The Ars Technica guide to mechanical keyboards

Understanding mechanical switches

The heart of any mechanical keyboard is its switches. There is a dizzying array of switches available from countless companies—way more than we can cover in this article. But that's a good thing, as it means you should be able to find the exact switch that works for you.

Let's start with the basics.

Mechanical switch brands

The German company Cherry was the primary mechanical switch maker for a while, but more options flooded the market once its patent expired. Many companies copy Cherry by offering similar or equal specs in the same colors, with colors that designate a switch's "type." Others claim to offer unique characteristics, like switches that keep the keycap more stable or switches that provide a less scratchy feel.

Cherry remains one of the most popular brands, but you can typically count on the quality of proprietary switches from companies like Logitech or Asus. Besides these, other common names you'll see in mechanical keyboards are Kailh and Gateron, which imitate Cherry switches while coming up with their own designs. Both are often cheaper than Cherry switches, though they sometimes have shorter life spans.

That's just to name a few. Many companies make switches, including under sub-brand names, and even more innumerable switch SKUs.

Mechanical switch types

Mechanical switches have three primary types of "feel": linear, tactile, and clicky. These terms refer to how it feels when you press a key.

Linear travel on a mechanical switch means that the key will go down smoothly when pressed. Linear switches are popular for gamers because the smooth travel can make it easy to press keys rapidly. Many linear switches, including the popular Cherry MX Red, have a lighter actuation force—that is, they require less pressure to register an input. That also makes them easier to smash quickly when gaming.

Cherry MX Reds are the most popular linear switch, so if you see a "red" switch from a different brand, there's a strong chance it's linear. But linear switches come in all sorts of colors.

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Linear switches also tend to be quieter than other mechanical switches, especially clicky ones. That comes in handy if you're in an environment where your typing might bother other people. If quietness is a priority, consider switches specifically made to make less noise when depressed, such as the Cherry MX Silent Red. Kailh Silent Box Red, or Kailh Silent Box Brown (the latter is tactile, not linear).

Tactile switches have a discernible bump you can feel as you press the key. A popular example is the Cherry MX Brown.

Tactile switches are prevalent among typists because the tactile bump communicates that you've pressed a key, which can help you avoid typos. They also often have a higher actuation force, which means you have to press them harder to register a keypress, potentially improving accuracy.

Clicky mechanical switches are the loudest and proudest of them all. They're like tactile switches, but they produce an audible click when pressed. A typical example is Cherry's MX Blue. Think twice before getting a clicky keyboard, though, especially if you don't want to bother other people with your typing.

Mechanical switch specs

Understanding the difference between linear, tactile, and clicky switches will give you a general idea of how typing on a mechanical keyboard feels. But for a better idea, look at the switch specs. Even if the differences seem tiny, minor distinctions in specs are the primary way mechanical switches differentiate themselves, including ones with the same type of travel.

Total travel tells you how far you can press a mechanical switch before it doesn't go down anymore. This is also called bottoming out (if you're a "hard" typer, you may bottom out frequently, or even constantly). Cherry's switches traditionally bottom out at 4 mm, so you'll see many switches do the same.

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Actuation point refers to how far the switch is pressed before it registers on your PC. While a Cherry MX Red switch has 4 mm of total travel, a keypress will register when the switch goes down just 2 mm.

After more speed? Consider a switch with a short actuation point, such as Cherry's MX Speed Silver, a linear switch that actuates at 1.2 mm and bottoms out at 3.4 mm. For even less travel, check out low-profile mechanical switches. For example, Logitech's G915 Lightspeed keyboards use Logitech's low-profile GL switches. Total travel is just 2.7 mm, and they have a 1.5 mm actuation point. Low-profile switches can also make a keyboard easier to transport.

Actuation force is another important factor in how hard you have to press your mechanical keyboard's keys. The spec is usually discussed interchangeably in grams of force (gf) and centinewtons (cN).

An actuation force of 45 g is common with linear switches. Tactile switches tend to demand more force to get through their tactile bump. For example, Cherry Browns require 55 g, clicky Cherry Blues require 60 g, and Aliaz Silent Tactile Switches go up to 100 g.

Mechanical switches are often called "very tactile" or "stiff" when they require more actuation force than average. Note that higher actuation forces can make typos easier to avoid, but since they need more effort from your fingers, they can make long typing sessions more tiring.

Examples of the same switch can vary slightly, so some companies give themselves wiggle room by using a "±" sign (for example, "total travel of 4 mm ± 0.1 mm").

Force curves, or actuation graphs, are sometimes available from mechanical keyboard or switch makers.

You read a force curve's top line from left to right to see how much force is required to get the switch to start depressing, actuate, and then bottom out. The force curve's bottom line goes from right to left to show how the key travels up after being pressed.