Many keyboards are advertised to withstand over 50 million or more keystrokes during their lifetime and you may be asking yourself. How long does it take to get to 50 million keystrokes?
Well, the answer isn’t that simple because many factors come into play when figuring out how long your keyboard will last.
On average, a person typing at 40 WPM will hit 50 million keystrokes in 20833 hours, or 2.4 years, but keyboards are usually advertised at 50 million keystrokes per switch. This means you would have to multiply 20833 hours by every switch you have on your keyboard in order to find out how long your keyboard will last.
With that being said do keyboards even last as long as they are advertised and what factors could affect the lifespan of your keyboard?
Keep reading to learn what affects the lifespan of your keyboard and how you can increase its longevity.
How Long Do Mechanical Keyboards Last?
Different keyboards have different lifespans, but you will typically see that a standard mechanical keyboard will last you around 10-15 years.
This is because they are made out of really durable components as where a normal membrane keyboard won’t last you as long because they are usually made out of cheap plastic.
However, the keyboard lifespan strongly depends on how much you use the keyboard on a daily basis
How Long do we Type For in a Day?
If you are an avid gamer like myself, then you might not type on the keyboard as much as you think. Most time when playing video games, you are focused on using only specific keys like WASD, but if you spend your time writing emails or blogs, you will tend to use more of your keys.
If you are just a casual user of your pc, you will be typing around 1000 to 2500 words in a day, but if you enjoy gaming you can see yourself typing way more or less.
For example, Most people who play video games are more likely to put users in the WASD keys which will wear out faster but, the rest of your keyboard may last a longer time than someone who just types on a regular basis
How Long Do Membrane Keyboards Last?
Membrane keyboards really differ from keyboards because you can easily find these keyboards for cheap, but keep in mind that cheap keyboards won’t last you as long as a more expensive one.
Most membrane keyboards will last you around 5 million clicks which is a lot less than your mechanical keyboard, but these keyboards are also a lot less expensive.
However, on the low end, you might find yourself with only a couple hundred thousand clicks
Do Membrane Keyboards Really last 5 Million Keystrokes?
Yes, they do, but some will last more or less depending on the quality of the keyboard that’s why it’s recommended to spend more on a higher quality keyboard that has more keystrokes; that way you can save more money in the long run.
