In this guide

Choosing Switches? Why does it matter?

Above all else, I would argue switches have the most influence on both how a keyboard sounds and how it feels. That's not to say that the rest of the components of a keyboard are not important, but choosing the right switch is essential. Going from one switch to another can make a night and day difference with any keyboard.

  • Sound: Sound varies significantly from switch to switch. Switches range from quiet to loud, from low pitched to high pitched, from "creamy" to "thocky."
  • Feel: Just like sound, feel from switch to switch can be immensely different. Some switches are smooth, some are not. Some switches feel rigid, some are soft.

Switch type, construction, and materials all have a massive impact on how any given switch sounds and feels.

Personal Preference

It's all personal preference! I cannot stress this enough.

Unfortunately, no "best switch" video or article is likely to be the solution to choosing the right switch. They can help, but ultimately, they're always subjective. Everyone has different preferences when it comes to keyboards, and that becomes incredible apparent when you dive into the realm of switches.

Understanding how a switch functions, their components, and their specifications can be incredibly helpful in finding the switch that's right for you. That's exactly what this guide is designed to teach you, so let's dive in!

Switch Types

Switch type is about the most important aspect of a switch to understand. There are 3 main types of switches: linears, tactiles, and clickies. Although every switch falls under one of these three types, there are other switch categories to discuss within them. There are silent switches, hall effect/magnetic switches, and low profile switches as well. I know that can be a bit confusing, so let's talk about it!

Linear

Linear switches are the simplest and most popular switch choice. They offer a smooth experience, where the entirety of a keystroke is uninterrupted from top to bottom.

Tactile

Tactile switches build on what linears offer by adding a bump to the keystroke. This bump adds additional feedback. Both the strength of the bump (tactility) and the shape of the bump vary from switch to switch significantly.

Sometimes, switch bumps are referred to by shape. There's no consensus on an exact naming structure, but I'll mention the three main types I tend to go by:

  • þ Shaped: These bumps are placed in the middle of the keypress. They have a bit of travel at the top of the keypress before the bump and some travel after the bump as well.
  • P Shaped: These bumps start at the top or nearly the top of the keypress, and the rest of the keypress is smooth travel.
  • D Shaped: These bumps last nearly the entire keypress from start to finish and are very smooth. In my mind, I consider these a mix between linears and tactiles, since they do not have the same distinct feedback other tactiles offer.

Clicky

Clicky switches are very similar to tactiles in the sense where they offer a "bump" with tactile feedback, but they also make an audible click sound when they do. There are three main types:

  • Click Jacket: Click jackets utilize an additional stem component within the switch that rattles. These were dominant for a long time, with a common example being Cherry MX Blue.
  • Click Bar: Click bar switches utilize a metal rod/bar to make the clicking sound. These are often sharper feeling than click jackets, and the sound is quite different too. Kailh Box switches are a common example of click bar switches.
  • Click Leaf: Click leaf switches are less common, but worth mentioning. They utilize an additional metal leaf inside the switch that flexes and snaps. Gateron melodics are a recent popular example of these.

Clickies sometimes utilize other mechanisms too, but these are the three most common types seen today.

To everyone out there, please, click responsibly!

Silent

"Silent" by itself, is not a switch type. Silent switches are switches that have built-in silencing mechanisms to offer a quiet experience. Often, this just means there are small pieces of dampening material like silicone inside the switch, but there are several different silencing methods.

Silent switches can be linear or tactile. At Clackify, you'll find both Silent Linears and Silent Tactiles.

Keep in mind, no "silent" switch is truly silent. They generally range from quiet to slightly less loud than standard switches. There is a bit of a balance between feel and sound. The quietest switches tend to feel a bit squishy/mushy.

Hall Effect / Magnetic

Hall Effect/Magnetic switches are especially popular within competitive gaming. These switches have a small magnet inserted into the stem of the switch that moves up and down. Like silents, these are not truly their own switch type.

It's important to understand that magnetic switches are not compatible with mechanical keyboards, and compatibility between switches and specific hall effect keyboards can vary.

Also, one detail that may be helpful to understand is that the phrase "hall effect" is referring to the sensor within the keyboard, not the switch. All "hall effect" switches are really just switches with magnets inside them. These switches also work with keyboards that utilize TMR (Tunnel Magneto-Resistance) instead of hall effect.

Low Profile

Low profile switches are switches that are designed to be very thin/short. Being short, they tend to have very short travel distances. Low profile switches are often compared to laptop keyboards, as they share the short travel and thin look.

Just like silent and magnetic, "low profile" does not describe a specific type of switch. Low profile switches can be linear, tactile, or clicky just like any other switch. They can also be silent or magnetic.

One major point to note with low profile switches is compatibility. They are not compatible with standard mechanical keyboards. Also, not all low profile switches are compatible with all low profile keyboards. I advise doing a bit of research into compatibility before buying anything.

Another note worth mentioning is that low profile keycaps also vary compared to mechanical keycaps.

Understanding Switch Specifications

Besides switch type, there are a number of other aspects of a switch to understand. I'll briefly go through a number of those below. These specifications are specifically regarding switch terminology you will encounter browsing switches at Clackify, though the terminology is generally universally applicable.

Switch Type

Type refers to the category the switch falls under:

  • Linear
  • Tactile
  • Clicky
  • Silent Linear
  • Silent Tactile
  • Hall Effect (Magnetic)

Switch Manufacturer/Brand/Designer

Switches are often described and compared relative to the manufacturer that produces them and their reputation. What can be confusing is that the brand the switch is under is not always the manufacturer. This title could simply be the vendor selling the switches or the designer of the switch.

I would recommend paying attention to manufacturers when trying to find switches you enjoy. If you happen to find a switch you really like and want to try similar options, it's often a good start to look at other options that same manufacturer produces.

Mount Type (Pins)

Mount type can generally be found listed as either 3 or 5 pin mounting, but sometimes it can be seen as plate (3 pin) or PCB (5 pin) mounting.

Generally, the number of pins is not an extremely important detail when looking for a switch. Most keyboards these days support 5 pin switches, and in the case where you have a keyboard that does not, clipping off the extra two pins is a pretty simple process. 5 pins can have a bit more stability, but in most cases the difference is negligible.

Weight

When we talk about weight, we're actually referring to the force required to press a switch down (measured in grams). This weight is often provided in two different positions:

Actuation Weight: Refers to the force required at the point where the switch actuates (when your keyboard registers the keypress).

Bottom Out Weight: Refers to the force required at the very bottom of the keypress.

Stem Type

Switch stems come in various shapes, and sometimes it can be useful to understand them.

  • MX: MX stems are the standard cross shaped stem. These are most common.
  • Dustproof: Dustproof stems are almost rectangular, except they have cutouts in the sides.
  • Box: "Box" stems in this case refers to stems that have a square "box" around them. Box can also refer to an internal compartment inside of many Kailh (a switch manufacturer) "box" switches, so the naming can be a bit confusing. In this case, I'm just referring to stems that are square.
  • Circle Box: Circle "box" stems have an open cylinder around the standard cross stem.

Materials

Materials can pretty heavily influence how a switch sounds and feels, though it can be a bit of a rabbit hole to understand, and there are often exceptions. Still, it can be useful information depending on your preferences.

Materials are listed for stems, top housings, and bottom housings. All three of these contribute to the overall sound and feel of any given switch.

Travel Distance

Travel distance simply refers to how far a switch is pressed down. Pre travel refers to how far the switch is pressed before it actuates, and total travel refers to how far the switch is pressed before it bottoms out.

For reference, 4mm is what is considered standard travel (for total travel), and switches with travel distances closer to the 3mm mark are often "long pole" switches. Without getting into the details, long pole switches feel pretty different, as they tend to have a pretty hard bottom out.

Spring

Springs play a major role in the feeling of a switch. Springs are the primary contributor to switch "weights" and they can also affect how responsive they feel. Longer springs tend to feel more responsive than shorter ones.

Surcharge

Surcharge is a Clackify specific specification, and not related to the switch itself. Surcharges are added onto some of the most expensive "premium" switches to account for their price difference. My general recommendation is to avoid the majority of these options, as there are almost always budget friendly alternatives that will be just as good or better than these expensive options. Still, they can be fun to try, and I like to offer a number of them as a means to try them out without having to buy a lot of them.

It might only be $0.50 to add one to a tester, but if you like them and have to buy a full set for your keyboard... that can get expensive.

Next Steps

Looking to learn more? This guide is intended to be a relatively simple one - compact, and packed with the essential information. However, there is a lot to learn for those interested, and a lot of complex topics related to switches to dive into. Below are a few additional guides designed to help supplement this one:

Clackify Guides:

  • Linear/Tactile/Clicky Deep Dive: A deeper breakdown of how each switch type feels, sounds, and performs, plus guidance on which fits which use case: Linear/Tactile/Clicky Deep Dive
  • Switch Comparison Tool: A live, filterable view of every switch Clackify carries. Sort by type, brand, weight, or material, and compare specs side by side: Switch Comparison Tool
  • Switch Tester Usage Guide: A walkthrough of how to actually use a switch tester to find your perfect switch. Covers what to feel for, what to ignore, and how to narrow your choices down fast: Switch Tester Usage Guide

External Guides:

  • Force Curves: Force curves can be very helpful in visualizing how a switch will feel. For those of you looking to further your knowledge, I'll to direct you toward an in-depth guide on force curves by ThereminGoat: Force Curves
  • Switch Materials: Switch materials can significantly impact how a switch sounds (and even feels). Here's another guide by ThereminGoat: Switch Plastics
  • Switch Springs: I don't have a specific resource in mind for this one, but springs can vary significantly. Spring weight and length are probably the two biggest factors to look into, but there are different types of springs as well.
  • Switch Lubing: These days, hand lubing switches is a lot less common than it used to be, primarily because manufacturers have improved their internal factory lubrication processes to the point where hand lubing feels a lot less necessary. Still, for anyone interested, here's a guide from KineticLabs for anyone looking to attempt it: Switch Lubing

Remember: switches are a rabbit hole. Do not feel overwhelmed, and do not feel obligated to learn every little complex detail regarding switches and how they operate. The best piece of advice I can offer you is to step away from the theory and try some out. See what you like! After all, that is exactly what this is all about!

Ready to experiment? Try switches for yourself.