Long live the mechanical keyboard

For a writer, the mechanical keyboard is a beautiful thing. It’s certainly not necessary for everyone, but a well-designed mechanical keyboard can turn a tedious day of typing into an aesthetically pleasing experience. Given that most of my days involve sitting at a desk for hours, having a keyboard that I enjoy using is a necessity.

对于作家而言，机械键盘是一种美好的事物。它当然并非每个人都必需，但一把设计精良的机械键盘可以将枯燥的打字工作变成一种赏心悦目的体验。鉴于我大部分时间都需要坐在书桌前工作，拥有一把令我心仪的键盘是必不可少的。

I first got a mechanical keyboard about two years ago — the Keychron K2 — and I’ve never looked back. Keychron is one of the most prominent brands within the mechanical keyboard industry, having made a name for itself after initially launching via Kickstarter back in 2017. The company has since produced dozens of different keyboards (as well as keypads) and a variety of mouse models.

我大约在两年前入手了第一把机械键盘——Keychron K2，从此便一发不可收拾。Keychron 是机械键盘行业中最知名的品牌之一，自 2017 年通过 Kickstarter 众筹平台首次亮相以来，便已声名鹊起。此后，该公司生产了数十种不同的键盘（以及数字小键盘）和各种型号的鼠标。

Unlike other electronics, there isn’t a whole lot to owning a mechanical keyboard. The simplicity is part of the appeal. You unbox them, set them up (the K2 comes with little tilt legs that give you a slightly better angle from which to type), and plug them in. From here, you have a couple of different options. The K2 comes with a simple USB cable, but there’s also an option for Bluetooth connection. If you value a clean, minimalist workspace, Bluetooth is probably the way to go.

与其他电子产品不同，拥有一把机械键盘并不复杂。这种简洁性正是其魅力所在。你只需拆开包装，进行设置（K2 配有小支架，可以为你提供更好的打字角度），然后插上电源即可。接下来，你有几种不同的选择。K2 配有一根简单的 USB 线，但也支持蓝牙连接。如果你追求整洁、极简的工作空间，蓝牙连接或许是更好的选择。

While I am loyal to my older Keychron K2, there are a few upgraded and newer versions to consider. Keychron has released a variety of new models over the past two years, with a broad range of features and price tags. In many cases, the form factor is the draw. One of the more interesting releases, called the Keychron K8 HE Wireless Magnetic Switch Custom Keyboard, comes with an all-wood body and is equipped with an LED backlight. That one is substantially more expensive at around $200. The K2, meanwhile, costs $60. But if you’re into the look, maybe it’s worth it.

虽然我依然钟情于我那台旧款 Keychron K2，但市面上也有一些升级版和新款值得考虑。过去两年里，Keychron 发布了多种新机型，涵盖了广泛的功能和价格区间。在很多情况下，外观设计是吸引人的关键。其中一款比较有趣的产品是 Keychron K8 HE 无线磁轴客制化键盘，它采用全木质机身并配备了 LED 背光。这款键盘价格要贵得多，大约在 200 美元左右。相比之下，K2 的售价为 60 美元。但如果你喜欢这种外观，或许它物有所值。

If you’re a gamer, there’s also Keychron’s C0 HE One-Handed 8K Keyboard, which is a keypad built for convenience and speed and has an industrial aesthetic to it. However, interested gamers will have to wait — as it’s currently sold out. The company has also updated its K, Q, and V series keyboards, with many of those ranging in price from $100 to $200, depending on the features and model.

如果你是一名游戏玩家，Keychron 还有 C0 HE 单手 8K 键盘，这是一款为追求便捷和速度而设计的键盘，具有工业美感。不过，感兴趣的玩家可能需要等待，因为它目前处于缺货状态。该公司还更新了其 K、Q 和 V 系列键盘，根据功能和型号的不同，价格大多在 100 到 200 美元之间。

One of the appealing elements of owning a mechanical keyboard is the versatility. You can swap out the key caps for a wide variety of others (indeed, there’s a whole submarket devoted to this) or make your own custom caps (I’ve never gone that overboard). There is also the sound, of course. Some people balk at the accentuated noise of loudly clacking keys, but I’m a fan. In fact, the sound is one of the key selling points for a lot of consumers. The distinct auditory experience produced by said keyboards has even made its way into ASMR videos.

拥有机械键盘的吸引力之一在于其多功能性。你可以更换各种各样的键帽（事实上，有一个专门针对此的细分市场），或者制作自己的定制键帽（我从未如此折腾过）。当然，还有声音的问题。有些人对敲击键盘时发出的巨大声响感到反感，但我却很喜欢。事实上，声音是许多消费者购买的关键卖点之一。这种键盘所产生的独特听觉体验甚至已经进入了 ASMR 视频中。

For me, the Keychron’s biggest selling point is its retro form factor. I get really nostalgic for old school electronics, and Keychron scratches this itch pretty well. It’s a beautiful-looking device, which brings to mind a different era of computing, when the style was more workman-like, less minimalist. As far as home office purchases go, you could do a lot worse than to pick yourself up a piece of hardware that makes your desk look like it just time-traveled from the 1990s.

对我而言，Keychron 最大的卖点是其复古的外观设计。我对老式电子产品怀有浓厚的怀旧情结，而 Keychron 很好地满足了这种需求。它是一款外观精美的设备，让人想起计算技术的另一个时代，那时风格更偏向实用主义，而非极简主义。就家庭办公用品的采购而言，入手一件能让你的书桌看起来像是从 20 世纪 90 年代穿越而来的硬件，绝对是一个不错的选择。