#Mechanical keyboard clicky switches pro#
#Mechanical keyboard clicky switches code#

Summary for Cherry MX Clear : Moderate, a larger bump, and fairly quiet. 2.03mm pretravel distance.Įxample: Corsair Vengeance K70 Black Cherry MX Brown (Amazon - $130) Intended as compromise between gaming and typing. Summary for Cherry MX Brown: Light, a bit of a bump, and fairly quiet. The Cherry MX Clear switches are similar, except that they have a stronger spring and a more pronounced bump. This is probably the closest switch to a typical, membrane-dome based keyboard's feel. They are generally considered a good compromise between gaming and typing, although it always comes down to personal taste anyway. This is relatively quiet, which is why this switch is often selected for “silent” mechanical keyboards. This feels like a tactile bump that occurs just before the key activates. There is a bump that the connector needs to pass by in order to complete the circuit. The Cherry MX Brown switches, on the other hand, require that the switch filament opposes motion for a brief moment.

#Mechanical keyboard clicky switches pro#

2.03mm pretravel distance.Įxample: ROCCAT RYOS MK Pro Mechanical Gaming Keyboard (Amazon - $170) Tactile Mechanical Switches Summary for Cherry MX Red: Light, smooth, and loud if you tend to bottom out. 2.03mm pretravel distance.Įxample: SteelSeries 7G Gaming Keyboard (Amazon - $150)

Intended more for gaming than typing (ignoring non-keyboard usage). Summary for Cherry MX Black: Firm, smooth, and relatively quiet.

In my usage, people have told me that the MX Red is loud, and some even say that it is the loudest. The lack of click also means that MX Black switches tend to be fairly quiet the Reds should be the same way, except that the light spring makes them easy to bottom out. For instance, they would make sense under the buttons of an arcade cabinet. These switches are supposedly better for gaming because there is nothing to get in the way of repeated presses on the same button. On the other hand, that also means that the button will feel smooth the entire way down. The switch does not give you any feedback that a press has occurred (unless you keep going and hit the bottom of the housing – which is known as “bottoming out”). They are basically identical, except for spring resistance (which is hard - but not impossible - to show in an animation).

Here we have the Cherry MX Red and Cherry MX Black switches. Read on to see a theoretical comparison of various mechanical keyswitches. From there, the only difference is the force curve, usually from the strength of the spring but also possibly from the slider features (you'll see what I mean in the diagrams below). You can separate (I believe) all of these switches into three categories: Linear, Tactile, and Clicky. Other switches are available, such as the Cherry MX Green, Clear, three types of Grey, and so forth. The four main Cherry MX switches are: Blue, Brown, Black, and Red. The MX Linear Grey is intended for spacebars on Cherry MX Black keyboards. The MX Green is intended for spacebars on Cherry MX Blue keyboards (but a few rare keyboards use these for regular keys). The Click Grey is intended for spacebars on Cherry MX White, Green, and Blue keyboards. (SB) Denotes switches with stronger springs that are primarily for, or only for, Spacebars. These attributes range from the stiffness of the spring to the bumps and clicks felt (or heard) as the key travels toward its bottom and returns back up again.

#Mechanical keyboard clicky switches code#

Its manufacturer, Cherry Corp / ZF Electronics, maintained a strict color code to denote the physical properties of each switch. Until recently, the Cherry MX line of switches were the basis of just about every major gaming mechanical keyboard, although we will discuss recent competitors later on. These are the components that are responsible for making each button behave, and thus varying them will lead to variations in how those buttons react and feel. First and foremost, we have the different types of keyswitches. One of the difficulties with purchasing a mechanical keyboard is that they are quite expensive and vary greatly in subtle, but important ways.

The differences between each switch, from a practical standpoint.įinding Your Clique The differences between each switch, from a practical standpoint.