Linear mechanical switches are good for office work

2024-07-22

I have been using tactile switches for most of my time with a mechanical keyboard. They provide clear feedback when a key is actuated. They also have a firm resistance to their pre-travel, which helps reduce accidental key presses that can otherwise happen by resting your fingers on the caps. Overall, tactile switches, and their noisier clicky counterparts, are well suited for long typing sessions because they are easy to make sense of.

The suitability of those switches for writing is reflected in their accompanying promotional material. Manufacturers label them as a good choice for typists or, depending on the specific switch, an all-round capable option for gaming and office work alike.

Since I do not play any computer games with the keyboard, I can only judge the typing experience and, yes, tactile switches live up to their marketing. But are vendors right in all their claims? In particular, are linear switches intended for gaming and, perhaps, are ill-suited for other use-cases?

The little experiment

The tactile bump or unmistakable click are clear indicators for a successful key registration, but is such feedback necessary? To test whether I was benefiting from it, I devised a simple experiment: I put on headphones, played back a video while setting the audio level to a reasonably high level, and used my linear switch set (Keychron K Pro Silver, of which I wrote about in a previous publication: https://protesilaos.com/keeb/2024-07-02-keychron-banana-silver-switches/). The goal was to do some long-form writing and then reflect on how it felt.

It took me about 45 minutes to write an entry for my journal. I wrote it in my typical alla prima style, meaning that I did it in one go, only to quickly review the text at the end for typos. At no point did I feel I was inhibited by the lack of tactile or audible feedback. Words were flowing nicely and my fingers had no problem activating the keys with accuracy. The visual confirmation I was discerning on the screen while typing was enough for me to have confidence in my keystrokes, so I could keep the momentum going. I thus concluded that the switch type was not an irreducible factor of what I like in a switch. Further experiments were not necessary, as I had already noticed this phenomenon.

Factors such as how much force it takes to actuate the key and how scratchy or not the press feels are far more important to me. I value consistency and appreciate a setup that does not tire me out over the course of a prolonged writing session. Whether the switch type is linear, tactile, or clicky is relevant only to the extent that it enables the qualities I am seeking.

The marketing is fine, albeit simplistic

Linear switches are typically labelled as suitable for gaming. There probably is truth to this claim: the direct keystroke does not interfere with fast-paced repeated key presses, the absence of a noticeable click does not bother fellow players, while a lighter force helps minimise strain in extended press-and-hold events.

What I am interested in though is office work, where I think the gamer-focused narrative of linear switches is not helpful. I was originally negatively predisposed to linear switches because I thought I was not part of their target audience. But this changed quickly after I used clicky switches, which are supposed to be optimised for typists: the click felt gimmicky and was mostly a distraction. Instead of keeping my stream of consciousness uninterrupted, I was constantly being reminded “Hey, did you notice the click? Here… Here… The click!!!”

This kept happening for the whole duration of my typing session. I continued using clickies for a few more days to confirm I had gone through the adjustment period. I now think they are fine, though nothing special. I never developed an appreciation for the typist-friendly designation and consider it inaccurate. At best, those are suitable for someone who enjoys the added audible feedback which, I assume, can include gamers.

The lightness of typing

The linear switches I am using are smooth all across the keystroke. I do not notice any scratch. There also are no weird pinging sounds coming from inside the switch, something that did happen with other tactile switches, which made them borderline clicky.

Linear switches have the understated quality of blending into the background of your awareness, as they do not have any pronounced attribute that constantly reminds you of their presence. No tactile bumps; no clicks; no extraneous noises. Just a predictable press, which is simple and super effective.

My newfound fondness for linear switches has helped me understand myself better and develop a more refined taste for these mechanical components of my keyboard. Consistency is the best feature. Not feeling like I am typing against sandpaper is also essential. Then it all comes down to how sharp the rebound is, what the pre-travel should be, and the like.

I see myself using linear switches for the foreseeable future. I am happy with the Keychron K Pro Silver model, though I will try to experiment with some of their heavier counterparts at some point (not soon though, as this is working nicely).

The gist is that personal preference matters the most. Though we can only learn what we truly like—and thus who we are in this respect—by being out there in the world, trying things, and learning along the way. Perhaps this process of self-discovery is what fascinates the most beside the technicalities of having a keyboard setup that (i) helps alleviate my RSI and (ii) empowers me to write at length, which is my favourite activity on the computer.