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So I am looking for a mechanical keyboard that is quiet enough for an office setting. The one I have now is way too loud, even though it was advertised as being quiet. 
Anyone have any recommendations for one that is really quiet?
The difficult we do right away...
...the impossible takes slightly longer.
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Wahdyasay? I can't hear you over my own keyboard. I get complaints about it from down the block.
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Yeah, my keyboard caused someone to emerge from his office to see what was making all that racket.
The difficult we do right away...
...the impossible takes slightly longer.
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Unless you are working in an environment where computer use is not the norm, I would question your office mates' inability to discern the sound of a keyboard.
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Hi Dave,
I don't know quite what you mean. Everyone here uses a computer, but not everyone, (meaning no one) has a mechanical keyboard.
The difficult we do right away...
...the impossible takes slightly longer.
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My Das 5QS isn't particularly loud. It's mechanical though, so there's that. It's certainly noisier than the more common membrane keyboards.
Can you upgrade or replace your coworkers with a more noise tolerant variety?
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Look for linear switches
>64
It’s weird being the same age as old people. Live every day like it is your last; one day, it will be.
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honey the codewitch wrote: Can you upgrade or replace your coworkers with a more noise tolerant variety?
 Wish I could!
The difficult we do right away...
...the impossible takes slightly longer.
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I didn't have one that old, but the first computer I built, I interfaced with an ASR33 Teletype. It was a bit noisy, but it worked great!
Will Rogers never met me.
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Pretty sure though that in terms of the OP that is going to be too noisy.
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Most of the newer ones have options to get a quieter switch type. Back in the day you only had one, but now you have several different switch types.
The one I use is a wired Logitech G513. It's technically a gaming keyboard but doesn't have all that gaming nonsense on it that some gaming keyboards do. It's sturdy. And it uses brown switches, which don't really click loud. I never had any complaints about switch noise in meetings either. Maybe they were being nice though. But, no complaints so far.
Site Note: They say some of the really super duper keyboards that are wireless don't have any lag, but I still go wired because from a lag standpoint nothing beats it. I would suspect that most professionals are fast typers still go with a wire.
Oh, I should say, I work from home. So when I'm typing in meetings it's usually over Zoom, Teams, etc. It may be too loud for an office, but out of the switch types, the brown ones are quieter at least when compared to some.
Jeremy Falcon
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Thanks for the comments, Jeremy. Do you game? It's the only reason I could imagine for being concerned about latency.
The difficult we do right away...
...the impossible takes slightly longer.
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Richard Andrew x64 wrote: Do you game? It's the only reason I could imagine for being concerned about latency.
Sometimes, but it's usually on the Switch or PS5. Unless I'm sick I generally only use my computers for coding and/or work.
For me, just when typing in a text editor I could feel the latency with your typical wireless keyboard. Was enough to drive me crazy.
Jeremy Falcon
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I am a glorified hunt and peck typer. Even the slowest keyboard reacts faster than I can type.
Within you lies the power for good - Use it!
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I use a Corsair. It is lit up which I didn't care for originally but I have gotten use to it.
Not sure I would like it if it was too quiet. But doesn't seem loud to me. I think I use the noise at the subconscious level to affirm my typing.
But maybe if your keyboard is too loud then they will give you an office.
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I once used a Corsair. You know what I don't like about them?
Whatever technology they use to inscribe the symbols onto the keycaps sucks, so that the black paint rubs off after a while, and the keycap is defaced.
The difficult we do right away...
...the impossible takes slightly longer.
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I am on my second one. I don't see any problems with the writing on the keys.
I replaced the first one because keys would start repeating. But I had had it for a while.
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I ![Heart | [heart]](https://codeproject.global.ssl.fastly.net/script/Forums/Images/love.gif) my Logitech K120[^]. It's a reliable, no-nonsense, quiet soft travel mechanical keyboard. Before that I used a Dell QuietKey SK-8000[^] for over a decade. It was amazingly reliable but died after I spilled an entire cup of coffee on it. 
/ravi
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I think all mechanical KBs are louder than the equivalent, but ... they are robust and feel really good to type on.
My DAS 4 doesn't seem too loud to me (now I'm used to it) but it does use the Cherry Blue which are designed to be "clicky" - they do a Cherry brown version which is quieter.
The model numbers are DASK4MKPROCLI-UK for the Blue, and DASK4MKPROSIL-UK for the Brown.
Both are rated for 50M keystrokes per switch, which is at least a weeks typing for the Codewitch! 
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Honestly - I'm a bit of a keyboard nut. I'm sure I could recommend a few different ones, but it depends on what you are after, and if you are a keyboard snob or not (I am).
Firstly - the sounds of your keyboard are going to be much quieter if you're wearing headphones and listening to music of your choice.
If you want/need a mechanical keyboard, the quietest switches are "linear" ones. Usually called Red (or Cherry Red) - there are now so many variants in all sorts of colors. Next up the scale but also fairly quiet are brown switches, usually called "tactile". If you like to feel feedback when you press a key, then tactile is probably the go. The noisiest switches are "clicky" usually blue. There are other variations in different color, green, black, clear etc - which all vary the various performance of the switch - how hard it is to press, how far it needs to be pressed to actuate etc.
If you don't care about the typing experience, then most low profile membrane or chicklet key keyboards will be fine. (Personally hate them - find them like typing into a wet sponge, but YMMV).
If you want a super responsive mechanical keyboard, which is quite quiet, has low actuation distance - then I'd recommend a Logitech keyboard with Romer-G switches. Compared to other tactile mechanical keyboards, they take a little getting used to but they are pretty good. Logitech make a few different keyboards with these switches, with and without backlighting, single color or RGB, and wired or wireless.
Or you can get a cheap one from Amazon/Temu with red or brown switches, but YMMV. Cheaper is not always better, but there are some good ones for around $50 AUD. ($30 US appx).
Hope that helps.
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Thanks for the comments, Paul.
I prefer full height keyboards to the half height design. The half height design makes me feel like I'm typing on a laptop keyboard, which I hate.
The difficult we do right away...
...the impossible takes slightly longer.
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I have a Corsair K95 RGB Platinum keyboard and I love it. It wasn't that loud to begin with, but I installed dampers on it anyway. It has the macro keys and MX speed switches. If you practice, you can type rapidly by barely touching the keys.
Even with the dampers, the keyboard is "loud" when you bottom out on the keys. By loud, I mean still softer than heavy tactile keyboards. The K95 is one of the best keyboards I've ever had, and I've owned a lot of them. The Corsair keyboards are the best in my opinion. Make sure the keys are MX speed, red or brown switches.
You can still buy the K95 on Ebay for around $80. On Amazon, they're almost $200 new.
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