The ultimate PC gaming setup can’t be completed without a high-quality keyboard. How good your keyboard feels, in turn, is largely determined by the key switches you use. We’ll help you make the right choice between linear and tactile switches and explain the key differences between them.
Linear, Tactile, Clicky, Silent | Which Mechanical Keyboard Switch Should I Buy?
To start, linear and tactile switches are just two of the three most common keyboard switches. The third type is clicky switches, but we won’t go into that too much in this article. All we need to know about clicky switches for now is that they are firmer and noisier than linear and tactile switches. While that’s not the focus of the comparison in this article, we should mention that clicky switches are also suitable for gaming, especially if you’re looking for a distinct clicking sound for your keyboard.
While clicky switches are an option, linear and tactile switches are usually where the battle for the best gaming switches takes place. There are arguments to be made for both sides, and as we go along, you’ll see that which one you choose will come down to specific personal preferences. That’s not to say that these switches aren’t very different, but we can’t talk about these differences without first understanding what linear and tactile switches are.
Linear switches are a type of mechanical keyboard switch that focus on high responsiveness and extra quiet operation. Their most distinguishing feature is that linear switches have no built-in resistance when pressing a key, nor a physical pushback, nor the clicky noise feedback that other mechanical switches provide. A linear switch is intended to provide a smooth button press while being much quieter than other popular switch types.
