Island-Style vs Membrane Keyboard: What's the Difference?

If you're planning to buy a new keyboard in the near future, you might be wondering whether to choose an island-style or membrane keyboard. All keyboards consist of rows of buttons. Each button is essentially a switch that controls an underlying circuit. Keyboards, however, use different mechanisms to control their switches.

There are island-style and membrane keyboards. To learn more about these two common types of keyboards and how they differ, keep reading.

What Is an Island-Style Keyboard?

An island-style keyboard is a type of low-profile keyboard that's characterized by the use of flat, rectangular-shaped keys. Island-style keyboards emerged during the 1980s as an alternative to the large and clunky keyboards at the time. Since then, island-style keyboards have become increasingly popular. They are used in laptop computers, desktop computers and other electrical devices that require a keyboard peripheral for input commands.

What Is a Membrane Keyboard?

A membrane keyboard, on the other hand, is a type of keyboard that features pressure pads. More specifically, membrane keyboards consist of three layers. They feature a top membrane layer and a bottom membrane layer. Between these layers is a third layer: the spacer or holes layer.

The spacer layer lives up to its namesake by creating space between the top membrane layer and the bottom membrane layer. When you press a key, you'll force the top membrane layer into the spacer layer so that it touches the bottom layer. This will complete the circuit while allowing the membrane keyboard to register your keypress.