Mechanical keyboards have never been better than now. This once complex and obsessive hobby is now more accessible than ever before to a wider selection of masses. Consequently, the market has been flooded with a plethora of mechanical keyboard switches.
Now there are mechanical keyboard switch brands and names such as Akko, KTT, Zeal, etc. Each of them even invented their very own color classification so it’s as simple anymore as red is linear, blue is clicky, and brown is tactile. Now, there are also black, green, silver, purple, pink, gold, and many more. The spectrum doesn’t end, and neither does the confusion for those who are new or are just looking for a better typing experience.
Thus, narrowing it down to a solid choice of five might be a disservice to all those mechanical keyboard switches or manufacturers out there. But for the sake of simplicity, we’ll be compiling which ones are the best based on popularity and reputation.
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Certain Requirements Before You Buy
Before you look at mechanical keyboard switches, you have to make sure that the actual mechanical keyboard “board” you bought allows for hot-swapping of these switches. Because if not, then you won’t be able to change the switches (just the keycaps).
With that said, you could also use these recommendations as a metric when selecting your very first mechanical keyboard switch. Some of them already come pre-installed with the following switches we recommend. But do note that hot-swappable mechanical keyboards are still superior as they allow for better customization and repairs.
Cherry MX Brown
PROS
- Provides a good balance between clicky and linear
- Durable
CONS
- Can get scratchy if unlubed, and the lubing process is tedious
- A bit loud
- Switch type: Tactile
- Durability: >100 million presses
- Actuation force: 45g
- Actuation point: 2.0 mm
- Total travel: 4.0 mm
This choice might anger a lot of enthusiasts out there, but their preferences rarely reflect the satisfaction of the masses. As it turns out, a lot of people prefer something more balanced and simple.
And in an attempt to try and please everyone, the best choice that comes out on top will always be the tactile switches. In that case, the good old Cherry MX Brown won’t fail most people. It works best as a beginner switch since it provides a good balance between linear and clicky.
Linear switches, after all, are not really newbie-friendly since they don’t signal the user about the actuation (when the key has been activated). Meanwhile, clicky switches are just plain annoying for a lot of onlookers and listeners.
As for why Cherry MX, well, they’re one of the original manufacturers, and they also still produce some of the most reliable keyboard switches. The good news is that a lot of keyboards already come with Cherry MX Browns in their selection; but if not, and if you already have a hot-swappable keyboard with a different switch, you can always purchase original Cherry MX switches by the bundle and just slot them in.
Cherry MX Brown
Gateron Milky Yellow
PROS
- Smooth out of the box
- Good budget option
- Lots of variants that are also good
- Default variant disperses RGB lighting
- Sounds good
CONS
- Can get a bit wobbly
- Not s durable as Cherry MX switches
- Switch type: Linear
- Durability: 50 million cycles
- Actuation force: 50g
- Actuation point: 2.0 mm
- Total travel: 4.0mm
When it comes to linear switches, there are a lot of clashing brands and names, but instead of going the reliable Cherry MX Red route, we instead recommend a better budget option, the Gateron Milky Yellow. They certainly live up to their name as every keypress gives off a creamy and milky consistency to it.
The point is, this is a smooth mechanical keyboard switch. It’s one of the smoothest options out there if you’re just looking for something that isn’t too distracting to type on or won’t make too much noise.
Some merchants even sell them already lubed and filmed so you don’t have to do anything and they’re even satisfying smoother after such treatment.
The best part is that they’re actually a budget option, making them also great as starter upgrades if ever you get tired of those MX Browns or that default Red linear switch.
Gateron Milky Yellow
Glorious Panda
PROS
- Comes with lubed option
- Snappy tactile bump
- Smooth presses
CONS
- Some versions have leaf mechanisms that emit a ping sound
- Actuation force is a bit heavy, might strain the fingers
- Switch type: Tactile
- Durability: Unspecified
- Actuation force: 67g
- Actuation point: Unspecified
- Total travel: Unspecified
All other stats don’t matter for the Glorious Panda, because its creators boast that these are the most tactile switches ever. These tactile switches are one of the best upgrade options coming from Cherry MX Browns or just about any default or factory switches.
Glorious, its manufacturer, was even kind enough to offer some lubed variants of this tactile switch to give it its signature deep “thock” or “clack” without the need for effort on your part.
Of course, for this kind of premium promise, do expect the Glorious Panda to be significantly more expensive compared to the default Cherry MX Brown (for the lubed option). It’s a self-styled king of tactility or tactile switches, after all.
Glorious Panda
Gateron Oil King
PROS
- Smooth typing out of the box
- Thorough factory lubrication
- Not much stem wobble
- Sturdy housing material
- Gold touching point
CONS
- A bit pricey
- Blocks some RGB LED configurations due to opaqueness
- Switch type: Linear
- Durability: 60 Million cycles
- Actuation force: 55g
- Actuation point: Unspecified
- Total travel: 4.0mm
These naming conventions are starting to get ridiculous, but there is a good explanation for why Gateron named one of its best switches “Oil King.” It doesn’t have anything to do with a multi-billionaire fossil fuel magnate, by the way. Because out of the box, these switches have some of the best factory lubrication in the industry.
Gateron achieved something great here, especially for mechanical keyboard owners who find the whole individual switch lubing process a little too time-consuming or frustrating. These Gateron Oil King switches are factory lubed not just for the plastic parts but also for the gold touching points and supposedly the switches.
As a result, they have some of the smoothest presses available among all switches. Some enthusiasts even swear that they sound and feel better compared to the more expensive names and models (assuming those are unlubed).
Granted, the Gateron Oil King switches are not cheap or affordable. The ones that come with film and lubrication have a price that puts this switch in a semi-high-end category. Some even consider them as premium switches, but they’re a perfect option for a final or endgame mechanical keyboard.
Gateron Oil King
Cherry MX Blue
PROS
- Clicky tactility means you never miss a keystroke
- Reliable
CONS
- Not as reliable as other Cherry MX Switches
- Can sound cheap due to the clickiness
- Noisy
- You'll get weary of them, usually
- Switch type: Clicky
- Durability: 50 million presses
- Actuation force: 50g
- Actuation point: 2.2 mm
- Total travel: 4.0 mm
If you really like clicky switches, perhaps because you’re young or you have no roommates; then you might as well stick with the default Cherry MX Blue. They’re light, they’re loud, and they make sure you don’t miss any keys.
Did we also mention that they’re loud? Whoever is in the room with you has a high chance of complaining about the intrusive clicky noise, especially if they’re asleep. They can get distracting during gaming but they’re good for typing due to typewriter sounds.
Cherry MX Blue
What Mechanical Keyboard Switch is Best for You?
It’s really hard to tell because this hobby is mostly about people’s preferences. It’s up to you to determine what you want. We just recommended the good starting points and ideal upgrades based on popularity.
At the end of the day, all of these switch types have more or less the same durability and work on all computers. The big difference is their smoothness, responsiveness, and noise. You’ll want to try around different switches if you want to know what you want. It’s like ice cream, you need to taste several before you can determine your favorite flavor. The ultimate satisfaction is finding or customizing that one mechanical keyboard that will end your search and permanently sate you. This is called the endgame keyboard.
For that matter, we recommend a hot-swappable mechanical keyboard so you can try out different switches and compare them without spending too much. The switches are relatively cheap compared to the price of a whole keyboard. Just remember to relax and have fun while going down this rabbit hole.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Can you swap switches on non-hotswappable keyboards?
Technically, you can. But you'll have to de-solder the switches using some desoldering tools in order to replace them. Not worth the trouble. Just purchase a hot-swappable keyboard. -
Which mechanical keyboard switch type is the best?
For everything? Those would be tactile switches. -
Are mechanical keyboards worth it?
If you type or use your keyboard a lot, then yes. Consider them an investment, they can also increase productivity.