当您查看现代游戏键盘和鼠标的技术规格时，您会注意到制造商提供的使用寿命估计值如“此键盘将持续 8000 万次按键”或“此鼠标将持续 3000 万次点击”。这些指标是什么意思？你能用它们来估计这些产品可以使用多少年吗？我想回答这些问题，并且我使用跟踪我日常计算机使用(computer usage)模式的软件进行了一些实验。这是我学到的：
你是什么类型的电脑用户(computer user)？与 WhatPulse 一起学习！
我是那种经常写东西并经常在他的电脑上玩的电脑用户。(computer user)我在Microsoft Office做了大量工作，就像任何其他商业用户(business user)一样，大量浏览网页(web browsing)，我还玩英雄(Legends)联盟(League)、堡垒(Fortnite)之夜、暗黑破坏神 3(Diablo 3)、巫师(Witcher)、永恒之柱(Pillars)或晶体管(Eternity or Transistor)等游戏。
在工作时间，我倾向于使用键盘而不是鼠标，并且我在键盘上按了很多键。但是，最常用的键是Space 和 Backspace(Space and Backspace)，如果您考虑一下，这是有道理的。当我玩游戏时，我只需按键盘上的几个键就可以控制我的游戏角色。比如，在英雄(Legends)联盟(League)中，我经常按以下键：Q、W、E、R、D、F。当我玩射击游戏或角色扮演游戏时，我经常按以下键：W、A、 S，D。
要了解您平均每天键入和单击的次数以及您倾向于更频繁地按下哪些键以及哪些鼠标按钮，您需要安装一个专门的应用程序并监控(app and monitor)自己至少一周，如果不是几周的话。我们建议您尝试WhatPulse并使用它来更多地了解您的打字和点击习惯。然后，根据这些数据，您可以尝试估计下一个键盘或鼠标(keyboard or mouse)的使用寿命。如果您需要一些帮助来了解它的工作原理和使用方法，请阅读本指南：您一天执行多少(How)次按键和鼠标点击？。
5000 万次按键是多少年？
使用WhatPulse一个月后，我发现我平均每天按 11698 次按键或每年 420 万次按键。我不会每天按相同的键 11.000(key 11.000)次，您需要查看最常按的键。就我而言，它是Space，它代表了我在一天内平均按下的 12% 的按键。这意味着每天有 1404 次按键。
如果我要购买市场上最好的游戏键盘之一，这几年是多少？让我们(Let)来了解一下：
2000 万次点击是多少年？
对于鼠标，尤其是游戏鼠标，一些制造商会通过鼠标可抵抗多少次点击来传达鼠标的预期寿命。使用一个月后，WhatPulse显示我每天点击 7985 次鼠标或每年点击 290 万次。这些点击中有 95% 是左键，这意味着我每天按下左键 7586(click button 7586)次。
如果我要购买市场上最好的游戏鼠标(gaming mice)之一，这几年要多少钱？让我们(Let)来了解一下：
- SteelSeries 承诺其Rival 700 游戏鼠标(gaming mouse)的使用寿命为 3000 万次。这意味着预期寿命为 10.5 年。
- 大多数公司承诺其鼠标的使用寿命为 2000 万次。此类鼠标的示例是ASUS ROG Spatha 或 Logitech G303 Daedalus Apex(ASUS ROG Spatha or Logitech G303 Daedalus Apex)。这意味着 2636 天或 7.2 年。
问题：制造商如何进行寿命估算！
制造商不会公开谈论他们如何进行寿命估算。您几乎找不到有关此主题的信息，而且通常只有在浏览了人们分享一些有用信息的技术论坛之后才能找到。
首先(First)，寿命估算是在专门的实验室中进行的，并且仅针对键盘按键下方的开关和鼠标按钮进行估算。在这些实验室中，您找不到在我们的家庭和办公室中大量存在的元素：灰尘、湿气和污垢。您可以在下面的视频中看到此类实验室的外观，该视频由Omron制作，该公司为(Omron)当今市场(market today)上的许多游戏鼠标(gaming mice)提供开关。
无论您多么干净，灰尘总是会积聚在您的键盘和鼠标(keyboard and mouse)上，并降低它们的使用寿命。如果您从不清洁键盘和鼠标(keyboard and mouse)，并且在它们上面也沾上一些污垢，它们可能会相对较快地开始出现故障。此外，湿气会损坏构成键盘和鼠标(keyboard and mouse)的电子电路。当暴露在高湿度环境中时，水滴会进入鼠标或键盘(mouse or keyboard)中使用的开关，从而在开关上碳化，从而降低其使用寿命。
在测试实验室中，他们使用标准化的环境温度(ambient temperature)，这是开关功能的理想选择，具有最佳湿度和大气压力。它与您的家庭和办公室(home and office)环境完全不同。
另一个区别是它们在进行寿命估计时施加相同的力和超程。(force and overtravel)他们让机器人按下这些开关数百万次，总是以同样的方式。让我们解释一下力和超行程(force and overtravel)的概念：
力度是按下开关的力度。人们根据他们的打字风格、年龄、力量、心情等，用不同的力量按下键盘上的键。根据您的疲劳或愤怒程度、按键在键盘上的距离等因素，您在一天中以不同的力度按键。鼠标上的按钮也是如此。当你用很大的力用力按下一个键或一个开关时，你会比用制造商选择的理想力按下它时更短的寿命。
另一个重要的概念是超程。为了更容易理解，请看下图。它代表霍尼韦尔(Honeywell)共享的标准机电开关。虽然键盘和鼠标中的开关看起来不同，但操作原理相似。
不使用时，开关有一个“自由位置”，没有任何反应（位置 A）。开关设计为在您打开时设置为“操作位置”（位置 B）。(operating position)当它到达那个位置时，它会做它应该做的事情（发送击键或鼠标点击(mouse click)）。但是，当您以与理想不同的力按压它时，它会进入其“超行程位置”（位置 C）。该位置低于其理想的“操作位置(operating position)”，它表示在开关开始发生故障之前，您可以安全地将开关按到操作位置之外的程度。(operating position)当您松开开关时，它不会立即回到“自由位置”。它首先达到“(release position)”，它低于“自由位置”。经过一段时间（毫秒或秒）后，它会回到最初的“自由位置”。
从自由位置到超行程极限位置(overtravel limit position)的距离代表总行程。超行程位置根据您按下开关的力而变化。为了延长使用寿命，您希望总行程尽可能低。因此，越用力按下开关，越容易达到其超行程位置限制(position limit)，总行程越高，寿命越短。在进行使用寿命估算时，制造商使用较低的超行程或不使用超行程，因为他们希望他们的开关使用寿命更长，并为客户提供更多令人印象深刻的数字。此外，不同的开关具有不同的安全超行程位置，并且在按下时可以承受更小或更大的力。
我们应该从中学到什么？
在我自己做了这个实验之后，了解了我平均输入和点击的次数，并查看了许多键盘和鼠标的技术规格，我想得出几个结论：
- 现代键盘和鼠标中使用的开关的使用寿命是通过按键和点击来衡量的，因为基于时间的衡量标准不适用于所有用户。不同的用户有不同的使用模式。
- 根据您键入和单击的次数，相同的鼠标和相同的键盘与其他人的持续时间不同。有时，根据使用模式，这些差异可能很大。
- 如果您想增加键盘和鼠标(keyboard and mouse)的使用寿命，您应该定期清洁它们，避免液体溢出(liquid spiling)，避免在潮湿的环境中使用它们。此外，您不应该用力打字或点击，因为这会直接降低它们的使用寿命。
- 游戏配件中使用的开关往往比其他部件更耐用，而且很可能它们不会导致您的键盘或鼠标出现故障(keyboard or mouse failing)。驱动程序比硬件更容易发生故障，而键盘和鼠标中使用的电子设备比开关更耐用，尤其是在灰尘或潮湿(dust or humidity)的环境中。
- 击键和点击的寿命(Lifespan)估计只是营销宣传，在估计你将要购买的东西的真实寿命方面没有真正的价值。这些估计只是试图以人为的方式给用户留下深刻印象并区分他们之间的不同配件。键盘（或鼠标）的使用寿命与其最薄弱的部件一样长。例如，您可以购买带有高质量开关、设计不佳和低质量塑料(design and low-quality plastic)保护它们的键盘，并得到一个短寿命的键盘。
- 制造商应提供其他指标来评估其设备的耐用性，考虑到现实生活中的使用情况和环境，以及键盘或鼠标(keyboard or mouse)内的其他组件，这些组件的故障速度可能比所使用的开关更快。
你怎么看？
既然您知道了我对这个主题的看法，以及我在尝试估计我的键盘和鼠标(keyboard and mouse)的使用寿命时学到了什么，我希望您能分享您对这个主题的看法。您如何看待制造商为其键盘和鼠标使用的寿命指标？它们对你有用吗？您在购买此类产品时会考虑它们吗？请在下面的评论中告诉我们。
How long are millions of keystrokes and clicks, in years? -
When you look аt the technicаl specifіcations for modern gaming keyboardѕ and mice, you notice that manufaсturers provide lifespan estimations like "this keyboard will last 80 million keypresses" or "this mouse will last 30 million clіcks." What do these metrics mean? Can yоu use them to estimаte how many уears these products last? I wanted to answer these qυestions, and I have performed some experiments, using software that tracks my day-tо-day computer usage pattеrnѕ. Here's what I have learned:
What kind of computer user are you? Learn with WhatPulse!
I am the kind of computer user who writes a lot and regularly plays on his computer. I do lots of work in Microsoft Office, just like any other business user, lots of web browsing and I also play games like League of Legends, Fortnite, Diablo 3, The Witcher, Pillars of Eternity or Transistor.
During working hours, I tend to use the keyboard a lot more than the mouse, and I press many keys on the keyboard. However, the most used keys are Space and Backspace, which makes sense, if you think about it. When I play games, I press just a few keys on the keyboard that allow me to control my in-game character. For example, in League of Legends, I often press the following keys: Q, W, E, R, D, and F. When I play shooters or role-playing games, I press a lot the following keys: W, A, S, D.
To know how much you type and you click, on average, per day and what keys you tend to press more often and which mouse buttons, you need to install a specialized app and monitor yourself for at least a week, if not several weeks. We recommend that you try WhatPulse and use it to understand more about your typing and clicking habits. Then, based on this data, you can try to estimate how much your next keyboard or mouse will last. If you need some help learning how it works and how to use it, read this guide: How many key presses and mouse clicks do you perform in a day?.
How long are 50 million keypresses in years?
After using WhatPulse for a month, it has revealed that I press on average, 11698 keys per day or 4.2 million keypresses per year. I don't press the same key 11.000 times a day, and you need to look at the key that you press most often. In my case, it's Space, and it represents 12% of the key presses that I make on average, in a day. This means 1404 key presses per day.
How much is this in years, if I were to buy one of the best gaming keyboards on the market? Let's find out:
- Razer Hunstman Elite promises a 100 million keystroke lifespan. This would mean 195 years. That is a lot of time, and the keyboard will stop working much earlier than that.
- Many mechanical gaming keyboards like the SteelSeries APEX M750 or HyperX Alloy Elite, promise a lifespan of 50 million keystrokes. This means 97 years. Again, that is a lot of time.
How long are 20 million clicks in years?
When it comes to mice, and especially gaming mice, some manufacturers communicate the expected lifespan of the mouse in how many clicks it was created to resist. After a month of usage, WhatPulse has revealed that I make 7985 mouse clicks per day or 2.9 million clicks a year. 95% of those clicks are left clicks, and it means that I press the left click button 7586 times a day.
How much is this in years, if I were to buy one of the best gaming mice on the market? Let's find out:
- SteelSeries promises a lifespan of 30 million clicks for their Rival 700 gaming mouse. This means an expected lifespan of 10.5 years.
- Most companies promise a lifespan of 20 million clicks for their mice. Examples of such mice are ASUS ROG Spatha or Logitech G303 Daedalus Apex. This means 2636 days or 7.2 years.
The problem: How manufacturers make lifespan estimations!
Manufacturers do not openly talk about how they make their lifespan estimations. You find little information on this topic, and generally only after digging through technical forums where people share bits of useful information.
First of all, lifespan estimations are made in specialized labs, and they are performed only for the switches beneath the keys on your keyboard and the buttons on your mouse. In those labs, you do not find elements that are found in abundance in our homes and offices: dust, moisture, and dirt. You can see how such labs look in the video below, made by Omron, a corporation that supplies switches for many of the gaming mice found on the market today.
No matter how clean you are, dust always accumulates on your keyboard and mouse and lowers their lifespan. If you never clean your keyboard and mouse, and you also get some dirt on them, they can start to malfunction relatively quickly. Also, moisture damages the electronic circuits that make up your keyboard and mouse. When exposed to high humidity, water droplets can enter the switches that are used in your mouse or keyboard, which gets carbonized on the switch, lowering its lifespan.
In testing labs, they use a standardized ambient temperature, which is ideal for the functioning of the switches, with an optimal humidity, and atmospheric pressure. It is in no way similar to the environment in your home and office.
Another difference is that they apply the same force and overtravel when making lifespan estimations. They have robots pressing those switches millions of times, always in the same way. Let's explain the concepts of force and overtravel:
The force is how hard the switch is pressed. People press the keys on their keyboards with different forces, based on they typing style, how old they are, their strength, mood, and so on. You press keys with different forces during a day, based on how tired or angry you are, how far a key is on the keyboard, and so on. The same with the buttons on your mouse. When you press a key or a switch hard, with a lot of force, you lower its lifespan more than when you press it with the ideal force chosen by its manufacturer.
Another important concept is overtravel. To make it easier to understand, look at the diagram below. It represents a standard electromechanical switch, shared by Honeywell. While the switches found in keyboards and mice look different, the operating principles are similar.
When not used, the switch has a "free position" where nothing happens (position A). The switch is designed to be set into its "operating position" (position B) when you turn it on. When it reaches that position, it does what it is supposed to do (send a keystroke or a mouse click). However, when you press it with a different force than the ideal, it gets into its "overtravel position" (position C). This position is lower than its ideal "operating position" and it represents how much you can safely press the switch beyond the operating position before it starts to malfunction. When you release the switch, it does not immediately get back to its "free position." it first gets to a "release position" which is lower than the "free position." After some time (milliseconds or seconds) it gets back to its initial "free position."
The distance from the free position to the overtravel limit position represents the total travel. The overtravel position varies based on the force that you use to press the switch. For increased lifespan, you want the total travel to be as low as possible. Therefore, the harder you press the switch, the more often it reaches its overtravel position limit, the higher the total travel, and lower the lifespan. When making their lifespan estimations, manufacturers use a low or no overtravel because they want their switches to last longer, and offer more impressive numbers to their customers. Also, different switches have different safe overtravel positions and can sustain smaller or higher forces when pushed.
What should we learn from this?
After doing this experiment on my own, understanding how much I type and click on average, and looking at the technical specs of many keyboards and mice, I would like to draw several conclusions:
- The lifespan of the switches used in modern keyboards and mice is measured in key presses and clicks because a time-based measure would not apply to all users. Different users have different usage patterns.
- Depending on how much you type and click, the same mouse and the same keyboard lasts a different time than for other people. Sometimes, these differences can be significant, based on usage patterns.
- If you want to increase the lifespan of your keyboard and mouse, you should clean them regularly, avoid liquid spiling, and avoid using them in humid environments. Also, you should not type or click with a lot of force, as this directly lowers their lifespan.
- The switches used in gaming accessories tend to be more durable than other parts and most probably they won't be the cause of your keyboard or mouse failing. Drivers are a lot more likely to fail than the hardware, while the electronics used in a keyboard and a mouse last less than the switches, especially in environments with lots of dust or humidity.
- Lifespan estimations in keystrokes and clicks are just marketing buzz with no real value in estimating the real lifespan of what you are about to buy. These estimations only try to impress users and differentiate the different accessories between them, in an artificial manner. The lifespan of the keyboard (or that of the mouse) is as long as that of its weakest component. For example, you can buy a keyboard with high-quality switches, with poor design and low-quality plastic protecting them, and get a short-lived keyboard.
- Manufacturers should provide other metrics for estimating the durability of their devices that take into consideration real-life usage situations and environments, as well as the other components inside a keyboard or mouse, which are likely to fail faster than the switches that are used.
What do you think?
Now that you know my view on this subject and what I have learned while trying to estimate how much my keyboard and mouse are going to last, I would like you to share your view on the subject. What do you think about the lifespan metrics used by manufacturers for their keyboards and mice? Are they useful to you? Do you consider them when buying such products? Let us know in the comments below.
