Specimen sheet — mechanical key switches
Anatomy of
a Keystroke
Every line you've shipped passed through a spring, a stem, and a pair of contacts. Three archetypes, cut open below — press one and watch the spring do the work.
Fig. 01 — test bench
Press and hold. Or just type.
Each specimen answers to its own key — A for linear, S for tactile, D for clicky — or press and hold with a pointer. The scope below plots force against travel as you go.
Linear
Tactile
Clicky
Force ÷ travel — live
Table 01 — specification
How they compare.
| Archetype | Actuation force | Actuation travel | Total travel | Feedback | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linear | 45 gf | 2.0 mm | 4.0 mm | None | Gaming, fast repeats |
| Tactile | 55 gf | 2.0 mm | 4.0 mm | Bump, silent | All-day typing |
| Clicky | 60 gf | 2.0 mm | 4.0 mm | Bump + click | Typing you can hear |