The brains of a mechanical keyboard are the keyboard switches. The tactile and clicky experience depends on these unique devices. Do you know which type of switch is suitable for you out of the numerous varieties of keyboard switches with distinct names and features?
In this piece, we’ll examine the differences between mechanical switches to assist you in finding Mr. Or Mrs.
About Mechanical Keyboard Switches: A Little-Known Fact
What Do Keyboard Switches Actually Do?
The mechanisms located below mechanical keyboard keycaps are called mechanical keyboard switches, or keyboard switches. They keep track of each and every keystroke. The variety of audible input, tactile feedback, and force needed to engage the switch all affect how you type.
Components of the keyboard switches
Metal contacts are used in mechanical keyboard switches, and as can be seen in the image below, the design of the various parts has a direct impact on the mechanical keyboard’s audible feedback.
A. Upper Housing: Keycap stabilizer with buckle designed to safeguard the packing mechanism and mechanical switch action.
B. Stem: The area below the keycap that moves downward when the key is depressed, causing key travel and indicating the type of switch. Each keypress on a switch known as a “clicky switch” results in both a loud audible click and a tactile bump.
C. The Crosspoint Metal Contact: There are two metal contacts in the stem, one of which is dynamic and the other static. A key push occurs when you press a key because the contact mechanism makes contact with the PCB and closes the switch circuit.
D. Spring – The resistance of the coil spring affects how much force is necessary to actuate the key. Additionally, it aids in the switch’s repositioning. The material, number of coils, and coil diameter all have an impact on the restoring force; common materials for mechanical springs include stainless steel wire, carbon steel wire, and piano wire.
E. The Base Housing – The Bottom Housing is the last part of the key switch anatomy. The PCB in the base case is where the switch is actually mounted to the keyboard.
Keyboard switches with lines, buttons, and clicks
Let’s look at the characteristics of mechanical switches before we discuss the many types of mechanical switches.
A clicking noise
The sound and principle produced while pressing the key are varied, and the installation medium will also emit its own sounds. By pressing down on the base casing of the mechanical switch, which makes contact with the positioning board or PCB board, a clicky switch produces vibration and sound.
The urge to type
Bump feedback: A pause, then a snap-in as you push the key.
Smooth and straight: The switch feels straight and smooth when pressed from top to bottom.
Based on the sound and feedback produced by tapping a mechanical switch, they can be divided into three categories: linear, tactile, and clicky.
- Linear – A steady, smooth keystroke.
- A lump in the travel route that is tactile usually close to the actuation point.
- A bump in the middle of the travel path followed by a loud “click” sound.
Options for Color Change
There are many options available for tactile feedback and audio click. Switches on mechanical keyboards are frequently categorized according to their hue, which denotes various design philosophies. The clicks and bumps on the switches in the colors black, red, brown, and blue differ.
Blue switches are clicky and have a medium bump.
The blue switch has the most obvious mechanical keyboard feel and provides the most pleasant feeling and sense of rhythm. It has a clicky sound and a clear sense of operation, making it ideal for gaming or typing.
The Blue switch may not be the best option for lengthy stretches of fast typing because it exhibits input lag, which is a concern for customers who like a highly responsive switch.
Brown Switches with a Medium Bump that Are Tactile
It has a softer sound than the Blue switch and is a tiny, hardly tactile switch. The blue switch is equally light as the red switch and has a membrane keyboard-like feel to it. The brown switch is the best choice for those who are unfamiliar with mechanical keyboards.
Red Linear Switches without a Bump
It is simpler to turn on and illuminate the red switch. Typing frequently involves using it. You’ll experience it as though you are flying. Both long-term typing and quick input are made possible by it. The red switch reacts simultaneously and successfully. In the game, buying the red switch is another excellent choice for beginners.
Green switches click and feel more substantial.
The spring can rebound higher and more forcefully since it is stronger than the Blue switch. The Green switch, then, is only meant to be used in games.
Black, Stiffer, Linear Switches
The power switch is mechanical and neither haptic nor clicky. The black switch could seem rigid. Therefore, it is not advised for beginners to try the black switch because it is less suitable for the type of dexterous key work that the majority of speed and touch typists rely on.
Silver linear switches and lighters
The speed switch is what it’s called, and you can turn it on by pressing it down 1.2mm. As a result, there is less delay between hitting a key and carrying out an action, which has made Speed Silvers a new gaming favorite.
But because it is so sensitive, it is easy to accidentally press more than one key when typing or playing video games.