Gateron Yellow Switches
Budget-friendly smooth linear switches. Smooth travel, balanced spring weight, good for gaming and daily typing.
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Keyboard Switches
Keyboard switches decide how every key feels and sounds. Here are all 40 mechanical switches we recommend, grouped by feel, with a link to the store that sells each one.
Not sure where to start?
- Gaming: a light linear like Gateron Yellow.
- Typing: a tactile like Holy Panda or Boba U4T.
- Shared space: any silent switch.
- Read how to choose switches or linear vs tactile.
13 switches
Linear switches
Smooth from top to bottom with no bump or click. The usual pick for gaming and for quiet, fast typing. Full linear switch guide.
Gateron G Pro 3.0 Yellow Linear Switches
Pre-lubed budget linear with a transparent PC top for brighter RGB: 50gf actuation, 4.0mm travel, 3-pin. The value pick for a first hot-swap build.
Shop at KBDFans
Gateron G Pro 3.0 Red Linear Switches
Factory pre-lubed linear switch with 45gf actuation and 4.0mm travel, a transparent PC top housing, white nylon base, and POM stem. Reinforced three-ply pins keep it stable in hot-swap sockets.
Shop at KBDFans
Gateron Clear Switches
Ultra-light linear switches with very soft actuation. Best for typists who want minimal finger fatigue.
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Gateron Oil King
Factory-lubed linear with a black POM stem in INK housings: 55gf actuation, 65gf bottom-out, 4.0mm travel. The deep, muted sound made it a community favorite.
Shop at KBDFans
Gateron Ink Black V2
Premium linear in Gateron's INK housing with 60cN operating force, 2.0mm pre-travel, and 4.0mm total travel. Smooth and deep-sounding for enthusiast builds.
Shop at KBDFans
Gateron Smoothie Linear Switch Set
Factory-lubed linear switches with a full POM housing and stem and a 40gf actuation force, delivering a smooth, creamy keystroke and a rounded, mellow sound profile.
Shop at KBDFans
Sillyworks Hyacinth Linear Switch
Light HMX-made linear switch: 45g actuation, 52g bottom-out, PC top over a nylon housing with a POM stem. Factory lubed, with a short 3.5mm travel.
Shop at KBDFans
KBDfans Pre-lubed Switches
Gateron Ink switches that KBDfans lubes before they ship — Krytox GPL105 on the spring, a 7:3 GPL105 and AUT2045 mix on the stem and its legs — sold in packs of ten. The point is to skip the tear-down entirely and still get a lubed switch, with no lube station to buy. Ink Black is the deep linear; Silent Black Ink is the same feel with a dampened bottom-out. Lubing is done to order, so these ship slower than stock switches.
Shop at KBDFans
Akko Creamy Yellow U1 Switch
Factory-lubed linear switch with a POM stem and mixed POM/PA66 housing, 45gf actuation, and 3.6mm travel for a smooth press and a deep, creamy sound profile.
Shop at Akko
Akko Rosewood Switch
Factory-lubed linear switch with a custom Nylon stem and PA12/PA6 housing, 40gf actuation, and 4.0mm travel, tuned for a deep, low-pitch thocky sound inspired by wooden-case builds.
Shop at Akko
Akko Starlit Switch
Factory-lubed linear switch with a glitter-infused PC top housing, POM stem, and PA66 bottom housing; 45gf actuation and 3.4mm total travel for a smooth, quiet keystroke.
Shop at Akko
MOD Switch (Linear)
A factory-lubed linear with a POM stem, in three weights: MOD-L 45g, MOD-M 55g and MOD-H 62g. Packs of 70, 90 or 110. From $45 (was $59) at Apos on 13 November 2026.
Shop at Apos8 switches
Tactile switches
A bump partway down tells your finger the key has registered, without the noise of a click. Best tactile switches.
Drop + Invyr Holy Panda
Iconic tactile switch with a strong pronounced bump and premium feel. One of the best-known tactile switches for enthusiast builds.
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Glorious Holy Panda Lubed
Pre-lubed Holy Panda tactile switches. Strong tactile pick for a pronounced keypress feel without moving into the clicky category. Tactile favorite for starter builds.
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Gazzew Boba U4T
Tactile switch with long pole and deep, thocky sound profile. Go-to tactile pick when you want a thockier sound without going fully linear. Excellent for enthusiast builds.
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Siliworks Type R tactile Switches
Gateron-manufactured tactile switch with a POM stem and double-stage 22mm spring, 60gf operating force, and a short 3.0mm total travel. Sold in 10-packs.
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Akko Creamy Blue U1 Switch
Akko's first "sandy-feel" tactile: a subtle, lightly gritty texture on the downstroke over an early bump, without tipping into scratchiness. Factory-lubed POM stem in a POM/PA66 housing, 48±5gf operating force, 3.5±0.3mm total travel, 5-pin and MX-compatible. Sold as a plain 100-switch value pack, $19.99.
Shop at Akko
Akko Creamy Purple U1 Switch
The signature full-range tactile of the Creamy Purple line with its crisp, poppy sound profile, rebuilt on a POM stem and POM top housing over a PA66 bottom for noticeably better stem stability than the Purple Pro. 45±8gf operating force, 57±8gf tactile peak, 3.2±0.3mm travel. From $9.99 for 45 switches.
Shop at Akko
Durock Switches (T1 and Koala)
Durock tactile switches with a large bump, similar to Holy Pandas: T1 at 67g in a smokey or clear housing, or Koala at 62g or 67g. 5-pin, polycarbonate housing, gold-plated springs, in packs of 70, 90 or 110. From $45 at Apos on 13 November 2026.
Shop at Apos
MOD Switch (Tactile)
An ergo-clear style tactile with a bigger bump than a Cherry Brown and lubed sliders, in three weights: MOD-L 45g, MOD-M 55g and MOD-H 62g. Packs of 70, 90 or 110. From $45 (was $59) at Apos on 13 November 2026.
Shop at Apos3 switches
Clicky switches
A bump plus an audible click. Satisfying to type on, but loud in a shared room. Clicky switches guide.
Kailh Box Jade Switches
Clicky switches with a crisp, sharp click and aggressive feel. More pronounced than standard blue switches.
Check Price on AmazonCherry MX Blue Switches
Classic reference-point clicky switches. Tactile bump with audible click. The baseline for understanding the clicky switch category.
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Gateron KS-3X1 Milky Switch
The standard KS-3X1 Milky in a 110-switch bottle across six weights: Red, Yellow and Black linears, Brown tactile, Blue and Green clicky. The fully milky housing gives the series its softer, less hollow sound. $19.99 for the bottle. Distinct from the KS-3X1 Milky Pro series set, which is a silent/tactile line sold in 10-switch packs.
Shop at Keychron7 switches
Silent switches
Dampened stems cut the bottom-out and top-out noise. Good for offices, calls and late-night typing. Silent switches guide.
GATERON INK V2 Silent Black Linear Switches
Silent version of the INK V2 Black linear, keeping the 60cN force and 4.0mm travel while damping bottom-out and return noise. Built for shared rooms.
Shop at KBDFans
Akko V3 Fairy Switch (Silent)
A factory-lubed silent linear switch with a POM stem, PA housing, and a 17mm spring, rated for 50 million keystrokes. 5-pin and MX-compatible, 45 switches per pack. $13.99.
Shop at Akko
Akko V3 Pro Penguin Switch (Silent)
Akko's first silent tactile switch, factory lubed, with a POM and PA housing and a 50-million-keystroke rating. 5-pin and MX-compatible, 45 switches per pack. $13.99.
Shop at Akko
Gateron Aliaz Silent Tactile Switch
A silent tactile switch with a rounded bump and dampened housing, offered in 60, 70, 80, and 100 gf weights. The 110-switch set ships with a bottle at $88.99; the 60 and 70 gf weights also come as a 45-switch pack at $37.99. The 70 gf weight is out of stock at the time of writing.
Shop at Keychron
Gateron KS-9 Silent 3.0 Switch Set
Gateron's third-generation KS-9 silent switch, sold in both Pink (linear silent) and Purple (tactile silent). The cheapest way to try silent switches before committing to a full board: $3.80 per 10-switch pack.
Shop at KBDFans
Gateron KS-3X1 Milky Pro Switches Series Set
An upgrade on the KS-3 Milky Pro line, sold in three flavours: Pink (linear silent), Purple (tactile silent) and Yellow (heavy tactile). The milky housing is what softens the sound into the muted, creamy profile the Milky series is known for. $3.80 per 10-switch pack, the cheapest way into a creamy switch.
Shop at KBDFans
Keychron Low Profile Silent Switch
Keychron's silent take on its low-profile red linear switch, for the low-profile K and Q boards where standard-height silent switches will not fit. Sold as a 110-switch set with a bottle. $24.99.
Shop at Keychron6 switches
Magnetic (Hall effect) switches
For Hall effect keyboards only. Adjustable actuation and rapid trigger, mostly for competitive gaming. Magnetic switches guide.
GATERON Magnetic Jade Pro HE Switch Set
Hall-effect magnetic switch using rare-earth magnets, with a back-cover design that reduces stem wobble. For analog boards with adjustable actuation.
Shop at KBDFans
GATERON Magnetic Jade Delta Switch Set
Adjustable-actuation magnetic linear in 33gf light and 38gf dark versions, 3.5mm travel, factory lubed, rated to 150 million keystrokes.
Shop at KBDFans
GEON Raw HE Magnetic Switches
Hall-effect linear from GEON with 3.4mm full travel and analog actuation from 0.1mm. Three weightings (27g, 36g, and 45g initial force) for magnetic boards.
Shop at KBDFans
Akko Astrolink Magnetic Hall Effect Switches
Akko's Astrolink magnetic hall-effect switches offer analog input, adjustable actuation, and long-lasting durability.
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Mount Tai GT HE Magnetic Switches
One-piece-housing magnetic switch with under-3Gs Gauss variation, 0.005mm rapid-trigger steps, and a 9.35mm contact surface for low bottom-out wobble.
Shop at KBDFans
Magnetic Switches x 65
Pack of 65 magnetic switches for hall-effect hot-swap boards, sold as a full-keyboard set so you can rebuild a compact layout in one go.
Shop at KBDFans3 switches
Sampler sets, springs and tools
Not sure what you like yet? A sampler set lets you try several feels. Springs and an opener let you tune switches you already own. Switch lubing guide.
Gateron Full POM Smoothie Family Party Switches Set
A four-flavour full-POM sampler: Mint (linear silent), Strawberry (linear), Chocolate (tactile) and Banana (heavy tactile). Full POM housing lowers internal friction and resists oxidation over time, and the factory lube drops the sound floor further into creamy territory. $4.50 per 10-switch pack, so all four flavours cost under $20 to try.
Shop at KBDFans
Stainless Steel Switch Springs
Replacement switch springs in different weights, for changing how much force each key takes. $10 at Apos on 13 November 2026.
Shop at Apos
Gateron Switch Opener
A 126mm metal block that pops a switch housing apart in one press, so you can clean or lube the stem and rails instead of replacing the switch. The step past cleaning keycaps: a scratchy or crunchy switch is usually debris inside the housing, not a dead switch. Fits Cherry MX-style housings; it does not fit Kailh BOX switches.
Shop at KBDFansFAQ
Keyboard switch questions
What are the three main types of keyboard switches?
Linear, tactile and clicky. Linear switches press straight down with no bump, tactile switches have a bump you can feel partway down, and clicky switches add an audible click to the bump. Silent and magnetic Hall effect switches are variations on these.
Which keyboard switches are best for gaming?
Light linear switches such as Gateron Yellow or Gateron G Pro 3.0 Red, because there is no bump to push through. For competitive play, magnetic Hall effect switches add adjustable actuation and rapid trigger, but they only work in Hall effect keyboards.
Which keyboard switches are best for typing?
Many typists prefer a tactile switch like the Holy Panda or Boba U4T, since the bump confirms each keypress. Smooth linears are also popular for typing. A sampler set is the cheapest way to find out what you like.
Can I change the switches on my keyboard?
Yes, if the keyboard is hot-swappable. Pull the keycap, pull the switch with a switch puller and press in the new one. Most hot-swap boards take 3-pin and 5-pin MX-style switches. Magnetic switches only fit Hall effect boards.