Linear, tactile or clicky?
Updated
Linear switches go down smoothly, tactile ones have a bump you feel, and clicky ones add an audible click to the bump. Each sounds different, and you can hear all three, plus silent switches and a buckling spring, in Teclo's packs below.
Pick a pack, then press any key or tap the keys below. These are the same samples the app plays.
The three kinds
| Kind | What it does | How loud | Teclo packs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linear | “no bump and feel smooth throughout the keypress” | Quiet | Butter, Ivory, Boulder |
| Tactile | “a noticeable bump at the actuation point” | Medium | Pebble, Knuckle |
| Clicky | “Tactile bump + audible click” | Loud | Cricket, and Buckle, a buckling spring |
The quotes and loudness ratings are a keyboard maker’s. A tactile switch can make two sounds in one press, one at the bump and one at the bottom; Epomaker’s glossary calls this the “Two-Beat”.
What else changes the sound
The switch is only part of it. Epomaker’s glossary ties clack to stiff plates and thin-foam builds, and thock to gasket-mounted boards. Teclo’s packs model the same parts, lube, keycaps, plate, case and foam, which is why two linear packs can sound so different: Butter is lubed on gaskets and foam, Ivory sits under thick caps, and Boulder sits in a heavy aluminium case.
Quiet options
Silent switches have dampers that soften the landing. Teclo’s Muffle imitates silent switches on foam, and Cushion the rubber domes of an office keyboard.
The words people use for these sounds are on thock, clack and creamy.
Questions
Which keyboard switch is the loudest?
Clicky switches. Keyboard makers rate linear switches quiet, tactile medium and clicky loud.
Which kind is best for typing?
None is best for everyone; it is a matter of feel and how much noise you want. In a sound app, the noise only reaches your own ears, so you can pick by sound alone.
Sources
Other facts on this page come from these pages, read on or before the date above.