What is a gasket mount keyboard?
We may have seen the “gasket mount” structure when we choose a keyboard, going through all the specifications.
Then what is a gasket mount keyboard? Are gasket mounted keyboards worth it? Is there a best budget gasket mount keyboard? Is gasket mount good for gaming?
After understanding main types of keyboards structure, we will get the answer for the question above and make a better choice of mechanical keyboard.
In the former blog<What components are used to build a mechanical keyboard>, we explored the basic components of a mechanical keyboard. We know each component might influence the performance of a keeb.
However, if the 2 keebs are composed by the same material, these 2 key boards also differ in the sound, typing feeling and overall experience because of different keyboard mount style.
image from Kzzi 75 gasket mount keyboard
What is the keyboard mount style?
The Keyboard mount style is the method the keyboard housing assembled with PCB or plate, the inner structure of a keyboard.
There are some common structures in the mechanical keyboard market, like Tray structure, Top structure, Bottom structure, Sandwich structure or gasket structure. As a core factor of keyboard design and durability, it can directly affect the typing sound, typing feeling, balance of a mechanical key board.
Gasket Mount
Features:
1、Gasket mount keyboard kit uses soft material like silicone, poron, ipex, rubber in the contacting area of keyboard housings and plate
2、The pc plate will not contact the keyboard cases directly
3、The PCB is fixed with PC plate
4、The filling material is floated inside the gasket mounted mechanical keyboard. They are used to reduce the hollow sound and noise
Advantages:
1、ultimate typing balance-The best charm of a gasket mount keyboard
Gasket mount pcb is surrounded by soft material. When pressing down any key of the gasket mounted keyboard, the whole keyboard will sink slightly with soft typing feeling, and bounce feeling.
2、Pure typing sound-Combined influence of gasket and filling material
The gasket mounting stops the vibration of keyboard housing when typing. The less the vibration reduces, the less noise are there. And the enough filling material also reduce the hollow sound inside.
Disadvantages:
1、high cost produced by several layers of filling materials
2、Complex assembling process--highly accurate demand of combined size, hardness, thickness, layers, material for the gasket mounted inner
3、Lack of stiff typing feeling-gasket mount mechanical keyboard pursuits a soft typing feeling. For a stiff typing feeling lover, this may be not a best choice.
Tray Mount
Features:
1、Normally there is only a bottom keyboard case for a tray mount keyboard
2、The pcb and pc plate is fixed with bottom housing by several screws, which might be in the edge of keyboard, under the spacebar or in the middle place of the keyboard.
3、Thin top case or no top case at all. The keyboard designs are like the shape of a boat.
Advantage:
1、The common and simple keyboard designs make it a low cost structure.
2、Assembled by some screws, uneasy to deform.
3、Easily to DIY. As long as the holes of screw can match, it is easy to replace the PCB and pc plate from other brands.
Disadvantages:
1、Inconsistent typing feeling
We will get stiffer typing feeling if the keys are near the screws, while the keys which are far away the screws will offer a softer typing.
2、Uneven typing sound
The typing sound also differs in the different area of a tray mount keyboard. The same as the inconsistent typing feeling, the typing sound near the screws might be louder or sharper.
Top/Bottom Mount
Features:
1、The keyboard is assembled with top case and bottom case, connecting by longer screws.
2、For the Top mount keyboard, the pc plate is screwed with the Top case. While the Bottom mount keyboard fix the PC plate with the bottom housing.
3、The PC plate is located between the Top case and PCB
Advantages:
1、Better typing feeling and sound
The PC plate is fixed with a circle of screws in the edge of top case or bottom case. The uniformly distributed screws make the typing feeling and sound more even than Tray mount.
2、Firm structure and diverse keyboard designs
The separate cases add more possibility to design cooler keyboard appearance. The total structure still tighten by screws, uneasy to deform.
Disadvantages:
1、higher cost than tray mount
The 2 pieces of case add more time and cost to assemble a keyboard. To adjust the mechanical keyboard, we need to remove all the screws. The assembling process is also more complex than keyboard gasket mount
2、Slight difference in typing feeling and sound
There still exits the typing difference between the keys near the screws and the middle part of the keyboard.
Sandwich Mount
Features:
1、The position plate is screwed between top case and bottom case.
2、The PCB is under the position plate, and exactly stands in the bottom case.
Advantages:
1、Suitable for keyboards with layers keyboard design, like multi layers of acrylic. The distinct layering creates a strong visual impact.
2、Balanced typing feeling and unique typing sound
With the proper keyboard design, the position plate can also float with the cases, which is better than the help of screws.
Disadvantages:
1、high accuracy of the size for the top case, plate and bottom case, otherwise, the keyboard will be loose or uneven.
2、High cost and complex assembling
The precise alignment of each layer add the cost of the whole keyboard, and assembling it also requires.
Integrated mount
Features:
1、the top case and pc plate are integrated together. They are made of the same material.
2、Can not find the replacement of pc plate to match with top/bottom case
Advantages:
1、The typing feeling is stable and precise. Normally integrated mount is made by CNC machine, there is extremely high structural integrity and durability.
2、No more installation parts needed, each keys delivers an extremely solid, stiff typing feeling.
Disadvantages:
There is almost no flexibility, no replaceable plate, but high manufacturing cost.
Because of minimal dampening, Integrated Plate keyboards typically offers the loudest, crispest sounds of all mounting methods, especially with metal materials
Plateless/PCB Mount Design
Features：
1、Actually, the plateless mount design can happen in all the keyboard mounts above. It remove the position plate, the switches are mounted in the PCB directly.
2、The switches can be hot swapping, or soldered into the PCB.
3、The pcb can be fixed with many methods, top mount, bottom mount, tray mount, or even gasket mount.
Advantages:
1、The softest typing feeling without the support of pc plate.
2、Typing on the pcb directly, the typing sound would be deeper, more rounded.
3、Reducing the pc plate, the total weight of keyboard would be less and the cost will be cut down.
Disadvantage:
1、Do not support hot swap switches normally. Otherwise the socket on the PCB might be damaged when replacing.
2、High demand to the hole of PCB, since the PCB is screwed to the cases. If no, the structural stability might be poor.
Leaf Spring Mount
Features:
1、The force is applied perpendicularly to the length of the leaf spring.
2、By adjusting the appropriate length of the leaf arm and the material of the leaf spring, we can obtain the elasticity we need.
Advantages:
Under the dual buffering of the leaf spring and the silicone component, the feedback generated by key input is completely buffered.
Disadvantages:
1、In order to achieve the soft typing experience throughout the keyboard, the selection of the metal spring is a very important step, like material and length and angle.
2、The leaf spring needs to be adjusted to achieve a soft input feedback, maintaining a good consistency at the same time.
Are gasket mounted keyboards worth it?
Each mount style has pros and cons. After knowing its pros, like less noise, better build quality and stability, more comfortable typing and so on. There also exits cons, like higher cost, more requirement and more complex assembling. The features of mount style highly effect the keyboard performance.
At the meantime, the keyboard layout, position plate, switches, and all the other components also influence our typing experience. It is hard to choose a best gasket mount keyboard.
It is worth trying different mount style to diy a keyboard, which meet our own needs and preferences.
Why gasket mount keyboard
Gasket mount is popular for its softer typing sound and isolated, smooth typing feeling with high flexibility. The flexibility makes it favored by some custom mechanical keyboard lovers, and it is widely used in budget keyboard at present.
gasket mount keyboard vs top mount
Top mount owns moderate flexibility, and balanced typing feeling. Compared to gasket mount, the typing experience is stiffer.
gasket mount vs plate mount
The plateless mount structure provides one of the softest typing experience. It can combined with gasket mount.
gasket mount vs tray mount
The tray mount offers the low flexibility in customizing the keyboard. The tying sound also might be hollow and noise. The firm and stiff typing feeling suits for budget limited users.