Mechanical keyboards are of the old-fashioned type; looks like a brick and makes a lot of sound.
Because each key has a mechanical switch, you not only get a louder sound, you also get tactile feedback. This may increase your typing experience. Professional typists swear by it, so why would it not increase productivity/pleasure for a PhD candidate? I recently purchased a Filco White Majestouch II Ninja, with blue switches. That basically means I got myself a quality keyboard from Japan. In a series of short posts I shall share my experience with it.
At the moment I enjoy it quite a bit. It is a bit more tiring to type on it, it seems. Especially when I only need to press one or two keys it feels weird to use this keyboard. To type activating only the switch and not bottoming out is really a magnificent feeling. For the keys I seem to be able to do it, but no for the spacebar and return.
To be continued!
The Digital Orientalist 