The video above gives a solid example of the difference between a standard Cherry MX Red switch and the Red Silent version.Ĭherry Silent switches are available primarily on Corsair-branded keyboards at retail, though there are a few boards from Cherry itself and some boutique manufacturers like Varmilo and Filco. The Silent Red MX switch is favored by gamers thanks to a weaker 45-gram activation point, while the Silent Black MX switch is a heavier 60-gram switch. This removes most of the noise coming from the switch as you type. These are linear switches (faster, with no “bump” or audible “click” mechanism) that have tiny pieces of rubber inside where the stem returns as the spring expands. Cherry claims they’re 30% quieter than standard MX key switches.Ĭherry, the German manufacturer that’s made the standardized MX mechanical switch for decades, offers Silent variations of both its Red and Black switch designs. “Silent” is in quotation marks here, which of course means “not really silent” the new switches do make noise, but they’re not nearly as obnoxious as more standard mechanical keys. Enter the “silent” switch, a new batch of switch designs that use different materials to dampen the noise of the plastic parts inside a mechanical housing. This is considerably louder than more mundane keyboard mechanisms, which use a sheet of rubber to cover the actuation switches, effectively dampening the sound, but resulting in a far less crisp feel sought after by many typists and gamers.īut with the rise of mechanical keyboards, manufacturers have set about solving the noise problem. Plastic sliders underneath each key are depressed down on a spring, closing an electrical circuit and activating the corresponding key input for your computer. What makes a mechanical keyboard loud is the action of the individual switches. New “Silent” Switches Offer A Measurable Improvement

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