enerally speaking switches are referred to as linear or tactile in design, with some also being given the moniker ‘clicky’.
A tactile switch is one designed so that there is a noticeable feel when the key passes the actuation point. This is achieved by adding a physical bump to the tab that holds the contacts apart. In practice this means that the amount of force needed to actuate the key will change, depending on where in the travel the key is. This is of particular benefit to typists as it provides feedback that the key has registered without having to consistently bottom out the key. Tactile switches include the Cherry MX Brown and Blue models
Linear switches have no such bump, and the amount of force required to depress the key increases the further the key travels. The Cherry MX Black and Red switches use Linear designs, and are rapidly becoming the go-to switches for gaming.
Clicky refers to switches designed to make a noise when they hit the actuation point, there is only one such model of Cherry MX switch, the Blue, which uses a two part stem design to achieve a distinctive noise when it actuates. The inherent nature of this design means that only tactile switches can be clicky.
While this information is just scratching the surface of mechanical keyboards, it is likely more than a mere mortal will ever want to know. However it is important to keep this information in mind when looking at the new crop of mechanical keyboards. Unlike rubber dome models, which largely feel the same to type on, each type of switch imparts a different feel when hitting keys.
Take for example Razer’s keyboard, the BlackWidow. It comes with the tactile and clicky Cherry MX Blue switches, however as a very distinct nod to how annoying some people find the noise, there is now a Stealth Edition, which uses the tactile but non-clicky Cherry MX Brown models.
As a corollary Thermaltake has decided to go with the linear Cherry MX Black switches for its Meka line of keyboards. Similarly Corsair is using the linear Cherry MX Red switches for its upcoming Vengeance keyboards. The major difference between these two models is that the Black takes slightly more actuation force than the red one.
Coolermaster has taken a different approach to most of the other players and has three different models of its Quickfire keyboard, which are differentiated solely by the type of Cherry MX switch used.
With so much choice out there, purchasing a mechanical keyboard involves so much more than just choosing the right looks and the largest number of extraneous macro buttons. Unlike the nearly ubiquitous feel of Rubber Dome keyboards, each type of Cherry MX switch has its own unique quirks, and choosing the right one becomes quite a personal choice.
Even around the PC & Tech Authority labs there is debate as to which switch is ‘best’. After a few months of use this writer has taken a real aversion to the noise made by Cherry MX Blues, whilst others engage heavily in the tactile vs linear switch debate. The take home lesson is that if you can get a feel of how the different switches work before you buy then jump at the opportunity. Work out which one you like, and then use that information to decide which keyboard to get. Remember that because the switches all come from the same company, the feel of the keys won’t vary too much between manufacturers.