Monoprice offers a $58 mechanical keyboard

Mechanical keyboard typically aren't cheap and start at 100 USD, a company called Monoprice will try to change that as they offer a a mechanical keyboard that costs just $57.99! The keyboard features Cherry MX Blue switches but other than that its feature-set is limited to the bare basics, it doesn't even have media keys.

Have you wanted to get a nice mechanical switch keyboard for your PC, but cannot justify the excessive cost? Monoprice comes to the rescue with this Mechanical Gaming Keyboard with Cherry MX Blue keys!

This keyboard is designed as a bare-bones, no-frills mechanical board. You don't get a USB hub, or backlighting, or macro programmability. What you do get is a high-quality, durable keyboard using Cherry MX Blue keys at the lowest possible price, without sacrificing quality, of course!

But why would you even spend this much on a keyboard when you can get other keyboards for $5? There are two possible answers. First, just try it. Take a chance on our 30-day money-back guarantee and try it for yourself. Once you get a feel for using a mechanical keyboard, you will never go back.

The second answer is a bit more long-winded:

Membrane style keyboards typically have a minimal travel distance. To register the keystroke the key must be completely depressed, yet instead of a positive feeling of bottoming out the key, it produces a mushy feeling with no tactile sensation of a full keypress. Because of the requirement to bottom out the key to get it to register and the lack of tactile feedback, a membrane keyboard can result in greater hand and finger fatigue and can even contribute to carpal tunnel issues.

On the other hand a mechanical keyboard uses physical switches for each key. The switches have longer travel, yet can register a keystroke without requiring full depression, depending on which type of switch is used. This allows gamers to "double-tap" more easily and allows for faster typing. This keyboard uses the industry leading Cherry MX Blue switches, which require about 50-60 grams actuation force and which provide a physical and audible tactile click at the activation point. The switches are gold plated to prevent corrosion and have a life cycle of over 50 million keypresses, which is 5-10x more than that of a conventional membrane keyboard.

Another advantage of this mechanical keyboard is that it supports "N-key rollover". Each switch is individually monitored so that each keypress is registered properly, even though other keys are being actuated at the same time. This keyboard supports 6-key rollover for quick gaming combos and fast touch typing with fewer errors.

Note that the keys produce an audible click when they bottom out, so this keyboard is noisier than your typical membrane keyboard. However, many gamers and typists actually prefer the audible feedback and find it to help maintain faster typing speeds.

Features: 

• Uses Cherry MX Blue switches
• Gold plated switch contacts
• Switches rated for over 50 million keystrokes
• 2 mm keyswitch actuation distance, 4 mm full throw distance
• Requires 50-60 grams actuation force
• Cylindrical shaped keytops