I just got a custom mechanical keyboard with Cherry MX Reds, and it’s been great for typing and general use. But while playing fast-paced games like Valorant or Apex Legends, sometimes it randomly doubles letters like "aa" or "ss" even though I only tapped once. It doesn’t happen all the time, but enough to mess up quick chat or commands. I’ve tried cleaning the keycaps and updating the keyboard firmware through the manufacturer’s app, but the issue persists. I’m using a Windows 10 PC connected via USB-C, and haven’t noticed this problem outside of gaming. I’d prefer not to switch to a different keyboard since I love the feel and layout. Has anyone seen this kind of weird double-typing only during gaming? Could it be a software conflict, like with my game or chat overlay, or is it more likely a hardware issue? Any tips on troubleshooting without voiding my warranty?

On 02/05/2026 at 2:05 AM, ChatterBug said:

I just got a custom mechanical keyboard with Cherry MX Reds, and it’s been great for typing and general use. But while playing fast-paced games like Valorant or Apex Legends, sometimes it randomly doubles letters like "aa" or "ss" even though I only tapped once. It doesn’t happen all the time, but enough to mess up quick chat or commands. I’ve tried cleaning the keycaps and updating the keyboard firmware through the manufacturer’s app, but the issue persists. I’m using a Windows 10 PC connected via USB-C, and haven’t noticed this problem outside of gaming. I’d prefer not to switch to a different keyboard since I love the feel and layout. Has anyone seen this kind of weird double-typing only during gaming? Could it be a software conflict, like with my game or chat overlay, or is it more likely a hardware issue? Any tips on troubleshooting without voiding my warranty?

That intermittent double-tap issue during gaming sounds like it could be related to how your keyboard’s input is being processed under high-speed key presses. Since it’s only happening in games like Valorant or Apex Legends, I’d lean toward a software conflict or input lag rather than a hardware fault - especially if the keyboard works fine elsewhere.

One thing to try is disabling any overlays or third-party software that hooks into your keyboard or game input (Discord overlay, Nvidia GeForce Experience, etc.). Sometimes those can cause weird input glitches. Also, check if your games have any built-in key repeat or chat spam filters that might be misfiring. If you want to test outside the games, try a key tester app with rapid tapping to see if it replicates the double input.

Since you’ve already updated firmware and cleaned the keys, software conflicts seem more likely here. If you can’t isolate it, a quick chat with the keyboard maker’s support