If you’re considering buying your first mechanical keyboard, choosing the right switch is one of the most important decisions you can make. But with all these terms like red, blue, brown, linear, tactile, Gateron and Cherry, it's hard to choose the best one. Knowing the difference and which one is right for you can make all the difference in your typing experience.
Unlike other products, reading user reviews is not enough to decide which one is best for you. Depending on how they use their keyboard and their personal preferences, a recommendation that works for one user might be completely out of place for another. Here are the most important things you need to know about mechanical keyboard switches so you can make the right choice the first time.
What is a mechanical keyboard switch? (And why you should want one!)
Keyboards come in two major categories: membrane keyboards and mechanical keyboards. Membrane keyboards are the most affordable and easiest to find, often acting as the “built-in device” in pre-built computer systems. Underneath the keys is a sheet of rubber (the “membrane”) that contacts the circuit board each time a key is pressed, transmitting data to the PC. Membrane keyboards can be excellent and many people swear by them, but they are soft and unpleasant to use.
Mechanical keyboards use individual switches under each key. These switches are self-contained units, each with its own electrical contacts. They are smoother and crisper to use than competing membrane keypads and offer a much longer life, typically 50 to 100 million presses (compared to an average of five million presses for rubber dome membrane keypads), which offsets their higher cost with a longer life span.
They also come in different varieties, allowing you to tailor the sound and feel of your keyboard to your own taste. For this reason, many users find mechanical switches to be more satisfying to use. If you work long hours in front of a PC, it is definitely worth considering investing in a mechanical keyboard.
The master switches
Mechanical switches come in three main varieties: linear, tactile, and ratchet. These three types are each better suited to different tasks, but are not exclusive to any. There are no hard and fast rules for keyboard switches, but there are certain qualities of each that are worth considering.
Linear
Linear switches are smooth from top to bottom. There is no feedback to let you know when an action has been sent, giving them a consistency that many users appreciate. They are especially popular among gamers because of their increased ease of sending multiple entries quickly. They are not ideal for typing (at least initially), as it is much easier to press by mistake, which increases the number of typos. Over time, the problem fades, but there is a larger learning curve to get used to them. Linear switches are the quietest of all standard switch types.
Clicky
Clicky switches are the loudest of the three main types of switches. Unlike linear switches, clicky switches have a tactile bump when we press the key and a slight clicking noise, similar to that of a typewriter. We often consider these switches the best for typing because of their increased feedback, but they can annoy in work environments where extra noise is not welcome.
Tactile
Tactile switches are halfway between the two previous types. These switches do not have an audible click, but have a quiet bump that can be felt when the key is pressed. Touch switches are among the most popular and are considered by fans to offer the best of both worlds.
These three main types of switches are usually coded in the same three colors, popularized by Cherry, one of the leading switch manufacturers in business today. Red switches are most often linear, blue switches are most often clickable, and brown switches are most often tactile. There are some variations between brands (Razer has its own way of color coding its keyboards’ switches). So always take the time to read the full product listing to make sure the keyboard you’re interested in has the switch you’re looking for.
What specifications are important?
There are three main specifications to consider when you’re thinking about buying a switch for your mechanical keyboard: actuation force, actuation distance and travel distance. To compare these, it’s helpful to use Cherry’s standards as a reference, as they are the most popular and best understood.
Actuating force
Actuation force refers to the hardness of the pressure applied to the key. Switches most often have an actuation force between 45 and 60 grams. The lower the weight, the easier it is to hit a key. Players may prefer a very light switch to send many inputs quickly. Typists may prefer a heavier switch to avoid typos. There are switches that weigh well over 60 grams, but choosing a switch that is too heavy can cause finger fatigue.
Travel distance
Actuation distance and travel distance refer to the distance the key travels. Actuation distance is the distance a key must travel before sending an input. The travel distance is the total distance it can travel before hitting the bottom of its path (called “bottoming out”). These distances are fairly standard, 2 mm and 4 mm respectively, with minor differences between brands. Touch switches with shorter distances are often considered fast switches and can be sensitive to touch.
Lifetime
Lifetime is another useful feature, although it is less important than it may seem at first glance. The vast majority of key switches available on keyboards today are rated between 50 and 100 million key presses. Some less expensive switches can only handle 20 million key presses, but these are less common. Even at 20 million key presses, you are much more likely to upgrade your keyboard before a switch fails, as long as you take good care of your keyboard.
Cherry MX and beyond: Gateron, Kailh and gaming brands
The largest manufacturer of mechanical key switches today is Cherry. Its line of full-size switches is known as Cherry MX. Until 2014, Cherry held a patent on the design of its switches and has built a formidable pedigree on the quality and reliability of its switches. For years, the most popular mechanical keyboards used Cherry MX switches, and that remains true today.
However, as its patent expired, other brands slowly gained popularity. Gateron and Kailh are Cherry’s two biggest competitors, and we find their switches on many excellent keyboards. Although not identical, the red, blue and brown switches from these three manufacturers are incredibly similar. The Gateron and Kailh switches are less expensive.
Perhaps because of their outsider position, Gateron and Kailh seem more willing to take risks and develop new switch designs. These often have different colors and naming conventions, such as the Kailh BOX Jade switches found in a variant of the Ducky One 2 Mini. For this reason, and because of the minor variations that exist between switch manufacturers, it is always important to examine the type of switch being used and to use Google if necessary.
It has also become popular for major gaming brands to release their own switches. HyperX, Logitech, Razer, and Corsair each have their own switches. These switches are modeled after the three main types described above, but attention should be paid to the important specifications described in the previous section.
Optical or Mechanical Switches
When looking for mechanical keyboards, you are likely to encounter optical key switches. These switches follow many of the same rules as traditional mechanical key switches, but they operate differently. Rather than using mechanical contacts, optical switches use a light emitter on the circuit board. When the key is pressed, the light beam can reach a receiver and trigger a key press.
Optical switches are technically faster than mechanical key switches. Because there is no electrical contact, we can send instantly commands, with no overflow delay. This delay is inherent in mechanical switches to filter out electronic interference resulting from physical contact. Since there are no electrical components in the switch, they also are more durable.
With this in mind, take any bold claims of faster response time with a grain of salt. Gaming keyboards that use optical switches often boast of their increased responsiveness. While this is technically true, we’re talking about millisecond differences that would be incredibly difficult to perceive in normal use.
Disadvantages of Mechanical Switches
Mechanical switches are great, but they don’t just have drawbacks. The biggest problem with mechanical keyboards is their increased volume. Compared to a conventional membrane keyboard, mechanical keyboards are louder and can annoy people in the same room as you. Cherry, Gateron, Kailh and other switch manufacturers have tried to remedy this problem by introducing “quiet” switches with built-in sound dampening components, but even these can exceed the volume of a membrane keyboard.
The other factor is cost. Although prices have dropped considerably in recent years, mechanical keyboards are more expensive than membrane keyboards. This is especially true if you are considering a product from a major brand like Logitech or Corsair. While it’s entirely possible to buy a mechanical keyboard for less than $50 (like Keychron’s impressively priced C1), flagship keyboards can easily cost upwards of $150 or even $200.
Treat yourself to a mechanical keyboard
If you’re new to the world of mechanical keyboards, it's easy to feel overwhelmed and give up completely. Start with a small choice: linear, touch or click. Then see what’s available in your budget and has the features you want.
With Cherry’s MX patent expiring, choosing another brand isn’t as risky as it once was. Consider buying from a site like Amazon that offers a generous return policy. That way, if you decide you don’t like your product, you can easily return it and try something new. Finding the right size for you may involve some trial and error, but once you find the perfect size, it's hard to go back.
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