The best keyboard switches

A fantastic budget option, preferred by enthusiasts and general consumers alike, Akko has made high-quality switches available for anyone and takes the top spot on our list today. The switches come pre-lubed from the factory, with many people saying they didn’t even notice a need to redo it themselves, which is rare from even the bigger manufacturers.

Other great features include 5-pin support (beating out Cherry there) to help with typing stability, as well as the box stem design to reduce keycap wobble and keep the dust away from the internals. The typing experience has been compared to higher-end switches consistently, many enthusiasts find themselves surprised by them and go back to them regularly. Akko are making a name for themselves in the mechanical keyboard industry for sure, and it’s not hard to see why.

Often regarded by enthusiasts as the best linear switch on the market, any number of keyboard builds incorporate these thocky little switches. Gateron is fast overtaking Cherry as the best standard switch maker on the market, though that doesn't mean their more bespoke offerings are boring. Though these are on the more expensive side, you're getting a POM plastic stem, a gorgeous smokey black housing, and one of the heavier and more satisfying typing experiences out there.

There are some grumbles however, though they've had time to refine with their V2 switch release, there is a degree of wobble in the stock switches. We recommend adding switch film and adding extra lube on the stems to help combat this for a smooth-as-butter typing experience. Overall, these switches feel as good as they sound and are well-suited for typists, gamers, office workers, and everything in between.

The Drop x Invyr Holy Pandas are regarded as the Rolls Royce of tactile switches, and so when Glorious came out with their own version of the Pandas using Invyrs original moulds, people sat up straight. Though there are some changes from the original design, such as the colour of the stem, for the most part, these are the more affordable (if still expensive) option for a high-end tactile typing experience. Many of the most-watched videos for mechanical keyboards are sound tests for Panda switches, and it's not hard to see why, though there is some key-to-key sound variation.

Despite this, the opaque top-housing makes fitting them to an RGB keyboard an automatic compromise, light or switch feel? Many don't like having to compromise, though if there is a switch to make some compromises for on this list, the Pandas certainly are worthy.

Regarded as the better, more refined version of the Cherry MX blue, the Kailh box Jades give you a bold typing experience, the opposite of the subtlety offered by linear switches. With that presence, comes one of the most kinetic typing experiences available. If you're a fan of typewriters, these are definitely the switch for you. A forceful actuation leading to a low click and a sharp tactile bump makes this switch one for the people who don't mind making their presence known in gaming lobbies.

These switches aren't for anyone who shares their working space, however, as clicky switches are notoriously loud, and these are no different. You'd find yourself the office pariah if you brought a keyboard with these switches with you. But, given the right environment, these switches thrive and offer the user a fantastic typing experience, where you're sure to hear every keystroke.

Saving money with your switches is never a good idea, the scratchy and wobbly feeling will get to you after time. But here, you don't need to sacrifice anything for the smoothness you want from your mechanical keyboard. This is butter on a budget, with a smooth typing experience normally reserved for the most expensive keyboards. With great materials, including a milky-white top housing allowing for great RGB light diffusion, POM stem and factory lubing, smoothness never felt (or looked) so good.

Gateron balances its budget and high-end options across the board, allowing premium features across its budget options whilst keeping its more distinct features for its high-end switches in a great balance. The only downside people list is a bit of stem wobble, but that's easy to cope with when the typing experience is this smooth for this cheap.

For those who are looking for a responsive performance from your keyboard, the Akko Speed Silver switches are built for quick and accurate inputs and will help you take your PC gaming to the next level. With the box-style stems, the key wobble is reduced, meaning fewer accidental mis-inputs and a more stable feel when your fingers fly across the board in an Overwatch match. The linear style also means that the experience will be significantly quieter than the average gaming keyboard. Many gaming companies like Razer and Logitech use clicky switches, but they can get quite loud, unlike the speed silvers. In addition without a tactile or clicky bump, the switch will be smoother to operate.

Some have reported that factory lubing can be a bit spotty, but going over it again at home solves this problem. All these features combined live up to the "speed" in the speed silver name, giving you back precious milliseconds to help give you an edge in your next gaming session.