Mechanical Keyboard Switch Types: Linear, Tactile, Clicky and the Spec Sheet

A switch is the part under each key that decides how the press feels and sounds. There are three types, and the type is only half the choice. The other half is weight, and that’s printed on the spec sheet in grams.

Colour names don’t travel between makers. One company’s red is another’s yellow. So pick the type first, then read the numbers.

Linear, tactile, clicky

Type	What your finger feels	Sound	Good for	Watch out for
Linear	Smooth, straight down, no bump	Quietest of the three	Fast repeated presses, games	Easier to press a key by accident
Tactile	A small bump partway down when the key registers	Moderate	Typing, where the bump tells you you’re done	Some bumps are faint enough to feel like linear
Clicky	A bump plus a sharp click	Loud	Typing alone, if you like the sound	Microphones pick it up; so do housemates

Linear switches are the default on many gaming boards and a lot of enthusiast builds. Nothing interrupts the stroke.

Tactile switches give you feedback without the noise. Owners who type all day often end up here, since the bump lets you stop pressing before you slam into the bottom.

Clicky switches are fun, and that’s the honest pitch. In a shared room or on video calls they’re the one to skip, for the same reason quiet desk fidgets get picked by noise level.

How to read a switch spec sheet

Four numbers do most of the work. Here’s what each means and the usual range.

Spec	What it measures	Typical range
Actuation force	Force needed to register the key	35–70 gf
Bottom-out force	Force at the very bottom of the stroke	usually 10–20 gf above actuation
Pre-travel	Distance down before the key registers	about 1.8–2.2 mm; speed switches 1–1.5 mm
Total travel	Distance to the bottom	about 3.5–4 mm; low-profile about 3 mm

“gf” is grams-force. Some sheets just say “g”. Same thing for this purpose.

Actuation force is the headline number and the one to shop by. Bottom-out force tells you how much the spring pushes back if you type hard. Pre-travel decides how early the key fires: short pre-travel feels fast, and also fires on a resting finger. Total travel is how deep the key goes. Most standard switches land near 4 mm, so this one matters mainly when you’re comparing low-profile or speed switches.

Tactile switches sometimes list a “tactile force” or “peak force” too. That’s the force at the top of the bump, and it’s usually higher than actuation.

Light or heavy

Weight is personal, but the ranges are consistent.

• Under 45 gf: light. Easy on the fingers, easy to bottom out, and easy to fire a key you only brushed.
• 50–55 gf: the middle. Most stock switches live here, and it’s a safe first pick.
• 62 gf and up: heavy. Takes a deliberate press. Some typists like the resistance for fewer stray keys; others find it tiring over a long day.

If you’ve only ever typed on a laptop, a light or middle linear or tactile is the gentlest landing.

Noise in a shared room

Clicky is the obvious offender, but not the only one. The loudest sound on most boards is the keycap hitting bottom and the top of the stroke snapping back. That means a linear can still be loud if you type hard.

Quieter options, in rough order of effect:

1. Pick a linear or tactile over a clicky.
2. Look for “silent” switches, which add dampening at the top and bottom of the stroke. The tradeoff is a softer, slightly mushier feel.
3. Add foam inside the case, covered below.
4. Put a desk mat under the board. It takes some of the ring out of a hard desk.

Hot-swap means you can change your mind

A hot-swap board lets you pull switches out and press new ones in without a soldering iron, which is the cheapest way to find out what you actually like: buy a pack of something different, put it on a few keys, compare. If you haven’t settled on a switch, buy a board that allows it. The 3-pin and 5-pin socket question, and how hot-swap compares to a soldered board, is covered in the keyboard sizes guide.

Soldered boards have fewer parts to wear, and changing switches means desoldering every one. Go soldered only for switches you already know you’ll keep.

Mounting and foam change the feel too

Two boards with identical switches can type differently, and this is why.

Mounting is how the plate holding the switches attaches to the case. A tray mount screws the plate down: firm, and sometimes a little pingy. A gasket mount floats the plate on foam or rubber strips: softer and more even across the board. Neither is better.

Foam comes in three common spots, each with a job:

Foam	Where it goes	What it does
Case foam	Bottom of the case	Kills the hollow ring
Plate foam	Between plate and PCB	Softens the clack
PE foam sheet	On the PCB, under the switches	The higher, “poppy” sound people chase

Four mods to try first

All cheap and reversible, in the order most people do them:

1. Lube the stabilizers to stop the rattle on long keys like the spacebar.
2. Add foam inside the case.
3. Tape the back of the PCB for a deeper sound.
4. Fit switch films to steady switches that wobble in their housings.

The short version

• Linear is smooth, tactile has a bump, clicky adds a click that mics hear.
• Shop by actuation force in grams, not by colour name.
• 50–55 gf is the safe middle; under 45 is light, 62 and up is heavy.
• Buy hot-swap until you know your switch.
• Foam and a desk mat do more for noise than most people expect.