Lower housing: The bottom half of the switch “shell” or “box.” Spring: This is what provides the resistance when you press a key down, and also gives it that “bouncing” feeling.Or a flathead screwdriver, but that’s harder). It has a hole in the center for the stem to fit into (the upper and bottom housings snap together, and you need a “switch opener” tool to take them apart. Upper housing: This is the part of the switch that contains the spring and rests on top of the lower housing.Tactile & clicky switches have a small bump on their stems! Linear switches do not. The stem is generally colored to match the switch color. Switch stem: This is the part of the switch that extends down into the switch and moves up and down when you press the keycap (it’s connected to the underside of the keycap).They’re usually made from ABS or PBT plastic, and come in tons of different colors & styles! (and shapes and profiles) Keycaps (not actually part of the switch): The keycaps are the part of the switch that you actually touch.Let’s break down a switch (from top to bottom, kinda): The switch compresses down when you press a key, then moves back up when you release pressure. Tactile switch on the left, linear on the rightĪ keyboard “switch” is the physical mechanism that lies just underneath your keycaps (the top part that your fingers make contact with), and plugs into the PCB (circuit board in your keyboard case). I’ve tried dozens of different switches over the years, so let me dive into how the tactile switch functions, why it matters, etc. It’s purely another audio cue that the key has been pressed. The click doesn’t affect how the switch operates. A clicky switch is a specific type of tactile switch (that has a small bump but with the addition of another mechanism that provides a very small “click” noise.A linear switch, by contrast, does not have a tactile bump within the switch mechanism, so the key press is smooth until the entire key has been pressed down (called “bottoming out”).This bump provides “tactile feedback” to your finger, helping you “feel” when the key has actually registered to the computer. A tactile keyboard switch is one that has a small “bump” feel part of the way through the key press.Here’s a quick write-up on the differences, in case you’re interested.Getting into mechanical keyboards, but overwhelmed by switch terminology? What IS a tactile switch keyboard? However, if you’re looking to buy Cream switches on the aftermarket, it’s worth noting that there are two different kinds: The original tooling, which is no longer produced, and the new tooling, which the Launch Edition and new Creams are made from. Novelkeys still has the blue “Launch Edition” Creams in stock, which use a 63.5-gram spring instead. It can be hard to find standard Cream switches, which have a 70-gram bottom out, though. If you’re looking for a switch that’s smooth without any lubing or modification, and have the patience to break in your switches on your own, Creams are a great choice (and, in my opinion, it’s really interesting to be able to see a switch being broken in real-time). This is because the switches are made from a material that easily wears down and becomes “broken in” over time. The Novelkeys Cream is a strange switch - it starts out scratchy, but over time becomes incredibly smooth. We only include products that have been independently selected by Input's editorial team. Input may receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article. Here's our list of 10 great MX-style switches that aren’t the usual red, brown, and blue options that came stock with your mechanical keyboard - and why you might want them. Luckily, we’ve done the heavy lifting already, reading up on the newest and best switches available today. (The one good thing is that, due to the lack of enthusiast-level clicky switches on the market, you really only need to worry about linears and tactiles.) With all of this in mind, it can be daunting to try finding the exact switch that works for you. Some are smoother to press down, while others will have less wobble when typing. There are switches that are heavier or lighter, louder or quieter, with stronger or softer bumps. There are hundreds of mechanical switches available today, each of which feels, operates, and sounds slightly different from the last.
With linear reds and blacks, tactile browns and clears, and clicky blues and greens, deciding which type of switch to get for your mechanical keyboard can be difficult - and it only gets worse once you realize those are only the tip of the iceberg. Whether you’re building your first mechanical keyboard or your tenth, finding the right switches can be a challenge.