2mo ago

Are linear switches bad for typing?

I'll preface this by saying I've only used cherry mx brown switches before.

Recently I decided to try Akko Silver linear switch, and while it feels great when I'm gaming, for work I've been getting the tips of my fingertips hurting. Is it just me or are they not for this sort of thing?

19 comments

I'm a hobbyist speed typer (200wpm+), generally prefer linear switches. I do bottom out almost always. To reduce the impact of bottoming out, if this is an issue for you, you can:
use a softer and/or more flexible plate. An aluminum or brass plate is very stiff and will absorb less of the impact compared to an FR4 or polycarbonate plate. The mounting style of the keyboard can also affect this, e.g. a gasket mount has the pcb "floating" on rubber pads that absorb shock, and a plate that is screwed directly into a metal chassis will absorb almost nothing. The plate/pcb can have flex cuts added to improve flexibility and absorb more shock.
use switch springs with a higher actuation force. Common choice is 63.5g or 68g, which is a little heavier than the Akko switches' ~45g. The spring can also have a variable profile such that the resistance increases more as the spring is depressed, so it kind of cushions the impact a tiny bit. I use extra long springs which has the opposite effect, the response curve is more constant.
use rubber o-rings on the switches. This will make them feel squishy and I don't really recommend it, but it's an option if replacing your keyboard isn't.
FWIW I mostly use an Odin75 keyboard with an FR4 plate and stock alpaca switches. This is gasket mount + soft plate with lots of flex cuts, so it's a reasonably soft typing experience.
- I'm a hobbyist speed typer (200wpm+)
  I didn't know that was a thing. 200wpm is pretty impressive imo, I can only do 25.

If you don't like them, then you don't like them. It's all just personal preference. MX Brown have such a small bump anyways they're basically linear.
- Scratchy reds

Are you bottoming out with a lot of force when typing?
- I think so but I'm not sure. I've been doing the mental effort to type lightly and it seems to be helping so far.
  
  Yeah, it definitely seems like a more concerted effort to not bottom out super hard on linears, but, if you can manage it, hell yeah. As others have said tactiles give you some physical feedback to tell you when you've actuated the switch. If you continue to have issues and really want to stick with linears, perhaps a silent linear would alleviate the fatigue/pain. The bottom is dampened with some kind of rubber or silicone so it doesn't feel as harsh when you bottom out

I think it's preference. I like to glide my fingers over the keys and rest lightly on them. On a linear board I'll accidentally press many keys doing that.

I think so. There's nothing telling your finger when a linear switch is active. That's why you end up bottoming out, which means you're using more force and incurring more impact in the finger. One can learn to like anything but typing without bottoming out on linear is playing on hard because you like it. The problem is that if you don't learn to not bottom out, this does damage to your fingers and it'll start complaining long term. With that said, typing using the 10-finger system might be more important for avoiding repetitive injury. I imagine overloading several fingers with all keystrokes would be worse than bottoming out. If you type a lot that is. So I'd learn to do that before changing the switches. In any case being able to reliably type without looking is magical. Releases the brain to fully focus on what's on screen. Or off screen.
- Could also add soft, thick o-rings to limit travel and absorb bottom-out force.

preference is always king. Some like tactile, some like linears, some heretical people like clickies.
Switching switches tends to come with a period of getting accustomed to the new feel, at least for me. I switched from cherry mx browns to durock L7's (68g ones, iirc), so quite the jump and I absolutely love them. Types just fine, but the first week was pretty weird, ngl.
- Heretic with Box Jades here. They're awesome for typing and waking my neighbors up at 3AM.
  
  burn the (s)witch! /s
  can't argue what feels nice to type with. :)
  
  mmmmmm clicky go clack

VERY much personal preference
and there are way too many options available for MX switches
linear, tactile, clicky, silent, pre-lubed, long pole, strong tactile, weak tactile, click jacket, clickbar, clickleaf, light springs, medium springs, heavy springs, short springs, long springs, 3 stage springs

Akko Silver has a light spring (45g) – so really easy to bottom out, simplest might be test with a heavier spring
medium-light – Akko Piano (55g)
medium – Akko Matcha Green (63g)

if it’s just a matter of bottoming out
O-ring mod – add a small O-ring around the stem of the keycap, softens bottom out on existing switches
silent switches (ex. Akko Fairy) – internal dampers not only silence the clack but soften the blow

ergo mech users !ergomechkeyboards@lemmy.world generally go for light springs but they also tend to hover their fingers rather than resting their fingers as well as optimizing layouts and keymaps to reduce finger travel which is a whole new discipline

I think linears are fine for typing, but if you don't like them for that then that is fine. Swap the switches!

Very much personal preference. To me linears are bad for everything, including fps games.

It's you!
As everybody writes here: How good switches work is highly subjective.
I feel the same and switched to early and slightly heavier tactiles, the Gateron Bananas Low Profile and the Gateron Baby Kangaroos. I like the Bananas and absolutely love the BKs! Maybe linears give you an edge, when you a really into competitive gaming, but tactiles are totally okay for that, too. The Browns don't sound or feel nice in any way, but with their small bumb, they are perfectly fine middle-of-the-ground switches.
Just one thing: Clickies are NOT fine for gaming. Only crazy people use them for that.

I like my oil Kings for typing. Never really liked other linear switches for typing.

19 comments