Keyboard Technology-Types-Mechanical-switch

Keyboard-circuit Board Pcb

Types

Mechanical-switch keyboard

Cherry MX blue mechanical switch (left) and disassembled MX brown switch (right).

Mechanical-switch keyboards use separate complete switches underneath every key. Each switch is composed of a base, a spring, and a stem. Depending on the shape of the stem, such keyboards have varying actuation and travel distance. Switches also come in three variants, linear with consistent resistance, and tactile with a non-audible bump or with an audible click. Depending on the resistance of the spring, the key requires different amounts of pressure to actuate. Mechanical keyboards allow for the removal and replacement of keycaps.

The major current mechanical switch producer is Cherry. Alps Electric, a former major producer, ended production in the early 2000s. Companies such as Cooler Master, Corsair, Razer, Thermaltake, Logitech and SteelSeries offer a variety of mechanical model keyboards targeted towards gamers.