Optical vs. Mechanical Switches: What’s Best for Gaming?

When it comes to gaming, you want the best performance. But should you opt for a mechanical or an optical keyboard to be better than the rest?

Mechanical keyboard switches have been the mainstay for some time, offering the speed, durability, and responsiveness that gamers need. But, as optical switches become more popular, we have to ask: which is better for gaming?

This article covers how optical and mechanical switches differ and which keyboard switch we think is best for gaming.

How Do Mechanical and Optical Switches Work?

Mechanical switches work by creating contact between a metal piece on the bottom of the key and one on the keyboard. This closes the circuit and sends a signal to the PC that that key has been pressed.

There are three main types of mechanical switches: Linear, tactile, and clicky. Linear keys are quieter, require less force, and provide no tactile feedback when pressed. Tactile keys are louder and produce a bump in the middle of the keystroke. On the other hand, clicky keys give a larger bump and a loud “click” in the middle of the keystroke, making them loud but satisfying.

In contrast, optical switches use a process called light induction. When you press the key down, the stem (the part that would usually hit the keyboard) blocks a beam of infrared light. An infrared sensor then detects the lack of light and signals to the computer that the key has been pressed.

Mechanically, both switches are quite similar. For example, when you press the keycap, it pushes the stem down, then a spring pushes the cap back to position. And, optical switches can also have similar characteristics to mechanicals in terms of being more linear, tactile, or clicky.

So, which is better for gaming?

Optical vs. Mechanical Switches

There are a few important aspects of mechanical switches that you must consider when deciding which is better for gaming. These include:

• Durability: How many keystrokes before the keys break?
• Speed: How quickly can you actuate the key?
• Satisfaction: How enjoyable are the keys to press?
• Noisiness: How loud are the keys?

Durability

The average lifespan of mechanical or optical keys depends largely on the manufacturer. That being said, most optical switches currently on the market have a lifespan of around 100 million keystrokes.

In contrast, only Cherry MX claims close to this life expectancy for their mechanical switches. Most mechanical keyboard brands class their keys at around 50 to 60 million keystrokes—half that of the optical switches.

Keep in mind, though, that 50 million keystrokes equates to around 10 to 15 years of intense gaming or typing and is probably going to be long enough for most people.

Speed

The speed of switches depends on a couple of things, including the amount of force it takes to actuate them and the distance the key has to travel to actuate it.

Mechanical switches also have around a five-millisecond debounce delay. Optical switches, on the other hand, don’t suffer from this delay at all. This means that optical switches will generally have around 5 ms faster response time. However, the jury is still out whether or not this small increase in speed actually results in better performance while gaming.

Other than that, the reaction speed of optical switches appears to depend largely on the manufacturer. The breadwinners seem to be the Razer Optical Purple switches. These are touted as being some of the fastest keys on the market and are around 30ms faster than the fastest Cherry MX keys.

Feel and Noisiness

How mechanical or optical keys feel is largely down to preference, and that goes for the loudness as well. But, with more options available, it’s more likely you’ll find a mechanical keyset that matches your preferences.

When it comes to mechanical switches, you have the option between linear, tactile, and clicky keys. This means you can choose keys that are satisfying, quiet, fast, or any middle ground.

Optical keyboards just don’t have as many options. You may be lucky and enjoy the stock keys on an optical keyboard, but that won’t be the case for many people.

However, this is beginning to change, and many manufacturers offer at least a couple of alternatives.

The Razer Huntsman series offers the Razer Optical Reds (a linear option) and the Razer Optical Purples (a clicky alternative). Gateron also has several options, including Gateron Optical Black, Blue, Brown, and Red, which each feature characteristics similar to their mechanical counterparts.

Price and Availability

Because there are dozens of manufacturers and types of mechanical keys, you’re likely to find something that you like fairly easily. You can also easily modify most mechanical keysets to make them louder, quieter, quicker, or last longer.

Unfortunately, there just aren’t as many options with optical keyboards, though there has been some increase in recent years. Optical keyboards have also seen less standardization, meaning that modifications and custom keysets are far less available.

Finally, mechanical switches have plenty of budget options, whereas a good set of optical keys generally only comes with a mid-to-high price keyboard (like the Razer Huntsman). So mechanical switches definitely win when it comes to price.

In summary:

• Optical switches are generally faster to actuate than mechanical switches.
• Optical switches have a longer lifespan, though some mechanical switch brands match this.
• Mechanical switches can be more satisfying to use.
• Mechanical switches are quieter, especially linear keys.
• Mechanical switches have a broader range of brands and types and are easy to modify.

So, Which Is Best For Gaming: Optical or Mechanical Switches?

Mechanical switches remain the placeholder for gamers. There are far, far more options when it comes to mechanical keyboards than optical, and considering that optical switches are still relatively new on the market, this makes sense. The consequence is that many people are unwilling to switch over to an optical keyboard just yet.

But, we may see a change in the coming years as more options become available. The Razer Huntsman series, for example, offers the customizability, speed, and durability that gamers are looking for in an optical keyboard.

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