Mechanical keyboard switches are the spring-loaded mechanisms sitting under each keycap, and they split into three families: linear, tactile and clicky. Linear switches press straight down with no interruption.
Tactile switches push back with a small bump partway through. Clicky switches add that bump plus an audible click.
Choose the family first. Brand, weight and colour naming all come after that decision.
Linear, tactile and clicky without the jargon
Linear switches such as Cherry MX Red or Gateron Yellow travel smoothly from top to bottom. Gamers tend to favour them because repeated taps feel identical every time.
Tactile switches like Cherry MX Brown give physical confirmation that the key registered. Typists who make a lot of errors on linears usually settle here.
Clicky switches do the same job as tactile but announce it. They are the loudest option by a wide margin, and the reason most offices quietly ban them.
Actuation force and travel distance
Two numbers on a switch datasheet actually matter. Actuation force is how hard you press before the key registers, listed in centinewtons or grams. Travel is how far the stem moves.
Cherry’s own product datasheet lists 45 cN of operating force for MX Red, with 2.0 mm of pre-travel to the actuation point and 4.0 mm of total travel.
MX Blue sits heavier at 60 cN and actuates at 2.2 mm. MX Speed Silver keeps the 45 cN weight but actuates at just 1.2 mm, with 3.4 mm of total travel.
Shorter actuation means fewer millimetres between intent and input. That is a real difference, though a small one next to display and network delay. Our guide to reducing input lag on a gaming PC covers where the bigger lag actually hides.
Hot-swap sockets are your safety net
A hot-swap PCB holds switches in sockets instead of solder. You lift one out with a puller and drop another in, no soldering iron required.
For a first board this matters more than picking the perfect switch. It means you are allowed to be wrong once.
Check the pin count before you order. Five-pin switches carry two extra plastic legs for stability, and they will not seat in a three-pin socket unless you clip those legs off.
Sound is a decision you share
Everyone in the room hears your keyboard. Clicky switches carry through a wall. Linears in a foam-lined case stay much closer to a soft thock.
Case material, mounting plate and keycap plastic shift the sound as much as the switch does. Do not expect a switch swap alone to quiet a hollow aluminum case.
Where to start when you cannot decide
Buy a switch tester. It is a small block holding six to nine switches, and ten minutes with one settles the argument faster than any review thread.
Keep the feel consistent across the rest of your setup too. Plenty of players pair a board with a gamepad, and our PC controller buying guide for Canada covers what to look for.
Speccing a whole machine at once? The SSD versus HDD breakdown for gaming builds is the other decision worth getting right early.
Questions first-time buyers ask
Do heavier switches last longer?
No. Manufacturers rate switch lifespan in tens of millions of actuations across the whole weight range, because the contact mechanism wears out before the spring does.
Can I reuse my old keycaps on new switches?
Yes, if both use the standard MX cross stem. Optical and low-profile switches often use a different stem shape, so confirm the mount before you buy.
Are optical switches better than mechanical ones?
They register with a light beam instead of a metal contact, which removes debounce delay. The feel still comes from the spring and stem, so a linear optical switch feels much like a linear mechanical one.
Joyce Lewis covers consumer technology, gaming, and online privacy for 3Zebras. She focuses on the practical side of modern tech, from smartphone tips and app guides to smart device security and the questions readers actually search for.