Many keyboard companies make their own switches for their own keyboards, and the quality of these varies from brand to brand and switch to switch.įor example, Varmilo keyboards often come with their own switches-Daisy EC, Ivy EC, Rose EC, and Sakura EC. Their standard switches are often cheaper than alternatives, making them great for budget mechanical keyboards.Īpart from these three brands, other manufacturers also produce their own switches. Their box switches in particular are said to be very good quality, while their Cherry MX ‘clones’ might be less reliable. They apparently used to have quality problems, but over recent years quality has improved. Kailh switches tend to be a little heavier than their Cherry and Gateron counterparts, requiring more force for actuation and bottom-out. Some prefer the slight friction of Cherry switches, however. Gateron switches tend to be smoother than Cherry switches out of the box-Cherry switches often have to be ‘broken in’ or lubed before stem friction is reduced and they reach the smoothness of Gaterons. Gateron switches are high-quality, just like Cherry switches, so you can rest assured that you’re not opting for something second-rate if you go for them instead of Cherry MX switches. Probably the two most popular switch manufacturers apart from Cherry are Gateron and Kailh. However, there are an increasing number of quality switch manufacturers out there. The most popular and longstanding switch manufacturer is Cherry, and their ‘MX’ switches have been the go-to for mechanical keyboard gamers for many years. The differences between keyboard switches concern how much force is needed to push them down, whether they’re designed to make you feel a bump with each keypress, and so on. There are many different types of mechanical switch, but most (with few exceptions) work in this manner. These keys tend to feel less squishy than membrane ones because of this mechanism. When a key is pressed, a plastic stem pushes a spring down, and at some point, the stem travels far enough that two metal strips connect, which registers the keypress. Mechanical keyboards use switches instead of membranes. These keys tend to feel squishy because of this rubber membrane mechanism. Rubber dome or ‘membrane’ keyboard keys work by pushing a rubber membrane down to connect to another membrane, which registers a keypress. Most people find that mechanical keyboard switches offer a better keyboard experience than the rubber domes found on most common keyboards. Deciding between linear and tactile switches is a great way to start. If you’re not limiting yourself to Cherry MX Reds, Blues, or Browns, and you’re considering a wide range of mechanical switches, you’ll likely want a way to narrow down your options. But there are many more switches than these on the market today. If you’re sticking to the classics, you’ll be deciding between Cherry MX Red, Blue, and Brown switches. If you’ve decided you want a mechanical keyboard, you must decide which mechanical switches you want your keyboard to have. While much of the mechanical vs membrane keyboard debate comes down to personal preference, most people find that mechanical keyboards provide a better typing and gaming experience.
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