List of keyboard switches
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Commonly used mechanical switches on pre-built keyboards
Manufacturers frequently build computer keyboards using switches from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The switches used determine the feel of the keyboard.
| class="wikitable sortable" | ||||||||||
| Brand | OEM | Switch name | Cherry MX equivalent | Switch Type | Actuation force | Tactile force | Actuation point | Total travel | Product code | Durability (actuations) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherry | Cherry | Black | Cherry MX Black | Linear | 0.60 N | N/A | 2.0 mm | 4.0 mm | MX1A-11xx | >100 million |
| Cherry | Cherry | Red | Cherry MX Red | Linear | 0.45 N | N/A | 2.0 mm | 4.0 mm | MX1A-L1xx | >100 million |
| Cherry | Cherry | Brown | Cherry MX Brown | Tactile | 0.45 N | 0.55 N | 2.0 mm | 4.0 mm | MX1A-G1xx | >100 million |
| Cherry | Cherry | Blue | Cherry MX Blue | Clicky | 0.50 N | 0.60 N | 2.2 mm | 4.0 mm | MX1A-E1xx | >50 million |
| Cherry | Cherry | Green | Cherry MX Green | Clicky | 0.70 N | 0.80 N | 2.2 mm | 4.0 mm | MX1A-F1xx | >50 million |
| Cherry | Cherry | Clear | Cherry MX Clear | Tactile | 0.55 N | 0.65 N | 2.0 mm | 4.0 mm | MX1A-C1xx | |
| Cherry | Cherry | Grey (Tactile) | Cherry MX Tactile Grey | Tactile | 0.80 N | 0.80 N | 2.0 mm | 4.0 mm | MX1A-D1xx | >50 million |
| Cherry | Cherry | Grey (Linear) (formerly Dark grey) | Cherry MX Linear Grey | Linear | 0.80 N | N/A | 2.0 mm | 4.0 mm | MX1A-21xx | |
| Cherry | Cherry | Nature White | Cherry MX Nature White | Linear | 0.55 N | N/A | 2.0 mm | 4.0 mm | MX1A-41NA | |
| Cherry | Cherry | Speed Silver | Cherry MX Speed Silver | Linear | 0.45 N | N/A | 1.2 mm | 3.4 mm | MX1A-51xx | |
| Cherry | Cherry | Low Profile Red | Cherry MX Low Profile Red | Linear | 0.45 ± 0.15 N | N/A | 1.2 ± 0.3 mm | 3.2 ± 0.25 mm | MX1B-L2NA | >50 million |
| Cherry | Cherry | Low Profile Speed | Cherry MX Low Profile Speed | Linear | 0.45 ± 0.15 N | N/A | 1.0 ± 0.3 mm | 3.2 ± 0.25 mm | MX1B-52NA | >50 million |
| Cherry | Cherry | Silent Black | Cherry MX Silent Black | Linear | 0.60 N | N/A | 1.9 mm | 3.7 mm | MX3A-11xx | |
| Cherry | Cherry | Silent Red | Cherry MX Silent Red | Linear | 0.45 N | N/A | 1.9 mm | 3.7 mm | MX3A-L1xx | |
| Cherry
|Cherry |Purple |Cherry MX Purple |Tactile |0.35 N |0.55 N |2.0 mm |4.0 mm |MX2A-V1NW | | ||||||||||
| Kailh | Kailh | Black | Cherry MX Black | Linear | 0.60 N | N/A | 1.9 mm | |||
| Kailh | Kailh | Red | Cherry MX Red | Linear | 0.50 N | N/A | 1.9 mm | |||
| Kailh | Kailh | Blue | Cherry MX Blue | Clicky | 0.50 N | 0.60 N | 1.9 mm | |||
| Kailh | Kailh | Brown | Cherry MX Brown | Tactile | 0.50 N | N/A | 1.9 mm | |||
| Kailh | Kailh | Speed Silver | Cherry MX Speed Silver | Linear | 0.50 N | N/A | 1.3 mm | |||
| Kailh | Kailh | Speed Bronze | N/A | Clicky | 0.50 N | N/A | 1.3 mm | |||
| Kailh | Kailh | Speed Copper | N/A | Tactile | 0.50 N | N/A | 1.3 mm | |||
| Razer | Kailh | Green | Cherry MX Blue | Clicky | 0.50 N | 1.9 ± 0.4 mm | 80 million | |||
| Razer | Greetech | Green | Cherry MX Blue | Clicky | ||||||
| Razer | Kailh | Orange | Cherry MX Brown | Tactile | 0.45 cN | 1.9 ± 0.4 mm | 80 million | |||
| Razer | Greetech | Orange | Cherry MX Brown | Tactile | ||||||
| Razer | Kailh | Yellow | Cherry MX Speed Silver | Linear | 0.45 N | N/A | 1.2 ± 0.3 mm | 3.5 mm | ||
| Razer | Greetech | Yellow | Cherry MX Speed Silver | Linear | N/A | |||||
| Razer | DMET{{cite web |title=Dongguan Mingjian Electronic Technology products page |url=http://www.dgmjdz.cn/Product.asp |website=dgmjdz |access-date=16 March 2022 |language=zh |archive-date=4 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210304102858/http://www.dgmjdz.cn/Product.asp |url-status=live }} | Red (Optical Switch) | Cherry MX Red | Linear | 0.40 N | N/A | 1.0 mm | 100 million | ||
| Razer | DMET | Purple (Optical Switch) | Cherry MX Blue | Clicky | 0.45 N | N/A | 1.5 mm | 100 million | ||
| Logitech | Kailh | GL Linear | Cherry MX Low Profile Red | Linear | 0.50 N | N/A | 1.5 mm | 2.7 mm | 80 million | |
| Logitech | Kailh | GL Tactile | N/A | Tactile | 0.50 N | 0.60 N | 1.5 mm | 2.7 mm | 80 million | |
| Logitech | Kailh | GL Clicky | N/A | Clicky | 0.50 N | 0.60 N | 1.5 mm | 2.7 mm | 80 million | |
| Logitech | Omron | Romer-G Linear | N/A | Linear | 0.45 N | N/A | 1.5 mm | 3.2 mm | 70 million | |
| Logitech | Omron | Romer-G Tactile | N/A | Tactile | 0.45 N | 0.50 N | 1.5 mm | 3.2 mm | 70 million | |
| Logitech | Kailh | GX Red | Cherry MX Red | Linear | 0.50 N | N/A | 1.9 mm | 4.0 mm | ||
| Logitech | Kailh | GX Blue | Cherry MX Blue | Clicky | 0.50 N | 0.60 N | 2.0 mm | 4.0 mm | 70 million | |
| Logitech | Kailh | GX Brown | Cherry MX Brown | Tactile | 0.50 N | 0.60 N | 1.9 mm | 4.0 mm | 70 million | |
| Roccat | Roccat | Roccat Titan Linear | Cherry MX Red | Linear | N/A | 1.4 mm | 3.6 mm | |||
| Roccat | Roccat | Roccat Titan Tactile | Cherry MX Brown | Tactile | 1.8 mm | 3.6 mm | ||||
| Outemu
|Gaote/Outemu |Cherry MX Reds |Linear |0.50 N |N/A |1.5 mm |4.0 mm | |50 million | ||||||||||
| Outemu
|Gaote/Outemu |Cherry MX Browns |Tactile |0.50 N |0.55 N |2.0 mm |4.0 mm | |50 million | ||||||||||
| Outemu
|Gaote/Outemu |Cherry MX Blues |Clicky |0.60 N |0.65 N |2.0 mm |4.0 mm | |50 million | ||||||||||
| Outemu
|Gaote/Outemu |Cherry MX Blacks |Linear |0.70 N |N/A |2.4 mm |4.0 mm | |50 million | ||||||||||
| Gateron
|Gateron |Cherry MX Reds |Linear |0.45 N |N/A |2.0 mm |4.0 mm | |50 million | ||||||||||
| Gateron
|Gateron |Cherry MX Browns |Tactile |0.55 N |0.60 N |2.0 mm |4.0 mm | |50 million | ||||||||||
| Gateron
|Gateron |Cherry MX Blacks |Linear |0.65 N |N/A |2.0 mm |4.0 mm | |50 million | ||||||||||
| Gateron
|Gateron | - |Linear |0.35 N |N/A |2.0 mm |4.0 mm | |50 million | ||||||||||
| Gateron
|Gateron | - |Clicky |0.80 N |0.80 N |2.3 mm |4.0 mm | |50 million | ||||||||||
| Gateron
|Gateron |Cherry MX Blues |Clicky |0.60 N |0.65 N |2.3 mm |4.0 mm | |50 million | ||||||||||
| Gateron
|Gateron | - |Linear |0.50 N |N/A |2.0 mm |4.0 mm | |50 million | ||||||||||
| I.B.M./Unicomp
|I.B.M./Unicomp |Buckling Spring |N/A |Clicky | | | | | |>25 million (Model M) >100 million (Model F) |
Mechanical keyboard switches for custom keyboards
On the custom mechanical keyboard space, there are far greater quantity of keyboard switches. It is important to note that these do not portray the diversity and number of switches currently on the market.
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Brand !OEM !Switch name !Stem design !Switch type !Click type !Initial force !Actuation force !Spring force !Actuation point !Total travel !Mounting type !Factory lube !SMD LED compatibility !Key stroke lifespan |
| Drop x Invyr
|Kailh |MX Type stem |Tactile |N/A |67 g |67 g |67 g |1.2 mm |4.0 mm |Plate mounting |No |Yes |80 million |
| Drop
|Kailh |MX Type stem |Tactile |N/A |60 g |54 g |100 g |1.9 mm |4.0 mm |Plate mounting |Yes |Yes |80 million |
| Drop
|Kailh |MX Type stem |Tactile |N/A |65 g |52 g |78 g |1.9 mm |4.0 mm |Plate mounting |Yes |Yes |80 million |
| Kailh
|Kailh |Box White |MX Type stem |Clicky |Click Bar |50 g |50 g |60 g |1.8 mm |4.0 mm |Plate mounting |No |Yes |80 million |
| Kailh
|Kailh |BOX Glazed Green |MX Type stem |Clicky |Click Bar |50 g |50 g |50 g |1.8 mm |3.6 mm |Plate Mounting |No |Yes |80 million |
| Kailh
|Kailh |BOX Jade |MX Type stem |Clicky |Click Bar |50 g |50 g |60 g |1.8 mm |3.6 mm |Plate Mounting |No |Yes |80 million |
| Kailh
|Kailh |BOX Pale Blue |MX Type stem |Clicky |Click Bar |60 g |60 g |80 g |1.8 mm |3.6 mm |Plate Mounting |No |Yes |80 million |
| Kailh
|Kailh |BOX Navy |MX Type stem |Clicky |Click Bar |60 g |60 g |90 g |1.8 mm |3.6 mm |Plate Mounting |No |Yes |80 million |
| Kailh
|Kailh |BOX Noble Yellow |MX Type stem |Clicky |Click Bar |65 g |65 g |65 g |1.8 mm |3.6 mm |Plate Mounting |No |Yes |80 million |
| Kailh
|Kailh |BOX Pinks |MX Type stem |Clicky |Click Bar |65 g |65 g |65 g |1.8 mm |3.6 mm |Plate Mounting |No |Yes |80 million |
| Gateron
|Gateron |Aliaz Silent |MX Type Stem |Silent Tactile |N/A |N/A |N/A |60/70/ 80/100g |2.0 mm |4.0 mm |Plate Mounting |No |Yes |N/A |
| Zeal PC
|Gateron |Clickiez |MX Type Stem |Clicky/Tactile/Linear |Click Leaf |40/75 g |32/58 g |73/95 g |2.0 mm (unchecked) |4.0 mm |Plate Mounting |No |Yes |N/A |
| Zeal PC
|Gateron |Crystal |MX Type Stem |Tactile |N/A |~50g |~70g |60 g |2.0 mm |4.0 mm |Plate Mounting |No |Yes |N/A |
| Zeal PC
|Gateron |Zealio V1 Redux |MX Type Stem |Tactile |N/A |? |? |62g/67g |2.0 mm |4.0 mm |Plate Mounting |No |Yes |N/A |
Future
As time goes on, there are more and more switches being developed and manufactured across the world. Some are by new manufacturers, some are collaborations between companies and manufacturers, and some are consumer made. Some [https://thegamingsetup.com/gaming-keyboard/buying-guides/keyboard-switch-chart-table] bigger databases that involve more than just our main manufacturers listed here.
On top of a variety of new switches being made, consumers are taking parts of different switches and then going on to make their own switches, called “Franken-switches.”[https://kimdi-keys.com/pages/frankenswitches]