Mechanical vs Membrane
Membrane: Quiet, cheap ($20-80), mushy feel. Fine for casual use. Mechanical: Tactile/clicky, satisfying to type, durable (50 million keystrokes). $80-300. Much better for extended typing. Low-profile mechanical: Slimmer keys like a laptop. Modern feel. Growing in popularity.
Top Picks
Keychron K2 ($129): Best value mechanical. Wireless, hot-swappable switches, Mac/Windows compatible. Logitech MX Keys ($179): Best for productivity. Low-profile, backlit, multi-device switching. Perfect for office work. Apple Magic Keyboard ($149-299): Best for Mac users. Seamless integration, Touch ID option. Corsair K70 RGB ($219): Best for gaming. Fast switches, RGB lighting, wrist rest.
For Chinese Input
All major keyboards work with Chinese input methods (Pinyin, Wubi). macOS and Windows both have excellent built-in Chinese input. Some people prefer keyboards with Chinese character labels — available from Taobao or specialized retailers. The key layout doesn't affect Chinese typing — Pinyin uses standard QWERTY. Mechanical keyboards are popular among Chinese tech enthusiasts for the satisfying typing experience.