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.
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 CherryCherryPurpleCherry MX PurpleTactile0.35 N0.55 N2.0 mm4.0 mmMX2A-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 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 OutemuGaote/Outemu RedsCherry MX Reds Linear0.50 N N/A1.5 mm4.0 mm50 millionOutemuGaote/OutemuBrownsCherry MX Browns Tactile0.50 N0.55 N 2.0 mm4.0 mm50 millionOutemuGaote/OutemuBluesCherry MX Blues Clicky0.60 N0.65 N2.0 mm4.0 mm50 millionOutemu Gaote/OutemuBlack Cherry MX BlacksLinear 0.70 NN/A2.4 mm 4.0 mm50 million Gateron GateronReds Cherry MX Reds Linear0.45 NN/A2.0 mm4.0 mm 50 million GateronGateronBrownsCherry MX BrownsTactile0.55 N0.60 N 2.0 mm4.0 mm 50 million GateronGateronBlacksCherry MX BlacksLinear 0.65 NN/A2.0 mm4.0 mm 50 million GateronGateronWhite -Linear 0.35 NN/A2.0 mm4.0 mm 50 million GateronGateronGreen -Clicky0.80 N0.80 N2.3 mm4.0 mm 50 million GateronGateronBluesCherry MX Blues Clicky0.60 N 0.65 N 2.3 mm4.0 mm 50 million GateronGateronYellows -Linear 0.50 NN/A2.0 mm4.0 mm 50 million I.B.M./UnicompI.B.M./UnicompBuckling SpringN/AClicky>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. That these do not portray the diversity and number of switches currently on the market.
+BrandOEMSwitch nameStem designSwitch typeClick typeInitial forceActuation forceSpring force Actuation point Total travel Mounting type Factory lube SMD LED compatibility Key stroke lifespan Drop x Invyr Kailh Holy PandaMX Type stem Tactile N/A67 g 67 g 67 g1.2 mm4.0 mmPlate mounting No Yes 80 millionDrop Kailh Halo TrueMX Type stemTactile N/A60 g54 g100 g1.9 mm4.0 mmPlate mountingYesYes80 million Drop Kailh Halo ClearMX Type stemTactile N/A 65 g52 g78 g1.9 mm4.0 mmPlate mountingYesYes80 million Kailh Kailh Box White MX Type stemClicky Click Bar 50 g 50 g60 g1.8 mm 4.0 mmPlate mountingNo Yes 80 million Kailh Kailh BOX Glazed GreenMX Type stemClicky Click Bar50 g50 g50 g 1.8 mm3.6 mmPlate Mounting NoYes80 million Kailh Kailh BOX JadeMX Type stemClicky Click Bar50 g50 g60 g1.8 mm3.6 mmPlate Mounting NoYes80 million Kailh Kailh BOX Pale BlueMX Type stemClicky Click Bar60 g60 g80 g1.8 mm3.6 mmPlate Mounting NoYes80 million Kailh Kailh BOX NavyMX Type stemClicky Click Bar 60 g60 g90 g1.8 mm3.6 mmPlate Mounting NoYes80 million Kailh Kailh BOX Noble YellowMX Type stemClicky Click Bar 65 g65 g65 g1.8 mm3.6 mmPlate Mounting NoYes80 million Kailh Kailh BOX PinksMX Type stemClicky Click Bar 65 g65 g65 g 1.8 mm3.6 mm Plate Mounting NoYes80 million GateronGateronAliaz SilentMX Type StemSilent TactileN/AN/AN/A60/70/ 80/100g2.0 mm4.0 mmPlate MountingNoYesN/AZeal PCGateronClickiezMX Type StemClicky/Tactile/LinearClick Leaf40/75 g32/58 g73/95 g2.0 mm (unchecked)4.0 mmPlate MountingNoYesN/AZeal PCGateronCrystalMX Type StemTactileN/A~50g~70g60 g2.0 mm4.0 mmPlate MountingNoYesN/AZeal PCGateronZealio V1 ReduxMX Type StemTactileN/A??62g/67g2.0 mm4.0 mmPlate MountingNoYesN/A
Future 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.”
References "Cherry MX black", https://www.cherrymx.de/en/mx-original/mx-black.html "Cherry MX blue", https://www.cherrymx.de/en/mx-original/mx-blue.html "Cherry MX brown", https://www.cherrymx.de/en/mx-original/mx-brown.html "Cherry MX clear", https://www.cherrymx.de/en/mx-special/mx-clear.html "Cherry MX green", https://www.cherrymx.de/en/mx-special/mx-green.html "Cherry MX grey", https://www.cherrymx.de/en/mx-special/mx-grey.html "Cherry MX red", https://www.cherrymx.de/en/mx-original/mx-red.html "Cherry MX silent black", https://www.cherrymx.de/en/mx-original/mx-silent-black.html "Cherry MX silent red", https://www.cherrymx.de/en/mx-original/mx-silent-red.html "Cherry MX speed silver", https://www.cherrymx.de/en/mx-original/mx-speed-silver.html "Cherry MX Low Profile Speed", https://www.cherrymx.de/en/mx-low-profile/mx-low-profile-red.html "Cherry MX Low Profile Speed", https://www.cherrymx.de/en/mx-low-profile/mx-low-profile-speed.html "Tom's Hardware Review", https://www.tomshardware.com/news/razer-yellow-mechanical-keyboard-switch,33476.html "Kitguru Guide to Mechanical Keyboard Switches", https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/keyboards/matthew-wilson/the-kitguru-guide-to-mechanical-keyboard-switches/ Razor, https://www.razer.com/razer-optical-switch Logitech, https://www.logitechg.com/en-us/innovation/mechanical-switches.html "Tom's Hardware Orion Review", https://www.tomshardware.com/news/logitech-g910-orion-spark-romer-g,28101.html "Roccat's Titan Switch", https://en.roccat.org/Labs/Titan-Switchl