You are a new keyboard player and want to choose a keyboard that suits your daily needs, choosing a switch before buying a keyboard is extremely important and necessary, helping you understand which type of switch is suitable for your work, which type of switch is smooth and quiet,... To help you understand more about choosing switches, SiliconZ will guide you on how to choose the right switch for work and entertainment.
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Some concepts when choosing a switch before going into switch classification:
Tactile and Clicky are two components that make it easier to determine the actuation point of a mechanical keyboard because a mechanical keyboard does not need to press all the way down to register a keystroke.
Tactile : When pressing the key down, it feels like it has passed a notch.
Clicky : When the key is pressed down, a “click” sound will be heard.
Linear : When pressed, it feels smooth without clicking sound.
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Switch classification:
CLICK SWITCH: Blue switch, Green switch
- Pressing force 60-80g
- Clicky: Has tactile and clicky
- Key travel 2mm
This is the heaviest type of switch, requiring more pressing force, and a higher actuation point than the other two types. Each keystroke is accompanied by a notch, bounce, and a characteristic click clack sound. These are the switches that represent traditional mechanical keyboards.
This switch group is suitable for typing plain text or playing games that require pressing keys in a very precise order.
LINEAR SWITCH: Red switch, White switch
- Pressing force 35-45g
- Linear: Neither tactile nor clicky
- Key travel 2mm
The common characteristics of linear switches are low actuation point, extremely sensitive keys, high speed, smooth typing feeling. No notch and no noise.
This is a suitable switch group for gaming and provides extremely fast typing speed once you get used to it.
In the Linear switch line, there is a more advanced switch line called Topre switch. Basically, Topre is considered a hybrid switch, combining the characteristics of rubber cushion (Membrane) and mechanical spring (Mechanical), Below is the touch circuit board. When you type, the spring is compressed, and the high-precision touch mechanism detects the change in resistance, converts it into a signal and sends it to the processor.
Topre switches always give the feeling to most users: very smooth typing, good typing quality and sensitivity, softer, more elegant and also does not cause a rattling sound when the user presses the key to the bottom.
TACTICLE SWITCH: Brown switch
- 55g pressing force
- Linear: Tactile not clicky
- Key travel 2mm
This is a compromise between the two lines above. The typing feeling is smooth and light enough with moderate actuation. There is still a difference but it is quite quiet. These are switches suitable for office workers or those who specialize in typing.
This switch group is suitable for both gaming and typing, however this is still the switch group more suitable for typing.
And that's some basic information about switches that you need to know before entering the magical world of mechanical keyboards. If you are looking for a suitable mechanical keyboard, don't miss Keychron. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us via the SiliconZ fanpage.
