Linear (e.g. Red)
A smooth travel with no tactile or audible feedback at the actuation point. The force needed stays constant over the whole travel.
- Good for gaming, with fast repeated presses
- Suits offices where low noise matters
02 / 06 · Switches
How a switch works
What a mechanical switch is made of, what actuation point and total travel mean, why debounce is needed, and how to choose between linear, tactile and clicky.
Anatomy of a switch
In a mechanical keyboard, every key has its own switch. Technically it is a better solution than a membrane, where all keys share the same flexible layers.
When you press, the spring compresses and the stem lets the two metal parts touch, and the key is registered.
The parts of a switch
- Housing
- The body of the switch, which contains the other parts.
- Spring
- Sets the force needed to press the key.
- Stem
- Its shape defines the tactile feedback.
- Metal contacts
- Two high-precision parts that touch and close the circuit.
Durability
A mechanical switch lasts tens of millions of presses. Together with being able to pick the right switch, this makes mechanical keyboards more efficient for heavy use: programming, writing, gaming.
From the thesis, chapter 2.1
Actuation and total travel
- Actuation point
- The point in the travel where the electrical contact is made and the key registers, for example at 2 mm.
- Total travel
- The furthest the key can move, for example 4 mm.
Because actuation happens before the end of the travel, you do not have to press the key all the way down. Typing becomes faster, more accurate and less tiring.
From the thesis, chapter 2.1
Contact bounce and debounce
At a microscopic scale, the first metal contact is not perfect. Instead of one clean closure, the switch produces a series of very fast electrical pulses, called contact bounce.
What debounce does
Without filtering, a single press could be registered several times. The firmware’s debounce algorithm uses a timer: the press is accepted only once the contact has stayed stable for a few milliseconds.
From the thesis, chapter 2.1, 4.3
Linear, tactile or clicky
Tactile (e.g. Brown)
A hybrid: at the actuation point you feel a “bump”, noticeable but quiet, which confirms the key registered, with no audible click.
- An excellent all-round choice, for both writing and gaming
Clicky (e.g. Blue)
Like a tactile switch, but the bump comes with an audible “click” at the actuation point.
- Preferred by many programmers and writers for the tactile and audible feedback
| Switch type | Use case | Actuation force | Noise level | Typical applications | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linear | Gaming | 45g | Low | FPS games | Smooth travel | No tactile feedback |
| Tactile | Writing | 50g | Moderate | Office work | Noticeable tactile “bump” | Can be noisier |
| Clicky | For maximum feedback | 55g | High | Writing sessions | Tactile and audible feedback | Unsuitable for quiet spaces |
In the thesis prototype
The prototype uses linear switches, but the board is compatible with most MX-style switches.
From the thesis, chapter 3.3
In the shop
Written from Ștefan-Emanuel Ciupitu’s bachelor thesis “Wireless multifunction keyboard using the nRF52840 module” (Suceava, 2025).