[nomel]

It's a personal choice of input mechanism that you can add to the measured number. Also, the activation point is extremely repeatable. You become fully aware of that activation point, so it shouldn't contribute to the percieved latency, since that activation point is where you see yourself as hitting the button. This is the reason I don't use mechanical keyboards; I can't activate the key in a reasonable time.

[opan]

>This is the reason I don't use mechanical keyboards; I can't activate the key in a reasonable time.

From what I understand, non-mechanical keyboards need the key to bottom out to actuate, whereas mechanical switches have a separate actuation point and do not need to be fully pressed down. In other words mechanical switches activate earlier and more easily. What you said seems to imply something else entirely.

[wtallis]

If you're comparing a mechanical key switch with 4mm travel to a low-profile rubber dome with 2mm or less of travel, the rubber dome will probably feel like it actuates sooner—especially if the mechanical switch is one of the varieties that doesn't provide a distinct bump at the actuation point.

[nomel]

No, I’m speaking only of travel required to activate the key. There’s still travel to the activation point for mechanical keyboards. I’ve yet to find a mechanical switch with an activation distance as small as, say, a MacBook (1 mm). Low travel mechanical switches, like from Choco (as others have mentioned) are 1.3mm. Something like a Cherry Red is 2mm.

[nine_k]

There are mechanical switches with near 1 mm travel, comparable to laptop keyboards. E.g. Cailh choc switches have 1.3 mm travel.

(I would love to see scissors-action keys available to build custom keyboards, but I haven't seen any.)