With the introduction of mechanical switches, gamers have been able to make relentless controls. With the ergonomic structure of switches in mechanical keyboards, there will be smooth gaming reflexes as well as better response time.
Moreover, mechanical switches can be perfect to avoid gaming injuries like carpal tunnel. They are ideal for enhancing productivity and making your life better. There are mainly two types of switches available namely linear and tactical switches. Here are the best and most popular mechanical switches from categories.
Linear Switches
A linear switch provides a consistent and smooth keystroke. It is perfect for different activities and comes with no additional tactile. In linear switches, there are Red and Black lineups.
-
Cherry MX Black
Introduced in the year 1984, Cherry MX Black switches are one of the oldest linear switches. They can provide you with a heavy feel as they require a medium to high pressing force. The actuation force is 60 g and it is the stiffest of all the Cherry switches. This type of linear switch has an actuation point of 2 mm and the total travel distance is 4 mm. It even comes with a quiet sound level and the rated lifespan is 50 million keystrokes a day. The cherry MX black is perfect for fast pace gaming and has better resistance to tapping. Also, it does not come with any hysteresis due to the single-piece slider.
-
Cherry MX Speed Silver
Cherry MX Speed Silver comes with a short actuation distance of 1.2 mm. This is lower than the normal distance and the operating force requirement is 45 cN. With the Cherry MX Speed Silver, you can have a quiet gaming experience without any audible impact. For gamers who don’t prefer the clicking sound, this one can be an ideal choice. The high precision mechanical switch has a terse reaction time combined with better switching frequencies. It can make total travel of 3.4 mm with a pre-travel length of 12mm. This also comes with a rated lifespan of 50 million keystrokes per key.
-
Cherry MX Red
This mechanical key comes with an actuation point of 2 mm. Available in the year 2008, Cherry MX Red can make a total travel distance of 4 mm. One of the best things about this switch is that it makes quiet keystrokes. The linear behavior switch has a light feel and it also comes in a lightweight design making it perfect for gaming. The actuation force is 45 grams and it can be perfect for games with minimal resistance and fast action. However, it lacks tactile feedback for typing.
-
Kailh Silver
Kailh silver can be an excellent choice for anyone who is looking for better speed. It also comes at a budget-friendly design and is a clone of the Cherry MX Speed Silver. Despite having a slightly shorter actuation distance, it does not offer better durability. However, it can cover keystrokes of 50 to 60 million. The Kailh Silver also has an actuation distance of 1.3 mm and the total travel is 3.5 mm. It is an extremely light linear switch at 27cN.
-
Romer G Linear
The Romer G Linear mechanical switch provides a light feel and the actuation point is 1.5 mm. It requires an actuation force of 45 cN and comes with a travel distance of 3.2 mm. One of the best things about this type of mechanical switch is that it provides an inaudible click. Romer G Linear is also very durable with 70 million keystrokes per switch lifespan. It removes the tactile point that further improves the speed.
-
Gateron Clear
The Gateron Clear is by a Chinese manufacturer and has been around 1983. It requires a pressing force of 35 cN. Gateron Clear is a solid switch and provides a nice feel. It also comes with better bottom resistance. However, it does have unwanted wiggle room which makes it unfavorable by many fans.
Tactical Switches
Also called clicky switches, this can be deliberately loud. Tactical switches have annoying clicky sounds so that there will be better typing feedback. It will let you know if you have hit the activation point. Tactical switches feature a white slider and a blue unclogger.
-
Cherry MX Brown
The Cherry MX Brown provides a medium feel and it comes with an actuation force of 45 g. It also has an actuation point of 2 mm and the total travel distance is 4 mm. It can be perfect for both gaming and typing and the rated lifespan is 50 million keystrokes/key. Cherry MX Brown is one of the best middle ground switches and the sound level is quiet. The versatile switch features an interruption fin for a tactile bump. It provides a perfect blend of gaming and composing and is highly adaptable.
-
Cherry MX Blue
This is a clicky tactile switch that provides a heavy feel. One would require an actuation force of 60 g for getting over the tactile bump. Cherry MX Blue offers a total travel distance of 4 mm and the actuation point is 2 mm. It serves primarily for typing due to the distinct click sound. However, it can be the loudest switch in the Cherry brand. You will also find the separated slider for high tactile feedback.
-
Kailh Copper
Composed of a delicate material, this has an actuation point of just 1.1 mm. The Kailh Copper also features a short travel distance of 3.6 mm. It has light incitation power of 40 cN and can be great for both speedy gaming and compositions.
-
Kailh Gold
Kailh Gold is a clicky switch and is close to the Blue switch. Its actuating force is 50 gf and requires a tactile bump of 60 gf. This can make total travel of 3.5 mm and features an actuation point of 1.4 mm. Kailh Gold is perfect for gaming purposes and the lifetime rating is 70 million clicks. It comes in a plate-mounted design and is compatible with the different types of through-hole LEDs.
-
Romer G Tactile
Romer G Tactile offers a light feel and is slightly tactile. The actuation point is 1.5 mm and the actuation force is 45 cN. The tactical switch can make a propagation distance of 3 mm with a nearly quiet keystroke. It serves perfect for fast-paced gaming and its lifespan is 70 million keystrokes. With this type of switch, there will be better pace in repetitive quick keystrokes.
-
GX Blue
Similar to Kailh Gold, this one has a clicky behavior. GX Blue comes with an actuation force of 60 cN and the actuation point is 1.9 mm. It provides a stiff feel and the click is very loud. That being said, this can make a propagation distance of 4.0 mm. The GX Blue has a lifespan of 70 million keystrokes and has a bold keystroking force.
-
Razer Green
The Razer Green has an actuation force of 55 cN. It has a clicky behavior and will provide a heavy feel while activating a complete keystroke. This also comes with a propagation distance of 4 mm and the actuation point is 1.9 mm. One of the best things about the Razer Green is that it has a lifespan of 80 million keystrokes per switch. Despite being said, this has a pretty loud sound. You can easily use it for both gaming and typing as it is very similar to Kailh Blue and Cherry MX Blue.
-
Razer Orange
You can use Razer Orange for both gaming and typing purposes. Despite having a low profile, it comes with a lot of resemblance with the Kailh Brown. However, it has a clicky behavior and provides a mediocre feeling while activating a complete keystroke. Razer Orange’s actuation force is 55 cN and the actuation point is 1.9 mm. It provides a propagation distance of 4 mm and has a pretty quiet sound level. It is durable with a lifespan of 80 million keystrokes per key.
-
Razer Opto-Mechanical
This one comes with an actuation force of 45 cN. Razer Opto-Mechanical has an actuation point of 1.5 mm and the propagation distance is 3 mm. It has a pretty loud sound level but has an impressive lifespan of 100 million keystrokes. The optomechanical switch provides a mediocre feel when you activate a complete keystroke. Even this has a clicky behavior and is ideal for typing and gaming.
-
Roccat Titan
Here is another tactical switch that will let you have a heavy feeling while activating the complete keystroke. It has an actuation point of 1.8 mm with a total propagation distance of 3.6 mm. The Roccat Titan has a quiet sound level and it comes with an improved lifespan. It lets you use it for different purposes making it perfect for both typing and gaming. This also makes less wobbling so that there will be improved responsiveness.
-
Matias Quiet Click
Matias Quiet Click has a clicky behavior and provides a tactical feel. It has a total propagation distance of 3.5 mm with an actuation point of 2.2 mm. The actuation force required is 60 cN and it does not make any noise. However, it is not that durable with only 50 million keystrokes per switch. The tactile switch lets you use it for all purposes and intents. It has a soft touch so that you can type faster.
-
Matias Linear
Matias Linear has a linear behavior and provides a light feel. The actuation force is 35 cN and with a total propagation distance of 3.5 mm. It also comes with an actuation point of 2 mm and has a pretty quiet sound level. However, it has a mediocre lifespan and does not have any hysteresis. With Matias Linear, you will be able to type in different directions quickly.
-
Topre
Topre has varying actuation forces and provides a light to medium feel. It can make a total travel distance of 4 mm with an actuation point of 2 mm. Even this has a quiet sound level and is recommended for typing and gaming. You can use it for general purposes as it features a tactile bump. The switch is capacitive and does not come with any hysteresis.
-
Cooler Master’s Hybrid Capacitive switch
This one is a modified Topre switch. One of the best things about Cooler Master’s Hybrid Capacitive Switch is that it lets you present custom keycaps. The actuation force is 45 cN and the actuation point is 1 mm. It also comes with a total propagation distance of 4 mm. It has a basic lifespan and the sound level is pretty quiet. You can use it for both gaming and typing as the switch behaves just like Topre mechanical switches.
Best Cherry Switches for Gaming: Table
One of the unique things about Cherry switches is that it comes with physical shading. The switch can take care of different attributes including material and clickiness. Here we compare some of the best Cherry switches for gaming.
| Switch | Actuation Force | Clicky | Tactile | Sound | Lifespan |
| Cherry MX Black | 60g | No | No | Quiet | 50 million keystrokes/key |
| Cherry MX Speed Silver | 45g | No | No | Silent | 50 million keystrokes/key |
| Cherry MX Red | 45g | No | No | Quiet | 50 million keystrokes/key |
| Cherry MX Brown | 45g | No | Yes | Quiet | 50 million keystrokes/key |
| Cherry MX Blue | 50g | Yes | Yes | Clicky | 50 million keystrokes/key |
Characteristics of Mechanical Switches
Here are the different characteristics of mechanical switches.
Actuation Force: The actuation force is the power required to press the keys down. It is measured in centinewton (cN) and grams (g). Keep in mind that registering a keystroke with high power can exhaust your fingers.
Actuation Point: To make a successful keystroke, you will need to hit the actuation point. Your PC doesn’t need to understand when you press down a key. The actuation point can vary according to the type of switch.
RGB: The initials RGB stands for Red, Green, and Blue. These days, keyboards come with backlit illumination that provides a gaming feel. It can be perfect to have better highlights. You will even find other keyboards with RGB backlight.
Conclusion
The importance of a mechanical keyboard is very known to a serious and professional gamer. However, the quality of a mechanical keyboard depends on the mechanical switches. From the above, you can easily get the right mechanical switches according to your purpose. You can compare different switches from different brands and pick the perfect product.
