In?
Right after buying your new mechanical keyboard, its switches are brand new. And brand new mechanical devices take a certain amount of time to wear in.
The best way to understand this is if you bough a new motorbike that runs on gas. You have to keep the engine within a certain RPM (Revs per minute) range and maximum speed for the first 1,000 – 1,500 miles. Pushing the engine any harder than that on a new bike can permanently damage an engine. Or you’ll blow the engine apart.
With a new mechanical keyword you might notice your fingers are pressing harder than they should, and you may feel fatigued in your wrists too.
If you’re used to mechanical keyboards, you might not notice this, but if you’ve been using membrane keyboards your whole life, you’ll definitely notice something is off.
Granted, the switches will soften after a few months or weeks of usage, and you’ll no longer feel or hear the scratchy sound.
However, most people prefer not to wait for this, so they opt for breaking in their keyboards.
Others lube the switches after a couple of months of using them, but lubing isn’t something everyone wants to do.
How can you break in your keyboard’s switches?
The easiest way to break in your mechanical keyboard is to simply use it.
However, a lot of people don’t have enough time for typing, or they simply don’t have anything to type for the time being.
So instead of typing, they buy keyboard lube stations to speed up the process. Then, they keep pressing the keys repeatedly whenever they have time to, day after day until the switches go soft.
You can look for your own way to break in your switches; people find strange ways to do it.
As long as it works and doesn’t wear out your keys, go for it.
Wrapping things up
Mechanical keyboards do need to be broken in if their switches are scratchy.
If you’re satisfied with how they feel, you don’t need to do it, but most users prefer to break in their keyboards.
So it’s really down to what feel you prefer from your mechanical keyboard.
